Patent ID: 10711179

Abstract:
During “fracking” operations, proppants are used to keep open the fissures that are created, and stimulation fluids are often injected into the subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing geological formations to assist in capturing released hydrocarbons. However, because fissure surfaces formed in subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing geological formations from fracking tend to be hydrophobic, both introduced stimulation fluids and the hydrocarbons from the subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing geological formations tend to adhere to the fissure surfaces. The addition of a gemini surfactant appears to reduce the hydrophobic nature of the geological structure's fissure surfaces, thereby wetting surfaces of indigenous rock and/or introduced proppant surfaces. The addition of the gemini surfactant results in an increase of the fluid flow through the subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing geological formations, thereby enhancing of recovery of hydrocarbons and introduced stimulation fluids.