Abstract: Novel microemulsion formulations comprising a surfactant or combination of surfactants are disclosed for improved crude oil cleanup or recovery from subsurface geological formations, especially those containing carbonate cements.

Abstract: Disclosed are inhibitor/cleaner compositions comprising alkyldiphenyloxide disulfonates, and methods of inhibiting corrosion of and removing schmoo from metal containments in contact with corrosive water sources. Also disclosed are metal containment assemblages comprising inhibitor/cleaner compositions and metal containment therefore. The alkyldiphenyloxide disulfonates are soluble or substantially soluble in the water sources and inhibit corrosion of the metal containments by the water sources containing corrodents. The alkyldiphenyloxide disulfonates also remove schmoo from the metal containments. The inhibitor/cleaners of the invention are useful for addition to produced waters and other corrosive water sources resulting from enhanced oil recovery operations.

Abstract: A method of blowdown for a steam chamber of a thermal recovery process is provided. A blowdown mixture is introduced into the steam chamber. The blowdown mixture can include glycol and water. Heat can be adsorbed from the steam chamber onto the blowdown mixture. A viscosifying agent can also be introduced into the steam chamber. Oil from the steam chamber can be emulsified with the viscosifying agent to produce oil or emulsions of oil. The blowdown mixture and the oil or emulstions of oil can both be recovered from the steam chamber.

Abstract: Methods including the step of producing a bulk fluid from a subterranean formation, the bulk fluid comprising at least water and a hydrocarbon. The bulk fluid is then sampled to form at least one sampled fluid. Next, constituent parameters of the sampled fluid are determined using the hydrophilic-lipophilic deviation (HLD) model. The constituent parameters include the salinity (S) of the sampled fluid, the salinity constant (b); the equivalent alkane carbon number for the hydrocarbon in the sampled fluid (EACN); T is temperature of the sampled fluid; the characteristic curvature for an ionic surfactant composition (cc) or for a nonionic surfactant composition (ccn); the surfactant temperature constant for the ionic surfactant composition (?T) or for a nonionic surfactant composition (cT). Also determining an optimal surfactant or optimal surfactant blend to achieve an oil-water separation morphological phase distribution of the sampled fluid.

Abstract: In downhole treatments in the oilfield, ball sealers seated in perforations may not fully seal and may leak fluid through gaps and asperities between the balls and the perforations. A method is given for improving the sealing of ball sealers in perforations by adding a sealing agent that forms a plug in the gaps and severely restricts or eliminates fluid flow. The sealing agent is preferably degradable or soluble, malleable fibers slightly larger than the gaps. Optionally, the particles may be non-degradable, rigid, of different shapes, and smaller than the gaps but able to bridge them. Mixtures of sealing agents may be used. The sealing agent may be added with the ball sealers, after the ball sealers, or both.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods of using a nonionic surfactant for enhanced oil recovery, where the nonionic surfactant is prepared with a double metal cyanide catalyst. The present disclosure also provides for an emulsion that includes carbon dioxide, a diluent and the nonionic surfactant.

Abstract: The present invention relates to processes for tertiary mineral oil production with the aid of a surfactant mixture and to the use of a surfactant mixture for tertiary mineral oil production by means of Winsor type III microemulsion flooding, by injecting a surfactant mixture through at least one aqueous injection borehole into a mineral oil deposit, and withdrawing crude oil from the deposit through at least one production borehole, wherein the surfactant mixture, for the purpose of lowering the interfacial tension between oil and water to <0.1 mN/m, comprises at least the following components: (a) one or more polycarboxylate(s) comprising at least 50 mol % of acrylic acid units and/or methacrylic acid units and/or maleic acid units and/or itaconic acid units or salts thereof, and (b) one or more anionic and/or nonionic surfactant(s).

Abstract: A composition comprising a fluorinated pyridinium cationic compound of formula (I) wherein Rf is R1(CH2CH2)n—, R1 is a C7 to C20 perfluoroalkyl group interrupted by at least one catenary oxygen atom, each oxygen bonded to two carbon atoms, n is an integer of 1 to 3, and R is H, C1 to C5 linear or branched alkyl, or C1 to C5 linear or branched alkoxy, having surfactant properties for lowering surface tension in an aqueous medium or solvent medium, and for use as a foaming agent.

Abstract: A method for enhancing oil recovery from reservoirs is described. The method includes partially recharging zones of pore space in a reservoir that has been previously waterflooded to extract oil, in order to obtain increased ultimate oil recovery by re-waterflooding the recharged zones. The recharging may be achieved by either reinjection of oil or by change in injection scheme, such as changing an oil producing well to a water injection well. This procedure of recharging with oil followed by waterflooding may be repeated. Application of the present method to increase recovery from reservoirs producing dry (water-free) oil to mature reservoirs which produce at high water-to-oil ratios is anticipated.

Abstract: Oil-based wellbore fluid in the form of an emulsion having a continuous phase containing an oil and, dispersed therein, a first dispersed liquid phase and a second separate dispersed liquid phase. The first dispersed liquid phase is a brine phase containing at least 5% by weight of a dissolved salt or a mixture of salts, and the second dispersed liquid phase is a polar organic liquid which is insoluble or sparingly soluble in the brine and contains the first dispersed liquid phase, but is soluble in pure water. The second dispersed liquid phase is in the form of droplets having an average diameter of not less than 5 microns.

Abstract: A method of increasing the recovery of hydrocarbons from a highly fractured reservoir uses the steps of injecting into the reservoir a membrane-forming fluid to form a membrane over the surface of at least part of exposed formation, injecting into the reservoir a fluid to establish a chemical potential gradient across the membrane and letting fluid enter the formation across the membrane to increase the pressure inside the formation and to force additional hydrocarbon from the formation.

Abstract: A method of monitoring a nonhydrocarbon and nonaqueous fluid injected into the earth's subsurface through a first wellbore that involves positioning a fluid analysis tool within a second wellbore and determining the presence of the injected nonhydrocarbon and nonaqueous fluid by making a measurement downhole on the injected nonhydrocarbon and nonaqueous fluid using the fluid analysis tool. Also a related method of enhancing hydrocarbon production from a subsurface area having first and second wellbores that involves injecting a nonhydrocarbon and nonaqueous fluid into the subsurface through the first wellbore, positioning a fluid analysis tool within the second wellbore, and determining the presence of the injected nonhydrocarbon and nonaqueous fluid by making a measurement downhole on the injected nonhydrocarbon and nonaqueous fluid using the fluid analysis tool.

Abstract: A composition comprising a nonionic fluorinated polymeric surfactant having a weight average molecular weight of least 100,000 grams per mole, the nonionic fluorinated polymeric surfactant comprising: divalent units independently represented by formula (I): in a range from 30% to 65% by weight, based on the total weight of the nonionic fluorinated polymeric surfactant; and divalent units independently represented by formula (II): in a range from 70% to 35% by weight, based on the total weight of the nonionic fluorinated polymeric surfactant. Rf is a perfluoroalkyl group having from 3 to 4 carbon atoms; R and R2 are each independently hydrogen or alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms; R1 is alkyl of 16 to 24 carbon atoms; and n is an integer from 2 to 11. Foams comprising the nonionic fluorinated polymeric surfactant and a liquid hydrocarbon and methods of making and using the foams are also disclosed.

Abstract: This invention provides a method of controlling water in a subterranean formation, said method comprising contacting said formation with a water control treatment agent which comprises an organosilane in an amount effective to reduce the water permeability of at least part of said formation. At the same time, any decrease in the overall hydrocarbon (e.g. oil) permeability of said formation is preferably minimized. The invention further provides a method of plugging or sealing a subterranean formation.

Abstract: There is a method for enhancing the recovery of oil from a reservoir. The method has the step of a) introducing a flooding fluid into the reservoir and b) extracting the oil through a wellbore at a location different than the point of introduction of the flooding fluid into the reservoir. The flooding fluid has water and an amount of one or more non-polymeric viscoelastic surfactants sufficient to provide an interfacial surface tension of about 1 mNm or less and a viscosity of about 10 cps or more. The one or more surfactants is selected from the group of one or more cationic surfactants, one or more zwitterionic surfactants, one or more amphoteric surfactants, one or more anionic surfactants, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: A method and a device for injecting a fluid into a layer of rock or earth, such as a crude oil-containing layer of rock or earth, for example, for the tertiary crude oil production by means of a suitable line, wherein the line is introduced into the layer of rock or earth. The line consists of an inner pipe and an outer pipe. The inner pipe is provided with injection nozzles. The injection nozzles are positioned and thus ensure a pressing of the fluid into the surrounding layer of rock or earth via the openings in the outer pipe in a positioned manner. Means which allow for a selective impacting of the individual injection nozzles, are located in the interior of the inner pipe. The fluid is pressed into the surrounding layer of rock or earth in a positioned manner.

Abstract: An oil-in-water-in-oil emulsion (O/W/O) comprising a first oil-in-water emulsion dispersed in a second oil, and a method of preparing the same. The O/W/O emulsion can be used as a drive fluid in an enhanced oil recovery process. The O/W/O emulsion of this invention may also be used as a lubricant, and has the beneficial property of being resistant to shear forces.

Abstract: A method and composition are described for improving recovery of oil from an oil reservoir. The method includes adding an effective amount of a fatty acid alkyl ester oil recovery composition to an oil reservoir and recovering oil from the reservoir. The composition may include in predominant proportion a fatty acid alkyl ester as well as effective concentrations of a surfactant, a colloid, and an acid. One exemplary composition includes 96% soy methyl ester, 3% surfactant, and 1% vinegar.

Abstract: A process for enhanced oil recovery from an extraction operation comprises the steps of selection of an appropriate hydrocarbon bearing stratum; providing at least one production well and one injection well; and injecting into the target stratum a slurry formed from sand, viscous liquids or oily sludge, which is delivered at or near formation fracture pressures. Monitoring of bottom hole pressure is carried out, to permit delivery of the slurried wastes in a series of injection episodes, in which the length of the episodes and interinjection periods is determined by maintaining the bottom hole pressure within a preselected range. The position and spread of the slurried wastes within the target stratum may be monitored through the use of additional monitoring steps.

Abstract: A method and composition are described for improving recovery of oil from an oil reservoir. The method includes adding an effective amount of a fatty acid alkyl ester oil recovery composition to an oil reservoir and recovering oil from the reservoir. The composition may include in predominant proportion a fatty acid alkyl ester as well as effective concentrations of a surfactant, a colloid, and an acid. One exemplary composition includes 96% soy methyl ester, 3% surfactant, and 1% vinegar.