Stepan Company

The Clorox Company

Kraton Polymers U.S. LLC

Gregory Paul Dado

Randal J Bernhardt

Lourdes R Alonso

Xue Min Dong

Jacqueline Maas Pytel

Dale Lee Handlin, Jr

Dennis S Murphy

Ronald Anthony Masters

Aaron W Sanders

William L Smith

David R Scheuing

Arun S Agarwal

Lafayette D Foland

Erika Szekeres

Michael R Terry

Shuman Mitra

Kenneth L Vieira

E Carolina Rojas

David E Dabney

Eddie I Filipovic

Scott Russell Trenor

Jeremy Aaron Weitgenant

Christopher A Gariepy

Carl Lesley Willis

Aaron Brown

Patti Skelton

Branko Sajic

Irene Shapiro

Brian Holland

Wilma Gorman

David R Allen

Bing Wang

Carolina E Rojas

Brian Seymour-Loya

Dale L Handlin

Dawn Friesen

Randal H Bernhardt

Jacqueline Mass Pytel

Carl Leslie Willis

Scott Trenor

Compositions comprising an acrylamide polymer emulsion and a nonionic surfactant suitable for use as friction reducers for hydraulic fracturing are disclosed. The nonionic surfactants include aralkylated phenol ethoxylates, amine ethoxylates, amidoamine ethoxylates, linear or branched alcohol EO/PO alkoxylates, ethoxylated alcohols, alkylphenol ethoxylates, and EO-capped poly(oxypropylene) block copolymers. Improved hydraulic fracturing processes in which an acrylamide polymer emulsion is used as a friction reducer are also described. In these processes, the surfactant is included in the composition with the acrylamide polymer friction reducer, or it is introduced separately into the process. The performance of low-cost polyacrylamide friction reducers can be boosted with a small proportion of certain readily available nonionic surfactants. The inventive compositions are effective in high-salinity environments, and their performance can sometimes exceed that of more-expensive salt-tolerant friction reducers, thereby reducing fresh water demand and enabling greater utilization of produced water.

Friction reducer for hydraulic fracturing

Methods for making efficient use of steam in a steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) process for recovering heavy oils from tar sands and similar petroleum deposits are disclosed. The methods utilize a surfactant to generate steam foam in ways that maximize efficient use of steam. In some aspects, steam foam is used in water layers or gas caps that reside above steam chambers to prevent loss of steam from the steam chamber. The predominant use of relatively dry steam in SAGD processes makes it challenging to find ways to introduce surfactants and generate steam foam. However, decreasing the mobility of the steam by converting at least some of it to foam allows the wellbore and steam chambers above the injection site to be more fully developed, provides for more effective heat transfer to the heavy oil and rock, improves production, and allows recovery of the heavy oil with a minimum amount of steam usage.

Steam foam methods for steam-assisted gravity drainage

Mixed dimer and mixed oligomer compositions are disclosed. The mixed dimer compositions comprise a monosulfonated cross-dimer or a salt thereof. The monosulfonated cross-dimer is a reaction product of (a) an alpha-olefin sulfonic acid (AOS acid); and (b) an unsulfonated olefin, an unsulfonated olefin precursor, or a functionalized olefin. The mixed oligomer compositions comprise a mono- or polysulfonated cross-oligomer or a salt thereof. The mono- or polysulfonated cross-oligomer is a reaction product of (a) an AOS acid; and (b) an unsulfonated diolefin or an unsulfonated diolefin precursor. Various methods for making the mixed dimer or oligomer compositions are described. Salts of the mixed dimer and oligomer compositions are useful surfactants for foams used in oilfield and other applications. The foams have improved high-temperature stability when compared with foams from AOS dimer acid salts.

Mixed dimers from alpha-olefin sulfonic acids

Methods of making an alpha-olefin sulfonic dimer acid (AOS dimer acid) are disclosed. In one method, an alpha-olefin is sulfonated, preferably with sulfur trioxide, to produce a mixture comprising an alpha-olefin sulfonic acid (AOS acid) and sulfur dioxide. This mixture is then heated while purging sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide from the reactor to produce an AOS dimer acid composition. In another method, the AOS acid mixture is treated to remove sulfur dioxide and is then heated to produce an AOS dimer acid composition. With either method, the resulting AOS dimer acid composition has at least a 30% decrease in the level of elemental sulfur when compared with that of an AOS dimer acid composition prepared by a similar process in the absence of any active removal of sulfur dioxide or hydrogen sulfide. AOS dimer acid compositions and salts of the AOS dimer acids, which are useful surfactants for oilfield and other applications, are also disclosed.

Alpha-olefin sulfonic dimer acid process

Surfactant compositions comprising an alkoxylate, a sulfate, or ether sulfate of a C-Cmonounsaturated alcohol are disclosed. The alkoxylate, sulfate, or ether sulfate may derive from undecylenic acid or undecylenic alcohol. Compared with their saturated analogs, the monounsaturated alkoxylates, sulfates, and ether sulfates are less irritating, making them valuable for personal care, laundry, cleaners, and other household applications. Microscopy studies show that the alkoxylates, sulfates, and ether sulfates have favorable phase behavior over a wide range of actives levels, expanding opportunities for products with greater compaction. When combined with cationic surfactants, the alkoxylates, sulfates, and ether sulfates exhibit synergy, and they have improved solubility compared with their saturated analogs. The surfactants find value for the personal care, laundry and cleaning, emulsion polymerization, agricultural products, oilfield applications, and specialty foams industries.

Surfactants based on monounsaturated fatty alcohol derivatives

N-Acyl amino acid salt compositions and an improved process for making them from fatty alkyl esters are disclosed. The process comprises reacting a fatty alkyl ester with an amino acid salt in the presence of an alkoxide catalyst at a pressure of at least 5 psig. At least 10 mole percent of catalyst is used based on the amount of fatty alkyl ester used as a reactant. Pressure and a minimum level of alkoxide catalyst are needed to give high fatty alkyl ester conversions and good yields of the desired N-acyl amino acid salt. The resulting N-acyl amino acid salt compositions have low color, an acceptable level of fatty acid soaps, and a small proportion of di-acylated by-products. Single-phase mixtures produced by combining various amino acid salts with glycinates, or by using an excess of either the fatty alkyl ester or amino acid salt, promote high conversions when the mixtures are reacted to give the desired N-acyl amino acid salt.

Process for preparing N-acyl amino acid salts

Improved methods for preparing sulfonated block polymers with acyl sulfates in non-halogenated aliphatic solvents are provided. The methods include the sulfonation of a precursor block polymer with an acyl sulfate in a reaction mixture further comprising at least one non-halogenated aliphatic solvent to form a sulfonated block polymer, wherein the initial concentration of the precursor block polymer is in the range of from about 0.1 wt % to a concentration that is below the limiting concentration of the precursor block polymer based on the total weight of the reaction mixture. A sulfonation degree of greater than about 1.0 milliequivalent sulfonic acid per gram sulfonated block polymer can be achieved substantially free of polymer precipitation and free of disabling gelation.

Method of sulfonation of block polymers

Improved processes for making an N-acyl amino acid salt from a fatty alkyl ester or a polyol ester are disclosed. Each process uses a polyol selected from glycerin or propylene glycol in an amount effective to keep the reaction mixture fluid until conversion to the N-acyl amino acid salt reaches the desired level of completion. In one process, a fatty alkyl ester reacts with an amino acid salt in the presence of glycerin or propylene glycol to produce an N-acyl amino acid salt. In another process, a polyol ester reacts with the amino acid salt in the presence of added glycerin or propylene glycol to produce the N-acyl amino acid salt. We surprisingly found that an effective amount of glycerin or propylene glycol minimizes or eliminates reaction mixture solidification or foaming, reduces color, and minimizes the level of di- and tripeptide by-products. In a related process, water is added when conversion of the amino acid salt to the N-acyl amino acid salt is in the range of 50 to 90 mole %. Water addition improves processability, advances conversion without producing excessive soap, and helps to ensure that the N-acyl amino acid salt will have low color and a small proportion of by-products.

The invention relates to compositions including a hypohalite or hypochlorous acid and a soluble salt of 2,4,6 mesitylene sulfonate. The compositions may include a surfactant, a buffer, or combinations thereof. Other adjuvants may also be present. Such compositions do not require the inclusion of high concentrations of sodium hydroxide or other soluble hydroxide salts to drastically increase pH (and thus stability), although such hydroxides may be present if desired.

Mesitylene sulfonate compositions and methods for cleaning a surface

Liquid mesitylene sulfonate compositions and methods thereof

Method for bleaching a surface with a mesitylene sulfonate composition

Mesitylene sulfonate compositions and methods thereof

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Chicago, IL, United States of America

Gregory Paul Dado