William Marsh Rice University

Nalco Company

Clarence A Miller

George J Hirasaki

James Mitchell Tour

Duy T Nguyen

Wei Lu

Michael K Poindexter

Michael Wong

Gedeng Ruan

Kevin Moran

Chih-Chau Hwang

Gautam Chandrakanth Kini

John Hera, Jr

José Luis López Salinas

Olina G Raney

Lu Wang

Amy Kan

Mason B Tomson

Maura Puerto

Tianmin Jiang

George Jiro Hirasaki

Brian Allen Knapper

Yin Ming Ng

Duy Nguyen

John Hera Jr

In some embodiments, the present disclosure pertains to compositions for enhanced oil recovery. In some embodiments, such compositions include: (1) a first agent, wherein the first agent acts as a foam booster; (2) a second agent, wherein the second agent includes a sulfonated or sulfated anionic surfactant; a (3) a third agent, wherein the third agent includes an alkoxylated and anionic surfactant; and (4) a base liquid. In some embodiments, the compositions of the present disclosure further include a gas, such as nitrogen. Further embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to methods of formulating the aforementioned compositions for enhanced oil recovery. Additional embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to methods of recovering oil from a reservoir by utilizing the aforementioned compositions.

Ultra-low-tension compositions and their use in enhanced oil recovery

Various embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to nanocomposites for detecting hydrocarbons in a geological structure. In some embodiments, the nanocomposites include: a core particle; a polymer associated with the core particle; a sulfur-based moiety associated with the polymer; and a releasable probe molecule associated with the core particle, where the releasable probe molecule is releasable from the core particle upon exposure to hydrocarbons. Additional embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to methods of detecting hydrocarbons in a geological structure by utilizing the nanocomposites of the present disclosure.

Nanocomposite oil sensors for downhole hydrocarbon detection

A composition and method demulsify a produced emulsion from anionic surfactants and polymer (SP) and alkali, surfactants, and polymer (ASP). The produced emulsion is demulsified into oil and water. In one embodiment, the composition includes a surfactant. The surfactant comprises a cationic surfactant, an amphoteric surfactant, or any combinations thereof.

Recovery and separation of crude oil and water from emulsions

Methods of reducing the water permeability of a water producing zone in a subterranean formation are provided. The methods basically comprise introducing a polymeric surfactant and an inert gas into the water producing zone to thereby form a water permeability reducing foam therein. The polymeric surfactant has the property of facilitating the formation of the foam and the additional property of stabilizing the foam in the presence of flowing formation water.

Subterranean formation water permeability reducing methods

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Houston, TX, United States of America

Clarence A Miller