Method of extracting and reutilizing surfactants from emulsions using sulfonated alkyl benzenes and ethoxylated phenols

Patent · Tue May 21 00:00:00 EDT 1985

OSTI ID:6322584

Maddox, Jr, J; Schievelbein, V H

The disclosed invention is a one step or two step process for extracting surfactant from produced emulsions of oil, water and surfactants, concentrating the surfactants into a relatively small volume emulsion middle phase that can be reutilized in surfactant flooding and separating substantial quantities of salable oil from the emulsions. In the two step process, a sulfonated alkyl benzene is added and mixed with the emulsions, which partitions upon settlement into three phases, a clean oil phase, a first microemulsion middle phase and an aqueous phase. An ethoxylated phenol is then added and mixed to the first middle phase to yield at least two more similar phases with the middle phase containing the concentrated surfactants. Alternately, the sulfonated alkyl benzene and the ethoxylated phenol can be combined and added in a one step extraction process.

• Assignee: Texaco Inc.
• Patent Number(s): US 4518038
• OSTI ID: 6322584
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: Filed date 7 Dec 1983; Other Information: PAT-APPL-559076
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
DISPLACEMENT FLUIDS
ADDITIVES
MICROEMULSIONS
OIL WELLS
MICROEMULSION FLOODING
SURFACTANTS
REMOVAL
BENZENE
ENHANCED RECOVERY
MIXING
PETROLEUM
PHENOLS
WATER
AROMATICS
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
EMULSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUID INJECTION
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
MISCIBLE-PHASE DISPLACEMENT
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RECOVERY
WELLS
020300* - Petroleum- Drilling & Production