Flash point adjustment of wettability alteration chemicals in hydrocarbon solvents

• US 10,253,243 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2015
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Inventors: Sayed, Mohammed Ali Ibrahim, Al-Muntasheri, Ghaithan A.
• Primary Examiner(s): DiTrani Leff, Angela M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nold, Charles R
• Application Number:
  US14/635,286
• Publication Number:
  US 20150315455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,499 Days
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/524 organic depositions, e.g. paraffins or asphaltenes
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/584 characterised by the use of specific surfactants
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/602 containing surfactants
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/86 containing organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/16 Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons

Abstract

Gas and condensate productivities from a hydrocarbon reservoir can be enhanced using a chemical treatment composition. The chemical treatment composition includes a solvent mixture and a wettability alteration chemical. The solvent mixture includes a solvent that is operable to increase the relative permeability of gas within the hydrocarbon reservoir and the wettability alteration chemical is operable to alter the wettability of surfaces of the hydrocarbon reservoir, in each case enhancing the gas and condensate productivities from the hydrocarbon reservoir. The solvent mixture is selected to provide a chemical treatment composition with a flash point of at least 40° C. (104° F.).

Claims

1. A method for enhancing both gas and condensate productivities from a hydrocarbon reservoir comprising sandstone using a chemical treatment composition, the method comprising the steps of:

preparing the chemical treatment composition, the chemical treatment composition comprising a wettability alteration chemical at between about 0.1% to about 10.0% by weight of the chemical treatment composition, wherein the wettability alteration chemical is selected from a group consisting of a fluorinated surfactant, a polymeric surfactant, a polymeric fluorinated surfactant, and combinations of the same,

and a solvent mixture, the solvent mixture selected to provide a chemical treatment composition with a flash point of at least 40°

C., the solvent mixture including a solvent, where the solvent comprises 2-butoxyethanol, and in addition a high molecular weight alcohol combination between about 20.0% and about 40.0% by weight of the chemical treatment composition, wherein the high molecular weight alcohol combination comprises 1-pentanol and 1-hexanol, and wherein the chemical treatment composition is soluble in water with an interfacial tension of less than 0.78 dyne/cm, the 2-butoxyethanol and high molecular weight alcohol combination being first combined before addition of the wettability alteration chemical in amounts operable to result in the selected flash point of at least 40°

C.; and

injecting the chemical treatment composition into the hydrocarbon reservoir.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of preparing the chemical treatment composition includes providing the solvent mixture in an amount operable to result in the flash point of the chemical treatment composition being over 65°

C.