Method of using graphite or graphene in spacer fluid for displacing non-aqueous drilling fluid

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2026062601-A1
Application number	US-202418816631-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 27, 2024
Priority date	Aug 27, 2024
Publication date	Mar 5, 2026
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method includes injecting a spacer fluid into a wellbore that contains a non-aqueous drilling fluid, the spacer fluid including a liquid carrier and carbon particles which includes at least one of a graphite or graphene; and displacing the drilling fluid with the spacer fluid.

First claim

1 . A method comprising
injecting a spacer fluid into a wellbore that comprises a non-aqueous drilling fluid, the spacer fluid comprising a liquid carrier and carbon particles comprising at least one of a graphite or graphene, wherein graphite comprises graphite nanoplates (GNPs) having a thickness of greater than 0 nanometers (nm) to about 40 nm and graphene comprises graphene nanoplatelets having less than about 10 single sheet layers; and displacing the drilling fluid with the spacer fluid.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein displacing the drilling fluid further comprises displacing a contaminant particulate present in the wellbore.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the contaminant particulate comprises at least one of a drilling fluid particulate, drilling cutting, or a reservoir rock particulate.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a content of the carbon particles in the spacer fluid is about 0.05 pound per barrel to about 10 pounds per barrel.

5 . (canceled)

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the spacer fluid further comprises at least one of a gelling agent, a weighting agent, and a surfactant.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the spacer fluid comprises 0.1 pound per barrel to 5 pounds per barrel of the gelling agent, 0 pound per barrel to 600 pounds per barrel of the weighting agent, and 0 gallon per barrel to 10 gallons per barrel of the surfactant.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the gelling agent comprises at least one of a guar gum, a hydropropyl guar, a carboxymethyl guar, a carboxymethylhydroxypropyl guar, a hydratable polysaccharide, a xanthan gum, a galactomannan gum, a glucomannan gum, a cellulose, a hydroxyethylcellulose, a carboxymethylcellulose, a hydroxypropylcellulose, a carboxymethylhydroxyethylcellulose, a poly((meth)acrylic acid), a poly((meth)acrylamide), a copolymer of (meth)acrylic acid and (meth)acrylamide, a C1-8 alkyl poly(meth)acrylate, or a clay.

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the spacer fluid comprises about 0.1 pound per barrel to about 5 pounds per barrel of the gelling agent, and about 50 pounds per barrel to about 600 pounds per barrel of the weighting agent.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the weighting agent comprises at least one of barium sulfate, silica flour, fly ash, calcium carbonate, hematite, ilmenite, or siderite.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the spacer fluid further comprises at least one of a gelling agent crosslinker, a pH control agent, a lubricant, a fluid loss agent, a clay stabilizer, a biocide, a corrosion inhibitor, a friction reducer, an oxygen scavenger, a formation fines controller, a foamer, a gel stabilizer, or a crosslinker.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the spacer fluid comprises
about 0.05 pound per barrel to about 10 pounds per barrel of graphite nanoplates, graphene nanoplatelets, or a combination thereof as carbon particles; about 0.1 pound per barrel to about 5 pounds per barrel of the gelling agent, the gelling agent comprising at least one of a guar gum, a hydropropyl guar, a carboxymethyl guar, a carboxymethylhydroxypropyl guar, a hydratable polysaccharide, a xanthan gum, a galactomannan gum, a glucomannan gum, a cellulose, a hydroxyethylcellulose, a carboxymethylcellulose, a hydroxypropylcellulose, a carboxymethylhydroxyethylcellulose, a poly((meth)acrylic acid), a poly((meth)acrylamide), a copolymer of (meth)acrylic acid and (meth)acrylamide, a C1-8 alkyl poly(meth)acrylate, or a clay; about 100 pounds per barrel to about 600 pounds per barrel of the weighting agent, the weighting agent comprising at least one of barium sulfate, silica flour, fly ash, calcium carbonate, hematite, ilmenite, or siderite; and about 0 gallon per barrel to about 10 gallons per barrel of the surfactant.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the spacer fluid has a density that is higher than a density of the non-aqueous drilling fluid.

14 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising displacing the spacer fluid with a cement slurry.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the wellbore has a bottom hole temperature of about 150° F. to about 350° F.

16 . A spacer fluid comprising:
an aqueous carrier; 0.1 pound per barrel to about 10 pounds per barrel of graphite nanoplates, graphene nanoplatelets, or a combination thereof; 0.1 pound per barrel to 5 pounds per barrel of a gelling agent, the gelling agent comprising at least one of a guar gum, a hydropropyl guar, a carboxymethyl guar, a carboxymethylhydroxypropyl guar, a hydratable polysaccharide, a xanthan gum, a galactomannan gum, a glucomannan gum, a cellulose, a hydroxyethylcellulose, a carboxymethylcellulose, a hydroxypropylcellulose, a carboxymethylhydroxyethylcellulose, a poly((meth)acrylic acid), a poly((meth)acrylamide), a copolymer of (meth)acrylic acid and (meth)acrylamide, a C1-8 alkyl poly(meth)acrylate, or a clay; about 100 pounds per barrel to about 600 pounds per barrel of a weighting agent, the weighting agent comprising at least one of barium sulfate, silica flour, fly ash, calcium carbonate, hematite, ilmenite, or siderite, and about 0 gallon per barrel to about 10 gallons per barrel of a surfactant.

Assignees

• Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations Llc

Inventors

• Doan Angela Anh
• Suresh Radhika
• Ramos-Edwards Violeta

Classifications

• C09K2208/10

  Nanoparticle-containing well treatment fluids · CPC title

• C09K8/40 Primary

  Spacer compositions, e.g. compositions used to separate well-drilling from cementing masses · CPC title