IP Library Granted Patent US 10,584,277
Granted Patent B2
US 10,584,277 · App. 14/170,970 · Granted Mar 10, 2020

Water-in-oil emulsion composition and method of treating subterranean formation using same

Inventors: Kevin W Frederick (Evans City, PA); Shih-Ruey T Chen (Pittsburgh, PA)
Assignee: SOLVAY USA INC.
C09K8/70C09K8/36C09K8/62E21B43/26
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,584,277
App. No.
14/170,970
Granted
Mar 10, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of treating a portion of a subterranean formation that includes: providing a water-in-oil emulsion, inverting the water-in-oil emulsion to form a friction reducing treatment solution, and introducing the treatment solution into the portion of the subterranean formation. The water-in-oil emulsion has an oil phase, an aqueous phase and surfactants. The oil phase (O) and an aqueous phase (A) are present at an O/A ratio of from about 1:8 to about 10:1. The oil phase is present as a continuous phase and contains an inert hydrophobic liquid. The aqueous phase is present as a dispersed phase of distinct particles in the oil phase and includes water and a water soluble polymer. The water soluble polymer makes up from 10 to 25 weight percent of the water-in-oil emulsion. The water-in-oil emulsion is inverted by adding it to water to form a friction reducing treatment solution.

Claims (17)

1. A water-in-oil emulsion having an oil phase (O) and an aqueous phase (A) at an O/A ratio of from about 1:8 to about 10:1;

wherein the water-in-oil emulsion includes the oil phase as a continuous phase comprising an inert hydrophobic liquid, and the aqueous phase as a dispersed phase of distinct particles in the oil phase comprising water and a water soluble polymer, and surfactants;

wherein the water soluble polymer consists of 77% acrylamide and 23% acrylic acid and is present at 20 weight percent of the water-in-oil emulsion and

wherein the water soluble polymer has a viscosity as determined in a Ubbelhhde Capillary Viscometer at 0.05% by weight concentration of the polymer in 1M NaCl solution, at 30° C., pH 7, of 27.5 dl/g.

2. The water-in-oil emulsion according to claim 1 :

wherein the water-in-oil emulsion comprises ammonium salt, 4-methoxyphenol, and an ethoxylated C 12 -C 16 alcohol; and

wherein the inert hydrophobic liquid comprises a mixture of paraffinic hydrocarbons and napthenic hydrocarbons; and

wherein the surfactants comprise a tall oil fatty acid diethanol amine, a polyoxyethylene (5) sorbitan monooleate, and a sorbitan monooleate.

3. A method of treating a portion of a subterranean formation, comprising: Providing the water-in-oil emulsion according to claim 1 ; inverting the water-in-oil emulsion by adding it to water at from about 0.1 to about 2 gallons of water-in-oil emulsion per thousand gallons of water to form a friction reducing treatment solution containing from about 0.0025 to less than about 0.1% water soluble polymer based on the weight of the treatment solution; and introducing the treatment solution into the portion of the subterranean formation.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the friction reducing treatment solution is introduced into the portion of the subterranean formation at a rate and pressure sufficient to create or enhance one or more fractures in the portion of the subterranean formation.

5. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the water-in-oil emulsion comprises at least one of an inhibitor, a salt, or an inverting surfactant.

6. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the water-in-oil emulsion is present in the friction reducing treatment solution in an amount in the range of from about 0.1 to about 2 gallons of water-in-oil emulsion per thousand gallons of 2% KCl solution (gpt).

7. A water-in-oil emulsion having an oil phase (O) and an aqueous phase (A) at an O/A ratio of from about 1:8 to about 10:1;

wherein the water-in-oil emulsion includes the oil phase as a continuous phase comprising an inert hydrophobic liquid, and the aqueous phase as a dispersed phase of distinct particles in the oil phase comprising water and a water soluble polymer, and surfactants;

wherein the water soluble polymer consists of 77% acrylamide and 23% acrylic acid and is present at 20 weight percent of the water-in-oil emulsion;

wherein the water soluble polymer is a polymer formed by polymerizing a monomer mixture comprising acrylic acid and acrylamide; and

wherein the water soluble polymer has a viscosity as determined in a Ubbelhhde Capillary Viscometer at 0.05% by weight concentration of the polymer in 1M NaCl solution, at 30° C., pH 7, of 27.5 dl/g.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 23, 2023
From: SOLVAY USA INC.
To: ENERGY SOLUTIONS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 063077/0674 →
CORRECTION OF RECEIVING PARTY DATA IN REEL/FRAME 034069/0610 Recorded Dec 1, 2014
From: FREDERICK, KEVIN W; CHEN, SHIH-RUEY T
To: WSP CHEMICALS & TECHNOLOGY LLC
Reel/Frame 034498/0832 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 30, 2014
From: FREDERICK, KEVIN W.; CHEN, SHIH-RUEY T.
To: SOLVAY USA INC.
Reel/Frame 034069/0610 →
MERGER Recorded Oct 30, 2014
From: WSP CHEMICALS & TECHNOLOGY, LLC
To: CHEMLOGICS GROUP, LLC
Reel/Frame 034069/0690 →
MERGER Recorded Oct 30, 2014
From: CHEMLOGICS GROUP, LLC
To: SOLVAY USA INC.
Reel/Frame 034069/0730 →