Encapsulation of oilfield chemicals for on-demand triggered release

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025059436-A1
Application number	US-202318449366-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 14, 2023
Priority date	Aug 14, 2023
Publication date	Feb 20, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A disintegrable oilfield chemical composite includes a core containing an oilfield chemical and a disintegrating agent containing at least one of a phase change material or a gas-producing material; and a shell encapsulating the core. A method includes introducing into a subsurface formation a treatment fluid including the disintegrable oilfield chemical composite; heating the disintegrating agent to cause the phase change material to expand, or to cause the gas-producing material to produce a gas, or a combination thereof to break the shell; and releasing the oilfield chemical from the disintegrable oilfield composite.

First claim

1 . A disintegrable oilfield chemical composite comprising:
a core comprising an oilfield chemical and a disintegrating agent comprising at least one of a phase change material or a gas-producing material; and a shell encapsulating the core.

2 . The disintegrable oilfield chemical composite of claim 1 , wherein the core comprises the phase change material, and the phase change material has a phase transition temperature of about 125° F. (52° C.) and about 1,000° F. (538° C.).

3 . The disintegrable oilfield chemical composite of claim 2 , wherein the phase change material has a volumetric expansion of at least 3% during a phase transition relative to a volume of the phase change material before the phase transition.

4 . The disintegrable oilfield chemical composite of claim 1 , wherein the core comprises the phase change material, and the phase change material comprises at least one of an inorganic salt, an eutectic mixture of inorganic salts, a metal hydroxide, an eutectic mixture of an inorganic salt with an organic material, a hydrate of an inorganic salt, a hydrate of metal hydroxide, or an organic material.

5 . The disintegrable oilfield chemical composite of claim 1 , wherein the core comprises the gas-producing material, and the gas-producing material comprises at least one of an azo compound, an azide compound, or a metal carbonyl.

6 . The disintegrable oilfield chemical composite of claim 1 , wherein the oilfield chemical comprises at least one of a corrosion inhibitor, a scale inhibitor, an asphaltene or wax inhibitor, a wettability altering substance, an emulsifier, a demulsifier, a filter cake breaker, a lost circulating material, a cement accelerator, or a cement retarder.

7 . The disintegrable oilfield chemical composite of claim 1 , further comprising a porous structure, the oilfield chemical is absorbed into the porous structure, and the disintegrating agent is not absorbed into the porous structure.

8 . The disintegrable oilfield chemical composite of claim 1 , wherein the shell comprises at least one of alginate, cellulose, starch, chitosan, dextran sulfate, pectin, xanthan gum, a polymethacrylate, a polydimethylsiloxane, a polystyrene, a polyvinyl acetate, a polyvinylpyrrolidone, silica, alumina, titania, sodium silicate, calcium carbonate, nickel, nickel phosphorus, a nickel alloy, an iron oxide, an oxyhydroxide, or an iron salt.

9 . The disintegrable oilfield chemical composite of claim 1 , wherein the core comprises an inner core comprising the oilfield chemical, and the disintegrating agent is disposed between the inner core and the shell.

10 . The disintegrable oilfield chemical composite of claim 9 , wherein the disintegrating agent is disposed in a matrix between the inner core and the shell.

11 . The disintegrable oilfield chemical composite of claim 9 , wherein the disintegrating agent forms an outer core between the inner core and the shell.

12 . The disintegrable oilfield chemical composite of claim 1 , further comprising a magnetic material.

13 . The disintegrable oilfield chemical composite of claim 12 , wherein the magnetic material is disposed in the shell of the disintegrable oilfield chemical composite.

14 . The disintegrable oilfield chemical composite of claim 12 , wherein the magnetic material is disposed in the core of the disintegrable oilfield chemical composite.

15 . The disintegrable oilfield chemical composite of claim 12 , wherein the magnetic material is coated on the disintegrating agent.

16 . The disintegrable oilfield chemical composite of claim 1 , wherein the disintegrable oilfield chemical composite is in the form of particles.

17 . A method comprising:
introducing into a subsurface formation a treatment fluid comprising a disintegrable oilfield chemical composite having a core comprising an oilfield chemical and a disintegrating agent comprising at least one of a phase change material or a gas-producing material, and a shell encapsulating the core; heating the disintegrating agent to cause the phase change material to expand, or to cause the gas-producing material to produce a gas, or a combination thereof to break the shell; and releasing the oilfield chemical from the disintegrable oilfield composite.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the disintegrable oilfield chemical composite further comprises a magnetic material.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises applying an electromagnetic radiation to the magnetic material to generate heat, and heating the disintegrating agent with the heat generated from the magnetic material.

20 . A disintegrable oilfield chemical composite comprising:
a core comprising an oilfield chemical and a disintegrating agent comprising at least one of a phase change material or a gas-producing material; and a shell encapsulating the core; wherein the core comprises the gas-producing material, and the gas-producing material comprises at least one of an azo compound, an azide compound, or a metal carbonyl.

Assignees

• Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations Llc

Inventors

• Mazyar Oleg
• Dolog Rostyslav
• Suresh Radhika

Classifications

• C09K8/516

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

• C09K8/528

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

• C09K8/524

  organic depositions, e.g. paraffins or asphaltenes · CPC title

• C09K8/92 Primary

  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