US4755469A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Oil tracing method
Assignee: Union Oil Company of California
•
Filing: 1982-09-27
•
Granted: 1988-07-05
•
Expires: 2002-09-27
Abstract
Abstract A method for tagging an oil so that subsequently it may be identified as to source by incorporating into the oil as a tracer material an oil-soluble or oil-dispersible Group VIB, Group VIIB or lanthanum series rare earth metal salt of a fatty acid. The so-tagged oil may be utilized in any desired manner. Thereafter, an oil suspected to contain at least a portion of the so-tagged oil is analyzed for the presence of the added metal moiety. The method is especially useful in tracing a complex oleaginous and petroliferous material so that it may be recovered and identified following a theft or spill or to trace the flow of such oil injected through a subterranean reservoir.
Inventors
- 👤 William E. Showalter
- 👤 Elihu Goldish
- 👤 Ronald J. Lukasiewicz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 13:09
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B47/00; E21B47/10; E21B47/11; C; C10; C10L; C10L1/00; C10L1/003; C10L1/10; C10L1/14; C10L1/18; C10L1/188; G; G01; G01N; G01N33/00; G01N33/26; G01N33/28; G01N33/2835; G01N33/2882; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T436/00; Y10T436/13
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
163 words
A method for tracing a first oleaginous and petroliferous substance comprising: (a) incorporating into a first oleaginous and petroliferous substance an oil-soluble or oil-dispersible tracer material comprising a metal salt of an acid selected from the group consisting of: (1) carboxylic acids of the alkanoic series having 5 to 35 carbon atoms; (2) carboxylic acids of the alkenoic series having 5 to 30 carbon atoms; (3) polyunsaturated aliphatic monocarboxylic acids; (4) naphthenic acids; and (5) mixtures of two or more of the foregoing; said metal selected from the group consisting of Group VIB metals, Group VIIB metals, and lanthanum series rare earth metals; (b) utilizing the first oleaginous and petroliferous substance in a manner so that control thereof is lost; (c) obtaining a second oleaginous and petroliferous substance suspected to be or to contain a portion of the first oleaginous and petroliferous substance; and (d) analyzing the second oleaginous and petroliferous substance for the presence of the metal moiety of the trace material.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
163 words
A method for tracing a first oleaginous and petroliferous substance comprising: (a) incorporating into a first oleaginous and petroliferous substance an oil-soluble or oil-dispersible tracer material comprising a metal salt of an acid selected from the group consisting of: (1) carboxylic acids of the alkanoic series having 5 to 35 carbon atoms; (2) carboxylic acids of the alkenoic series having 5 to 30 carbon atoms; (3) polyunsaturated aliphatic monocarboxylic acids; (4) naphthenic acids; and (5) mixtures of two or more of the foregoing; said metal selected from the group consisting of Group VIB metals, Group VIIB metals, and lanthanum series rare earth metals; (b) utilizing the first oleaginous and petroliferous substance in a manner so that control thereof is lost; (c) obtaining a second oleaginous and petroliferous substance suspected to be or to contain a portion of the first oleaginous and petroliferous substance; and (d) analyzing the second oleaginous and petroliferous substance for the presence of the metal moiety of the trace material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein there is added to the oleaginous and petroliferous substance about 10 to 5,000 weight parts per million based on the amount of the first oleaginous and petroliferous substance of the metal component added as a metal salt.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein the tracer material is added as a concentrated solution in an organic solvent.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein the metal is manganese.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein the tracer material is manganese naphthenate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein the first oleaginous and petroliferous substance is utilized by injecting the same into a subterranean reservoir.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein the acid is a mixture of acids.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method defined in claim 7 wherein the mixture of acids is naphthenic acids.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein the second oleaginous and petroliferous substance is analyzed for the metal moiety of the tracer material by an atomic spectrometry method.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method defined in claim 9 wherein the atomic spectrometry method is atomic absorption.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
152 words
A method for investigating the dynamic conditions of fluid flow in a permeable subterranean reservoir penetrated by one or more wells comprising: (a) injecting into a subterranean reservoir via one well a slug of a first oleaginous and petroliferous substance having incorporated therein an oil-soluble or oil-dispersible tracer material comprising a metal salt of an acid having 5 to 35 carbon atoms and selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acids of the alkanoic series, carboxylic acids of the alkenoic acid series, polyunsaturated aliphatic monocarboxylic acids, and naphthenic acids, said metal selected from the group consisting of Group VIB metals, Group VIIB metals, and lanthanum series rare earth metals; (b) subsequently producing from the subterranean reservoir via the same or a different well a slug of a second oleaginous and petroliferous substance; and (c) analyzing the second oleaginous and petroliferous substance for the presence of the metal moiety of the tracer material.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
152 words
A method for investigating the dynamic conditions of fluid flow in a permeable subterranean reservoir penetrated by one or more wells comprising: (a) injecting into a subterranean reservoir via one well a slug of a first oleaginous and petroliferous substance having incorporated therein an oil-soluble or oil-dispersible tracer material comprising a metal salt of an acid having 5 to 35 carbon atoms and selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acids of the alkanoic series, carboxylic acids of the alkenoic acid series, polyunsaturated aliphatic monocarboxylic acids, and naphthenic acids, said metal selected from the group consisting of Group VIB metals, Group VIIB metals, and lanthanum series rare earth metals; (b) subsequently producing from the subterranean reservoir via the same or a different well a slug of a second oleaginous and petroliferous substance; and (c) analyzing the second oleaginous and petroliferous substance for the presence of the metal moiety of the tracer material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method defined in claim 11 wherein there is added to the oleaginous and petroliferous substance about 10 to 5,000 weight parts per million based on the amount of the first oleaginous and petroliferous substance of the metal component added as a metal salt.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method defined in claim 11 wherein the tracer material is added as a concentrated solution in an organic solvent.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method defined in claim 11 wherein the metal is manganese.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method defined in claim 11 wherein the tracer material is manganese naphthenate.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method defined in claim 11 wherein the first oleaginous and petroliferous substance is utilized by injecting the same into a subterranean reservoir.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method defined in claim 11 wherein the acid is a mixture of acids.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method defined in claim 17 wherein the mixture of acids is naphthenic acids.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method defined in claim 11 wherein the second oleaginous and petroliferous substance is analyzed for the metal moiety of the tracer material by an atomic spectrometry method.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method defined in claim 19 wherein the atomic spectrometry method is atomic absorption.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
152 words
A method for tracing a first oleaginous and petroliferous substance, comprising: (a) incorporating into a first oleaginous and petroliferous substance an oil-soluble or oil-dispersible tracer comprising a metal salt of a substituted or unsubstituted acid containing about 5 to 35 carbon atoms, selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acids of the alkanoic series, carboxylic acids of the alkenoic series, polyunsaturated aliphatic monocarboxylic acids and naphthenic acids, said metal selected from the group consisting of Group VIB metals, Group VIIB metals, and lanthanum series rare earth metals; (b) utilizing the first oleaginous and petroliferous substance, into which the tracer has been incorporated, in a manner so that control of the substance is lost; (c) obtaining a second oleaginous and petroliferous substance, suspected to be or to contain a portion of the first oleaginous and petroliferous substance; and (d) analyzing the second oleaginous and petroliferous substance to determine the presence of the tracer.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
152 words
A method for tracing a first oleaginous and petroliferous substance, comprising: (a) incorporating into a first oleaginous and petroliferous substance an oil-soluble or oil-dispersible tracer comprising a metal salt of a substituted or unsubstituted acid containing about 5 to 35 carbon atoms, selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acids of the alkanoic series, carboxylic acids of the alkenoic series, polyunsaturated aliphatic monocarboxylic acids and naphthenic acids, said metal selected from the group consisting of Group VIB metals, Group VIIB metals, and lanthanum series rare earth metals; (b) utilizing the first oleaginous and petroliferous substance, into which the tracer has been incorporated, in a manner so that control of the substance is lost; (c) obtaining a second oleaginous and petroliferous substance, suspected to be or to contain a portion of the first oleaginous and petroliferous substance; and (d) analyzing the second oleaginous and petroliferous substance to determine the presence of the tracer.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method defined in claim 21 wherein about 10 to about 5,000 weight parts per million of the tracer is incorporated into the first substance.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method defined in claim 21 wherein the tracer is manganese naphthenate.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method defined in claim 21 wherein the second substance is analyzed by an atomic spectrometry method.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method defined in claim 24 wherein the atomic spectrometry method is atomic absorption.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3526127A
Cited
US3719453A
Cited
US3755189A
Cited
US3976428A
Cited
US3977963A
Cited
US3993131A
Cited
US4075085A
Cited
US4264329A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-07-05 | 1992-01-04 | 1992-07-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-07-05 | 1996-01-04 | 1996-07-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-07-05 | 2000-01-04 | 2000-07-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |