Methods of preparing treatment fluids comprising anhydrous ammonia for use in subterranean formation operations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018030340-A1
Application number	US-201515549125-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 10, 2015
Priority date	Mar 10, 2015
Publication date	Feb 1, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods comprising preparing a gelled fluid comprising a base fluid, a first gelling agent, and particulates; introducing the gelled fluid into a process stream, the process stream in fluid communication with a subterranean formation; introducing anhydrous ammonia into the gelled fluid at a downstream location in the process stream, thereby forming a particulate-containing treatment fluid; and introducing the particulate-containing treatment fluid into the subterranean formation from the process stream and through the wellhead.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
preparing a gelled fluid comprising a base fluid, a first gelling agent, and particulates; introducing the gelled fluid into a process stream, the process stream in fluid communication with a subterranean formation; introducing anhydrous ammonia into the gelled fluid at a downstream location in the process stream, thereby forming a particulate-containing treatment fluid; and introducing the particulate-containing treatment fluid into the subterranean formation from the process stream and through the wellhead.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the base fluid is selected from the group consisting of an aqueous base fluid, an oil base fluid, a solvent base fluid, a viscoelastic base fluid, a hydrocolloid base fluid, and any combination thereof.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the particulates are present in the gelled fluid in an amount in the range of from about 18% by volume of the gelled fluid to about 65% by volume of the gelled fluid.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the anhydrous ammonia is introduced into the gelled fluid in an amount to achieve a final particulate concentration in the particulate-containing treatment fluid in an amount in the range of from about 0.1% to about 48% by volume of the particulate-containing treatment fluid.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the anhydrous ammonia is in a phase selected from the group consisting of a liquid phase, a gaseous phase, and any combination thereof.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the process stream further comprises a pump in fluid communication therewith at an upstream location from the subterranean formation, and the downstream location in the process stream for introducing the anhydrous ammonia is upstream of the pump.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the pump is a high pressure pump.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a fluid selected from the group consisting of the gelled fluid, the particulate-containing treatment fluid, and any combination thereof further comprises an oilfield additive selected from the group consisting of a second gelling agent, a salt, a weighting agent, an inert solid, a fluid loss control agent, an emulsifier, a dispersion aid, a corrosion inhibitor, an emulsion thinner, an emulsion thickener, a surfactant, a lost circulation material, a foaming agent, a gas, a pH control additive, a breaker, a biocide, a crosslinker, a stabilizer, a chelating agent, a scale inhibitor, a gas hydrate inhibitor, a mutual solvent, an oxidizer, a reducer, a friction reducer, a clay stabilizing agent, and any combination thereof.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a fluid selected from the group consisting of the gelled fluid, the particulate-containing treatment fluid, and any combination thereof further comprises an oilfield additive added thereto by introducing the oilfield additive into the process stream, the oilfield additive selected from the group consisting of a second gelling agent, a salt, a weighting agent, an inert solid, a fluid loss control agent, an emulsifier, a dispersion aid, a corrosion inhibitor, an emulsion thinner, an emulsion thickener, a surfactant, a lost circulation material, a foaming agent, a gas, a pH control additive, a breaker, a biocide, a crosslinker, a stabilizer, a chelating agent, a scale inhibitor, a gas hydrate inhibitor, a mutual solvent, an oxidizer, a reducer, a friction reducer, a clay stabilizing agent, and any combination thereof.

10 . A method comprising:
preparing a gelled fluid comprising a first base fluid and a first gelling agent; introducing the gelled fluid into a process stream, the process stream in fluid communication with a subterranean formation; introducing particulates into the gelled fluid at a first downstream location in the process stream, thereby forming a particulate slurry; introducing anhydrous ammonia into the particulate slurry at a second downstream location in the process stream, thereby forming a particulate-containing treatment fluid,
wherein the second downstream location is downstream of the first downstream location; and
introducing the particulate-containing treatment fluid into the subterranean formation from the process stream.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the base fluid is selected from the group consisting of an aqueous base fluid, an oil base fluid, a solvent base fluid, a viscoelastic base fluid, a hydrocolloid base fluid, and any combination thereof.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of introducing the particulates into the gelled fluid at the first downstream location in the process stream, and the step of introducing the anhydrous ammonia into the particulate slurry at a second downstream location in the process stream, are performed either sequentially in time or simultaneously in time.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the particulates are introduced into the gelled fluid in an amount in the range of from about 18% by volume of the gelled fluid to about 65% by volume of the gelled fluid.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the particulates are introduced into the gelled fluid in a gelled particulate slurry comprising a second base fluid and a second gelling agent.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the anhydrous ammonia is introduced into the particulate slurry in an amount to achieve a final particulate concentration in the particulate-containing treatment fluid in an amount in the range of from about 0.1% to about 48% by volume of the particulate-containing treatment fluid.

16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the anhydrous ammonia is in a phase selected from the group consisting of a liquid phase, a gaseous phase, and any combination thereof.

17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the process stream further comprises a pump in fluid communication therewith at an upstream location from the subterranean formation, and the second downstream location in the process stream for introducing the anhydrous ammonia is upstream of the pump.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the pump is a high pressure pump.

19 . The method of claim 10 , wherein a fluid selected from the group consisting of the gelled fluid, the particulate slurry, the particulate-containing treatment fluid, and any combination thereof further comprises an oilfield additive selected from the group consisting of a second gelling agent, a salt, a weighting agent, an inert solid, a fluid loss control agent, an emulsifier, a dispersion aid, a corrosion inhibitor, an emulsion thinner, an emulsion thickener, a surfactant, a lost circulation material, a foaming agent, a gas, a pH control additive, a breaker, a biocide, a crosslinker, a stabilizer, a chelating agent, a scale inhibitor, a gas hydrate inhibitor, a mutual solvent, an oxidizer, a reducer, a friction reducer, a clay stabilizing agent, and any combination thereof.

20 . The method of claim 10 , wherein a fluid selected from the group consisting of the gelled fluid, the particulate slurry, the particulate-containing treatment fluid, and any combination thereof further comprises an oilfield additive added thereto by introducing the oilfield additive into the process stream, the oilfield additive selected from the group consisting of a second gelling agent, a salt, a weighting agent, an inert solid, a fluid loss control agent, an emulsifier, a dispersion aid, a corrosion inhibitor, an emulsion thinner, an emulsion thickener, a surfactant, a lost circulation material, a foaming agent, a gas, a pH control additive, a bre

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Mccabe Michael A
• Weaver Jim D

Classifications

• C09K8/92

  characterised by their form or by the form of their components, e.g. encapsulated material (C09K8/70 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C09K8/54

  Compositions for in situ inhibition of corrosion in boreholes or wells · CPC title

• C09K8/72

  Eroding chemicals, e.g. acids · CPC title

• C09K2208/26

  Gel breakers other than bacteria or enzymes · CPC title

• E21B21/003

  Means for stopping loss of drilling fluid (plastering the borehole wall E21B33/138) · CPC title