Multi-functional surfactant complexes for use in subterranean formations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9725986-B2
Application number	US-201514955292-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 1, 2015
Priority date	Aug 1, 2014
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

Systems and methods for creating and/or using multi-functional surfactant complexes that may enhance surfactant treatments in subterranean formations are provided. In some embodiments, the methods comprise: providing a treatment fluid comprising an aqueous base fluid and one or more multi-functional surfactant complexes that comprise at least one surfactant and at least one polymeric additive, wherein the surfactant and the polymeric additive carry opposite charges; and introducing the treatment fluid into a well bore at a well site penetrating at least a portion of a subterranean formation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
providing a first solution comprising at least one surfactant and a second solution comprising at least one polymeric additive, wherein the surfactant and the polymeric additive carry opposite charges;
using a stop-flow mixing apparatus at a well site to mix the first and second solutions to form one or more multi-functional surfactant complexes that comprise the surfactant and the polymeric additive;
using a low-dose pumping apparatus at the well site to transfer the one or more multi-functional surfactant complexes from the stop-flow mixing apparatus to a blending apparatus at the well site, wherein the low-dose pumping apparatus is capable of transferring a fluid to the blending apparatus at a rate of less than 1 gallon per thousand gallons of fluid mixed in the blending apparatus;
using the blending apparatus to mix the one or more multi-functional surfactant complexes with an aqueous base fluid to form a treatment fluid; and
introducing the treatment fluid into a well bore at the well site penetrating at least a portion of a subterranean formation.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the treatment fluid is a fracturing fluid, and the fracturing fluid is introduced into the well bore at a pressure sufficient to create or enhance one or more fractures within the subterranean formation.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the stop-flow mixing apparatus comprises an observation cell into which the first and second solutions flow after mixing, and a measurement device configured to monitor the contents of the observation cell, and
the method further comprises using the measurement device to confirm the presence of one or more multi-functional surfactant complexes in the observation cell.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein:
the stop-flow mixing apparatus further comprises a stopping syringe in fluid communication with the observation cell; and
the method further comprises using the stopping syringe to stop the flow of the first and second solutions into the observation cell at a predetermined volume.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the measurement device comprises a UV-visible spectrometer.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising using the blending apparatus to mix a plurality of proppant particulates with the one or more multi-functional surfactant complexes and the aqueous base fluid to form the treatment fluid.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the blending apparatus comprises a pump and blending system, and the treatment fluid is introduced into the well bore using the pump and blending system.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the surfactant comprises at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of: a sodium, potassium, or ammonium salt of a long chain alkyl sulfonate; a sodium, potassium, or ammonium salt of a long chain alkyl aryl sulfonate; a dialkyl sodium sulfosuccinate; an alkyl sulfate; an alkyl sulfonate; an alkoxylated sulfate; an ethoxylated alcohol; a polyglucoside; an ethoxylated long-chain alcohol; an alkyl ammonium bromide; a hydroxysultaine; and any combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the polymeric additive comprises at least one polymeric additive selected from the group consisting of: a friction reducer; a clay stabilizer; a biocide; a corrosion inhibitor; a scale inhibitor; and any combination thereof.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the polymeric additive comprises a clay stabilizer.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the polymeric additive is cationic and the surfactant is anionic.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the treatment fluid further comprises one or more salts.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the treatment fluid further comprises one or more additional surfactants.

Assignees

• Multi Chem Group Llc

Inventors

• Xu Liang
• Rane Jayant
• He Kai

Classifications

• C09K8/54

  Compositions for in situ inhibition of corrosion in boreholes or wells · CPC title

• E21B37/06

  using chemical means for preventing or limiting {, e.g. eliminating,} the deposition of paraffins or like substances · CPC title

• C09K8/88

  macromolecular compounds · CPC title

• C09K8/035

  Organic additives · CPC title

• C09K2208/12

  Swell inhibition, i.e. using additives to drilling or well treatment fluids for inhibiting clay or shale swelling or disintegrating · CPC title