US2010243248A1PendingUtilityA1

Particle Stabilized Emulsions for Enhanced Hydrocarbon Recovery

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Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Dec 1, 2006Filed: Dec 3, 2007Published: Sep 30, 2010
Est. expiryDec 1, 2026(~0.3 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Dan S. GolombDavid K. RyanGene BarryPeter SwettMichael Clarke Woods
E21B 43/164C09K 8/58E21B 41/0064Y02P90/70Y02C20/40
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Claims

Abstract

Hydrophobic and hydrophilic particles as can be used to stabilize emulsions for hydrocarbon extraction and/or recovery.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A tertiary method of subterranean hydrocarbon recovery, said method comprising:
 providing a subterranean formation comprising a residual hydrocarbon component, said component selected from an oil and a gas;   contacting said subterranean formation with a fluid medium comprising an emulsion comprising at least one of a liquid carbon dioxide component and a supercritical carbon dioxide component and an aqueous component, said emulsion comprising a particulate component selected from hydrophilic particles and combinations thereof and hydrophobic particles and combinations thereof, said particulate component in an amount sufficient for at least partial emulsification, said contact for at least one of a time and at a pressure at least partially sufficient to displace said hydrocarbon component from said formation; and   recovering said hydrocarbon component and at least a portion of said fluid medium.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said subterranean formation comprises a residual oil. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said fluid medium comprises an emulsion comprising a dispersed phase comprising a said carbon dioxide component, a continuous phase comprising a said aqueous component, and a hydrophilic particle component. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein said hydrophilic particle component is selected from limestone particles, sand particles, gypsum particles, fly ash particles, clay particles and combinations of said components. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said subterranean formation comprises a residual hydrocarbon gas. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said fluid medium comprises an emulsion comprising a dispersed phase comprising a said aqueous component, a continuous phase comprising a said carbon dioxide component, and a hydrophobic particle component. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said hydrophobic particle component is selected from coal particles, carbon black particles, activated carbon particles, asphaltene particles, petrocoke particles, resin particles, fluorocarbon particles, protenaceous particles and combinations of said components. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said carbon dioxide component of said recovered fluid medium is emulsified with a produced water component of said formation, said emulsion comprising hydrophobic particles and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said carbon dioxide-produced water emulsion is introduced to a subterranean formation. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein one of a continuous phase and a dispersed phase of said emulsion comprises a said carbon dioxide component comprising greater than about 1 weight percent of said emulsion. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said particles are dimensioned from about 5 nanometers to about 100 microns. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said particle dimension is about 5 to about 50 times smaller than a dimensional aspect of a dispersed phase of said emulsion. 
     
     
         13 . A method of using a particle-stabilized carbon dioxide emulsion for tertiary oil recovery, said method comprising:
 providing a subterranean formation comprising a residual oil component;   contacting said subterranean formation with an emulsion comprising at least one of a liquid carbon dioxide component and a supercritical carbon dioxide component, and an aqueous component, said emulsion comprising a particulate component selected from hydrophilic particles and combinations thereof and hydrophobic particles and combinations thereof, said particulate component in an amount sufficient for at least partial emulsification, said contact for at least one of a time and at a pressure at least partially sufficient to displace said residual oil from said formation; and   recovering said residual oil.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said emulsion comprises a dispersed phase comprising a said carbon dioxide component, a continuous phase comprising a said aqueous component and a hydrophilic particle component. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said hydrophilic particle component is selected from limestone particles, sand particles, gypsum particles, fly ash particles, clay particles and combinations of said components. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said particle component is selected from limestone particles and components thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said particle dimension is about 5 to about 50 times smaller than a dimensional aspect of a dispersed phase of said emulsion. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13  comprising recovery of a said carbon dioxide component of said emulsion. 
     
     
         19 . A method of using a particle-stabilized carbon dioxide emulsion for coal bed hydrocarbon gas recovery, said method comprising:
 providing a coal bed formation comprising a residual hydrocarbon gas component;   contacting said coal bed formation with an emulsion comprising at least one of a liquid carbon dioxide component and a supercritical carbon dioxide component, and an aqueous component, said emulsion comprising a particulate component selected from hydrophilic particles and combinations thereof and hydrophobic particles and combinations thereof, said particulate component in an amount sufficient for at least partial emulsification, said contact between said emulsion and said coal bed for a time and at a pressure at least partially sufficient to displace said residual gas from said formation; and   recovering said hydrocarbon gas component and at least one of a portion of said emulsion and a carbon dioxide component thereof.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein one of a continuous phase and a dispersed phase of said emulsion comprises a said carbon dioxide component comprising greater than about 1 weight percent of said emulsion. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19  wherein said emulsion comprises a dispersed phase comprising a said aqueous component, a continuous phase comprising a said carbon dioxide component, and a hydrophobic particle component. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said hydrophobic particle component is selected from coal particles, carbon black particles, activated carbon particles, asphaltene particles, petrocoke particles, resin particles, fluorocarbon particles, protenaceous particles and combinations of said components. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein said hydrophobic particles are selected from coal particles. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19  wherein said carbon dioxide component of said recovered emulsion is emulsified with a produced-water component of said coal bed, said emulsion comprising hydrophobic particles and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein said carbon dioxide-produced water emulsion is introduced into a subterranean formation.

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