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US 8,372,786 B2Granted
Polyelectrolyte complexes for oil and gas applications
AssigneeUniversity of Kansas
InventorsCory Berkland, Mary Cordova, Jenn-Tai Liang, G. Paul Willhite
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Abstract
A polyelectrolyte complex for the controlled release of an oil and gas field chemical selected from the group consisting of (a) a gel-forming or cross-linking agent, (b) a scale inhibitor, (c) a corrosion inhibitor, (d) an inhibitor of asphaltene or wax deposition, (e) a hydrogen sulfide scavenger, (f) a hydrate inhibitor, (g) a breaking agent, and a surfactant.
Claims77
A method for controlling or delaying the release of an oil and gas field chemical comprising:
- providing a polyelectrolyte complex comprising a polyanion and a polycation, said polyelectrolyte complex having a polymeric core and polymeric shell, said polyelectrolyte complex associated with said oil and gas field chemical;
- and wherein said polyelectrolyte complex is a nanoparticle having a particle size less than about 5000 nm;
- wherein said oil and gas field chemical is selected from the group consisting of a scale inhibitor;
- and
- wherein said scale inhibitor is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic phosphonic acids, aminoalkyl phosphonic acids, polycarboxylic acids selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, maleic acid, lactic acid and tartaric acids, and polymeric anionic compounds;
- polyvinyl sulphonic acid and poly(meth)acrylic acids;
- hexamethylene diamine tetrakis (methylene phosphonic acid), diethylene triamine tetra (methylene phosphonic acid), diethylene triamine penta (methylene phosphonic acid), bis-hexamethylene triamine pentakis (methylene phosphonic acid), polyacrylic acid, phosphino carboxylic acid, diglycol amine phosphonate, 1-hydroxyethylidene 1,1-diphosphonate, and bisaminoethylether phosphonate;
- and their alkali metal salts;
- introducing said polyelectrolyte complex associated with said oil and gas field chemical into an oil and gas well.
6 more elements
A method for controlling or delaying the release of an oil and gas field chemical comprising:
- providing a polyelectrolyte complex comprising a polyanion and a polycation, said polyelectrolyte complex having a polymeric core and polymeric shell, said polyelectrolyte complex associated with said oil and gas field chemical;
- and wherein said polyelectrolyte complex is a nanoparticle having a particle size less than about 5000 nm;
- wherein said oil and gas field chemical is a corrosion inhibitor comprising benzyldimethyltetradecylammonium chloride;
- and
- introducing said polyelectrolyte complex associated with said oil and gas field chemical into an oil and gas well.
2 more elements
A method for controlling or delaying the release of an oil and gas field chemical comprising:
- providing a polyelectrolyte complex comprising a polyanion and a polycation, said polyelectrolyte complex having a polymeric core and polymeric shell, said polyelectrolyte complex associated with said oil and gas field chemical;
- and wherein said polyelectrolyte complex is a nanoparticle having a particle size less than about 5000 nm;
- wherein said oil and gas field chemical is a cross-linking agent comprising a chromium-containing compound;
- and
- introducing said polyelectrolyte complex associated with said oil and gas field chemical into an oil and gas well.
2 more elements
A method for controlling or delaying the release of an oil and gas field chemical comprising:
- providing a polyelectrolyte complex comprising a polyanion and a polycation, said polyelectrolyte complex having a polymeric core and polymeric shell, said polyelectrolyte complex associated with said oil and gas field chemical;
- and wherein said polyelectrolyte complex is a nanoparticle having a particle size less than about 5000 nm;
- wherein said oil and gas field chemical is an inhibitor of asphaltene or wax deposition;
- and
- introducing said polyelectrolyte complex associated with said oil and gas field chemical into an oil and gas well.
2 more elements
A method for controlling or delaying the release of an oil and gas field chemical comprising:
- providing a polyelectrolyte complex comprising a polyanion and a polycation, said polyelectrolyte complex having a polymeric core and polymeric shell, said polyelectrolyte complex associated with said oil and gas field chemical;
- and wherein said polyelectrolyte complex is a nanoparticle having a particle size less than about 5000 nm;
- wherein said oil and gas field chemical is a hydrate inhibitor;
- and
- introducing said polyelectrolyte complex associated with said oil and gas field chemical into an oil and gas well.
2 more elements
A method for controlling or delaying the release of an oil and gas field chemical comprising:
- providing a polyelectrolyte complex comprising a polyanion and a polycation, said polyelectrolyte complex having a polymeric core and polymeric shell, said polyelectrolyte complex associated with said oil and gas field chemical;
- and wherein said polyelectrolyte complex is a nanoparticle having a particle size less than about 5000 nm;
- wherein said oil and gas field chemical is a surfactant;
- and
- introducing said polyelectrolyte complex associated with said oil and gas field chemical into an oil and gas well.
2 more elements
A method for controlling or delaying the release of an oil and gas field chemical comprising:
- providing a polyelectrolyte complex comprising a polyanion and a polycation, said polyelectrolyte complex having a polymeric core and polymeric shell, said polyelectrolyte complex associated with said oil and gas field chemical;
- and wherein said polyelectrolyte complex is a nanoparticle having a particle size less than about 5000 nm;
- wherein said oil and gas field chemical is a cross-linking agent comprising a zirconium-containing compound selected from the group consisting of zirconium citrate, zirconium tetrachloride, zirconium oxychloride, zirconium complex of hydroxyethyl glycine, ammonium zirconium fluoride, zirconium 2-ethylhexanoate, zirconium acetate, zirconium tartarate, zirconium malonate, zirconium propionate, zirconium neodecanoate, zirconium acetylacetonate, tetrakis(triethanolamine)zirconate, zirconium carbonate, ammonium zirconium carbonate, zirconyl ammonium carbonate, and zirconium lactate or a titanium-containing compound selected from the group consisting of titanium acetylacetonate, titanium ethylacetoacetate, titanium citrate, titanium triethanolamine, and ammonium titanium lactate;
- and
- introducing said polyelectrolyte complex associated with said oil and gas field chemical into an oil and gas well.
2 more elements
A method for controlling or delaying the release of an oil and gas field chemical comprising:
- providing a polyelectrolyte complex comprising a polyanion and a polycation, wherein said providing comprises mixing said polyanion, said polycation, and said oil and gas field chemical together in solution;
- ceasing mixing to form said polyelectrolyte complex comprising said polyanion and said polycation and said oil and gas field chemical associated with said polyelectrolyte complex;
- and dialyzing said polyelectrolyte complex solution to isolate a polyelectrolyte nanoparticle having said oil and gas field chemical associated therewith;
- said polyelectrolyte complex having a polymeric core and polymeric shell, said polyelectrolyte complex associated with said oil and gas field chemical;
- and wherein said polyelectrolyte complex is a nanoparticle having a particle size less than about 5000 nm;
- wherein said oil and gas field chemical is a cross-linking agent comprising a zirconium-containing, aluminum-containing, or titanium-containing compound;
- and
- introducing said polyelectrolyte complex associated with said oil and gas field chemical into an oil and gas well.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.