Fluid loss additive package for shallow well drilling fluids

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10094181-B2
Application number	US-201415517061-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 7, 2014
Priority date	Nov 7, 2014
Publication date	Oct 9, 2018
Grant date	Oct 9, 2018

Abstract

A wellbore treatment fluid comprising: a base fluid; and a fluid loss additive package, the fluid loss additive package comprising: a water-swellable, superabsorbent polymer; a derivatized cellulose; and non-swellable particles that are insoluble in the base fluid. A method of drilling a wellbore into a subterranean formation comprising: providing the drilling fluid; and forming the wellbore using a drill bit and the drilling fluid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of drilling a wellbore into a subterranean formation comprising:
providing a drilling fluid, the drilling fluid comprising:
(A) a base fluid; and
(B) a fluid loss additive package, the fluid loss additive package comprising:
(i) a water-swellable, superabsorbent polymer;
(ii) a derivatized cellulose; and
(iii) non-swellable particles that are insoluble in the base fluid;

hydrating the water-swellable, super-absorbent polymer; and
then forming the wellbore using a drill bit and the drilling fluid.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the base fluid comprises water.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the water is selected from the group consisting of freshwater and brackish water.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the base fluid and the drilling fluid do not include a water-soluble salt and the base fluid is not a brine.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the wellbore is for a shallow well.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the water-swellable, superabsorbent polymer and the non-swellable particles are not biodegradable.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the superabsorbent polymer is in the form of particles prior to the hydrating, and wherein at least 90% of the superabsorbent polymer particles have a particle size less than about 75 pm prior to the hydrating.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the molecules of the superabsorbent polymer form a polymer network due to cross-linking of the molecules of the superabsorbent polymer.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the superabsorbent polymer is in a concentration in the range of about 0.2 to about 5 pounds per barrel of the drilling fluid.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the superabsorbent polymer is selected from: a cross-linked homopolymer of acrylic acid or acrylate, acrylamide, ethylene, maleic anhydride, methacrylic acid, vinyl acetate, vinyl alcohol, acrylonitrile, hydroxyethylmethacrylate, carboxymethylcellulose, ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, vinylpyrrolidone, or styrenesulfonate; and copolymers of any of the foregoing.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the derivatized cellulose is selected from hydroxyethyl cellulose, alkyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, cellulose derivatized with alkyl ethers, and cellulose derivatized with polyethylene glycol or propylene glycol substituents attached to the cellulose backbone.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the derivatized cellulose and the particles are in a concentration in the range of about 0.5 to about 5 pounds per barrel of the drilling fluid.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the particles are bulk particles, mesoscopic particles, or combinations thereof.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the particles are selected from the group consisting of silica particles, alumina particles, glass micro-particles and microspheres, ceramic micro-particles and microspheres, sized calcium carbonate, and combinations thereof.

15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the drilling fluid does not contain a clay.

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the drilling fluid has an API fluid loss less than 30 milliliters in 30 minutes at a pressure differential of 100 pounds force per square inch.

17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the drilling fluid is mixed with mixing equipment.

18. A system comprising:
a wellbore that penetrates a subterranean formation; and
a drilling fluid that forms the wellbore, wherein the drilling fluid comprises:
(A) a base fluid; and
(B) a fluid loss additive package, the fluid loss additive package comprising:
(i) a hydrated water-swellable, superabsorbent polymer: wherein the water-swellable, superabsorbent polymer is hydrated prior to use of the drilling fluid to form the wellbore;
(ii) a derivatized cellulose; and
(iii) non-swellable particles that are insoluble in the base fluid.

19. The system according to claim 18 , wherein the wellbore is for a shallow well.

20. The system according to claim 19 , wherein the water-swellable, superabsorbent polymer and the non-swellable particles are not biodegradable.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• May Preston Andrew
• Collins Ryan Patrick

Classifications

• C09K8/508 Primary

  macromolecular compounds {(C09K8/512 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• E21B21/003 Primary

  Means for stopping loss of drilling fluid (plastering the borehole wall E21B33/138) · CPC title

• C09K8/514

  of natural origin, e.g. polysaccharides, cellulose (C09K8/512 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C09K8/10

  Cellulose or derivatives thereof · CPC title

• C09K8/035

  Organic additives · CPC title