Method of monitoring a parameter of a hydrocarbon well, pipeline or formation
A method of monitoring a parameter of a hydrocarbon well, pipeline or formation is provided. The method comprises introducing a tracer into the hydrocarbon well, pipeline or formation; producing a fluid from the hydrocarbon well, pipeline or formation; and analyzing the fluid to determine if the tracer is present in the fluid. The tracer comprises a halogenated alkoxylated-benzoic acid, an alkoxylated benzene sulfonic acid, a salt of a halogenated alkoxylated-benzoic acid or a salt of an alkoxylated benzene sulfonic acid.
1. A method of monitoring a parameter of a hydrocarbon well, pipeline or formation, the method comprising:
introducing a tracer into the hydrocarbon well, pipeline or formation;
producing a fluid from the hydrocarbon well, pipeline or formation; and
analysing the fluid to determine if the tracer is present in the fluid;
wherein the tracer comprises a halogenated alkoxylated-benzoic acid, an alkoxylated benzene sulfonic acid, a salt of a halogenated alkoxylated-benzoic acid, or a salt of an alkoxylated benzene sulfonic acid.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the tracer comprises a salt of a halogenated alkoxylated-benzoic acid or a salt of an alkoxylated benzene sulfonic acid.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the tracer comprises a compound, or a salt thereof, of formula 1:
wherein R 1 is C n F x Cl y H (2n+1−x−y) where n=1, 2 or 3, and x and y are integers such that 0≤x+y≤2n+1,
wherein at least one of R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 and R 6 is carboxylic acid or sulfonic acid,
wherein the remainder of R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 and R 6 are selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, Br, H, B(OH) 2 , C m F j Cl k Br l H (2m+1−j−k−l) , where m=1, 2 or 3, each of j, k and l are integers such that 0≤j+k+l≤2m+1, and O—C p F r Cl s Br t H (2p+1−r−s−t) , where p=1, 2 or 3, and r, s and t are integers such that 0≤r+s+t≤2p+1,
and wherein either at least one of R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 and R 6 is sulfonic acid, or at least one of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 and R 6 is halogenated, or both.
4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein R 1 is C n X y H (2n+1−y) where n=1, 2 or 3, 0≤y≤2n+1 and X is one of F or Cl.
5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein R 1 is C n X y H (2n+1−y) where n=1, 2 or 3, 1≤y≤2n+1 and X is one of F or Cl.
6. The method according to claim 4 , wherein R 1 is selected from the group consisting of CH 3 , C 2 H 5 , C 3 H 7 , CFH 2 , CF 2 H, CF 3 , CClH 2 , CCl 2 H and CCl 3 .
7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein R 1 is selected from the group consisting of CH 3 , CFH 2 , CF 2 H, and CF 3 .
8. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the remainder of R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 and R 6 are selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, Br, H, C m X j H (2m+1−j) where m=1, 2 or 3, 0≤j≤2m+1 and X is one of F, Cl or Br, and O—C p X r H (2p+1−r) , where p=1, 2 or 3, 0≤r≤2p+1 and X is one of F, Cl or Br.
9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the remainder of R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 and R 6 are selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, Br, H, CH 3 , C 2 H 5 , C 3 H 7 , CFH 2 , CF 2 H, CF 3 , O—CH 3 , O—C 2 H 5 , O—C 3 H 7 , O—CFH 2 , O—CF 2 H, O—CF 3 , O—CClH 2 , O—CCl 2 H and O—CCl 3 .
10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the remainder of R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 and R 6 are selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, Br, H, CH 3 , C 2 H 5 , C 3 H 7 , CFH 2 , CF 2 H, and CF 3 .
11. The method according to claim 3 , wherein at least one of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 and R 6 is halogenated.
12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein at least one of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 and R 6 is fluorinated, chlorinated or brominated.
13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein at least one of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 and R 6 is fluorinated or chlorinated.
14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein at least one of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 and R 6 is fluorinated.
15. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the tracer is an alkoxylated benzene sulfonic acid.
16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein R 1 is C n H (2n+1) where n=1, 2 or 3.
17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein R 1 is CH 3 .
18. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the remainder of R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 and R 6 are selected from the group consisting of H, C m H (2m+1) where m=1, 2 or 3, and O—C p H (2p+1) , where p=1, 2 or 3.
19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the remainder of R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 and R 6 are selected from the group consisting of H, CH 3 , C 2 H 5 and C 3 H 7 .
20. The method according to claim 3 , wherein none of R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 and R 6 is carboxylic acid.
21. The method according to claim 3 , wherein none of R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 and R 6 is sulfonic acid.
22. The method according to claim 21 , wherein at least one of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 and R 6 is fluorinated or chlorinated.
23. The method according to claim 22 , wherein at least one of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 and R 6 is fluorinated.
24. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the tracer is a sodium salt.