# US 9,518,211 B2 · Method for recovering oil

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- Number: US 9,518,211 B2
- Document ID: US9518211B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/760,623
- Filed: 2014-01-15
- Published: 2015-12-17
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-25
- Assignees: BASF SE; Wintershall Holding GmbH
- Applicants: Wintershall Holding GmbH; BASF SE
- Inventors: Riichiro Kimura; Stefan Maurer; Andrei-Nicolae Parvulescu; Lorenz Siggel; Ulrich Müller; Thomas Frechen; Bernd Hinrichsen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9518211B2

## CPC

- C09K 8/58: Compositions for enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons, i.e. for improving the mobility of the oil, e.g. displacing fluids
- C09K 8/265: {containing inorganic additives}
- E21B 43/16: Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons
- C09K: MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS

## Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for recovering oil from a subterranean formation by injecting both solid particles and water into the formation. An oil-in-water emulsion that is stabilized by solid particles is formed in the pores of the formation. This emulsion is recovered from the subterranean formation.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for recovering oil from a subterranean oil-containing formation comprising at least the steps of:
a) introducing solid particles and water into the subterranean oil-containing formation to obtain a solid particles-stabilized emulsion containing droplets, whereby water is the continuous phase and oil is the dispersed phase, and
b) recovering said solid particles-stabilized emulsion from the subterranean oil-containing formation,
wherein the solid particles comprise at least one layered double hydroxide of general formula (I)
[MII(1-x)MIIIx(OH)2]x+[An−]x/n.yH2O (I),
wherein
MII denotes a divalent metal ion or 2Li,
MIII denotes a trivalent metal ion,
An− denotes an n-valent anion,
n is 1 or 2,
x is the mole fraction having a value ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 and
y is a value ranging from 0 to 5.0;
wherein the solid-particles stabilized emulsion has a viscosity at 20° C. in the range of 5 to 30 mPa·s at a temperature of 20° C. under shear rate of 10/s.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the solid particles have an average particle size in the range of 30 nm to 10 μm.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein that the droplets have an average droplet size Dv50 in the range of 1 to 40 μm.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein that the droplets have an average droplet size Dv90 in the range of 10 to 30 μm.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the subterranean oil-containing formation has pores and the solid particles-stabilized emulsion is obtained by transporting the solid particles and water through these pores.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the solid particles are hydrophilic.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the solid particles-stabilized emulsion comprises 10 to 90% by weight water, 10 to 90% by weight oil and 0.1 to 10% by weight of at least one layered double hydroxide of general formula (I), related to the overall weight of the emulsion.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the oil is crude oil.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the oil is crude oil having a viscosity in the range of 1 to 5000 mPa·s at a temperature of 20° C.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein
the divalent metal ion is Ca, Mg, Fe, Ni, Zn, Co, Cu or Mn,
the trivalent metal ion is Al, Fe, Cr or Mn,
the n-valent anion is Cl−, Br−, NO3−, CO32−, SO42− or SeO42−,
x is the mole fraction having a value ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 and
y is a value ranging from 0 to 5.0.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the solid particles-stabilized emulsion has a conductivity in the range of 50 to 190 mS/cm.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein the aspect ratio of the solid particles is in the range of 1 to 30.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The process according to claim 1, wherein upon introduction of the solid particles and water into the subterranean oil-containing formation, the solid particles and water transport into pores of the subterranean oil-containing formation to obtain the solid particles-stabilized emulsion, wherein:
the solid particles-stabilized emulsion does not form a flow barrier for diverting flow of hydrocarbons in a subterranean formation;
the solid particles-stabilized emulsion does not form effective horizontal barriers to vertical flow of gas or water to reduce coning of the gas or water to the oil producing zone of a well; and
the solid particles-stabilized emulsion does not fill high permeability formation zones for profile modification applications to improve subsequent waterflood performance.