High-temperature lubricants comprising elongated carbon nanoparticles for use in subterranean formation operations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9493723-B2
Application number	US-201314371829-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2013
Priority date	Aug 30, 2013
Publication date	Nov 15, 2016
Grant date	Nov 15, 2016

Abstract

An embodiment disclosed herein provides a high-temperature lubricant comprising an oil-soluble lubricating base fluid or a water-soluble lubricating base fluid; and elongated carbon nanoparticles that align in flow. In some embodiments, the lubricating composition may be selected from the group consisting of graphene nanoribbons; carbon nanotubes; carbon nanohorns; and any combination thereof.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A drill bit comprising:
a rotary joint defining a sealed segment and an unsealed segment,
wherein the sealed segment comprises a high-temperature lubricant comprising an oil-soluble lubricating base fluid or a water-soluble lubricating base fluid and elongated carbon nanoparticles that align in flow in response to frictional forces in the oil-soluble lubricating base fluid or the water-soluble lubricating base fluid;
wherein the elongated carbon nanoparticles are graphene nanoribbons having a width in the range of from about 5 nm to about 50 nm and a length in the range of from about 100 nm to about 2 μm; and,
wherein the elongated carbon nanoparticles are functionalized so as to at least partially solubilize the elongated carbon nanoparticles into the oil-soluble lubricating base fluid or the water-soluble lubricating base fluid.

2. The drill bit of claim 1 , wherein the elongated carbon nanoparticles are functionalized with a water-solubilizing group; an oil-solubilizing group; and any combination thereof.

3. The drill bit of claim 2 , wherein the water-solubilizing group is selected from the group consisting of a carboxyl group; a sulfonate group; a sulfate group; a phosphate group; a phosphonate group; a saccharide group; a nucleoside group; a nucleotide group; a peptide group; a glycol group; a polyethylene oxide group; a polyethylene glycol group; a hydroxyl group; a sulfuric acid ester group; an epoxide group; an aldehyde group; a carbonyl group; a haloformyl group; a carbonate ester group; an ester group; a methoxy group; a hydroperoxy group; a peroxy group; an ether group; a meiacetal group; a meniketal group; an acetal group; an orthoester group; an orthocarbonate ester group; and any combination thereof.

4. The drill bit of claim 2 , wherein the oil-solubilizing group is a hydrocarbyl group selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group; an alkenyl group; an alkynyl group; a phenyl group; an aryl group; a cycloalkyl group; a prenyl group; a trityl group; a methanidyl group; a adamantan-2-yl group; a cycloalkenyl group; a cycloalkatrienyl group; a cycloalkadienyl group; a C 60 fullerene group; and any combination thereof.

5. A method of drilling a subterranean formation comprising:
providing a drill bit comprising a rotary joint defining a sealed segment and an unsealed segment,
wherein the sealed segment comprises a high-temperature lubricant comprising an oil-soluble lubricating base fluid or a water-soluble lubricating base fluid, and elongated carbon nanoparticles that align in flow in response to frictional forces in the oil-soluble lubricating base fluid or the water-soluble lubricating base fluid;
wherein the elongated carbon nanoparticles are functionalized so as to at least partially solubilize the elongated carbon nanoparticles into the oil-soluble lubricating base fluid or the water-soluble lubricating base fluid; and, drilling a well bore in the subterranean formation with the drill bit.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the elongated carbon nanoparticles are functionalized with a water-solubilizing group; an oil-solubilizing group; and any combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the water-solubilizing group is selected from the group consisting of a carboxyl group; a sulfonate group; a sulfate group; a phosphate group; a phosphonate group; a saccharide group; a nucleoside group; a nucleotide group; a peptide group; a glycol group; a polyethylene oxide group; a polyethylene glycol group; a hydroxyl group; a sulfuric acid ester group; an epoxide group; an aldehyde group; a carbonyl group; a haloformyl group; a carbonate ester group; an ester group; a methoxy group; a hydroperoxy group; a peroxy group; an ether group; a meiacetal group; a meniketal group; an acetal group; an orthoester group; an orthocarbonate ester group; and any combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the oil-solubilizing group is a hydrocarbyl group selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group; an alkenyl group; an alkynyl group; a phenyl group; an aryl group; a cycloalkyl group; a prenyl group; a trityl group; a methanidyl group; a adamantan-2-yl group; a cycloalkenyl group; a cycloalkatrienyl group; a cycloalkadienyl group; a C 60 fullerene group; and any combination thereof.

9. A high-temperature lubricant comprising:
an oil-soluble lubricating base fluid having a decomposition temperature of greater than about 200° C.; and
elongated carbon nanoparticles that align in flow in response to frictional forces in the oil-soluble lubricating base fluid,
wherein the elongated carbon nanoparticles are functionalized with an oil-solubilizing group selected from the group consisting of a hydrocarbyl group selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group; an alkenyl group; an alkynyl group; a phenyl group; an aryl group; a cycloalkyl group; a prenyl group; a trityl group; a methanidyl group; a adamantan-2-yl group; a cycloalkenyl group; a cycloalkatrienyl group; a cycloalkadienyl group; a C 60 fullerene group; and any combination thereof, and
wherein functionalization at least partially solubilizes the elongated carbon nanoparticles into the oil-soluble lubricating base fluid.

10. The high-temperature lubricant of claim 9 , wherein the oil-soluble lubricating base fluid is selected from the group consisting of animal oil; vegetable oil; mineral oil; diesel oil, crude oil; a petroleum derivative; a glycol; an ester; a silicone; a stearate; a polyoxyethylene; an oil-soluble polymer; and any combination thereof.

11. The high-temperature lubricant of claim 9 , wherein the elongated carbon nanoparticles are selected from the group consisting of graphene nanoribbons; carbon nanotubes; carbon nanohorns; and any combination thereof.

12. The high-temperature lubricant of claim 11 , wherein the graphene nanoribbons are in the range of from about 5 nm to about 50 nm in width and in the range of from about 100 nm to about 2 μm in length.

13. A high-temperature lubricant comprising:
a water-soluble lubricating base fluid having a decomposition temperature of greater than about 120° C.; and
elongated carbon nanoparticles that align in flow in response to frictional forces in the water-soluble lubricating base fluid,
wherein the elongated carbon nanoparticles are functionalized with a water-solubilizing group selected from the group consisting of a carboxyl group; a sulfonate group; a sulfate group; a phosphate group; a phosphonate group; a saccharide group; a nucleoside group; a nucleotide group; a peptide group; a glycol group; a polyethylene oxide group; a polyethylene glycol group; a hydroxyl group; a sulfuric acid ester group; an epoxide group; an aldehyde group; a carbonyl group; a haloformyl group; a carbonate ester group; an ester group; a methoxy group; a hydroperoxy group; a peroxy group; an ether group; a meiacetal group; a meniketal group; an acetal group; an orthoester group; an orthocarbonate ester group; and any combination thereof, and
wherein functionalization at least partially solubilizes the elongated carbon nanoparticles into the water-soluble lubricating base fluid.

14. The high-temperature lubricant of claim 13 , wherein the water-soluble lubricating base fluid is selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic alcohol; a polyalkylene glycol; a di(alkylene) glycol; a monoalkyl ether of an alkylene glycol; a monoalkyl ether of a di(alkylene) glycol; and any combination thereof.

15. The high-temperature lubricant of claim 13 , wherein the elongated carbon nanoparticles are selected from the group consisting of graphene nanoribbons; carbon na

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Sui Ping
• Duckworth David

Classifications

• E21B33/10

  in the borehole {(sealing the junction between main bore and laterals E21B41/0042)} · CPC title

• E21B10/24

  characterised by lubricating details (E21B10/23 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C10M2201/041

  Carbon; Graphite; Carbon black · CPC title

• C10M2229/025

  used as base material · CPC title

• C10N2030/70

  Soluble oils · CPC title