US4411816A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Native petroleum surfactants
Assignee: University of Southern California
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Filing: 1980-04-21
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Granted: 1983-10-25
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Expires: 2000-04-21
Abstract
Abstract Isolation of native petroleum surfactants for lowering interfacial tensions in aqeuous-alkaline systems. Petroleum of the type having reduced interfacial tension with water at high pH is subjected to fractionation by distillation including distillation under vacuum in the temperature range of 100 DEG -200 DEG C. to recover a surfactant fraction of the petroleum distilled in that temperature range. The fraction can be further concentrated by removing benzene-soluble components to obtain an ether-soluble residue having a density greater than water. The fraction alone, mixed with petroleum, or enriched with the residue, or the residue mixed with petroleum, can be injected as a slug into a subterranean oil reservoir to enhance tertiary recovery by alkaline water flooding. The amenability of a reservoir for alkaline flooding can be determined by separating the native surfactant fraction and measuring its interfacial tension with water at the proposed alkalinity of the floodwater.
Inventors
- 👤 Teh F. Yen
- 👤 Paul A. Farmanian
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 04:36
CPC Classifications
C; C09; C09K; C09K8/00; C09K8/58; C09K8/584; E; E21; E21B; E21B43/00; E21B43/34; E21B43/40; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S507/00; Y10S507/935; Y10S507/936; Y10S516/00; Y10S516/01; Y10S516/07
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
78 words
A method for preparing a surfactant, comprising: providing petroleum of the type having an interfacial tension with water of less than 30 dynes/cm. at high pH; subjecting said petroleum to fractionation by distillation including distillation under conditions equivalent to vacuum of about 1 Torr in the temperature range of 100°-200° C.; recovering and combining substantially all of the distillate in said temperature range, separated from lower boiling distillate, to obtain said surfactant; and adding said surfactant to petroleum.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
78 words
A method for preparing a surfactant, comprising: providing petroleum of the type having an interfacial tension with water of less than 30 dynes/cm. at high pH; subjecting said petroleum to fractionation by distillation including distillation under conditions equivalent to vacuum of about 1 Torr in the temperature range of 100°-200° C.; recovering and combining substantially all of the distillate in said temperature range, separated from lower boiling distillate, to obtain said surfactant; and adding said surfactant to petroleum.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
101 words
A method for preparing a surfactant concentrate, comprising: providing petroleum of the type having an interfacial tension with water of less than 30 dynes/cm. at high pH; subjecting said petroleum to fractionation by distillation including distillation under conditions equivalent to vacuum at about 1 Torr in the temperature range of 100°-200° C.; recovering a surfactant portion of said petroleum distilled in said temperature range, separated from lower boiling distillate; removing benzene-soluble components from said fraction to obtain as said surfactant concentrate an ether-soluble residue having a density greater than water; and adding said concentrate either to petroleum or to said fraction.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
101 words
A method for preparing a surfactant concentrate, comprising: providing petroleum of the type having an interfacial tension with water of less than 30 dynes/cm. at high pH; subjecting said petroleum to fractionation by distillation including distillation under conditions equivalent to vacuum at about 1 Torr in the temperature range of 100°-200° C.; recovering a surfactant portion of said petroleum distilled in said temperature range, separated from lower boiling distillate; removing benzene-soluble components from said fraction to obtain as said surfactant concentrate an ether-soluble residue having a density greater than water; and adding said concentrate either to petroleum or to said fraction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 2 in which said benzene-soluble components are removed by elution.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
53 words
A mixture formed of (a) a composition comprising a combined fraction distilled under conditions equivalent to vacuum at about 1 Torr in the temperature range of 100°-200° C., separated from lower boiling distillate, from, and (b), whereby there is at least one part of said composition mixed with 10 4 parts of petroleum.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
53 words
A mixture formed of (a) a composition comprising a combined fraction distilled under conditions equivalent to vacuum at about 1 Torr in the temperature range of 100°-200° C., separated from lower boiling distillate, from, and (b), whereby there is at least one part of said composition mixed with 10 4 parts of petroleum.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
55 words
The composition of claim 4 in which said fraction includes at least one of the component types: ##STR2## wherein R is a hydrocarbon of 3 to 20 carbon atoms, R 1 is hydrogen or a hydrocarbon of 3 to 20 carbon atoms, and in which R and R 1 are either separate or cyclically combined.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The composition of claim 5 in which said fraction includes each of said component types.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
100 words
A mixture formed of (a) a composition having a density greater than water and constituting an ether-soluble residue obtained by the removal of benzene-soluble components from a fraction distilled under conditions equivalent to vacuum at about 1 Torr in the temperature range of 100°-200° C., separated from lower boiling distillate, from petroleum of the type having reduced interfacial tension with water of less than 30 dynes/cm. at high pH, and (b) petroleum or said fraction, whereby there is at least one part of said composition mixed with either 10 4 parts of petroleum or 10 3 parts of said fraction.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
100 words
A mixture formed of (a) a composition having a density greater than water and constituting an ether-soluble residue obtained by the removal of benzene-soluble components from a fraction distilled under conditions equivalent to vacuum at about 1 Torr in the temperature range of 100°-200° C., separated from lower boiling distillate, from petroleum of the type having reduced interfacial tension with water of less than 30 dynes/cm. at high pH, and (b) petroleum or said fraction, whereby there is at least one part of said composition mixed with either 10 4 parts of petroleum or 10 3 parts of said fraction.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
51 words
The composition of claim 7 including at least one of the component types: ##STR3## wherein R is a hydrocarbon of 3 to 20 carbon atoms, R 1 is hydrogen or a hydrocarbon of 3 to 20 carbon atoms, and in which R and R 1 are either separate or cyclically combined.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
11 words
The composition of claim 8 including each of said component types.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
10 words
The alkali metal salt of the composition of claim 7.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-10-24 | 1987-04-25 | 1987-10-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-10-24 | 1991-04-25 | 1991-10-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-10-24 | 1995-04-25 | 1995-10-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |