Reversible aminal gel compositions, methods, and use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10604691-B2
Application number	US-201715670610-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 7, 2017
Priority date	Feb 3, 2016
Publication date	Mar 31, 2020
Grant date	Mar 31, 2020

Abstract

A well treatment composition for use in a hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir comprising a reversible aminal gel composition. The reversible aminal gel composition includes a liquid precursor composition. The liquid precursor composition is operable to remain in a liquid state at about room temperature. The liquid precursor composition comprises an organic amine composition; an aldehyde composition; a polar aprotic organic solvent; and a metal salt composition with valence 3, 4, or 5. The liquid precursor composition transitions from the liquid state to a gel state responsive to an increase in temperature in the hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir. The gel state is stable in the hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir at a temperature similar to a temperature of the hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir, and the gel state is operable to return to the liquid state responsive to a change in the hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir selected from the group consisting of: a decrease in pH in the hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir and an addition of excess metal salt composition in the hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A well treatment composition for use in a hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir comprising a reversible aminal gel composition, the reversible aminal gel composition comprising:
a liquid precursor composition, the liquid precursor composition operable to remain in a liquid state at about room temperature, where the liquid precursor composition comprises:
an organic amine composition;
an aldehyde composition;
a polar aprotic organic solvent; and
a metal salt composition with valence 3, 4, or 5, where a molar ratio of the organic amine composition to the aldehyde composition to the polar aprotic organic solvent is between about 1:2:14 and about 1:5.4:315, and where the organic amine composition and aldehyde composition are present in amounts to form hemiaminal condensation products through condensation reactions,
where the liquid precursor composition transitions from the liquid state to a gel state responsive to an increase in temperature from the hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir,
where the gel state is stable in the hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir at a temperature similar to a temperature of the hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir, and
where the gel state is operable to return to the liquid state responsive to a change in the hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir selected from the group consisting of: a decrease in pH in the hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir, an addition of excess metal salt composition in the hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir, and combinations thereof.

2. The well treatment composition according to claim 1 , where the organic amine composition comprises a primary amine of polypropylene glycol with an approximate molecular weight of from about 280 to about 100,000 Da.

3. The well treatment composition according to claim 1 , where the organic amine composition comprises a primary amine of polyethylene glycol with an approximate molecular weight of about 200 to about 100,000 Da.

4. The well treatment composition according to claim 1 , where the organic amine composition comprises a primary amine of an aromatic system.

5. The well treatment composition according to claim 1 , where the organic amine composition comprises an aminated polyethylene glycol with an approximate molecular weight of about 200 to about 100,000 Da, a primary amine of polypropylene glycol with an approximate molecular weight of about 280 to about 100,000 Da, and oxydianiline.

6. The well treatment composition according to claim 1 , further comprising a hemiaminal or aminal gel formed at least in part by exchange of an initially-condensed amine, the initially-condensed amine selected from the group consisting of: alkylethylenediamine, benzylethylenediamine, phenylethylene diamine, and mixtures thereof, and the initially-condensed amine exchanged with a composition selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, oxydianiline, and mixtures thereof.

7. The well treatment composition according to claim 1 , where the aldehyde composition comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of: formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde, phenol formaldehyde, resorcinol-formaldehyde, phenyl acetate-HMTA, and mixtures thereof.

8. The well treatment composition according to claim 1 , where the polar aprotic organic solvent comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of: N-alkylpyrrolidone, N,N′-dialkylformamide, dialkylsulfoxide, and mixtures thereof.

9. The well treatment composition according to claim 1 , where the metal salt composition with valence 3, 4, or 5 comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of: iron(III), aluminum(III), and mixtures thereof.

10. The well treatment composition according to claim 1 , where the addition of a metal salt is operable to modify the mechanical properties of the gel to render a self-healing material.

11. The well treatment composition according to claim 1 , further comprising a gel time accelerating additive comprising sodium sulfite.

12. The well treatment composition according to claim 1 , where the gel state comprises triazine-based molecules.

13. The well treatment composition according to claim 1 , where the polar aprotic organic solvent comprises N-vinyl pyrrolidone and is operable to be polymerized through a radical initialized reaction.

14. The well treatment composition according to claim 13 , where N-vinyl pyrrolidone is copolymerized with a second monomer thereby modifying hydrophilicity of a gel matrix and altering a release profile of cargo upon time delayed or triggered release.

15. The well treatment composition according to claim 14 , where the second monomer comprises N-butyl acrylate.

16. The well treatment composition according to claim 13 , where N-vinyl pyrrolidone is polymerized as either a homopolymer or a copolymer through radical initiation with potassium persulfate.

17. The well treatment composition according to claim 13 , where N-vinyl pyrrolidone is polymerized as either a homopolymer or a copolymer through radical initiation with UV light.

18. The well treatment composition according to claim 13 , where N-vinyl pyrrolidone is polymerized as either a homopolymer or a copolymer in a photosensitized gel through radical initiation with light of a wavelength greater than about 350 nm.

19. The well treatment composition according to claim 1 , where the gel state is stable between about 110° C. and about 250° C.

20. The well treatment composition according to claim 1 , further comprising delayed release capsules comprising a compound selected from the group consisting of: acidic solution and a metal salt composition.

21. A well treatment composition for use in a hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir comprising a reversible aminal gel composition, the reversible aminal gel composition comprising:
a liquid precursor composition, the liquid precursor composition operable to remain in a liquid state at about room temperature, where the liquid precursor composition comprises:
an organic amine composition;
an aldehyde composition;
a polar aprotic organic solvent; and
a metal salt composition with valence 3, 4, or 5,
where the liquid precursor composition transitions from the liquid state to a gel state responsive to an increase in temperature from the hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir,
where the gel state is stable in the hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir at a temperature similar to a temperature of the hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir,
where the gel state is operable to return to the liquid state responsive to a change in the hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir selected from the group consisting of: a decrease in pH in the hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir, an addition of excess metal salt composition in the hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir, and combinations thereof, and
where the organic amine composition comprises a primary amine of polypropylene glycol with an approximate molecular weight of from about 280 to about 100,000 Da.

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Boul Peter J
• Reddy B Raghava
• Hilfiger Matt
• Thaemlitz Carl

Classifications

• C09K8/5045

  containing inorganic compounds · CPC title

• C08G73/065

  Preparatory processes · CPC title

• C08G73/0644

  Poly(1,3,5)triazines · CPC title

• C09K8/506

  containing organic compounds · CPC title

• C04B24/30

  Condensation polymers of aldehydes or ketones · CPC title