Texaco Inc.

Michael G DaGue

Lawrence E Whittington

Lawrence R Morrow

Douglas G Naae

Frederick W Valone

Nancy G Dunn

A method of producing oil soluble surfactants from lignin is disclosed, along with a method for recovering oil from underground formations by means of a surfactant flooding system containing these lignin surfactants. Lignin is reduced in the presence of a carbon monoxide or hydrogen reducing agent at high temperature and pressure, alkoxylated with an .alpha.-olefin epoxide and then changed into oil soluble lignin surfactants by a reaction selected from the group consisting of sulfonation, sulfation and alkoxysulfation.

Hydrocarbon recovery comprising injecting a slug comprising oil soluble

The invention is a method of recovering hydrocarbons from an underground hydrocarbon formation having at least one injecting well and at least one production well which comprises injecting a microemulsion into the formation through an injection well, driving said microemulsion through the formation and producing hydrocarbons through a production well, said microemulsion comprised of an internal phase of a primary amine having from about 8 to about 22 carbon atoms, lignin, a water-soluble anionic sulfonate surfactant, a solubilizer and an oil, and an external phase of brine.

Lignin amine microemulsions

The invention is a method of producing surfactants from lignin which comprises subjecting lignin to two reactions, alkylation with an alkyl chain having about 3 to about 24 carbon atoms at phenolic sites, and oxidation sufficient to break the lignin into smaller polymeric and monomeric units. The invention also includes using these lignin surfactants in surfactant floods for enhanced oil recovery.

Alkylated oxidized lignins as surfactants

A series of novel oil-dispersible corrosion inhibiting solutions are disclosed which contain dicyclopentadiene (3a, 4, 7, 7a-tetrahydro-4, 7 methanoindene) sulfonate salts along with an organic corrosion inhibitor in a low molecular weight solvent. The inhibiting solutions containing dicyclopentadiene sulfonate salts are effective in dramatically reducing corrosion rates in the oil field, especially pitting from hydrogen sulfide.

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Houston, TX, United States of America

Michael G DaGue