Enhanced foam stability applications and methods
AssigneeRhodia Operations
InventorsMikel Morvan, Max Chabert, Manilal S. Dahanayake
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Abstract
A method for enhancing foam stability in foaming compositions for use in oilfield treatment application, including but not limited to use in mobility control for gas flooding. The method comprises the step of adding to a foaming composition a foam stabilizer of formula (I): wherein R1 is an alkylamido group or a branched or linear alkyl group; R2 and R3 are individually hydrogen or a methyl group; R4, R5 and R6 are individually hydrogen or a hydroxy group, with the proviso that at least one of R4, R5 or R6 is a hydroxyl group; wherein the alkyl group has greater than about 10 carbon atoms. Also disclosed are methods to enhance foam stability in an aqueous foaming composition.
Claims22
A method for enhancing recovery of oil from an oil-bearing formation within a reservoir, comprising:
- (a) introducing a foaming composition comprising an alpha olefin sulfonate under pressure into the oil-bearing formation;
- (b) introducing a gas under pressure into the oil-bearing formation, wherein the presence of the foaming composition affects the flow of gas within the oil-bearing formation;
- and
- (c) extracting oil through a wellbore in the reservoir,
- wherein the foaming composition comprises a foam stabilizer chosen from alkyl amidopropyl hydroxy sulfobetaine or alkyl hydroxy sulfobetaine, wherein the alkyl group is an integer from between about 10 carbon atoms to about 24 carbon atoms.
A method for enhancing recovery of oil from an oil-bearing formation within a reservoir, comprising:
- (a) introducing a foaming composition comprising an alpha olefin sulfonate under pressure into the oil-bearing formation;
- (b) introducing a gas under pressure into the oil-bearing formation, wherein the presence of the foaming composition affects the flow of gas within the oil-bearing formation;
- and
- (c) extracting oil through a wellbore in the reservoir,
- wherein the foaming composition comprises a foam stabilizer having formula (I):
- wherein R1 is an alkylamido group or a linear or branched alkyl group;
- R2 and R3 are individually hydrogen, a methyl group or a hydroxyethyl group;
- R4, R5 and R6 are individually hydrogen or a hydroxy group, with the proviso that at least one of R4, R5 or R6 is a hydroxyl group, wherein the alkyl group is an integer from between about 10 carbon atoms to about 24 carbon atoms.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.