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AssigneeAdvanced Gel Technology Limited
InventorsPhilip Fletcher, Michael John Crabtree, Donald Eagland, Nicholas John Crowther
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A viscous fluid, such as heavy crude oil which is too viscous to enable it to be pumped from a flowing phase of a reservoir into and along a pipeline for delivery to a refinery or other storage facility, may be contacted with a formulation to reduce its viscosity. The formulation comprises a polymeric material AA which includes —O— moieties pendent form a polymeric backbone thereof and said material is optionally cross-linked. In one embodiment, the formulation may comprise polyvinyl alcohol. In an alternative embodiment, the formulation may comprise a cross-linked polymeric material, such as cross-linked polyvinyl alcohol. After the viscous composition has been transported to a desired location, it may be separated from the other components.
A method for reducing the viscosity of a viscous composition which is arranged to flow along a fluid flow path, said method comprising contacting the viscous composition in said fluid flow path with a treatment fluid formulation, said treatment fluid formulation comprising a polymeric material AA which includes —O— moieties pendent from a polymeric backbone thereof, wherein said polymeric material AA comprises polyvinyl acetate which has been 60 to 95% hydrolyzed to polyvinyl alcohol, wherein polymeric material AA is optionally cross-linked and wherein said treatment fluid formulation is initially contacted with said viscous composition in said fluid flow path at or downstream of a producing face of a subterranean formation.
A method of reducing the viscosity of a viscous petroleum which is arranged to flow along a fluid flow path, said method comprising contacting the viscous petroleum with a treatment fluid formulation, wherein:
A fluid flow path positioned at or downstream of a producing face of a subterranean formation, wherein said flow path contains a fluid comprising petroleum, water and a polymeric material AA which is a polyvinyl alcohol polymer or copolymer which is not cross-linked, wherein said polymeric material AA comprises polyvinyl acetate which has been 60-100% hydrolyzed to polyvinyl alcohol.
A method for reducing the viscosity of a viscous composition which is arranged to flow along a fluid flow path, said method comprising contacting the viscous composition in said fluid flow path with a treatment fluid formulation, said treatment fluid formulation comprising a polymeric material AA which includes —O— moieties pendent from a polymeric backbone thereof, wherein said polymeric material AA comprises polyvinylacetate which has been 60 to 95% hydrolysed to polyvinylalcohol, wherein polymeric material AA is optionally cross-linked and wherein said treatment fluid formulation is initially contacted with said viscous composition in said fluid flow path at or downstream of a producing face of a subterranean formation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.