Rhodia Operations

Centre National De La Recherche Scientifique

Institut Curie

Other

Ifp Energies Nouvelles

Rhodia Limited

Energy Solutions (us) LLC

Max Chabert

Mikel Morvan

Jean-Louis Viovy

Kevin Dorfman

Manilal S Dahanayake

Arnaud Cadix

David James Wilson

Cyril Aymonier

Annie Colin

Pierre Guillot

Eloise Chevallier

Emmanuel Mignard

Samuel Marre

David Sorin

The present invention relates to the preparation of polymers that are of use in particular as a rheology agent, and are suitable for use in very concentrated saline media, which comprises a step of micellar radical polymerization in which are brought into contact, in an aqueous medium: &#x2014;hydrophilic monomers; &#x2014;hydrophobic monomers in the form of a micellar solution, containing micelles comprising these hydrophobic monomers; &#x2014;a radical polymerization initiator; and &#x2014;preferably an agent for controlling radical polymerization, wherein said micelles comprise at least one surfactant of amphoteric nature. The polymers obtained according to the invention are in particular of use for enhanced oil recovery.

Amphiphilic block polymers soluble in strongly saline medium

A microfluidic device for performing physical, chemical or biological treatment to at least one packet without contamination.

Device for manipulation of packets in micro-containers, in particular in microchannels

A method for extracting a crude oil contained in a geological formation comprises a step of fracturing the geological formation, by injection of a specific aqueous extraction fluid under pressure, which contains at least one surfactant that reduces the interfacial tension between the extraction fluid and the crude oil to be extracted to below 0.1 mN/m; followed by a discharge step ('flowback'). Additionally, the original fracturing fluids used in this method, and the additives used in these fracturing fluids include a surfactant or a surfactant mixture which make it possible to reduce the interfacial tension between the fluid and a petroleum oil below 0.1 mN/m.

Additives for eliminating fracturing fluids used for oil extraction

The present invention relates to the use of an aminosulphonate compound corresponding to the following formula (I): RRN&#x2014;CHR&#x2014;CHR&#x2014;CHR&#x2014;SO(I) where: &#x2022;Ris a preferably Cto Calkyl or alkylamido radical; &#x2022;Ris an optionally hydroxylated alkyl radical; &#x2022;R, Rand Rare, independently of one another, H or OH; it being understood that at least one of the R, Rand/or Rgroups is OH, for stabilizing a foam, in particular a foam used to extract hydrocarbons in an underground formation.

Aminosulphonate foam stabilizers

A method for encapsulating or sorting colloidal objects, comprising the step of flowing said objects in a first flow stream partly or fully surrounded by at least one second flow stream in a channel comprising a narrow strait, wherein along an elongated part of the path of said first flow stream either (a) the bidimensional size of said first flow stream is smaller than the largest bidimensional size of at least some of said objects, either (b) the smallest unidimensional size of said first flow stream is smaller than the largest unidimensional size of at least some of said objects, either (c) said first flow stream is splitting, in the absence of said objects, into droplets with a volume smaller than the volume of at least some of said objects, or (d) said first flow stream would have in the absence of said particles, a shape that cannot entirely encompass some of said objects.

Encapsulation microfluidic device

The present invention concerns a microfluidic device () for performing physical, chemical or biological treatment to at least one packet without contamination.

The invention concerns a method whereby: (E1) an inner liquid phase is made to flow in an inner flow member, and an outer liquid phase in an outer flow member, the flow of the inner liquid phase opening within the flow of the second liquid phase; and the temperature and pressure in the contact area between the first and second liquid phases being such that the first and/or second liquid phase is in the supercritical state, (E2) the flow rate of the inner phase and/or outer phase is varied in such a way as to modify the flow profile, and a torque is identified from values of the flow rates of the inner and outer phases, called transition flow rates, from which the modification in the flow profile occurs (from drops to a jet; or from a jet to drops); (E3) from the transition torque identified in step (E2), the value of the interfacial tension between the two inner and outer liquid phases is calculated, or the result obtained is compared to that obtained for another torque in the conditions of steps (E1) and (E2).

Determination of interfacial tensions in supercritical conditions

A method for recovering oil from a fractured reservoir having an oil-wettable matrix and comprising at least one injection well and one production well. This method comprises the following steps in such order: a)injecting by an injection well a solution of viscosity-enhancing surfactants, capable of penetrating into the array of fractures, having limited interaction with the matrix, and creating a plug in situ to reduce the perviousness of the fractures and to promote the passage of the solution of step b) into the matrix; b) injecting by an injection well a solution of surfactants, capable of interacting with the matrix to make water-wettable and to extract the oil therefrom; c) injecting by an injection well an aqueous solution to increasing the surface tension, impregnating the matrix and, after the plug in step a) is dissolved by the oil, driving the oil toward the production well.

Method for the assisted recovery of hydrocarbons in fractured reservoirs

A method for enhancing foam stability in foaming compositions for use in oilfield treatment application, including but not limited to use in mobility control for gas flooding. The method comprises the step of adding to a foaming composition a foam stabilizer of formula (I): wherein Ris an alkylamido group or a branched or linear alkyl group; Rand Rare individually hydrogen or a methyl group; R, Rand Rare individually hydrogen or a hydroxy group, with the proviso that at least one of R, Ror Ris a hydroxyl group; wherein the alkyl group has greater than about 10 carbon atoms. Also disclosed are methods to enhance foam stability in an aqueous foaming composition.

Enhanced foam stability applications and methods

A method for enhancing recovery of oil from an oil-bearing carbonate formation within a reservoir. The method has the steps of (a) introducing a viscous gel under pressure into the oil-bearing carbonate formation and (b) extracting oil. The aqueous viscous gel has water and an amount of a non-polymeric viscosifying surfactant sufficient to provide the flooding fluid with an oil/water interfacial surface tension of about 10 mN/m or less and a viscosity of about 10 cP or more of the one or more non-polymeric surfactants. The one or more non-polymeric, viscosifying surfactants is selected from the group of one or more cationic surfactants, one or more zwitterionic surfactants, one or more anionic surfactants, one or more amphoteric surfactants, and combinations thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the aqueous viscous gel is also substantially free of solids.

Method for mobility control in oil-bearing carbonate formations

A method including: a) providing a first well with a first layer of a first flowable material and a second layer of a second flowable material, and a second well with a first layer of a first flowable material different from the first flowable material of the first well, b) locating the flowable material inlet within the first layer, c) sampling a first volume of the first flowable material, d) displacing the flowable material inlet relative to the first well to locate the flowable material inlet within the second layer, e) sampling a second volume of the second flowable material, f) displacing the flowable material inlet relative to the first and second wells to locate the flowable material inlet within the first layer of the second well, and g) sampling or dispensing into the second well a third volume of the first flowable material of the second well.

Growing community of inventors

Paris, France

Max Chabert