Gravel Packing Fluids with Enhanced Thermal Stability

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018037807-A1
Application number	US-201615553108-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 24, 2016
Priority date	Mar 25, 2015
Publication date	Feb 8, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods for using gellable gravel packing fluids that may comprise polysaccharide gelling agents and gel stabilizers to extend the working temperature range for the polysaccharide gelling agents. A method for placing a gravel pack in a subterranean formation comprising: providing a gravel packing fluid in the form of a linear gel and comprising an aqueous base fluid, a polysaccharide gelling agent, a thermal stabilizer, and a gravel; placing the gravel packing fluid into the subterranean formation; and allowing the gravel packing fluid to form a gravel pack in the subterranean formation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for placing a gravel pack in a subterranean formation comprising:
providing a gravel packing fluid in the form of a linear gel and comprising an aqueous base fluid, a polysaccharide gelling agent, a thermal stabilizer, and a gravel; placing the gravel packing fluid into the subterranean formation; and allowing the gravel packing fluid to form a gravel pack in the subterranean formation.

2 . A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the aqueous base fluid comprises a monovalent or divalent brine.

3 . A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the polysaccharide gelling agent comprises a polysaccharide gelling agent selected from the group consisting of xanthan, scleroglucan, diutan, succinoglycan, guar, hydroxyethyl cellulose, and combinations thereof.

4 . A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the thermal stabilizer is selected from the group consisting of ascorbic acid, salts of ascorbic acid, erythorbic acid, salts of erythorbic acid, tocopherol, and combinations thereof.

5 . A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the thermal stabilizer is present in the gravel packing fluid in an amount of about 5 lb/Mgal to about 300 lb/Mgal.

6 . A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the gravel comprises sand.

7 . A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the gravel packing fluid further comprises an antioxidant stabilizer, and wherein the antioxidant stabilizer comprises a hydroxylamine.

8 . A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the gravel packing fluid further comprises a gel breaker.

9 . A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the gravel packing fluid is essentially free of added crosslinkers.

10 . A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bottom hole static temperature of the subterranean formation is greater than 200° F.

11 . A gravel packing fluid comprising:
an aqueous base fluid, a polysaccharide gelling agent, a thermal stabilizer, and a gravel.

12 . A gravel packing fluid as claimed in claim 11 wherein the polysaccharide gelling agent comprises a polysaccharide gelling agent selected from the group consisting of xanthan, scleroglucan, diutan, succinoglycan, guar, hydroxyethyl cellulose, and combinations thereof.

13 . A gravel packing fluid as claimed in claim 11 wherein the thermal stabilizer is selected from the group consisting of ascorbic acid, salts of ascorbic acid, erythorbic acid, salts of erythorbic acid, tocopherol, and combinations thereof.

14 . A gravel packing fluid as claimed in claim 11 wherein the thermal stabilizer is present in the gravel packing fluid in an amount of about 5 lb/Mgal to about 300 lb/Mgal.

15 . A gravel packing fluid as claimed in claim 11 wherein the gravel packing fluid further comprises an antioxidant stabilizer, and wherein the antioxidant stabilizer comprises a hydroxylamine.

16 . A gravel packing fluid as claimed in claim 11 wherein the gravel packing fluid is essentially free of added crosslinkers.

17 . A gravel packing system comprising:
a gravel packing fluid comprising an aqueous base fluid, a polysaccharide gelling agent, a thermal stabilizer, and a gravel; a production tubing; a screen coupled to the production tubing; and a pumping system fluidically coupled to the production tubing, wherein the pumping system is capable of pumping the gravel packing fluid through the production tubing.

18 . A gravel packing system as claimed in claim 17 wherein the polysaccharide gelling agent comprises a polysaccharide gelling agent selected from the group consisting of xanthan, scleroglucan, diutan, succinoglycan, guar, hydroxyethyl cellulose, and combinations thereof.

19 . A gravel packing system as claimed in claim 17 wherein the thermal stabilizer is selected from the group consisting of ascorbic acid, salts of ascorbic acid, erythorbic acid, salts of erythorbic acid, tocopherol, and combinations thereof.

20 . A gravel packing system as claimed in claim 17 wherein the gravel packing fluid further comprises an antioxidant stabilizer, and wherein the antioxidant stabilizer comprises a hydroxylamine.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Rama Mallikarjuna Shroff
• Prakash Chetan
• Ghumare Anant Kanhoba
• Garaje Sunil Narsingrao

Classifications

• C09K15/20

  containing nitrogen and oxygen · CPC title

• C09K8/5758 Primary

  of natural origin, e.g. polysaccharides, cellulose (C09K8/5756 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C04B28/005

  containing gelatineous or gel forming binders, e.g. gelatineous Al(OH)3, sol-gel binders · CPC title

• C09K2208/26

  Gel breakers other than bacteria or enzymes · CPC title

• E21B43/04

  Gravelling of wells · CPC title