Atlantic Richfield Company

Sophany Thach

Kenneth C Miller

Thomas K Perkins

Karen S Schultz

Miroslav M Kolpak

Richard L Payne

Kevin O Meyers

Stephen J Salter

Ronald M Giordano

A method for mitigating slugs in pipelines carrying multiphase mixtures of gas and liquid by adding a quantity of a surfactant selected from the group consisting of ethoxylated alcohols, polyglycosides and alpha olefin sulfonates to the multiphase mixture in the pipeline. After addition of a quantity of surfactant, a determination is made as to whether the quantity of surfactant added is sufficient to mitigate the slugs, and thereafter adjusting the quantity of surfactant added to an amount sufficient to mitigate the slugs.

Method for mitigating slugs in a pipeline

A method for acidizing a subterranean formation wherein a specific foam is used to block flow through the higher-permeable zones of the formation while the acid is being injected therein. The foam is generated from a surfactant solution comprised of a blend of surfactants comprised of a nonionic primary surfactant (e.g. ethoxylated alcohol or polyglycosides) a cationic co-surfactant (e.g. fluorinated quaternary ammonium chloride). A polymer (e.g. polysaccharides or partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide) may be added to the surfactant solution to enhance the foam mobility reduction and a co-solvent (e.g. polyol) may be added if necessary to maintain the surfactant/polymer complex in solution.

Method for altering flow profile of a subterranean formation during acid

High-stability foams for long-term suppression of hydrocarbon vapors

Novel formulations for aqueous foams which, in the presence of hydrocarbons, can persist for 24 hours or more. The foams are suitable for the suppression of hydrocarbon and polar organic vapors.

Floating roof storage tanks are modified to include a foam surge tank, a low-pressure blower and a foam generator for generating vapor-suppressing foam during withdrawal of liquid from the storage tank and after the floating roof reaches its lowest elevation in the storage tank so that the tank space previously occupied by volatile liquid is provided with a vapor-suppressing foam blanket during liquid withdrawal and refill. The surge tank is mounted directly on the floating roof and discharges its foam through an opening in the roof into the tank storage space. During liquid refill the foam may be forced out through a vent conduit onto the roof of the tank and dissolved and recovered.

Foam reduction of vapor emissions from storage tanks

A method for supplying foam to a tank, said method comprising positioning a foam generator in a housing positioned over a tank opening, installing a foam solution line to provide foam solution to said foam generator, and supplying foam to at least a portion of said tanks. The foam generator in a housing comprises (a) a generally cylindrical body adapted to sealingly engage the tank above an opening in the tank, (b) a plate positioned to sealingly engage a first end of the cylindrical body to form a zone enclosed within the cylindrical body above the opening in the tank, and (c) a foam generator positioned in the enclosed zone for supplying foam to the tank. The method is useful for loading tanker ships.

Method and apparatus for supplying foam to tanks

When sulfonated surfactants are used to displace crude oil from a subterranean formation, the produced oil and water contain the surfactant and form a tight emulsion. This crude oil-water-surfactant emulsion is broken with a strong inorganic acid, for example, hydrochloric acid. The amount of acid added is sufficient to lower the pH of the water in the emulsion to 3.0 or lower. Thereafter, the oil is separated from the emulsion by conventional techniques.

Growing community of inventors

Dallas, TX, United States of America

Sophany Thach