US 12,410,360 B2
Method of extracting and separating with enhanced oil recovery
Mahmoud Atef Abdulhamid, Dhahran (SA)
Assigned to KING FAHD UNIVESITY OF PETROLEUM AND MINERALS, Dhahran (SA)
Filed by KING FAHD UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM AND MINERALS, Dhahran (SA)
Filed on Oct. 10, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/911,332.
Application 18/911,332 is a continuation of application No. 18/339,274, filed on Jun. 22, 2023, granted, now 12,146,101.
Prior Publication US 2025/0034448 A1, Jan. 30, 2025
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. E21B 43/20 (2006.01); C07C 231/02 (2006.01); C09K 8/514 (2006.01); C09K 8/584 (2006.01); C09K 8/588 (2006.01)
CPC C09K 8/584 (2013.01) [C07C 231/02 (2013.01); C09K 8/514 (2013.01); C09K 8/588 (2013.01); E21B 43/20 (2013.01); C09K 2208/12 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
 
1. A method of enhancing oil recovery from a carbonate reservoir containing a hydrocarbon mixture, comprising:
injecting the carbonate reservoir with a sea-water solution comprising a citric acid-based additive having a formula (I) to displace the hydrocarbon mixture from the carbonate reservoir thereby forming a hydrocarbon mixture containing sea-water mixture; and
separating the hydrocarbon mixture from the hydrocarbon mixture containing sea-water mixture to recover the hydrocarbon mixture;
wherein formula (I) is

OG Complex Work Unit Chemistry
wherein R1, and R2 are each independently selected from the group consisting of an optionally substituted alkyl, an optionally substituted cycloalkyl, and an optionally substituted alkoxy, and wherein n is an integer from 2 to 8;
wherein the injecting is performed by injecting the sea-water solution into the carbonate reservoir through a wellbore using a chemical injection pump connected to the carbonate reservoir through an injection line disposed in the wellbore;
wherein the separating is performed by bringing the hydrocarbon mixture containing sea-water mixture to the surface and treating the hydrocarbon mixture containing sea-water mixture with one or more selected from the group consisting of a water clarifier, a gravity oil separator, a plate separator, a coalescing plate separator, a separatory funnel, a settling tank, a centrifugal water-oil separator, a centrifugal settling device, a dewatering centrifuge, and a decanter;
wherein the citric acid-based additive is present in the sea-water solution at a concentration of 1 to 1000 parts per million (ppm) based on a total number of parts by weight of the sea-water solution; and
wherein the citric acid-based additive is adsorbed on surfaces of the carbonate rocks in the carbonate reservoir.