Nanobubble dispersions generated in electrochemically activated solutions

Abstract

Nanogas dispersions including an electrochemically activated (“ECA”) aqueous solution having an electrolyte and water; and a plurality of gas-filled cavities (i.e., nanobubbles) dispersed within the ECA aqueous solution. An enhanced oil recovery system including a reservoir containing an ECA aqueous solution; a nanogas dispersion generator configured to generate a nanogas dispersion within the ECA aqueous solution, the nanogas dispersion having the ECA aqueous solution and a plurality of nanobubbles dispersed therein; and an injection pump connected to the reservoir and configured to pump an effective amount of the nanogas dispersion into a subterranean formation. A method for treating a subterranean formation including: providing a nanogas dispersion made of an ECA aqueous solution and a plurality of nanobubbles; pumping an effective amount of the nanogas dispersion into the subterranean formation; and extracting a mixture of water from the subterranean formation to a surface-located device.

1 . A nanogas dispersion, wherein the nanogas dispersion is generated by at least the following steps:
 providing an electrochemically activated (“ECA”) aqueous solution comprising an electrolyte and water using electrochemical activation;   generating a plurality of stable gas-filled cavities using a process separate from the electrochemical activation; and   infusing the plurality of stable gas-filled cavities within the ECA aqueous solution, wherein the nanogas dispersion is supersaturated with the plurality of infused stable gas-filled cavities .   
     
     
         2 . The nanogas dispersion of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of infused stable gas-filled cavities is defined by a uniform spherical shape and the one or more of the plurality of infused stable gas-filled cavities is defined by a tensile strength of 1.3 N -1  for 150 nm of cavities. 
     
     
         3 . The nanogas dispersion of  claim 1 , wherein the generating of the plurality of stable gas-filled cavities comprises a pressurized system including: (i) a microporous membrane, (ii) a cavitation system, (iii) a sonication system, or (iv) a pressurized system including a liquid-gas saturation device having a flow path . 
     
     
         4 . The nanogas dispersion of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of infused stable gas-filled cavities have a half-life of at least 15 days in the nanogas dispersion. 
     
     
         5 . The nanogas dispersion of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of infused stable gas-filled cavities are at least one of functionalized gas-filled cavities, non-functionalized gas-filled cavities, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The nanogas dispersion of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of infused stable gas-filled cavities have an average diameter of less than 500 nm. 
     
     
         7 . The nanogas dispersion of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of infused stable gas-filled cavities comprises at least one of carbon dioxide gas-filled cavities, nitrogen gas-filled cavities, oxygen gas-filled cavities, ozone gas-filled cavities, air-filled cavities, field gas-filled cavities, and methane gas-filled cavities or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The nanogas dispersion of  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte is at least one of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and hypochlorous acid. 
     
     
         9 . The nanogas dispersion of  claim 1 , wherein the ECA aqueous solution is one of an anolyte or a catholyte. 
     
     
         10 . The nanogas dispersion of  claim 1 , wherein a concentration of the electrolyte in the ECA aqueous solution is from about 10 ppm to about 10,000 ppm. 
     
     
         11 . The nanogas dispersion of  claim 1 , wherein the ECA aqueous solution has an oxidation reduction potential (“ORP”) that is greater than 0 mV. 
     
     
         12 . The nanogas dispersion of  claim 1 , wherein the ECA aqueous solution has an oxidation reduction potential (“ORP”) that is less than 0 mV. 
     
     
         13 . The nanogas dispersion of  claim 1 , wherein the generating of the nanogas dispersion comprises at least the following additional steps:
 generating the ECA aqueous solution with a salt;   generating, with a nanogas dispersion generator, a pressurized admixture including the ECA aqueous solution and the plurality of stable gas-filled cavities to form a resulting fluid from the pressurized admixture; and   pumping the resulting fluid into a subterranean formation, wherein the resulting fluid comprises the nanogas dispersion .   
     
     
         14 . An enhanced oil recovery system, the system comprising:
 a reservoir containing an electrochemically activated (“ECA”) aqueous solution;   a nanogas dispersion generator configured to generate a nanogas dispersion within the ECA aqueous solution, the nanogas dispersion comprising the ECA aqueous solution and a plurality of infused stable gas-filled cavities dispersed therein, wherein the plurality of infused stable gas-filled cavities are generated from a process separate from the electrochemical activation of the aqueous solution; and   an injection pump connected to the reservoir and configured to pump an effective amount of the nanogas dispersion into a subterranean formation.   
     
     
         15 . The enhanced oil recovery system of  claim 14 , wherein the nanogas dispersion that is pumped into the subterranean formation interacts with a target hydrocarbon material located in the subterranean formation to form a mixture comprising water and the target hydrocarbon material. 
     
     
         16 . The enhanced oil recovery system of  claim 15 , further comprising a surface-located device configured to extract the mixture comprising the water and the target hydrocarbon material. 
     
     
         17 . The enhanced oil recovery system of  claim 14 , wherein the ECA aqueous solution comprises an electrolyte that is at least one of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and hypochlorous acid. 
     
     
         18 . The enhanced oil recovery system of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of gas-filled cavities comprises at least one of carbon dioxide gas-filled cavities, nitrogen gas-filled cavities, oxygen gas-filled cavities, ozone gas-filled cavities, air-filled cavities, field gas-filled cavities, and methane gas-filled cavities or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The enhanced oil recovery system of  claim 14 , wherein the ECA aqueous solution has an oxidation reduction potential (“ORP”) that is greater than 0 mV. 
     
     
         20 . The enhanced oil recovery system of  claim 14 , wherein the ECA aqueous solution has an oxidation reduction potential (“ORP”) that is less than 0 mV. 
     
     
         21 . The enhanced oil recovery system of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of gas-filled cavities have an average diameter of less than about 500 nm. 
     
     
         22 . The enhanced oil recovery system of  claim 14 , wherein a concentration of the electrolyte in the ECA aqueous solution is from about 10 ppm to about 10,000 ppm. 
     
     
         23 . A method for treating a subterranean formation, the method comprising:
 providing a first nanogas dispersion comprising a first electrochemically activated (“ECA”) aqueous solution and a first plurality of infused stable gas-filled cavities dispersed within the first ECA aqueous solution, the first ECA solution comprising an electrolyte and water, wherein the plurality of infused stable gas-filled cavities are generated from a process separate from the electrochemical activation of the aqueous solution;   pumping an effective amount of the first nanogas dispersion into the subterranean formation; and   extracting a first mixture comprising water from the subterranean formation to a surface-located device.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the subterranean formation contains a target hydrocarbon material and the first nanogas dispersion enters an interstitial space between a target hydrocarbon material and the subterranean formation thereby reducing interfacial tension of the hydrocarbon to the subterranean formation. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the first mixture that is extracted further comprises the target hydrocarbon material from the subterranean formation. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein extracting the first mixture comprises extracting at least some of the ECA aqueous solution or the plurality of gas-filled cavities of the effective amount of the first nanogas dispersion. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the first ECA aqueous solution of the first nanogas dispersion is anolyte and the method further comprises:
 providing a second nanogas dispersion comprising a second ECA aqueous solution and a second plurality of gas-filled cavities dispersed within the second ECA aqueous solution, the second ECA solution comprising an electrolyte and water;   pumping an effective amount of the second nanogas dispersion into the subterranean formation; and   extracting a second mixture comprising water from the subterranean formation to the surface-located device.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the second ECA aqueous solution of the second nanogas dispersion is catholyte. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the second mixture that is extracted further comprises target hydrocarbon material from the subterranean formation, at least some of the second ECA aqueous solution of the effective amount of the second nanogas dispersion, or at least some of the second plurality of gas-filled cavities of the effective amount of the second nanogas dispersion. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the effective amount of the second nanogas dispersion is pumped into the subterranean formation after a period of time has elapsed since the effective amount of the first nanogas dispersion is pumped into the subterranean formation.