Formulations and methods for removing hydrocarbons from surfaces

Abstract

The invention provides formulations for facilitating the removal of oil from a surface using a chisel composition, wherein the chisel composition includes a polymer having one or more binding points with a high affinity for the surface, and one or more hydrophilic segments that form a hydrophilic coating on the surface, rendering the surface water-wet and thereby facilitating the removal of oil from the surface. The invention also provides for methods of use of such formulations.

1 . A formulation for facilitating the removal of oil from a surface, comprising:
 a chisel composition, wherein the chisel composition comprises a polymer having one or more binding points with a high affinity for the surface, and one or more hydrophilic segments that form a hydrophilic coating on the surface, rendering the surface water-wet and thereby facilitating the removal of oil from the surface.   
     
     
         2 . The formulation of  claim 1 , wherein the surface comprises carbonate rock. 
     
     
         3 . The formulation of  claim 1 , wherein the surface comprises a metal. 
     
     
         4 . The formulation of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer comprises polyphosphoric acid (PPA). 
     
     
         5 . The formulation of  claim 4 , wherein the polymer comprising PPA is protected by a protective mechanism to form protected PPA. 
     
     
         6 . The formulation of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer is a functionalized polymer. 
     
     
         7 . The formulation of  claim 1 , wherein the functionalized polymer is protected by the protective mechanism to form a protected polymer. 
     
     
         8 . The formulation of  claim 5 , wherein the protective mechanism is selected from the group consisting of polymer encapsulation, polymer entrapment within a matrix, and polymer masking with a masking agent. 
     
     
         9 . The formulation of  claim 4 , wherein the polymer is adapted for controlled release. 
     
     
         10 . The formulation of  claim 9 , wherein the controlled release is actuated by a triggering mechanism. 
     
     
         11 . The formulation of  claim 9 , wherein the controlled release is accomplished by a mechanism selected from the group consisting of dissolution, diffusion, pH change, ionic strength change and temperature change. 
     
     
         12 . The formulation of  claim 6 , wherein the functionalized polymer is end-functionalized. 
     
     
         13 . The formulation of  claim 6 , wherein the functionalized polymer is functionalized along a polymer backbone. 
     
     
         14 . The formulation of  claim 1 , wherein the binding points have the high affinity for CaCO 3 . 
     
     
         15 . The formulation of  claim 1 , wherein the binding points have the high affinity for silica. 
     
     
         16 . The formulation of  claim 1 , further comprising a surfactant. 
     
     
         17 . A method of reducing the attachment of oil to a surface, comprising:
 providing the molecular chisel formulation of  claim 1 ; and   directing the molecular chisel formulation into contact with the surface, thereby providing a water-wet surface that impairs the attachment of oil and reduces the attachment of oil thereto.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the surface is selected from the group consisting of a CaCO 3  surface, a silica surface, and a metal surface. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of exposing the surface to a surfactant prior to, simultaneous with, or following the step of directing. 
     
     
         20 . A method for recovering oil from a formation containing oil retained on a rock surface, comprising:
 providing the molecular chisel formulation of  claim 1 ;   directing the molecular chisel to contact the rock surface, thereby rendering the rock surface water wet and thereby impairing the attachment of oil thereto; and   recovering oil from the formation after the attachment of the oil to the surface has been impaired by the preceding step.   
     
     
         21 . A molecular chisel formulation, comprising the chisel composition of  claim 1  and a protective mechanism. 
     
     
         22 . The formulation of  claim 21 , wherein the chisel composition comprises PPA. 
     
     
         23 . The formulation of  claim 21 , wherein the protective mechanism is a controlled release mechanism. 
     
     
         24 . The formulation of  claim 21 , wherein the protective mechanism delays the hydrolysis of the chisel composition. 
     
     
         25 . A method of mobilizing oil from a reservoir formation, comprising:
 providing an oil retrieval formulation comprising a fracturing fluid and the formulation of  claim 1 ; and   fracturing the formation with the oil retrieval formulation, thereby mobilizing the oil for retrieval.   
     
     
         26 . A method of preventing deposition of an oil on a surface, comprising:
 providing the formulation of  claim 1 ;   directing the formulation into contact with the surface; and   exposing the surface to the formulation to prevent deposition of the oil thereupon.   
     
     
         27 . A method of facilitating the removal of oil residua from a near wellbore region, comprising:
 providing the formulation of  claim 1 ; and   directing the formulation into contact with the near wellbore region to impair attachment of the oil residua thereto, thereby loosening the oil residua from the attachment and facilitating their removal from the near wellbore region.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the oil residua comprise asphaltenes, paraffins or waxes. 
     
     
         29 . An oil, produced by the method of  claim 20 . 
     
     
         30 . A retrieved oil, wherein the retrieved oil is mobilized by the method of  claim 25 .