Thermal thickening in invert emulsion treatment fluids

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10435612-B2
Application number	US-201816056774-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 7, 2018
Priority date	May 17, 2014
Publication date	Oct 8, 2019
Grant date	Oct 8, 2019

Abstract

Among the methods provided is a method comprising: providing an oil-based fluid formed by combining components that comprise a glycol ether additive comprising a glycol ether, wherein the glycol ether additive substantially increases the low-shear viscosity of the oil-based fluid at temperatures between approximately 120 degrees Fahrenheit (48.9 degrees Celsius) and 500 degrees Fahrenheit (260 degrees Celsius); and using the oil-based fluid to drill at least a portion of a well bore penetrating at least a portion of a subterranean formation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
providing an oil-based fluid that comprises a base oil and a glycol ether additive comprising a triethylene glycol ether, wherein
dimer/trimer fatty acids and esters thereof and polyamides are absent from the oil-based fluid, and
the glycol ether additive increases the viscosity of the oil-based fluid at temperatures from about 120° F. to about 500° F. relative to a fluid without the glycol ether additive; and
using the oil-based fluid to drill at least a portion of a well bore penetrating at least a portion of a subterranean formation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the glycol ether additive is present in the oil-based fluid in an amount of from about 0.1 pounds to about 5 pounds per barrel of the oil-based fluid.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the glycol ether additive is present in the oil-based fluid in an amount of from about 0.25 pounds to about 1 pound per barrel of the oil-based fluid.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the base oil comprises at least one oil selected from the group consisting of: a paraffin oil, a mineral oil, a synthetic oil, a diesel oil, and any combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the base oil comprises a hydrocarbon blend.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the glycol ether comprises at least one glycol ether selected from the group consisting of: triethylene glycol butyl ether, triethylene glycol propyl ether, triethylene glycol methyl ether, triethylene glycol ethyl ether, triethylene glycol isopropyl ether, and any combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the oil-based fluid comprises at least one additive selected from the group consisting of: a solid, a weighting agent, an inert solid, a fluid loss control agent, an emulsifier, a salt, a dispersion aid, a corrosion inhibitor, an emulsion thinner, an emulsion thickener, a viscosifier, and any combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the oil-based fluid is used to drill at least a portion of the well bore penetrating at least a portion of the subterranean formation by conveying the fluid through the interior of a drill string disposed in at least a portion of the well bore and through one or more orifices in a drill bit on the drill string.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the glycol ether additive comprises triethylene glycol butyl ether.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the oil-based fluid comprises one or more solid additives selected from the group consisting of: a weighting agent, a drill solid, hydrated lime, and any combination thereof.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the solid additives are present in the oil-based fluid in amount of less than about 600 pounds per barrel of the oil-based fluid.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the solid additives are present in the oil-based fluid in amount of less than about 200 pounds per barrel of the oil-based fluid.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Livanec Philip Wayne
• Deville Jay Paul
• Davis Chesnee Lae
• Walker Jonathan Paul

Classifications

• C09K8/36 Primary

  Water-in-oil emulsions · CPC title

• C09K2208/32

  Anticorrosion additives · CPC title

• C09K8/502

  Oil-based compositions · CPC title

• E21B21/003

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

• E21B43/04

  Gravelling of wells · CPC title