# US 11,999,903 B2 · Foaming formulations for enhanced oil recovery

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- Number: US 11,999,903 B2
- Document ID: US11999903B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/620,896
- Filed: 2020-06-16
- Published: 2022-11-10
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2019-06-19
- Assignees: Energy Solutions (US) LLC; Ifp Energies Nouvelles
- Applicants: Rhodia Operations; IFP Energies Nouvelles
- Inventors: Eloise Chevallier; Mikel Morvan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11999903B2

## CPC

- C09K 8/594: Compositions used in combination with injected gas {, e.g. CO2 orcarbonated gas}(C09K8/592 takes precedence)
- C09K 8/584: characterised by the use of specific surfactants
- E21B 43/166: {Injecting a gaseous medium; Injecting a gaseous medium and a liquid medium (CO2 injection E21B43/164; steam injection E21B43/24)}
- C09K: MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS

## Abstract

The invention relates to a composition which comprises within an aqueous medium: —at least one ethoxylated alkylamine; and—at least one amphoteric or zwitterionic surfactant. The invention further relates to the use of said compositions as foaming compositions, in particular for EOR (enhanced oil recovery).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A composition C, suitable as foaming composition, which comprises, within an aqueous medium M:
at least one ethoxylated alkylamine; and
at least one amphoteric or zwitterionic surfactant
wherein the ethoxylated alkylamine has formula (I) below:
where:
n is a non-zero number between 1 and 12;
m is a non-zero number between 1 and 12, the sum n+m remaining below 20;
[A-] is a group comprising an alkyl group, selected from:
an alkyl group R— comprising from 8 to 22 carbon atoms;
or
an ethoxylated alkylamine group of formula:
where:
R′— is an alkyl group, comprising from 8 to 22 carbon atoms;
—R″— is an alkenyl group, a group —(CH2)q—
where q is a whole number between 2 and 5
p is a non-zero number, between 1 and 10
with the sum n+m+p remaining below 20.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The composition according to claim 1, wherein the surfactants present in the composition C are stable at least up to 80° C.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The composition according to claim 1, wherein the ethoxylated alkylamine has formula (Ia) below:
where:
n is a non-zero number between 1 and 12;
m is a non-zero number between 1 and 12, the sum of n+m being between 2 and 8;
[A-] is a group consisting of alkyl group, selected from:
an alkyl group R— comprising from 8 to 22 carbon atoms;
or
an ethoxylated alkylamine group of formula:
where:
R′— is an alkyl group, comprising from 8 to 22 carbon atoms;
—R″ is an alkenyl group, a group —(CH2)q—,
where q is a whole number between 2 and 5, and
is a non-zero number, between 1 and 10.
with the sum of n+m+p remaining below 20.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The composition according to claim 1, wherein the ethoxylated alkylamine has formula (Ib) below:
where:
n is a non-zero number between 1 and 12;
m is a non-zero number between 1 and 12, the sum of n+m remaining below 20;
[A-] is a group consisting of alkyl group, selected from:
an alkyl group R— comprising from 8 to 22 carbon atoms;
or
an ethoxylated alkylamine group of formula:
where:
R′— is an alkyl group, comprising from 8 to 22 carbon atoms;
—R″— is an alkenyl group, a group —(CH2)q—,
where q is a whole number between 2 and 5, and
p is a non-zero number, between 1 and 10,
with the sum of n+m+p between 3 and 6.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The composition according to claim 1, wherein the total concentration of ethoxylated alkylamine is between 0.05% and 2% by weight in composition C.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The composition according to claim 1, wherein the amphoteric or zwitterionic surfactant is selected from alkylamidobetaines, alkylamidohydroxysultaines, alkylbetaines, and alkylhydroxysultaines and mixtures of these compounds.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The composition according to claim 1, wherein the total concentration of amphoteric and zwitterionic surfactants is between 0.05 and 2% by weight in composition C.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The composition according to claim 1, wherein the ratio by weight of the total weight of the ethoxylated alkylamines with respect to the total weight of the amphoteric and zwitterionic surfactants is between 10/90 and 90/10.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The composition according to claim 1, wherein composition C comprises only ethoxylated alkylamines and amphoteric or zwitterionic surfactants as surfactants.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The composition according to claim 1, wherein composition C moreover comprises at least one additional anionic surfactant.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The composition according to claim 10, wherein the ratio of the total weight of the anionic surfactants with respect to the total weight of surfactants present in composition C remains below 50%.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

A method for enhanced recovery of the oil of a subterranean formation, comprising the following steps:
a composition C according to claim 1 is injected into said subterranean formation through at least one injection well, said composition being in the presence of a gas within the subterranean formation;
then
through at least one producing well, a fluid carrying the oil coming out of the subterranean formation is recovered.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method according to claim 12, wherein the injecting is into a subterranean carbonate-based subterranean formation.