Oil as fuel is the backbone of many industries and comprises a large percentage of the world’s energy consumption, especially in developed countries. With a conventional oil well, oil is pushed to the surface via either natural pressure or a pump that injects water or carbon dioxide into the ground to create pressure. This typically allows for recovery of about 25% of a well’s oil, leaving a significant amount of valuable untapped reserves. One method of enhancing the recovery capabilities of a traditional oil well is to inject a polyacrylamide-chromium compound into the water pump increases the viscosity and amount of pressure exerted on the oil as it gels. This compound is toxic, raising pressing environmental concerns, and also cannot be used at temperatures above 100 ºC or high salt concentrations. Because most modern oil wells reach depths where the temperature surpasses this and must pass through the salt domes that trap most oil reserves, the use of this compound is severely limited.
Description
This invention a water-based gel that includes both a hydrophilic polymer component and a saccharide component. This gel is stable at temperatures greater than 100 ºC and will form at any salt concentration. Most importantly, the gel is non-toxic and water soluble, reducing environmental concerns and enabling easy clean-up. The gel serves a dual function in both raising the viscosity of the water in the injection well, exerting a higher pressure on recoverable oil, and plugging porous oil- and gas-bearing geologic formations in order to prevent ingress of water, a potentially damaging phenomenon that can corrode equipment or lead to groundwater contamination.
Applications
· Increasing the viscosity of injected water to increase pressure exertion, recover increased quantities oil, and improve well efficiency
· Managing geologic porosity to protect groundwater and industrial equipment
Advantages
· Non-toxic
· Water soluble
· Stable at temperatures above 100 ºC
· Can form in the presence of high salt concentrations
Invention Readiness
Proof of concept
IP Status
Expired -
https://patents.google.com/patent/US7347263B2
