Various studies have unequivocally shown that high-resolution tracer data from ubiquitous full field tracer deployments not only improves flow path characterizations over large sections of the reservoir (i.e. where the injection water travels), but also increases hydrocarbon recovery factor at a minimal cost by enabling the practice of active and intelligent rate adjustment. However, tracer materials design that is both capable of generating a large library of unique barcodes and providing exquisite detectability for cost-effective large-scale long-term reservoir surveillance applications remains elusive. Towards these goals, we recently developed a water tracer platform based upon a 4-substituted dipicolinic acid (DPA) molecular backbone that exhibits ultra-trace level optical detectability, by using high specificity lanthanide-based chelation chemistry for time-gated oil blind fluorescence detection. In this work, we focus on systematically and rationally varying the chemical modifications of the DPA-based tracer molecule to modulate their solubility in high salinity brines under high temperature conditions. The synthesis of novel 4-substituted DPA analogs containing imidazole, methyl imidazole and ethyl imidazole moieties will be described. Recognizing that subtle changes in the chemical compositions may have significant impact on the retentive behavior of these tracer molecules to the porous carbonate reservoir rocks as well as their affinity to the different fluid phases underground, we further sulfonated this series of 4-substituted  DPA-based tracers with 1,3-propanesultone. We examine and contrast the brine solubility, photophysical attributes and porous media transport properties of these imidazole vs. sulfonated imidazole series in lab qualification experiments to evaluate their suitability as water tracer candidates that can be detected with near real-time efficiency.

Synthesis and evaluation of optically detectable, highly water-soluble Zwitterionic Dipicolinic Acid (DPA) – Based tracers for hydrocarbon reservoir surveillance

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.