# US 9,518,449 B1 · Waterflooding injectate design systems and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,518,449 B1 - Document ID: US9518449B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 14/055,454 - Filed: 2013-10-16 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2011-09-06 - Assignees: Sandia Corporation - Applicants: Sandia Corporation - Inventors: Patrick V. Brady; James L. Krumhansl - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9518449B1 ## CPC - E21B 41/00: Equipment or details not covered by groups E21B15/00 - E21B40/00 - C09K 8/58: Compositions for enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons, i.e. for improving the mobility of the oil, e.g. displacing fluids - E21B 43/16: Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons - E21B 43/20: Displacing by water - G06F 30/00: Computer-aided design [CAD] - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - C09K: MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A method of recovering a liquid hydrocarbon using an injectate includes recovering the liquid hydrocarbon through primary extraction. Physico-chemical data representative of electrostatic interactions between the liquid hydrocarbon and the reservoir rock are measured. At least one additive of the injectate is selected based on the physico-chemical data. The method includes recovering the liquid hydrocarbon from the reservoir rock through secondary extraction using the injectate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of designing an injectate for recovering a liquid hydrocarbon from a reservoir rock, comprising: measuring physico-chemical data representative of electrostatic interactions between the liquid hydrocarbon and the reservoir rock; selecting a composition of the injectate based on the physico-chemical data, wherein the composition comprises at least one additive, or at least one removable component, or both; preparing the injectate by mixing water with the at least one additive, or by removing a portion of the at least one removable component from the water, or both; estimating an extent of sorption between the reservoir rock and the liquid hydrocarbon in response to the injectate; and designing the injectate to decrease the extent of sorption between the reservoir rock and the liquid hydrocarbon; wherein estimating the extent of sorption comprises: preparing an oil sample that is representative of the liquid hydrocarbon; measuring a baseline color of the oil sample; preparing a mixture of the oil sample, the injectate, and connate water; allowing the mixture to equilibrate; measuring an equilibrium color of the mixture; and comparing the baseline color to the equilibrium color to estimate the extent of sorption between the reservoir rock and the liquid hydrocarbon. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising selecting the composition of the injectate based at least in part on an acid number and a base number of the liquid hydrocarbon, a pH, salinity, or calcium concentration of connate water, an estimated expansion of a swelling clay of the reservoir rock, an extent of mineral dissolution of the reservoir rock in response to the injectate, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the oil sample comprises bitumen. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein preparing the oil sample comprises crushing the bitumen into a powder form. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein preparing the oil sample comprises: measuring an acid number of the oil sample; measuring a base number of the oil sample; measuring an acid number of the liquid hydrocarbon; measuring a base number of the liquid hydrocarbon; and adding nitrogen base groups to the oil sample to substantially equalize respective acid to base number ratios of the oil sample and the liquid hydrocarbon. ### Claim 6 A method of selecting an injectate for recovering a liquid hydrocarbon from a reservoir rock, comprising: preparing a plurality of injectates by mixing water with at least one additive, or by removing a portion of at least one removable component from the water, or both; estimating an extent of sorption between the reservoir rock and the liquid hydrocarbon in response to each injectate of the plurality of injectates; and selecting a candidate injectate from the plurality of injectates based on a desired sorption between the reservoir rock and the liquid hydrocarbon; wherein estimating the extent of sorption comprises: preparing an oil sample that is representative of the liquid hydrocarbon; preparing a mixture of the oil sample, the injectate, and connate water; separating the oil sample from the injectate and connate water; washing the oil sample with a solvent; measuring a concentration of dissolved solids within the solvent; and estimating the extent of sorption between the reservoir rock and the liquid hydrocarbon using the concentration of dissolved solids; and wherein the oil sample comprises bitumen; and wherein preparing the oil sample comprises crushing the bitumen into a powder form. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein preparing the plurality of injectates comprises selecting a composition of the injectate based at least in part on an acid number and a base number of the liquid hydrocarbon, a pH, salinity, or calcium concentration of connate water, an estimated expansion of a swelling clay of the reservoir rock, an extent of mineral dissolution of the reservoir rock in response to the injectate, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein preparing the oil sample comprises: measuring a concentration of nitrogen base groups in the liquid hydrocarbon; and adding nitrogen base groups to the bitumen to substantially equalize the concentration of nitrogen base groups in the bitumen and the liquid hydrocarbon.