Saudi Arabian Oil Company

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Aramco Services Company

Wei Wang

Sehoon Chang

Hooisweng Ow

Ayrat Gizzatov

Rajesh Kumar Saini

Martin E Poitzsch

Mohammed Sayed

Amy J Cairns

Shannon Lee Eichmann

Shitong Sherry Zhu

Amr Ismail Abdel-Fattah

Gawain Thomas

Bora Yoon

Jason R Cox

Rena Shi

Feniosky Peña-Mora

Chang Kuang

Mohammed R Kawelah

Sanjeev Vadhavkar

Gyanesh Dwivedi

Functionalized fluorescent tracers, compositions, and methods for extracting the functionalized fluorescent tracers from oil phases and other wellbore or drilling fluids are provided. In some implementations, a sorbent for extracting tracer molecules from a fluid includes a silica-based sorbent. The silica-based sorbent includes a hydrophobic functional group and an ionic functional group. In some implementations, the ionic functional group is positively charged. In some implementations, the ionic functional group is negatively charged. A method of extracting a functionalized dye from an oil phase includes mixing a sorbent for extracting tracer molecules with an oil phase sample that includes a functionalized fluorescent tracer, recovering the sorbent from the oil phase, and dispersing the sorbent in an organic solvent. In some implementations, the method includes lowering the pH of the organic solvent. In some implementations, the method includes raising the pH of the organic solvent.

Method for tracing subterranean formations with oil-soluble organic molecular tracers and extracting them of from oil phases

A method of preparing an enhanced oil recovery composition includes carbonizing a biomass waste material to provide carbon microparticles, functionalizing the carbon microparticles with a SO-containing gas such that the carbon microparticles include a hydrophilic surface, and grinding the carbon microparticles to provide carbon nanoparticles. The carbon nanoparticles include a hydrophilic surface and a hydrophobic surface. A method of enhanced oil recovery includes introducing an enhanced oil recovery composition including a carbon nanoparticle functionalized with a SO-containing gas and including a hydrophilic and hydrophobic surface into a hydrocarbon-bearing formation. The method includes displacing hydrocarbons from the hydrocarbon-bearing formation and recovering the hydrocarbons.

Sulfonation method for efficient scale-up synthesis of janus carbon nanomaterials from biomass waste

A method for monitoring gas production in a subterranean formation includes introducing a polymer composite particle having a degradable portion and a non-degradable portion including a tracer into a stimulation fluid and injecting the stimulation fluid into the subterranean formation to a treatment stage of a treatment zone. The treatment stage has at least one opening that the polymer composite particle may flow into and remain inside. The polymer composite particle may be exposed to moisture at a downhole temperature while inside the at least one opening. The moisture may degrade the degradable portion of the polymer composite particle, thereby releasing the non-degradable portion including the tracer. Produced gas that includes the non-degradable portion including the tracer may be recovered from the subterranean formation and the tracer may be correlated to the treatment stage of the treatment zone of the subterranean formation.

Partially degradable particulates as time-released tracers for acidized and fractured gas wells

Described is a polymer-based well tracer. The polymer-based well tracer is a fluoropolymer having a fluorinated group. The fluoropolymer may be formed into a particle, a coating for proppant particulates, or encapsulated in a polymeric resin. Upon degradation or hydrolysis of the fluoropolymer, the fluorinated group having a fluorinated compound is released within the well.

Polymer-based well tracers with tunable release profile

Compositions and methods for determining the origin location of a subterranean sample are provided. Compositions include a nanoparticle tag including a superparamagnetic iron oxide core, an intermediate layer including a fluorescent dye, and a polymer shell. The nanoparticles can be synthesized by functionalizing a superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle core and covalently bonding a fluorescent dye to the functionalized nanoparticle core. In some implementations, a polymer is covalently bonded to the functionalized, fluorescent superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle core. The nanoparticle tag can be used to determine the origin location of a subterranean sample by mixing the nanoparticle tag into a fluid, flowing the fluid into a subterranean formation, recovering subterranean samples from the subterranean formation, and separating tagged samples from untagged samples using a magnet. The origin location of the subterranean sample can be determined by analyzing the fluorescent signal of the nanoparticle tag.

Multifunctional magnetic tags for mud logging

A method of treating a subsurface formation with a coated proppant includes introducing the first hydraulic fracturing composition into a wellbore and the subsurface formation through a first zone of the plurality of zones of the subsurface formation; propagating at least one subsurface fracture in the first zone with the first hydraulic fracturing composition, and wherein the hydraulic fracturing composition includes a fluid medium and a first coated proppant dispersed within the fluid medium, the first coated proppant including: a particulate substrate; a first polymeric layer surrounding the particulate substrate, the first polymeric layer including a first chemical additive; and a second polymeric layer surrounding the first polymeric layer, the second polymeric layer including a first chemical tracer, the first chemical tracer including barcoded degradable polymers, fluorescent dyes, quantum dot nanoparticles, paramagnetic nanoparticles, up-conversion phosphors, long-persistent phosphors, or time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer polymer-nanoparticles (TR-FRET).

Method of treating a subsurface formation with a coated proppant

A coated proppant including a particulate substrate, a first polymeric layer surrounding the particulate substrate, and a second polymeric layer surrounding the first polymeric layer. The first polymeric layer may include chemical additives. The second polymeric layer may include chemical tracers. The chemical tracers include barcoded degradable polymers, fluorescent dyes, quantum dot nanoparticles, superparamagnetic nanoparticles, up-conversion phosphors, long-persistent phosphors, time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer polymer-nanoparticles (TR-FRET), or combinations thereof.

Composition for a coated proppant

A method of quantifying zonal flow in a multi-lateral well is described. A first taggant is flowed to a first lateral, and a second taggant is flowed to a second lateral. A first produced fluid that includes the first taggant is flowed from the first lateral into a production tubing. A second produced fluid that includes the second taggant is flowed from the second lateral into the production tubing. A produced stream including the first produced fluid and the second produced fluid is flowed uphole through the production tubing. An amount of the first taggant and an amount of the second taggant in the produced stream are measured. Production of fluid from the multi-lateral well proceeds without ceasing throughout the method.

Quantifying zonal flow in multi-lateral wells via taggants of fluids

A composition includes a functionalized fluorescent dye. The functionalized fluorescent dye includes an isothiocyanate-containing dye that is functionalized with a functional group. The functional group includes a primary amine. The functionalized fluorescent dye can be mixed with a fluid to form a tracer fluid for tracing fluid flow in a subterranean formation.

Manipulating hydrophilicity of conventional dye molecules for tracer applications

Optical properties of a tracer in water are measured at varying concentrations. A reference curve is built based on the measured optical properties at varying concentrations. An emulsion is mixed with the tracer. The emulsion is demulsified into an oil component and an aqueous component. Optical properties of one of the components are measured. A partition coefficient is determined based on the measured optical properties of a demulsified component and the reference curve.

Determining partition coefficients of tracer analytes

Devices for chemical analysis include a first separation element formed on the substrate, the first separation element having a wicking surface that separates water from hydrocarbons in a fluid sample, a hydrophobic barrier at least partially surrounding the first separation element, a second separation element fluidically connected the first separation element, the second separation element configured to trap salts and organic matter present in the fluid sample, and a detection element fluidically connected to the second separation element, the detection element having a surface that binds with one or more analytes that may be present in the fluid sample and thereby emits a signal that is capable of being optically detected by a detector. Methods include providing such a device for chemical analysis, placing the fluid sample on the first separation element, and detecting the signal emitted by the detection element.

Multipurpose microfluidics devices for rapid on-site optical chemical analysis

According to one or more embodiments, a method of growing crystals on a QCM sensor may include treating a crystal growth surface of the QCM sensor with a coupling agent, applying a cation stream to the crystal growth surface of the QCM sensor, and applying an anion stream to the crystal growth surface of the QCM sensor. The crystals forming a crystal layer may have an average thickness greater than 5 nanometers. According to one or more embodiments, a QCM sensor may include a crystal layer on a crystal growth surface of the QCM sensor, where the crystal layer is formed by a process including treating the crystal growth surface of the QCM sensor with a coupling agent, applying a cation stream to the crystal growth surface of the QCM sensor, and applying an anion stream to the crystal growth surface of the QCM sensor.

Methods for growing crystals on QCM sensors

Synthesizing Janus nanoparticles including forming a lamellar phase having water layers, organic layers, and a surfactant, and reacting chemical precursors in the lamellar phase to form the Janus nanoparticles at interfaces of the water layers with the organic layers.

Synthesis of janus nanomaterials

A composition includes a functionalized fluorescent dye. The functionalized fluorescent dye includes an isothiocyanate-containing compound functionalized with a functional group. The functional group includes a primary amine. The functionalized fluorescent dye can be mixed with a fluid to form a tracer fluid for tracing fluid flow in a subterranean formation.

Fluorescent dye oil tracer compositions

A method for reducing condensate in a subsurface formation is disclosed. The method includes introducing a reactive mixture including an aqueous solution, urea, dopamine, a silica nanoparticle precursor, a silane grafting compound, and an alcohol compound into the subsurface formation. The method also includes allowing generation of ammonia through thermal decomposition of the urea and allowing the silica nanoparticle precursor to hydrolyze, thereby forming silica nanoparticles. The method further includes allowing the silane grafting compound to graft onto the silica nanoparticles, thereby forming functionalized silica nanoparticles. The method also includes allowing polymerization of the dopamine, thereby forming polydopamine. The method also includes allowing the functionalized silica nanoparticles to attach to the subsurface formation via the polydopamine, thereby reducing condensate in the subsurface formation.

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Quincy, MA, United States of America

Wei Wang