Patent ID: 9518449
Filing Date: 2016-12-13
CPC Classification: C09K,E21B,G06F

Claim Text:
1. A method of designing an injectate for recovering a liquid hydrocarbon from a reservoir rock, comprising: measuring physico-chemical data representative of electrostatic interactions between the liquid hydrocarbon and the reservoir rock; selecting a composition of the injectate based on the physico-chemical data, wherein the composition comprises at least one additive, or at least one removable component, or both; preparing the injectate by mixing water with the at least one additive, or by removing a portion of the at least one removable component from the water, or both; estimating an extent of sorption between the reservoir rock and the liquid hydrocarbon in response to the injectate; and designing the injectate to decrease the extent of sorption between the reservoir rock and the liquid hydrocarbon; wherein estimating the extent of sorption comprises: preparing an oil sample that is representative of the liquid hydrocarbon; measuring a baseline color of the oil sample; preparing a mixture of the oil sample, the injectate, and connate water; allowing the mixture to equilibrate; measuring an equilibrium color of the mixture; and comparing the baseline color to the equilibrium color to estimate the extent of sorption between the reservoir rock and the liquid hydrocarbon.