Invert emulsion fluid containing a hygroscopic liquid, a polymeric suspending agent, and low-density solids

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9518206-B2
Application number	US-201414450217-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 2, 2014
Priority date	Jul 20, 2011
Publication date	Dec 13, 2016
Grant date	Dec 13, 2016

Abstract

An invert emulsion treatment fluid comprises: (A) an external phase, wherein the external phase comprises a hydrocarbon liquid; (B) an internal phase, wherein the internal phase comprises a hygroscopic liquid; (C) a suspending agent, wherein the suspending agent is a polymer, and wherein the polymer comprises urea linkages; and (D) a particulate, wherein the particulate has a density less than 3.5 g/cm 3 , wherein a test fluid consisting essentially of the external phase, the internal phase, the suspending agent, and the particulate, and in the same proportions as the treatment fluid, and after static aging for 2 months at a temperature of 200° F. (93.3° C.), has a 10 minute gel strength of at least 30 lb/100 ft 2 (1,436 Pa) at a temperature of 120° F. (48.9° C.). A method of using the invert emulsion treatment fluid comprises: introducing the treatment fluid into a portion of a subterranean formation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An invert emulsion treatment fluid comprising:
(A) an external phase, wherein the external phase comprises a hydrocarbon liquid;
(B) an internal phase, wherein the internal phase comprises a hygroscopic liquid;
(C) a suspending agent, wherein the suspending agent is a polymer, and wherein the polymer comprises urea linkages; and
(D) a particulate, wherein the particulate has a density less than 3.5 g/cm 3 , wherein the particulate is in a concentration in the range of about 35 to about 200 pounds per barrel of the treatment fluid,
wherein a test fluid consisting essentially of the external phase, the internal phase, the suspending agent, and the particulate, and in same proportions as the treatment fluid, and after static aging for 2 months at a temperature of 200° F. (93.3° C.), has a 10 minute gel strength of at least 30 lb/100 ft 2 (1,436 Pa) at a temperature of 120° F. (48.9° C.).

2. The fluid according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon liquid is selected from the group consisting of: a fractional distillate of crude oil; a fatty derivative of an acid, an ester, an ether, an alcohol, an amine, an amide, or an imide; a saturated hydrocarbon; an unsaturated hydrocarbon; a branched hydrocarbon; a cyclic hydrocarbon; and any combination thereof.

3. The fluid according to claim 1 , wherein the hygroscopic liquid comprises an alcohol.

4. The fluid according to claim 3 , wherein the alcohol comprises a glycerol.

5. The fluid according to claim 4 , wherein the glycerol is polyglycerol.

6. The fluid according to claim 1 , wherein the hygroscopic liquid comprises a salt and a suitable solvent.

7. The fluid according to claim 6 , wherein the salt is selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, calcium chloride, calcium bromide, potassium chloride, potassium bromide, magnesium chloride, potassium acetate, potassium formate, magnesium sulfate, and combinations thereof.

8. The fluid according to claim 6 , wherein the solvent is selected such that the salt dissolves in the solvent to form a salt solution.

9. The fluid according to claim 1 , wherein the internal phase is in a concentration in the range of about 0.5% to about 60% by volume of the external phase.

10. The fluid according to claim 1 , wherein the internal phase further comprises water.

11. The fluid according to claim 10 , wherein the water is in a concentration in the range of about 5% to about 90% by weight of the internal phase.

12. The fluid according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer further comprises urethane linkages.

13. The fluid according to claim 1 , wherein the suspending agent is in at least a sufficient concentration such that the treatment fluid has a sag factor less than or equal to 0.53.

14. The fluid according to claim 1 , wherein the suspending agent is in a concentration in the range of about 0.25 to about 15 pounds per barrel of the treatment fluid.

15. The fluid according to claim 1 , wherein the treatment fluid does not contain an organophilic clay or organophilic lignite.

16. The fluid according to claim 1 , wherein the particulate has a density in the range of about 0.5 to about 3.5 g/cm 3 .

17. The fluid according to claim 1 , wherein the test fluid has a shear strength of at least 20 lb/100 ft 2 at a temperature of 71° F. (21.7° C.).

18. The fluid according to claim 1 , wherein the particulate is selected and is in a sufficient concentration such that the treatment fluid has a 10 minute gel strength of at least 30 lb/100 ft 2 (1,436 Pa) and a shear strength of at least 20 lb/100 ft 2 at a temperature of 71° F. (21.7° C.) at a time of 48 hours.

19. The fluid according to claim 1 , wherein the particulate is selected from the group consisting of ground marble, sepiolite, calcium montmorillonite, solids from a formation, and combinations thereof.

20. An invert emulsion treatment fluid comprising:
(A) an external phase, wherein the external phase comprises a hydrocarbon liquid;
(B) an internal phase, wherein the internal phase comprises a hygroscopic liquid;
(C) a suspending agent, wherein the suspending agent is a polymer, wherein the polymer comprises urea linkages, and wherein the suspending agent is in a concentration in the range of about 0.25 to about 15 pounds per barrel of the treatment fluid; and
(D) a particulate, wherein the particulate has a density less than 3.5 g/cm 3 , wherein the particulate is in a concentration in the range of about 35 to about 200 pounds per barrel of the treatment fluid, and wherein the treatment fluid does not contain an organophilic clay or organophilic lignite.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Maghrabi Shadaab S
• Wagle Vikrant B
• Kulkarni Dhanashree G

Classifications

• C09K8/424

  using "spacer" compositions · CPC title

• C09K8/00 Primary

  Compositions for drilling of boreholes or wells; Compositions for treating boreholes or wells, e.g. for completion or for remedial operations · CPC title

• C09K8/46

  containing inorganic binders, e.g. Portland cement · CPC title

• C09K8/36 Primary

  Water-in-oil emulsions · CPC title