Carbon Dioxide Viscosification by Polyolefins

Abstract

The disclosed technology relates to a composition and method of increasing the viscosity of a carbon dioxide composition, as well as a method of increasing the production and recovery of hydrocarbons from an underground formation employing the viscosified carbon dioxide composition.

1 . A carbon dioxide composition comprising a major amount of carbon dioxide and at least one branched polyolefin polymer. 
     
     
         2 . The carbon dioxide composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition has a relative viscosity at least 100% greater than supercritical carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one branched polyolefin polymer has a number average molecular weight of from 140 to 5000 as measured by gel permeation chromatography with polystyrene standard. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the at least one branched polyolefin polymer is polymerized from a C 2 -C 24  olefin or mixture thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one branched polyolefin polymer comprises a polyisobutylene polymer. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one branched polyolefin polymer is polymerized from C 4 -C 24  α-olefin or mixture thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one branched polyolefin polymer comprises a 1000 to 5000 Mn polydecene polymer. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the branching of the branched polyolefin polymer comprises at least one of an aromatic hydrocarbyl group, aliphatic hydrocarbyl group, cyclic hydrocarbyl group, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the branching of the branched polyolefin polymer comprises a hydroxyl containing aromatic group. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein branching of the branched polyolefin polymer comprises an amine containing aromatic group. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the branching of the branched polyolefin polymer is substantially free of succinimide or succinic anhydride functionality. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of any pervious  claim 1 , comprising from 0.01 to 5 wt. % of the branched polyolefin polymer based on the weight of the composition. 
     
     
         13 . A method to increase the production of hydrocarbons from an underground hydrocarbon containing formation comprising injecting into the formation the composition of  claim 1 , and recovering released hydrocarbons from said hydrocarbon containing formation. 
     
     
         14 . A method of increasing the viscosity of supercritical carbon dioxide comprising adding to the carbon dioxide a thickener comprising at least one branched polyolefin polymer that increases the relative viscosity of the combination of the carbon dioxide and thickener at least 100% compared to supercritical carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the viscosity is increased at a pressure between 500 and 10,000 psi and temperatures between 30 and 120° C. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the viscosity is increased at a pressure between 500 and 10,000 psi and temperatures between 30 and 120° C.