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US4494604A
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Extraction of acidic materials from organic liquids and use thereof in enhanced oil recovery
Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Co
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Filing: 1983-06-28
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Granted: 1985-01-22
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Expires: 2003-06-28
Abstract
Abstract In accordance with the present invention acidic materials, preferably naturally-occurring carboxylic acids from crude oils and acids formed by the oxidation of components of crude oils, are extracted from organic liquids containing the same by contacting the organic liquid with an aqueous polar organic solvent solution of potassium hydroxide. The polar organic solvents are preferably solvents selected from the group consisting of OH substituted hydrocarbons, SO substituted hydrocarbons, SO 2 substituted hydrocarbons, NH 2 , NHR and NR 2 substituted hydrocarbons, CONH 2 , CONHR and CONR 2 substituted hydrocarbons and CN substituted hydrocarbons. The thus extracted acidic materials may be neutralized with an appropriate alkaline material to produce the corresponding salts thereof. In another aspect of the present invention the thus extracted acids or the salts thereof are utilized to recover oil from a subterranean oil reservoir by utilizing the same in conjunction with waterflooding operations, particularly an alkaline waterflooding technique or a surfactant waterflooding technique.
Inventors
- 👤 James E. Shaw
- 👤 Paul R. Stapp
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 06:17
CPC Classifications
C; C09; C09K; C09K8/00; C09K8/58; C09K8/584
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
84 words
A method for extracting acidic materials from an organic liquid containing the same comprising: contacting at least one organic liquid, selected from the group consisting of (1) organic liquids naturally containing said acidic materials, and (2) organic liquids which have been contacted with an oxidizing agent under conditions sufficient to produce said acidic materials, with an aqueous, polar organic solvent solution of potassium hydroxide in an amount and under conditions sufficient to produce an aqueous phase containing potassium salts of thus extracted acidic materials.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
84 words
A method for extracting acidic materials from an organic liquid containing the same comprising: contacting at least one organic liquid, selected from the group consisting of (1) organic liquids naturally containing said acidic materials, and (2) organic liquids which have been contacted with an oxidizing agent under conditions sufficient to produce said acidic materials, with an aqueous, polar organic solvent solution of potassium hydroxide in an amount and under conditions sufficient to produce an aqueous phase containing potassium salts of thus extracted acidic materials.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the polar organic solvent is an organic material containing atoms selected from the group consisting of oxygen, sulfur, and nitrogen, or combinations thereof in substituent groups.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method in accordance with claim 2 wherein the polar organic solvent contains from 1 to 12 carbon atoms.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the polar organic solvent contains a functional group selected from the group consisting of OH, SO, SO 2 , NH 2 , NHR, NR 2 , CONH 2 , CONHR, CONR 2 and CN.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the polar organic solvent contains from 1 to 12 carbon atoms.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
80 words
A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the polar organic solvent contains a functional group selected from the group consisting of OH and has from 1 to 12 carbon atoms; SO and SO 2 and has 2 to 5 carbon atoms; NH 2 , NHR and NR 2 and has from 3 to 6 carbon atoms; CONH 2 , CONHR and CONR 2 and has 1 to 4 carbon atoms; and CN and has 2 to 4 carbon atoms.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the polar organic solvent is selected from the group consisting of alcohols, glycols, monoethoxylated derivatives of alcohols, diethoxylated derivatives of alcohols, sulfoxides, sulfones, amines, amides and nitriles.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
81 words
A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the polar organic solvent is selected from the group consisting of alcohols, and glycols having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, monoethoxylated derivatives of alcohols having from 3 to 8 carbon atoms, diethoxylated derivatives of alcohols having 5 to 12 carbon atoms, sulfoxides and sulfones having 2 to 5 carbon atoms, amines having 3 to 6 carbon atoms, amides having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and nitriles having 2 to 4 carbon atoms.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the organic liquid is a crude oil.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the acidic materials are carboxylic acids.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
114 words
A method for recovering oil from a subsurface earth formation containing the same comprising; (a) contacting at least one organic liquid, selected from group consisting of (1) organic liquids naturally containing said acidic materials, and (2) organic liquids which have been contacted with an oxidizing agent under conditions sufficient to produce said acidic materials, with an aqueous, polar organic solvent solution of potassium hydroxide in an amount and under conditions sufficient to produce an aqueous phase containing potassium salts of the thus extracted acidic materials, and (b) contacting said subsurface earth formation with the thus extracted acidic materials or salts thereof in conjunction with an aqueous displacing medium under conditions to displace said oil.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
114 words
A method for recovering oil from a subsurface earth formation containing the same comprising; (a) contacting at least one organic liquid, selected from group consisting of (1) organic liquids naturally containing said acidic materials, and (2) organic liquids which have been contacted with an oxidizing agent under conditions sufficient to produce said acidic materials, with an aqueous, polar organic solvent solution of potassium hydroxide in an amount and under conditions sufficient to produce an aqueous phase containing potassium salts of the thus extracted acidic materials, and (b) contacting said subsurface earth formation with the thus extracted acidic materials or salts thereof in conjunction with an aqueous displacing medium under conditions to displace said oil.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the organic liquid is a crude oil.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method in accordance with claim 12 the crude oil is a crude oil from the subsurface formation from which oil is being recovered.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method in accordance with claim 12 wherein the organic liquid containing acidic materials is prepared by contacting an organic liquid with an oxidizing agent under conditions to produce said acidic materials from hydrocarbon components of said organic liquid.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method in accordance with claim 14 wherein the organic liquid is a crude oil.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein the crude oil is an oil from the subsurface formation from which oil is being recovered.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the thus produced acidic materials are neutralized, the thus produced neutralization products are injected into the oil reservoir and water is thereafter injected into the oil reservoir.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the thus produced acidic materials are neutralized, a protective slug is injected into the oil reservoir, thereafter a slug of the thus produced neutralization products is injected into said reservoir and a mobility control slug is injected into said reservoir.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the thus produced acidic materials are neutralized and an aqueous solution of the thus produced neutralization products and an electrolyte, in amounts and under conditions to form a microemulsion in situ in the oil reservoir, is injected into said reservoir followed by water.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method in accordance with claim 19 wherein the aqueous solution additionally contains a cosurfactant.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method in accordance with claim 19 wherein a protective slug is injected into the oil reservoir prior to the injection of the aqueous solution.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method in accordance with claim 19 wherein a mobility control slug is injected into the oil reservoir following the injection of the aqueous solution and before the injection of water into said reservoir.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein a slug of the thus extracted acidic materials is passed through the reservoir in conjunction with an aqueous alkaline solution followed by water.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the thus extracted acidic materials are treated with an alkaline material to produce neutralization products thereof, and a slug of an aqueous solution of said neutralization products is passed through the reservoir followed by water.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
54 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the thus extracted acidic materials are neutralized with an alkaline material to produce neutralization products thereof, a protective slug is passed through the reservoir followed by a slug of an aqueous solution of said neutralization products, followed by a mobility control slug and thereafter by water.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
58 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the thus extracted acidic materials are neutralized with an alkaline material to produce neutralization products thereof, a slug of an aqueous solution of said neutralization products is passed through such subsurface formation, in amounts and under conditions to form a multiphase microemulsion system in said subsurface formation, followed by water.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method in accordance with claim 26 wherein the aqueous solution additionally contains a cosurfactant.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method in accordance with claim 26 wherein the aqueous solution is preceeded by a protective slug.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method in accordance with claim 26 wherein the aqueous solution is followed by a mobility control slug.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method in accordance with claim 11 wherein the acidic materials are carboxylic acids.
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-01-22 | 1988-07-23 | 1989-01-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-01-22 | 1992-07-23 | 1993-01-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
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