Carbonate-based solvents for scale-squeeze enhancement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11970657-B2
Application number	US-202217826093-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 26, 2022
Priority date	May 26, 2022
Publication date	Apr 30, 2024
Grant date	Apr 30, 2024

Abstract

A scale inhibitor squeeze treatment is enhanced by injecting a pre-flush solution into a wellbore, where the pre-flush solution includes at least one organic carbonate solvent, such as a dialkyl carbonate and/or a cyclic carbonate. The use of an organic carbonate solvent can help prevent the pre-flush solution emulsion formation, help avoid water-blocking, and enhance scale inhibitor adsorption. The use of an organic carbonate solvent also permits the pre-flush solution to be free of water, in one non-limiting embodiment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A scale inhibitor squeeze treatment method, the treatment comprising:
injecting a pre-flush solution into a wellbore;
injecting a main treatment solution containing at least one scale inhibitor into the wellbore;
injecting a post-flush solution into the wellbore;
shutting-in the well for a period of time; and
subsequently producing oil from the wellbore;

where the pre-flush solution comprises:
at least one organic carbonate solvent selected from the group consisting of glycerol carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, diethyl carbonate, dibutyl carbonate, and combinations thereof;
at least one surfactant, wherein the at least one surfactant is a nonylphenol;
optionally at least one co-surfactant;
optionally at least one co-solvent; and
optionally at least one hydrocarbon.

2. The method of claim 1 where the at least one organic carbonate is present in the pre-flush solution in an amount ranging from about 10 vol % to about 100 vol %.

3. The method of claim 1 where the pre-flush solution has an absence of water.

4. The method of claim 1 where the pre-flush solution has an absence of an alcohol.

5. The method of claim 1 where:
the pre-flush solution comprises the at least one co-solvent, and the at least one co-solvent is selected from the group consisting of an alcohol in turn selected from the group consisting of ethanol, butanol, isopropyl alcohol, and combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 where:
the pre-flush solution comprises the at least one hydrocarbon, and the at least one hydrocarbon is selected from the group consisting of limonene, α-pinene, dipentene, and combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 where the scale inhibitor is selected from the group consisting of phosphonates, inorganic polyphosphates, phosphate esters, organic polymers, polycarboxylic acids, copolymers with chelating groups, and combinations thereof.

8. A scale inhibitor squeeze treatment method, the treatment comprising:
injecting a pre-flush solution into a wellbore;
injecting a main treatment solution containing at least one scale inhibitor into the wellbore;
injecting a post-flush solution into the wellbore;
shutting-in the well for a period of time; and
subsequently producing oil from the wellbore;

where the pre-flush solution comprises:
at least one organic carbonate solvent selected from the group consisting of glycerol carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, diethyl carbonate, dibutyl carbonate, and combinations thereof;
an absence of water;
optionally at least one surfactant;
optionally at least one co-surfactant;
optionally at least one co-solvent; and
optionally at least one hydrocarbon.

9. The method of claim 8 where the at least one organic carbonate is present in the pre-flush solution in an amount ranging from about 10 vol % to about 100 vol %.

10. The method of claim 8 where the scale inhibitor is selected from the group consisting of phosphonates, inorganic polyphosphates, phosphate esters, organic polymers, polycarboxylic acids, copolymers with chelating groups, and combinations thereof.

Assignees

• Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations Llc

Inventors

• Murgesan Sankaran
• Weers Jerry J
• Ugono Onome
• Russek Jeffrey A
• Lee Dong

Classifications

• C09K8/528 Primary

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

• C09K23/38

  Alcohols, e.g. oxidation products of paraffins · CPC title

• C09K23/40

  Phenols · CPC title

• C09K23/56

  Glucosides; Mucilage; Saponins · CPC title