Methods of designing an invert emulsion fluid having high associative stability

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10329471-B2
Application number	US-201715672226-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 8, 2017
Priority date	Oct 30, 2013
Publication date	Jun 25, 2019
Grant date	Jun 25, 2019

Abstract

Some embodiments described herein relate to methods comprising providing a proposed invert emulsion formulation, wherein the proposed invert emulsion formulation comprises an oil phase, an aqueous phase, and a particulates fraction comprising a first sub-fraction and a second sub-fraction, wherein the first sub-fraction comprises high-gravity particulates and the second sub-fraction comprises low-gravity particulates; calculating an initial associative stability value of the proposed invert emulsion based on the degree of association between the aqueous phase and the particulates fraction comprising both the first sub-fraction and the second sub-fraction; manipulating the proposed invert emulsion based on the initial associative stability value so as to produce an associatively stable invert emulsion having a final associative stability value in the range of between about 50% and about 100%; and introducing the associatively stable invert emulsion into a subterranean formation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
providing a proposed invert emulsion formulation,
wherein the proposed invert emulsion formulation comprises an oil phase, an aqueous phase, and a particulates fraction comprising a first sub-fraction and a second sub-fraction,
wherein the first sub-fraction comprises high-gravity particulates and the second sub-fraction comprises low-gravity particulates;

calculating an initial associative stability value of the proposed invert emulsion based on the degree of association between the aqueous phase and the first sub-fraction,
manipulating the proposed invert emulsion based on the initial associative stability value so as to produce an associatively stable invert emulsion having a final associative stability value in the range of between about 50% and about 100%,
wherein the initial associative stability value and the final associative stability value are a percentage ratio of the ratio of the first sub-fraction to the aqueous phase as determined based on a component mass balance computation of the oil phase, the aqueous phase, the first sub-fraction fraction, and the second sub-fraction using retort analysis and mud-weight analysis taken before static-aging at a target temperature and at a target pressure,
to the ratio of the first sub-fraction to the aqueous phase as determined based on a component mass balance computation of the oil phase, the aqueous phase, the first sub-fraction fraction, and the second sub-fraction using retort analysis and mud-weight analysis taken after static-aging at the target temperature and at the target pressure; and

introducing the associatively stable invert emulsion into a subterranean formation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the initial associative stability value and the final associative stability value are a percentage ratio of the ratio of the first sub-fraction to the aqueous phase as determined based on a component mass balance computation of the oil phase, the aqueous phase, the first sub-fraction fraction, and the second sub-fraction using retort analysis, mud-weight analysis, and chemical analysis taken before static-aging at a target temperature and at a target pressure,
to the ratio of the first sub-fraction to the aqueous phase as determined based on a component mass balance computation of the oil phase, the aqueous phase, the first sub-fraction fraction, and the second sub-fraction using retort analysis, mud-weight analysis, and chemical analysis taken after static-aging at the target temperature and at the target pressure.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of: calculating an initial associative stability value of the proposed invert emulsion based on the degree of association between the aqueous phase and the first sub-fraction, and the step of: manipulating the proposed invert emulsion based on the initial associative stability value so as to produce an associatively stable invert emulsion having a final associative stability value in the range of between about 50% and about 100% is repeated at least once.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the proposed invert emulsion further comprises an additive selected from the group consisting of a weighting agent; a fluid loss control agent; an emulsifier; an emulsifier activator; a dispersion aid; a corrosion inhibitor; an emulsion thinner; an emulsion thickener; a viscosifying agent; a gelling agent; a surfactant; a lost circulation material; a foaming agent; a gas; a breaker; a crosslinker; a stabilizer; a mutual solvent; a reducer; a friction reducer; a clay stabilizing agent; a filtration control agent; a scavenger; and any combination thereof.

5. A method comprising:
providing a proposed invert emulsion formulation,
wherein the proposed invert emulsion formulation comprises an oil phase, an aqueous phase, and a particulates fraction comprising a first sub-fraction and a second sub-fraction,
wherein the first sub-fraction comprises high-gravity particulates and the second sub-fraction comprises low-gravity particulates;

calculating an initial associative stability value of the proposed invert emulsion based on the degree of association between the aqueous phase and the second sub-fraction,
manipulating the proposed invert emulsion based on the initial associative stability value so as to produce an associatively stable invert emulsion having a final associative stability value in the range of between about 50% and about 100%,
wherein the initial associative stability value and the final associative stability value are a percentage ratio of the ratio of the second sub-fraction to the aqueous phase as determined based on a component mass balance computation of the oil phase, the aqueous phase, the first sub-fraction fraction, and the second sub-fraction using retort analysis and mud-weight analysis taken before static-aging at a target temperature and at a target pressure,
to the ratio of the second sub-fraction to the aqueous phase as determined based on a component mass balance computation of the oil phase, the aqueous phase, the first sub-fraction fraction, and the second sub-fraction using retort analysis and mud-weight analysis taken after static-aging at the target temperature and at the target pressure; and

introducing the associatively stable invert emulsion into a subterranean formation.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the initial associative stability value and the final associative stability value are a percentage ratio of the ratio of the second sub-fraction to the aqueous phase as determined based on a component mass balance computation of the oil phase, the aqueous phase, the first sub-fraction fraction, and the second sub-fraction using retort analysis, mud-weight analysis, and chemical analysis taken before static-aging at a target temperature and at a target pressure,
to the ratio of the second sub-fraction to the aqueous phase as determined based on a component mass balance computation of the oil phase, the aqueous phase, the first sub-fraction fraction, and the second sub-fraction using retort analysis, mud-weight analysis, and chemical analysis taken after static-aging at the target temperature and at the target pressure.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the step of: calculating an initial associative stability value of the proposed invert emulsion based on the degree of association between the aqueous phase and the first sub-fraction, and the step of: manipulating the proposed invert emulsion based on the initial associative stability value so as to produce an associatively stable invert emulsion having a final associative stability value in the range of between about 50% and about 100% is repeated at least once.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the proposed invert emulsion further comprises an additive selected from the group consisting of a weighting agent; a fluid loss control agent; an emulsifier; an emulsifier activator; a dispersion aid; a corrosion inhibitor; an emulsion thinner; an emulsion thickener; a viscosifying agent; a gelling agent; a surfactant; a lost circulation material; a foaming agent; a gas; a pH control additive; a breaker; a crosslinker; a stabilizer; a chelating agent; a scale inhibitor; a gas hydrate inhibitor; a mutual solvent; an oxidizer; a reducer; a friction reducer; a clay stabilizing agent; a filtration control agent; and any combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the high-gravity particulates have a specific gravity in the range of between about 2.7 g/cm 3 and about 8.0 g/cm 3 .

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the high-gravity particulates are selected from the group consisting of barite; hematite; ilmenite; galena; manganese oxide; iron oxide; manganese tetroxide; magne

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Kulkarni Sandeep D
• Teke Kushabhau D
• Jamison Dale E

Classifications

• C09K8/74

  combined with additives added for specific purposes · CPC title

• C09K8/528

  inorganic depositions, e.g. sulfates or carbonates · CPC title

• C09K2208/26

  Gel breakers other than bacteria or enzymes · CPC title

• C09K2208/12

  Swell inhibition, i.e. using additives to drilling or well treatment fluids for inhibiting clay or shale swelling or disintegrating · CPC title

• C09K2208/28

  Friction or drag reducing additives · CPC title