Flash Point Adjustment of Wettability Alteration Chemicals in Hydrocarbon Solvents

• US 20150315455A1
• Filed: 03/02/2015
• Published: 11/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2014
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: Aramco Services Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Inventors: Sayed, Mohammed Ali Ibrahim, Al-Muntasheri, Ghaithan A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,253,243 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 chemical treatment composition that enhances both gas and condensate productivities from a hydrocarbon reservoir, the hydrocarbon reservoir having a reservoir surface, the chemical treatment composition comprising:

a wettability alteration chemical, the wettability alteration chemical operable to alter a wettability of the reservoir surface to an intermediate wet with liquid or a gas wet condition; and

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

C. (104°

F.), the solvent mixture comprising;

a solvent, the solvent operable to increase a relative permeability of gas within the hydrocarbon reservoir.

2. The chemical treatment composition of claim 1, wherein the solvent mixture further comprises an alcohol.

3. The chemical treatment composition of claim 2, wherein the alcohol is a high molecular weight alcohol having at least four carbon atoms per molecule.

4. The chemical treatment composition of claim 2, wherein the alcohol is a terpene alcohol selected from a group consisting of geraniol, citronellol, nerol, menthol, nerolidol, turpentine, D-limonene, farnesol, and combinations of the same.

5. The chemical treatment composition of claim 2, wherein the alcohol is a high molecular weight alcohol that is selected from a group consisting of n-butanol, 1-pentanol, 1-hexanol, and combinations of the same.

6. The chemical treatment composition of claim 1, wherein the solvent is 2-butoxyethanol.

7. The chemical treatment composition of claim 1, wherein the chemical treatment composition is 20.0% to 40.0% by weight high molecular weight alcohol.

8. The chemical treatment composition of claim 1, wherein the wettability alteration chemical is a surfactant.

9. The chemical treatment composition of claim 1, wherein the wettability alteration chemical is selected from a group consisting of a polymer, a fluorinated polymer, a surfactant, a fluorinated surfactant, a polymeric surfactant, a polymeric fluorinated surfactant, and combinations of the same.

10. The chemical treatment composition of claim 1, wherein the chemical treatment composition is 0.1% to 10.0% by weight wettability alteration chemical.

11. A method for enhancing both gas and condensate productivities from a hydrocarbon reservoir 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 and a solvent mixture, the solvent mixture selected to provide a chemical treatment composition with a flash point of at least 40°

C. (104°

F.), the solvent mixture including a solvent; and

injecting the chemical treatment composition into the hydrocarbon reservoir at an injection well, in an amount operable to alter a wettability of the hydrocarbon reservoir to an intermediate wet or gas wet condition.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of injecting the chemical treatment composition into the hydrocarbon reservoir at an injection well includes injecting the chemical treatment composition in an amount operable to reduce a water and condensate bank in the hydrocarbon reserve.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of injecting the chemical treatment composition into the hydrocarbon reservoir at an injection well includes injecting the chemical treatment composition in an amount operable to increase a relative permeability of a gas within the hydrocarbon reserve by reducing an interfacial tension between a condensate within the hydrocarbon reserve and the gas.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of injecting the chemical treatment composition into the hydrocarbon reservoir at an injection well includes injecting the chemical treatment composition in an amount operable to increase a relative permeability of a gas within the hydrocarbon reserve by dissolving a condensate within the hydrocarbon reservoir.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of preparing the chemical treatment composition includes preparing the chemical treatment composition with 20.0% to 40.0% by weight high molecular weight alcohol.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of preparing the chemical treatment composition includes preparing the chemical treatment composition with 0.1% to 10.0% by weight wettability alteration chemical.

17. The method of claim 11, 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. (149°

F.).

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the alcohol is a high molecular weight alcohol that is selected from a group consisting of n-butanol, 1-pentanol, 1-hexanol, and combinations of the same.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the wettability alteration chemical is a surfactant.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the solvent mixture includes an alcohol, the alcohol being a high molecular weight alcohol that has at least four carbon atoms per molecule.