The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 02, 2013
Filed:
Feb. 11, 2009
Robert D. Kaminsky, Houston, TX (US);
Ramesh Varadaraj, Flemington, NJ (US);
Robert D. Kaminsky, Houston, TX (US);
Ramesh Varadaraj, Flemington, NJ (US);
ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company, Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
The present invention is directed to a method of generating a basic water-in-oil emulsion for use in recovering hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation. The emulsion may be used to displace hydrocarbons from the formation. The emulsions used are 'basic' in the sense that they do not have added surfactants and are not solid-stabilized. The emulsions are made using a hydrocarbon having at least one of the following properties: (i) greater than five weight percent (wt %) asphaltene content, (ii) greater than two wt % sulfur content, and (iii) less than 22 dyne/cm interfacial tension between the hydrocarbon liquid and the aqueous liquid.