Patent ID: 7410934
Filing Date: 2008-08-12
Classification: B01F,C07C,C09K

Abstract:
1. An aqueous viscoelastic fluid for use in the recovery of hydrocarbons, comprising: a monomer, a dimer or oligomer of an anionic or cationic viscoelastic surfactant able to form a viscoelastic gel under downhole conditions, said anionic or cationic surfactant comprising a hydrophobic tail and a hydrophilic head, and being of the following formulae: where R is the hydrophobic tail of the surfactant, Z is the hydrophilic head of the surfactant, said hydrophilic head group being charged, X is a stabilising group and Y is a linear, saturated or unsaturated, hydrocarbon chain of 1, 2 or 3 carbon atoms or a branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon chain wherein the main chain is of 1, 2 or 3 carbon atoms, and wherein: