Subterranean well and oil or gas stream treatment with bis(3-alkoxyalkan-2-ol) sulfides, sulfones, and sulfoxides: new surface active agents
AssigneeAir Products and Chemicals, Inc.
InventorsGauri Sankar Lal, Williams Rene Edouard Raymond, Khalil Yacoub
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Abstract
Compositions containing surfactant compounds according to formula (I) ROCH2CH(OH)CR1R2ZCR1R2CH(OH)CH2OR, (I) wherein Z is S, SO, or SO2, can have a range of equilibrium and/or dynamic surface tensions and a range of foaming performance attributes, depending upon the particular values of Z, R, R1, and R2. The compounds of formula (I) may be prepared by a process that includes reaction of a sulfide source such as a metal sulfide or bisulfide with an alkyl glycidyl ether. The compounds may be useful in any of a broad range of applications requiring the use of a surfactant.
Claims2
In a method for drilling, completing, cementing, stimulating, fracturing, acidizing, working over, or treating a subterranean well, the improvement comprising injecting into the well a fluid comprising one or more compounds according to formula (I)
- ROCH2CH(OH)CR1R2ZCR1R2CH(OH)CH2OR (I)
- wherein each R is independently selected from the group consisting of C4-C20 branched, linear, and cyclic alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, and aralkyl moieties;
- C4-C20 branched, linear, and cyclic alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, and aralkyl moieties bearing a carbonyl group or one or more heteroatoms selected from O, S, and N;
- glycol ether moieties of the formula R3(OCH2CH2)n—;
- aminoethylene moieties of the formula R3(NHCH2CH2)n—;
- and thioether moieties of the formula R3S(CH2)n—;
- wherein R3 is H or linear C1-C12 alkyl and n is an integer from 1 to 15, R1 and R2 are each independently H or a C1-C4 alkyl group, and Z is S, SO, or SO2.
In a method for treating a produced stream of oil or gas from an oil and gas bearing formation, the improvement comprising injecting into the produced stream a fluid comprising one or more compounds according to formula (I)
- ROCH2CH(OH)CR1R2ZCR1R2CH(OH)CH2OR (I)
- wherein each R is independently selected from the group consisting of C4-C20 branched, linear, and cyclic alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, and aralkyl moieties;
- C4-C20 branched, linear, and cyclic alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, and aralkyl moieties bearing a carbonyl group or one or more heteroatoms selected from O, S, and N;
- glycol ether moieties of the formula R3(OCH2CH2)n—;
- aminoethylene moieties of the formula R3(NHCH2CH2)n—;
- and thioether moieties of the formula R3S(CH2)n—;
- wherein R3 is H or linear C1-C12 alkyl and n is an integer from 1 to 15, R1 and R2 are each independently H or a C1-C4 alkyl group, and Z is S, SO, or SO2.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.