Cationic surfactants for scale inhibitor squeeze applications

• US 10,106,721 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2014
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Multi-Chem Group, LLC (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Yue, Zhiwei, Zhao, Funian, Peng, Yang, Qu, Liangwei, Fan, Chunfang
• Primary Examiner(s): Bates, Zakiya W
• Application Number:
  US15/527,070
• Publication Number:
  US 20170342309A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,401 Days
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/035 Organic additives
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/528 inorganic depositions, e.g. sulfates or carbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/584 characterised by the use of specific surfactants
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 37/06 using chemical means for preventing or limiting , e.g. eliminating, the deposition of paraffins or like substances

Abstract

Methods, compositions, and systems for scale inhibitor squeeze treatments using certain cationic surfactants are provided. In one embodiment, the methods comprise: introducing a pre-flush fluid into at least a portion of a subterranean formation, the pre-flush fluid comprising a cationic surfactant comprising two or more hydrophilic heads, at least one lipophilic tail, and one or more linking groups to which the hydrophilic heads and the lipophilic tail are bonded; and introducing a treatment fluid comprising anionic scale inhibitor into the portion of the subterranean formation after at least a portion of the pre-flush fluid has been introduced into the portion of the subterranean formation.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

introducing a pre-flush fluid into at least a portion of a subterranean formation, the pre-flush fluid comprising a cationic surfactant having the following structural formula;

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising allowing at least a portion of the anionic scale inhibitor to adsorb onto a rock surface in at least a portion of the subterranean formation.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising introducing an after-flush fluid into the portion of the subterranean formation after at least a portion of the anionic scale inhibitor has been introduced into the portion of the subterranean formation.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

shutting in the well bore for a predetermined period of time; and

allowing produced fluids in the subterranean formation to flow from the formation and through the well bore after the shut-in period of time has ended.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the anionic scale inhibitor comprises at least one component selected from the group consisting of:

a phosphonic acid, a phosphoric acid, a phosphorous acid, a phosphate ester, a phosphonate, an aminopolycarboxylic acid, any salt thereof, and any combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the anionic scale inhibitor comprises a polymeric scale inhibitor selected from the group consisting of:

a polyacrylamide, a salt of an acrylamido-methyl propane sulfonate/acrylic acid copolymer, a phosphinated maleic copolymer, a salt of a polymaleic acid/acrylic acid/acrylamido-methyl propane sulfonate terpolymer, and any combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the pre-flush fluid further comprises an anionic scale inhibitor in an amount smaller than the amount of the anionic scale inhibitor in the treatment fluid.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the cationic surfactant is present in the pre-flush fluid in an amount of from about 0.01% to about 5% by volume of the fluid.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the anionic scale inhibitor is present in the treatment fluid in an amount of less than about 10% by volume of the fluid.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the pH in the portion of the subterranean formation is from about 4 to about 8.

11. A method comprising:

introducing a pre-flush fluid into at least a portion of a subterranean formation, the pre-flush fluid comprising a cationic surfactant comprising two or more hydrophilic heads, at least one lipophilic tail, and one or more linking groups to which the hydrophilic heads and the lipophilic tail are bonded, wherein the cationic surfactant comprises the reaction product of a reaction process that comprises (i) a first reaction between a long-chain primary amine and an epihalohydrin, and (ii) a second reaction between the product of the first reaction with a secondary or tertiary amine; and

introducing a treatment fluid comprising an anionic scale inhibitor into the portion of the subterranean formation after at least a portion of the pre-flush fluid has been introduced into the portion of the subterranean formation.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the cationic surfactant comprises at least one surfactant having the following structural formula:

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising allowing at least a portion of the anionic scale inhibitor to adsorb onto a rock surface in at least a portion of the subterranean formation.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising introducing an after-flush fluid into the portion of the subterranean formation after at least a portion of the anionic scale inhibitor has been introduced into the portion of the subterranean formation.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the pre-flush fluid further comprises an anionic scale inhibitor in an amount smaller than the amount of the anionic scale inhibitor in the treatment fluid.

16. A method comprising:

(a) injecting a pre-flush fluid into a well bore penetrating at least a portion of a subterranean formation, the pre-flush fluid comprising a cationic surfactant having the following structural formula;

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising allowing at least a portion of the anionic scale inhibitor to adsorb onto a rock surface in at least a portion of the subterranean formation.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

shutting in the well bore for a predetermined period of time; and

allowing produced fluids in the subterranean formation to flow from the formation and through the well bore after the shut-in period of time has ended.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein one or more of the pre-flush fluid, the treatment fluid, and the after-flush fluid are injected into the well bore using one or more pumps.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the cationic surfactant comprises at least one surfactant having the following structural formula: