Composition and method for improving the production of petroleum hydrocarbons
A novel surfactant composition that comprises of two surfactant components, a solvent, and water. The surfactant composition is added to a fracturing fluid, which is then pumped downhole into a subterranean formation where the novel characteristics of the fracturing fluid lend to improved oil production over the fracturing fluid without the surfactant composition.
1. A surfactant solution for use as an additive in a hydraulic fracturing fluid comprising:
a mixture of a first surfactant, a second surfactant, a solvent, and water:
wherein the first surfactant is an ether sulfonate anionic surfactant of the formula: R 1 O(R 2 O) x (R 3 O) y CH 2 CH(OH)CH 2 SO 3 M, wherein R 1 is a linear or branched alkyl group having 5 to 30 carbon atoms, R 2 is —CH 2 CH 2 —, R 3 is —CH(CH 3 )CH 2 —, x is an integer from 2 to 30, y is an integer from 0 to 20, and M is a monovalent cation;
wherein the second surfactant is an alkyl alkoxylated nonionic surfactant of the formula R 4 O(R 2 O) m (R 3 O) n H, where R 4 is a linear or branched alkyl group having 5 to 30 carbon atoms, m is an integer from 5 to 30, and n is an integer from 1 to 20;
wherein the solvent is methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, 1-propanol, butanol, acetone, ethyl lactate, glycerol, ethylene glycol, ethylene glycol butyl ether, butyl acetate, acetic acid, or any combination thereof; and
wherein the surfactant solution is added to a hydraulic fracturing fluid.
2. The surfactant solution of claim 1 wherein the concentration of the first surfactant in the surfactant solution is from about 1 wt. % to 65 wt. %.
3. The surfactant solution of claim 2 wherein the concentration of the first surfactant in the surfactant solution is from about 5 wt. % to 55 wt. %.
4. The surfactant solution of claim 3 wherein the concentration of the first surfactant in the surfactant solution is from about 10 wt. % to 45 wt. %.
5. The surfactant solution of claim 1 wherein the concentration of the second surfactant in the surfactant solution is from about 1 wt. % to 80 wt. %.
6. The surfactant solution of claim 5 wherein the concentration of the second surfactant in the surfactant solution is from about 15 wt. % to 65 wt. %.
7. The surfactant solution of claim 6 wherein the concentration of the second surfactant in the surfactant solution is from about 30 wt. % to 50 wt. %.
8. The surfactant solution of claim 1 wherein the concentration of the solvent in the surfactant solution is from about 1 wt. % to 90 wt. %.
9. The surfactant solution of claim 8 wherein the concentration of the solvent in the surfactant solution is from about 5 wt. % to 50 wt. %.
10. The surfactant solution of claim 9 wherein the concentration of the solvent in the surfactant solution is from about 10 wt. % to 35 wt. %.
11. The surfactant solution of claim 1 wherein the concentration of water in the surfactant solution is from about 1 wt. % to 90 wt. %.
12. The surfactant solution of claim 11 wherein the concentration of water in the surfactant solution is from about 15 wt. % to 60 wt. %.
13. The surfactant solution of claim 12 wherein the concentration of water in the surfactant solution is from about 30 wt. % to 45 wt. %.
14. The surfactant solution of claim 1 wherein the water comprises sodium chloride and calcium chloride and the concentration of sodium chloride in the water is up to 25.0 wt. % and the concentration of calcium chloride in the water is up to 5.0 wt. %.