Foam assisted liquid removal using alcohol ether sulfonates

1. A method of removing a fluid from a gas or oil well, a wellbore, or a pipeline, the method comprising:

introducing a composition into a gas well, an oil well, a wellbore, or a pipeline in an amount effective for foaming a fluid within the well, the wellbore, or the pipeline to recover the fluid from the well or the pipeline, the fluid comprising a hydrocarbon, water or a combination thereof, and the composition comprising an alcohol ether sulfonate having formula I:

wherein:

R 1 is alkyl;

R 2 is alkylene;

R 3 and R 4 are each independently ethylene or propylene;

R 5 is hydroxyl and R 6 is —SO 3 M, or R 5 is —SO 3 M and R 6 is hydroxyl;

M is independently an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, hydronium, NH 3 or NH 2 ; and

a and b are each independently an integer from 0 to 30, and a+b equals 1 to 60.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alcohol ether sulfonate has the formula II

wherein:

R 3 is isopropylene and R 4 is ethylene, or R 3 is ethylene and R 4 is isopropylene;

R 5 is hydroxyl and R 6 is —SO 3 M, or R 5 is —SO 3 M and R 6 is hydroxyl;

M is independently Na, K, Ca, Mg, hydronium, NH 3 or NH 2 ;

x and y are each independently an integer from 0 to 27, and x+y equals 5 to 27; and

a and b are each independently an integer from 0 to 30, and a+b equals 1 to 60.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein R 3 is isopropylene and R 4 is ethylene.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein R 5 is hydroxyl and R 6 is —SO 3 M.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein R 5 is —SO 3 M and R 6 is hydroxyl.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the alcohol ether sulfonate has the formula II, x and y are each independently an integer from 0 to 15, and x+y equals 5 to 15.

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein a is 2 to 25, b is 2 to 25, and a+b equals 4 to 50.

8. The method of claim 2 , wherein a is 3 to 20, b is 6 to 20, and a+b equals 9 to 40.

9. The method of claim 2 , wherein a is 5 to 18, b is 10 to 12, and a+b equals 15 to 30.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises a carrier comprised of water, an alcohol, an ether, a glycol, a glycol ether, or a combination thereof.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carrier comprises methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, butoxyethanol, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, methyl ether ethylene glycol, naphtha, diesel, toluene, ethylenebenzene, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, xylene, or a combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising injecting an additional anionic surfactant, a cationic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, an amphoteric surfactant, or a zwitterionic surfactant into the well, the wellbore or the pipeline.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising injecting a corrosion inhibitor, a scale inhibitor, an emulsifier, a water clarifier, a dispersant, an emulsion breaker, a hydrogen sulfide scavenger, a gas hydrate inhibitor, a biocide, a pH modifier, a synergistic compound, an asphaltene inhibitor, a paraffin inhibitor, an antioxidant, a pour point depressant, a viscosity modifier, a flow back aid, a friction reducer, a crosslinking agent, or a proppant into the well, the wellbore or the pipeline.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the well or wellbore is within a subterranean hydrocarbon-containing formation comprising a sandstone reservoir or a carbonate reservoir.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising injecting a gas into the well, the wellbore or the pipeline.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the gas comprises nitrogen, carbon dioxide, methane, ethane, propane, butane, natural gas, produced gas, or a combination thereof.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition is injected into the well, the wellbore or the pipeline as a batch addition.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition is continuously injected into the well, the wellbore or the pipeline when the well, the wellbore or the pipeline is in operation.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon comprises oil or natural gas condensate.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alcohol ether sulfonate is added to the fluid in a concentration of from about 10 to about 100,000 ppm based on volume of the fluid.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the alcohol ether sulfonate is added to the fluid in a concentration of from about 100 to about 50,000 ppm based on volume of the fluid.