Emulsion polymers and methods for improving pumpability

1. A polymer composition comprising:

an oil-in-water emulsion comprising

an aqueous phase comprising water and an emulsifying surfactant having a cloud point of less than 80° C. and a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) of greater than or equal to 8, and

an oil phase comprising a high molecular weight oil-soluble polymer, wherein the oil-soluble polymer comprises a copolymer derived from reaction of a hydrophobic monomer and an ionizable monomer in a weight ratio from about 999:1 to about 80:20.

2. The polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the oil-soluble polymer comprises a copolymer derived from reaction of a hydrophobic monomer and an ionizable monomer in a weight ratio from about 99:1 to about 90:10.

3. The polymer composition of claim 2 , wherein the ionizable monomer comprises a styrene sulfonate, styrene sulfonic acid, a vinyl sulfonate, a vinyl sulfonic acid, an acrylamide alkyl sulfonic acid, an acrylamide alkyl sulfonate, a methacrylamide alkyl sulfonic acid, a methacrylamide alkyl sulfonate, a dialkylaminoalkyl methacrylate, a dialkylaminoalkyl acrylate, a dialkylaminoalkyl methacrylamide, a dialkylaminoalkyl acrylamide, or a combination thereof.

4. The polymer composition of claim 3 , wherein the ionizable monomer comprises styrene sulfonate, acrylamide tert-butyl sulfonic acid (ATBS), dimethylaminoethyl methacrylamide, or a combination thereof.

5. The polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic monomer comprises propyl acrylate, propyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate, butyl methacrylate, iso-butyl acrylate, iso-butyl methacrylate, tert-butyl acrylate, tert-butyl methacrylate, pentyl acrylate, pentyl methacrylate, isopentyl acrylate, isopentyl methacrylate, hexyl acrylate, hexyl methacrylate, cyclohexyl acrylate, cyclohexyl methacrylate, heptyl acrylate, heptyl methacrylate, octyl acrylate, octyl methacrylate, iso-octyl acrylate, iso-octyl methacrylate, iso-decyl acrylate, iso-decyl methacrylate, lauryl acrylate, lauryl methacrylate, stearyl acrylate, stearyl methacrylate, behenyl acrylate, behenyl methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate, 2-propylheptyl acrylate, 2-propylheptyl methacrylate, benzyl acrylate, benzyl methacrylate, 2-phenylethyl acrylate, 2-phenylethyl methacrylate, tridecyl acrylate, tridecyl methacrylate, iso-bornyl acrylate, iso-bornyl methacrylate, 3,5,5-trimethylhexyl acrylate, 3,5,5-trimethylhexyl methacrylate, 3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexyl acrylate, 3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexyl methacrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, 2-hydroxypropyl acrylate, 2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate, 2-hydroxybutyl acrylate, 2-hydroxybutyl methacrylate, 2-hydroxyethylcaprolactone acrylate, 2-hydroxyethylcaprolactone methacrylate, dihydrodicyclopentadienyl acrylate, dihydrodicyclopentadienyl methacrylate, ethyldiglycol acrylate, ethyldiglycol methacrylate, C 17 acrylate, C 17 methacrylate, vinylbenzylpolyoxyethylene alkyl ether, polyoxyethylene alkyl acrylate, polyoxyethylene alkyl methacrylate, styrene, or a combination or isomeric form thereof.

6. The polymer composition of claim 5 , wherein the hydrophobic monomer comprises 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, styrene, or a combination thereof.

7. The polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the emulsifying surfactant comprises a C 10 -C 20 alkyl ethoxy sulfate, an alkoxylated alkylphenol, an alkoxylated alcohol, an ethylene oxide/propylene oxide copolymer, a dialkylsulfosuccinate, hydrolyzed polyvinylacetates or a combination thereof.

8. The polymer composition of claim 7 , wherein the emulsifying surfactant has a cloud point of less than or equal to 60° C., when the cloud point of the emulsifying surfactant is measured at a concentration of 1 wt. % in deionized water.

9. The polymer composition of claim 7 , wherein the emulsifying surfactant comprises a lauryl ethoxy sulfate, an ethoxylated octylphenol, an ethoxylated nonylphenol, an ethoxylated branched secondary alcohol, an ethoxylated alkyl alcohol, an ethoxylated/propoxylated alkylphenol, a dioctyl sulfosuccinate, or a combination thereof.

10. The polymer composition of claim 9 , wherein the emulsifying surfactant has a HLB of equal to or greater than 8.

11. The polymer composition of claim 10 , wherein the emulsifying surfactant comprises a sodium lauryl ethoxy sulfate having an average of 2 to 6 ethylene oxide units per molecule, an ethoxylated octylphenol having an average of 5 to 10 ethylene oxide units per molecule, an ethoxylated nonylphenol having an average of 6 to 12 ethylene oxide units per molecule, an ethoxylated branched secondary alcohol having an average of 6 to 10 ethylene oxide units per molecule, an ethoxylated isodecyl alcohol having an average of 4 to 8 ethylene oxide units per molecule, a dioctyl sulfosuccinate, or a combination thereof.

12. The polymer composition of claim 1 , further comprising a dispersant, wherein the dispersant is an alkanolamide dispersant comprising N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl) oleamide.

13. The polymer composition of claim 1 , further comprising a metal salt, an ammonium salt, or a combination thereof, preferably, wherein the ammonium salt comprises ammonium acetate or the metal salt comprises calcium chloride.

14. The polymer composition of claim 1 , further comprising an alcohol, a glycol, a polyglycol, or a combination thereof.

15. The polymer composition of claim 14 , wherein the glycol is ethylene glycol.

16. The polymer composition of claim 1 , further comprising a lubricant; wherein the lubricant is a polydimethyl silicone agent.

17. The polymer composition of claim 1 , further comprising a pH neutralizer, wherein the pH neutralizer comprises sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide, or a combination thereof.

18. The polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the oil-soluble polymer has a concentration of from about 20 wt. % to about 45 wt. % in the polymer composition, based on the amount of the oil-soluble polymer, emulsifying surfactant, and water.

19. A method of reducing the drag associated with transporting a hydrocarbon fluid through a subsea flowline comprising transporting the polymer composition of claim 1 through an umbilical line to the subsea flowline and contacting the polymer composition with the hydrocarbon fluid at an injection point.

20. A method or use of the polymer composition of claim 1 , for inhibiting corrosion, inhibiting scale deposition, inhibiting asphaltene deposition, inhibiting paraffin deposition, inhibiting hydrate formation, improving flow of the fluid, breaking an emulsion, improving flow of the fluid, stabilizing a clay, inhibiting bacteria growth, providing a salt, modifying permeability of a subterranean reservoir, scavenging sulfide, intensifying inhibition of corrosion, controlling pH, acting as a surfactant, controlling fluid loss, providing chelation, foaming, defoaming, providing emulsion stability, controlling iron, providing solvation, reducing friction, or a combination thereof.