초록 ▼

Provided herein are inter alia non-surfactant aqueous compositions and methods having application in the field of enhanced oil recovery. In particular, non-surfactant compositions including light co-solvents and an alkali agent presented herein can be used, inter alia, for the recovery of a large ra

Provided herein are inter alia non-surfactant aqueous compositions and methods having application in the field of enhanced oil recovery. In particular, non-surfactant compositions including light co-solvents and an alkali agent presented herein can be used, inter alia, for the recovery of a large range of crude oil compositions from challenging reservoirs.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of displacing an unrefined active petroleum material in contact with a solid material, the method comprising: (i) injecting a non-surfactant aqueous composition into a petroleum reservoir to form a mixture, wherein the non-surfactant aqueous composition comprises a light co-solvent, a wa

1. A method of displacing an unrefined active petroleum material in contact with a solid material, the method comprising: (i) injecting a non-surfactant aqueous composition into a petroleum reservoir to form a mixture, wherein the non-surfactant aqueous composition comprises a light co-solvent, a water-soluble polymer, and an alkali agent,wherein the light co-solvent is defined by the formula: wherein R1A is unsubstituted C1-C6 alkylene, unsubstituted phenylene, unsubstituted cyclohexylene, unsubstituted cyclopentylene, or methyl-substituted cyclopentylene;R2A is independently for each occurrence hydrogen, methyl, or ethyl;R3A is hydrogen or R4A is independently for each occurrence hydrogen, methyl, or ethyl;n is an integer from 1 to 30; andm is an integer from 0 to 3;wherein R3A together with R1A include six or less carbon atoms,wherein the alkali agent is selected from sodium carbonate, sodium metaborate, and combinations thereof and is present in an amount of from 0.6 to 4.5 wt %, based on the weight of the non-surfactant composition, andwherein the unrefined active petroleum material is in contact with a solid material;(ii) allowing the unrefined active petroleum material to separate from the solid material thereby displacing the unrefined active petroleum material in contact with the solid material, and(iii) recovering the unrefined active petroleum material, andwherein the method does not include adding a surfactant to the aqueous composition. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein R1A is linear unsubstituted C4 alkylene and n is 5. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein R1A is branched unsubstituted C4 alkylene and n is 1. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein m is 1. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein m is 0. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the mixture is an emulsion. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the emulsion composition is a microemulsion. 8. The method of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises allowing an unrefined petroleum acid within the unrefined petroleum material to enter into the emulsion, thereby converting the unrefined petroleum acid into a surfactant. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the water-soluble polymer is a polyacrylamide, 2-acrylamido 2-methyl propane sulfonate, N-vinyl pyrrolidone, xanthan gum, scleroglucan or polyethylene oxide. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the water soluble polymer comprises polyacrylamide, wherein the polyacrylamide is a hydrolyzed polyacrylamide, partially hydrolyzed anionic polyacrylamide or a co-polymer of acrylamide. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-surfactant aqueous composition comprises hard water. 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-surfactant aqueous composition has a salinity of at least 50,000 ppm. 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-surfactant aqueous composition comprises hard brine.