Swellable compositions for borehole applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9771510-B2
Application number	US-201514625639-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 19, 2015
Priority date	Apr 28, 2008
Publication date	Sep 26, 2017
Grant date	Sep 26, 2017

Abstract

Compositions that swell on contact with water contain a non-swellable thermoplastic or thermoset polymer and a swellable inorganic compound. In particular, the compositions are suitable for use in subterranean wells such as those used in the oil and gas industry. The polymer may be polypropylene and the inorganic compound may be magnesium oxide.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A swellable composition, suitable for use in subterranean wells, comprising an inorganic material dispersed within a polymer matrix, wherein the inorganic material swells on contact with water due to hydration and phase modification of the inorganic material, and wherein the polymer matrix comprises polyetheretherketone, polyaryletherketones, polyamides (Nylon 6, Nylon 6,6, Nylon 6,12, Nylon 12, Nylon 11), polycarbonate, polystyrene, polyphenylsulphone, polyphenylene sulphide, polysulphone, polytetrafluoroethylene, epoxy resins, furan resins, acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber, hydrogenated acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber and ethylene propylene diene M-class rubber and mixtures thereof.

2. The composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the inorganic material is a metal oxide.

3. The composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the inorganic material comprises magnesium oxide or calcium oxide and mixtures thereof.

4. The composition as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the polymer matrix comprises a thermoplastic or thermoset material.

5. The composition as in claim 1 , wherein the polymer matrix does not swell on contact with water, hydrocarbons or both.

6. The composition as in claim 1 , wherein the polymer matrix swells on contact with water, hydrocarbons or both.

7. A method of treating an apparatus for installation in a borehole, comprising: applying a coating of a swellable composition comprising inorganic material dispersed within a polymer matrix, wherein the inorganic material swells on contact with water due to hydration and phase modification of the inorganic material to surfaces, of the apparatus, that can potentially contact water or other borehole fluids when installed, and wherein the polymer matrix comprises polyetheretherketone, polyaryletherketones, polyamides (Nylon 6, Nylon 6,6, Nylon 6,12, Nylon 12, Nylon 11), polycarbonate, polystyrene, polyphenylsulphone, polyphenylene sulphide, polysulphone, polytetrafluoroethylene, epoxy resins, furan resins, acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber, hydrogenated acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber and ethylene propylene diene M-class rubber and mixtures thereof.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 , comprising applying multiple layers of the composition to form a coating onto the apparatus.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7 , whereby the apparatus comprises a casing, an inflatable packer, an external casing packer or a screen.

10. A method for manufacturing swellable compositions suitable for use in subterranean wells, comprising: dispersing a swellable inorganic material within a polymer matrix comprises polyetheretherketone, polyaryletherketones, polyamides (Nylon 6, Nylon 6,6, Nylon 6,12, Nylon 12, Nylon 11), polycarbonate, polystyrene, polyphenylsulphone, polyphenylene sulphide, polysulphone, polytetrafluoroethylene, epoxy resins, furan resins, acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber, hydrogenated acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber and ethylene propylene diene M-class rubber and mixtures thereof.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the inorganic material is in particulate form when blended with the polymer.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the blending is performed using an extrusion method, batch processing, or a continuous stirred tank reactor.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the particles of inorganic material are surface-treated prior to blending with the polymer to improve bonding to and dispersion within the polymer.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the inorganic material swells on contact with water due to hydration and phase modification of the inorganic material.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the inorganic material comprises a metal oxide.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the metal oxide comprises magnesium oxide or calcium oxide and mixtures thereof.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the polymer matrix comprises a thermoplastic or a thermoset material.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the polymer matrix does not swell on contact with water, hydrocarbons or both.

19. The method of claim 10 , wherein the polymer matrix swells on contact with water, hydrocarbons or both.

Assignees

• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• James Simon Gareth
• Drochon Bruno

Classifications

• C09K8/516

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

• C04B22/064

  of the alkaline-earth metals · CPC title

• C09K8/5083

  obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds · CPC title

• C09K8/467

  containing additives for specific purposes · CPC title

• C09K8/42

  Compositions for cementing, e.g. for cementing casings into boreholes; Compositions for plugging, e.g. for killing wells (compositions for plastering C09K8/50) · CPC title