Inverting aids for latex-based drag reducing agents
AssigneeBaker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC
InventorsAnalette Carrasco, Joey Dacula Mangadlao
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An oxyalkylated branched aliphatic compound produced by oxyalkylating a branched aliphatic compound having 12 or more carbon atoms in which the branched aliphatic compound having 12 or more carbon atoms is grafted with a polyether via a crosslinking reaction, wherein the polyether is a polymer of ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, butylene oxide, and combinations thereof, may be useful as an inverting aid for increasing the dissolution rate of a latex-based drag reducing agent in a liquid hydrocarbon.
Claims16
A method for enhancing the dissolution rate of a latex-based drag reducing agent in a liquid hydrocarbon stream, the method comprising:
- providing a branched aliphatic compound having a chain of 12 or more carbon atoms, wherein the branched aliphatic compound comprises branches, each branch comprising a functional group selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups, arylalkyl groups, cycloalkyl groups, and combinations thereof, wherein the functional group has 2 to 28 carbons;
- oxyalkylating the branched aliphatic compound to form an oxyalkylated branched aliphatic compound having 12 or more carbon atoms;
- admixing the oxyalkylated branched aliphatic compound with the latex-based drag reducing agent in the liquid hydrocarbon stream in an amount effective to increase the dissolution rate of the latex-based drag reducing agent into the liquid hydrocarbon stream;
- and
- increasing the dissolution rate of the latex-based drag reducing agent in the liquid hydrocarbon stream.
An inverting aid-enhanced latex-based drag reducing agent formulation, the formulation comprising:
- an oxyalkylated branched aliphatic compound having a chain of 12 or more carbons and comprising branches, wherein each of the branches comprises a functional group selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups having 2 to 28 carbon atoms, arylalkyl groups having 2 to 28 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl groups having 2 to 28 carbon atoms, and combinations thereof;
- and
- a latex-based drag reducing agent;
- where the oxyalkylated branched aliphatic compound is present in an amount ranging from 0.1 wt. % to about 10 wt. %, based on total weight of oxyalkylated branched aliphatic compound and the latex-based drag reducing agent.
A treated hydrocarbon stream comprising:
- a liquid hydrocarbon stream;
- an oxyalkylated branched aliphatic compound having a chain of 12 or more carbons and comprising branches, wherein each of the branches comprises a functional group selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups having 2 to 28 carbon atoms, arylalkyl groups having 2 to 28 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl groups having 2 to 28 carbon atoms, and combinations thereof;
- and
- a latex-based drag reducing agent;
- wherein the oxyalkylated branched aliphatic compound is present in an amount effective to increase the dissolution rate of the latex-based drag reducing agent in the liquid hydrocarbon stream, the amount ranging from 0.1 wt. % to about 50 wt. %, based on total weight of oxyalkylated branched aliphatic compound and the latex-based drag reducing agent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.