Method to use loss circulation material composition comprising acidic nanoparticle based dispersion and sodium bicarbonate in downhole conditions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11718776-B2
Application number	US-202117552395-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2021
Priority date	Dec 16, 2021
Publication date	Aug 8, 2023
Grant date	Aug 8, 2023

Abstract

Provided is a loss circulation material that may consist essentially of an acidic nanosilica dispersion and an activator. The acidic nanosilica dispersion may consist of acidic silica nanoparticles, stabilizer, and water, and may have a pH in a range of 3 to 6. The activator may be one or more from the group consisting of sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride, or an amine salt. A method is provided for controlling lost circulation in a lost circulation zone in a wellbore comprising introducing the loss circulation material and forming a gelled solid from the loss circulation material in the lost circulation zone.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A loss circulation material, consisting essentially of:
(a) an acidic nanosilica dispersion,
wherein the acidic nanosilica dispersion consists of acidic silica nanoparticles, an oxy chloride stabilizer, and water, and
wherein the acidic nanosilica dispersion has a pH in a range of 3 to 6;

(b) an activator that is of one or more from the group consisting of sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride, or an amine salt,
wherein the activator is present in an amount in a range of 1 wt % to 40 wt % of the loss circulation material;

optionally, (c) a cationic species that is a positive ion or a cationic polymer;
optionally, (d) a viscosifier that is one or more selected from the group consisting of a biopolymer and synthetic polymer; and
optionally, (e) a salt that is a monovalent salt, a divalent salt, or a combination of monovalent salt and divalent salt.

2. The loss circulation material of claim 1 , wherein the activator is sodium bicarbonate.

3. The loss circulation material of claim 1 ,
wherein the biopolymer is one or more selected from the group consisting of xanthan gum, welan gum, hydroxy-ethyl-cellulose and starch; and
wherein the synthetic polymer is one or more selected from the group consisting of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid polymer, hydrolyzed polyacrylamide, and polyacrylamide.

4. The loss circulation material of claim 1 ,
wherein the monovalent salt comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride (NaCl), potassium chloride (KCl), lithium chloride (LiCl), sodium bromide (NaBr), potassium bromide (KBr), and lithium bromide (LiBr); and
wherein the divalent salt comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of calcium chloride (CaCl 2 ), calcium bromide (CaBr 2 ), or a non-Grignard magnesium salt.

5. The loss circulation material of claim 1 , wherein the cationic polymer is one or more selected from the group consisting of polyethylenimine, polyacrylic acid, cationic cellulose, cationic dextrin, and gelatin.

6. The loss circulation material of claim 1 , wherein the acidic nanosilica dispersion comprises acidic silica nanoparticles having:
a density of from 1 to 5 g/mL and a viscosity of from 1 to 50 g/mL; and
a specific surface area between 100 m 2 /g and 500 m 2 /g, and a BET specific surface area between 100 m 2 /g and 500 m 2 /g.

7. The loss circulation material of claim 1 , wherein the acidic nanosilica dispersion comprises 5 to 50 wt % of acidic silica nanoparticles, and wherein a weight ratio of the activator to the acidic silica nanoparticles is in a range from about 1:1 to about 1:3.

8. The loss circulation material of claim 1 , wherein a weight ratio of the activator to the acidic nanosilica dispersion is in a range from about 1:1 to 1:10.

9. A method of controlling lost circulation in a lost circulation zone in a wellbore, comprising:
introducing a loss circulation material consisting essentially of an acidic nanosilica dispersion, an activator, and optionally a cationic species that is a positive ion or a cationic polymer into the wellbore such that they contact the lost circulation zone,
wherein the acidic nanosilica dispersion consists of acidic silica nanoparticles, an oxy chloride stabilizer and water, and has a pH in a range from 3 to 6,
wherein the activator is present in an amount in a range of 1 wt % to 40 wt % of the loss circulation material,
wherein the acidic nanosilica dispersion, the activator, and the cationic species are not premixed, and
forming a gelled solid from the loss circulation material in the lost circulation zone.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein formation of the gelled solid occurs within 6 to 36 hours.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the acidic nanosilica dispersion comprises acidic silica nanoparticles having:
a density of from 1 to 5 g/mL,
a viscosity of from 1 to 50 g/mL,
a specific surface area between 100 m 2 /g and 500 m 2 /g, and
a BET specific surface area between 100 m 2 /g and 500 m 2 /g.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the acidic nanosilica dispersion comprises 30-50 wt % of acidic silica nanoparticles, and wherein a weight ratio of the activator to the acidic silica nanoparticles is in a range from about 1:1 to about 1:3.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein a weight ratio of the activator to the acidic nanosilica dispersion is in a range from about 1:1 to 1:10.

14. A method of controlling lost circulation in a lost circulation zone in a wellbore, comprising:
introducing a loss circulation material consisting essentially of an acidic nanosilica dispersion, an activator, and optionally a cationic species that is a positive ion or a cationic polymer into the wellbore such that they contact the lost circulation zone,
wherein the acidic nanosilica dispersion consists of acidic silica nanoparticles, an oxy chloride stabilizer and water, and has a pH in a range from 3 to 6,
wherein the activator is present in an amount in a range of 1 wt % to 40 wt % of the loss circulation material,
wherein the acidic nanosilica dispersion, the activator, and the cationic species are premixed, and
forming a gelled solid from the loss circulation material in the lost circulation zone.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the acidic nanosilica dispersion comprises acidic silica nanoparticles having:
a density of from 1 to 5 g/mL,
a viscosity of from 1 to 50 g/mL,
a specific surface area between 100 m 2 /g and 500 m 2 /g, and
a BET specific surface area between 100 m 2 /g and 500 m 2 /g.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the acidic nanosilica dispersion comprises 30-50 wt % of acidic silica nanoparticles, and wherein a weight ratio of the activator to the acidic silica nanoparticles is in a range from about 1:1 to about 1:3.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein a weight ratio of the activator to the acidic nanosilica dispersion is in a range from about 1:1 to 1:10.

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Wagle Vikrant
• Kalgaonkar Rajendra Arunkumar
• Alyami Abdullah

Classifications

• C09K8/5045 Primary

  containing inorganic compounds · CPC title

• C01B33/14 Primary

  Colloidal silica, e.g. dispersions, gels, sols · CPC title

• C09K8/514

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

• C01P2004/64

  Nanometer sized, i.e. from 1-100 nanometer · CPC title

• C01P2006/10

  Solid density · CPC title