Enhanced Oil Recovery

Novomer is developing breakthrough surfactants for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR). Our PPC surfactants can be pumped downhole into oil wells, along with supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂), to significantly increase the amount of crude oil recovered. The current “Water Alternating Gas” (WAG) process suffers from inefficiencies due to the low viscosity of scCO₂, which limits the amount of oil that can be recovered.

Novomer’s surfactants are designed to improve the solubility of supercritical CO₂ in the downhole water. This in turn causes more scCO₂ to be brought in contact with residual oil to be extracted. Supercritical CO₂ has unique properties that allow it to fill a container like a gas but have density characteristics of a liquid.

Identification of materials that dissolve in scCO₂ for use in EOR has been the subject of extensive research. Carbon dioxide-philes (materials soluable in scCO₂) are rare and the known materials are generally not suitable for EOR because they are too expensive or have adverse environmental affects.

Our research, in collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh, has indicated that low molecular weight polypropylene carbonates readily dissolve in typical down-hole conditions. Historically, PPC has been ignored because they were not cost effective, due to poor catalyst performance. Novomer’s innovative catalyst system allows the economics to be practical for a new EOR surfactant.

Source: Department of Energy