Stability enhanced water-in-oil emulsion and method for using same
First Claim
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1. A method for recovering hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) preparing a water-in-oil emulsion by1) obtaining oil to be used in said emulsion,2) pretreating at least a portion of said oil, said pretreating step comprising at least one of adding a polymer which comprises a fuctionalized or a functionalizable polymer to said oil, biotreating said oil, photochemically treating said oil, or combinations thereof, wherein where said pretreating step includes adding a functionalizable polymer said method further includes functionalizing said functionalizable polymer.3) adding water, and4) mixing until said water-in-oil emulsion is formed;
b) injecting said water-in-oil emulsion into said subterranean formation; and
c) recovering hydrocarbons from said subterranean formation.
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Abstract
A method for enhancing the stability of a water-in-oil emulsion pretreating at least a portion of the oil prior to emulsification. The pretreatment step may consist of adding polymers to the oil, biotreating the oil, photochemically treating the oil, or combinations thereof. The emulsion may be used in various enhanced oil recovery methods including using the emulsion as a flooding agent to displace hydrocarbons in a subterranean formation, and using the emulsion as a barrier fluid for diverting flow of fluids in the formation.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A method for recovering hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) preparing a water-in-oil emulsion by 1) obtaining oil to be used in said emulsion, 2) pretreating at least a portion of said oil, said pretreating step comprising at least one of adding a polymer which comprises a fuctionalized or a functionalizable polymer to said oil, biotreating said oil, photochemically treating said oil, or combinations thereof, wherein where said pretreating step includes adding a functionalizable polymer said method further includes functionalizing said functionalizable polymer. 3) adding water, and 4) mixing until said water-in-oil emulsion is formed; b) injecting said water-in-oil emulsion into said subterranean formation; and c) recovering hydrocarbons from said subterranean formation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification