Emulsifier compositions for invert emulsion fluids and methods of using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10570324-B2
Application number	US-201715489854-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 18, 2017
Priority date	Feb 3, 2017
Publication date	Feb 25, 2020
Grant date	Feb 25, 2020

Abstract

Drilling fluid compositions include invert emulsion fluids having an oleaginous phase, an aqueous phase, and an emulsifier composition that includes an ethoxylated alcohol compound and a polyaminated fatty acid compound. The ethoxylated alcohol compound has the formula R 1 —(OCH 2 CH 2 ) n —OH, where R 1 is a hydrocarbyl group having from 8 to 22 carbon atoms and n is from 1 to 8. The ethoxylated alcohol compound has a Hydrophilic-Lipophilic Balance (HLB) of less than or equal to 6. The polyaminated fatty acid compound has the formula R 2 —CO—NH—CH 2 —CH 2 —N(COR 2 )—CH 2 —CH 2 —NH—CO—R 3 , where R 2 is a hydrocarbyl group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms and R 3 is a hydrocarbyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or an alkylene carboxylate group having formula —R 4 —COOH, where R 4 is a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbylene having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms. Methods of drilling wells include operating a drill in a wellbore in the presence of drilling fluid compositions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An invert emulsion fluid comprising an oleaginous phase, an aqueous phase dispersed in the oleaginous phase, and an emulsifier composition comprising:
1.4 wt. % of an ethoxylated alcohol compound having formula (I):
R 1 —(OCH 2 CH 2 ) n —OH  (I)

where R 1 is a hydrocarbyl group having from 12 to 14 carbon atoms and n is 1, where the ethoxylated alcohol compound has a Hydrophilic-Lipophilic Balance (HLB) of less than or equal to 6; and

0.2 wt. % of a polyaminated fatty acid compound having formula (II):
R 2 —CO—NH—CH 2 —CH 2 —N(COR 2 )—CH 2 —CH 2 —NH—CO—R 3   (II)

where R 2 is hydrocarbyl group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms and R 3 is an alkylene carboxylate group having formula —R 4 —COOH, where R 4 is a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbylene having 2 carbon atoms.

2. The invert emulsion fluid of claim 1 where R 1 is a saturated linear hydrocarbyl group.

3. The invert emulsion fluid of claim 1 where R 2 is a saturated linear hydrocarbyl group.

4. The invert emulsion fluid of claim 1 where R is selected from the group consisting of —CH 2 CH 2 —COOH and —CH═CH—COOH.

5. The invert emulsion fluid of claim 1 further comprising from 0.5 lbm/bbl to 10 lbm/bbl alkali compound.

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Wagle Vikrant
• Al-Yami Abdullah

Classifications

• C09K8/514

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

• C09K8/035

  Organic additives · CPC title

• C10N2040/22

  with essential removal of material {, e.g. cutting, grinding or drilling} · CPC title

• C10N2020/04

  Molecular weight; Molecular weight distribution · CPC title

• C10N2050/013

  Water-in-oil · CPC title