Additives for improving hydrocarbon recovery
AssigneeNalco Company
InventorKimberly Jantunen Cross
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Processes for recovering hydrocarbons from subterranean formations are disclosed. The hydrocarbon can be contacted with water or steam and one or more additives, and subsequently recovered. The hydrocarbon can be selected from heavy or light crude oil, bitumen, an oil sand ore, a tar sand ore, and combinations thereof. The additive can be, for example, a fluorinated hydrocarbon. Compositions or mixtures including hydrocarbons, water or steam, and additives are also disclosed.
Claims15
A process for recovering a hydrocarbon from a subterranean formation comprising the steps of:
- (i) contacting the hydrocarbon from the subterranean formation with steam, (ii) contacting the hydrocarbon from the subterranean formation with one or more fluorinated hydrocarbons selected from the group consisting of trifluoroethanol, trifluoropropanol, trifluorobutanol, allylhexafluoroisopropanol, hexafluoroisopropanol, trifluoroacetic acid, methyl trifluoroacetate, ethyl trifluoroacetate, isopropyl trifluoroacetate, trifluoroacetaldehydemethyl hemiacetal, trifluoroacetaldehyde ethyl hemiacetal, trifluoroacetic anhydride, trifluoroacetone, fluorotoluene, and any combination thereof, and (iii) recovering the hydrocarbon from the subterranean formation.
A process for the recovery of bitumen from a subterranean formation comprising the steps of:
- (i) contacting the bitumen with steam;
- (ii) contacting the bitumen with one or more fluorinated hydrocarbons selected from the group consisting of trifluoroethanol, trifluoropropanol, trifluorobutanol, allylhexafluoroisopropanol, hexafluoroisopropanol, trifluoroacetic acid, methyl trifluoroacetate, ethyl trifluoroacetate, isopropyl trifluoroacetate, trifluoroacetaldehydemethyl hemiacetal, trifluoroacetaldehyde ethyl hemiacetal, trifluoroacetic anhydride, trifluoroacetone, fluorotoluene, and any combination thereof;
- and (iii) recovering the bitumen.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.