Polymer-based well tracers with tunable release profile

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12404766-B2
Application number	US-202418903641-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 1, 2024
Priority date	Apr 4, 2023
Publication date	Sep 2, 2025
Grant date	Sep 2, 2025

Abstract

Described is a polymer-based well tracer. The polymer-based well tracer is a fluoropolymer having a fluorinated group. The fluoropolymer may be formed into a particle, a coating for proppant particulates, or encapsulated in a polymeric resin. Upon degradation or hydrolysis of the fluoropolymer, the fluorinated group having a fluorinated compound is released within the well.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method for preparing and using a polymer-based well tracer, comprising:
synthesizing at least one fluoropolymer having a fluorinated group,
wherein the at least one fluoropolymer is synthesized from a polymer and a fluorinated tracer comprising at least one fluorinated compound;

introducing the at least one fluoropolymer and a fluid into a formation via a well,
wherein upon reaction with water and degradation of the at least one fluoropolymer, the at least one fluorinated compound is released;
detecting the at least one fluorinated compound at a surface of the well; and
evaluating at least one property of the well based on detection of the at least one fluorinated compound.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluid is a fracturing fluid, an acidizing fluid, or a pad fluid.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising: forming a mixture of at least one fluorinated compound and a plurality of polymers having different degradation rates; and introducing the mixture into the formation of the well.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising forming the at least one fluoropolymer into a particle.

5. The method of claim 1 , comprising coating proppant particulates with the at least one fluoropolymer.

6. The method of claim 1 , comprising encapsulating the at least one fluoropolymer in a polymeric resin.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the formation comprises a plurality of stages, and wherein a different fluoropolymer is introduced into each stage.

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Saini Rajesh Kumar
• Cairns Amy J
• Zhu Shitong Sherry
• Gizzatov Ayrat
• Wang Wei
• Sayed Mohammed
• Ow Hooisweng

Classifications

• C09K8/805

  Coated proppants · CPC title

• C09K8/68

  containing organic compounds · CPC title

• C09K8/035

  Organic additives · CPC title

• C09K8/70

  characterised by their form or by the form of their components, e.g. foams · CPC title

• E21B47/11 Primary

  using tracers; using radioactivity · CPC title