US10385652B2ActiveUtilityA1

Reservoir treatments

61
Assignee: GOE IP ASPriority: Jun 25, 2015Filed: Jun 27, 2016Granted: Aug 20, 2019
Est. expiryJun 25, 2035(~8.9 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Asle Ravnas
E21B 33/13C09K 8/582C09K 2208/24C09K 8/92C09K 8/426C09K 8/516C12N 1/22
61
PatentIndex Score
1
Cited by
51
References
18
Claims

Abstract

Provided herein is a method of establishing a plug in a hydrocarbon reservoir, the method comprising introducing into the reservoir a formulation comprising solid particles and a viscosifier and then reducing the viscosity of said viscosifier, thereby causing said solid particles to form a plug within said hydrocarbon reservoir. Also provided is a method of establishing a plug in a hydrocarbon reservoir, the method comprising introducing into the reservoir a formulation comprising: (a) microorganisms or cell-free enzymes; (b) solid particles; and (c) a viscosifier which is a substrate for the microorganisms or cell-free enzymes of (a). Also provided is a formulation comprising: (a) microorganisms or cell-free enzymes; (b) solid particles made from wood or a wood derived product; and (c) a viscosifier which is a substrate for the microorganisms or cell-free enzymes of (a).

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of establishing a plug in a hydrocarbon reservoir, the method comprising introducing into the reservoir a formulation comprising (A) solid particles, (B) microorganisms or cell-free enzymes, and (C) a viscosifier and then degrading said viscosifier, thereby reducing the viscosity of said formulation, and causing said solid particles to form a plug within said hydrocarbon reservoir; wherein the solid particles (i) are spherical, (ii) have a core which is not deformable and an outer layer which is deformable, and (iii) are made from wood or a wood derived product; and wherein the viscosifier is a substrate for the microorganisms or cell-free enzymes. 
     
     
       2. A The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the microorganisms or cell-free enzymes are saccharolytic or lignocellulolytic. 
     
     
       3. The method as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the microorganisms or cell-free enzymes are, or are from,  Clostridium thermocellum  or  Acidothermus cellulolyticus.    
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the viscosifier comprises, cellulose, hemicellulose or a derivative thereof or a polysaccharide gum. 
     
     
       5. The method as claimed in  claim 4  wherein the viscosifier comprises a polyanionic cellulose or a microfibrillated cellulose. 
     
     
       6. The method as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the viscosifier comprises carboxymethyl cellulose. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solid particles have the same density as the rest of the formulation. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solid particles are uniform in size. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the formulation is made up of 25-70% by volume of the solid particles. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solid particles of the formulation comprise a first population of solid particles and a second population of solid particles, wherein said first population are at least five times larger than said second population. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solid particles of the formulation comprise a population of solid particles which are 0.05 to 5 mm in diameter. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solid particles of the formulation comprise a population of solid particles which are <0.2 mm but >1 μm in diameter. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the formulation comprises a colloid comprising a continuous phase and a dispersed phase in which the solid particles are the dispersed phase. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the formulation is an aqueous formulation. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the formulation has a viscosity of 5-15 cPa. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the microorganisms or cell-free enzymes degrade the viscosifier, thereby causing said solid particles to form the plug within the hydrocarbon reservoir. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 1 , said method further comprising introducing injection liquid into the reservoir in order to push the formulation to a target region within the reservoir. 
     
     
       18. A method of oil recovery from a hydrocarbon reservoir, which method comprises a method of establishing a plug as defined in  claim 1 , introducing injection liquid into said reservoir and recovering oil from said reservoir.

Join the waitlist — get patent alerts

Track US10385652B2 — get alerts on status changes and closely related new filings.

We store only your email — no account needed. See our privacy policy.