Drilling fluid compositions with enhanced rheology and methods of using same

• US 10,351,750 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2017
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Inventors: AlBahrani, Hussain, Al-Yami, Abdullah, Safran, Ali, Alhelal, Abdulaziz
• Primary Examiner(s): Washville, Jeffrey D
• Application Number:
  US15/485,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20180223158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/06 Quartz; Sand
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 18/08 Flue dust , i.e. fly ash
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 18/141 Slags
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 18/146 Silica fume
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/12 Set accelerators
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/22 Set retarders
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/40 Surface-active agents, dispersants
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/46 Water-loss or fluid-loss reducers, hygroscopic or hydrophilic agents, water retention agents
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/50 Defoamers, air detrainers
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/00068 Mortar or concrete mixtures with an unusual water/cement ratio
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2201/20 for the density
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/02 Alcohols; Phenols; Ethers
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/026 Fatty alcohols
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/04 Carboxylic acids; Salts, anhydrides or esters thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/08 Fats; Fatty oils; Ester type waxes; Higher fatty acids, i.e. having at least seven carbon atoms in an unbroken chain bound to a carboxyl group; Oxidised oils or fats
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/085 Higher fatty acids
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/32 Polyethers, e.g. alkylphenol polyglycolether
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 28/02 containing hydraulic cements other than calcium sulfates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 28/04 Portland cements
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 28/08 Slag cements
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 38/02 : by adding chemical blowing agents
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 7/02 : Portland cement
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 7/527 : obtaining cements characterised by fineness, e.g. by multi-modal particle size distribution
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2208/12 : Swell inhibition, i.e. using additives to drilling or well treatment fluids for inhibiting clay or shale swelling or disintegrating
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2208/34 : Lubricant additives
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 23/00 : Use of substances as emulsifying, wetting, dispersing, or foam-producing agents
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 23/018 : Mixtures of two or more different organic oxygen-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 23/38 : Alcohols, e.g. oxidation products of paraffins
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 23/42 : Ethers, e.g. polyglycol ethers of alcohols or phenols
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/03 : Specific additives for general use in well-drilling compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/032 : Inorganic additives
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/035 : Organic additives
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/04 : Aqueous well-drilling compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/08 : containing natural organic compounds, e.g. polysaccharides, or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/20 : Natural organic compounds or derivatives thereof, e.g. polysaccharides or lignin derivatives
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/22 : Synthetic organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/24 : Polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/28 : containing organic additives
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/32 : Non-aqueous well-drilling compositions, e.g. oil-based
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/36 : Water-in-oil emulsions
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/40 : Spacer compositions, e.g. compositions used to separate well-drilling from cementing masses
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/424 : using "spacer" compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/46 : containing inorganic binders, e.g. Portland cement
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/467 : containing additives for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/48 : Density increasing or weighting additives
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/487 : Fluid loss control additives; Additives for reducing or preventing circulation loss
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/506 : containing organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/508 : macromolecular compounds C09K8/512 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/514 : of natural origin, e.g. polysaccharides, cellulose C09K8/512 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/74 : combined with additives added for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 105/18 : Ethers, e.g. epoxides
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 105/62 : containing hydroxy groups
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 107/34 : Polyoxyalkylenes
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 111/04 : at least one of them being a macromolecular organic compound
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 173/00 : Lubricating compositions containing more than 10% water
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 173/02 : not containing mineral or fatty oils
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/062 : Oxides; Hydroxides; Carbonates or bicarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/08 : Inorganic acids or salts thereof of phosphorus C10M2201/085, of chromium C10M2201/086, of boron C10M2201/087; metal carbonates or bicarbonates C10M2201/062
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/103 : Clays; Mica; Zeolites
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/003 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/046 : Hydroxy ethers
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2209/104 : of alkylene oxides containing two carbon atoms only
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2209/1045 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2209/108 : etherified
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2215/042 : containing hydroxy groups; Alkoxylated derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2215/08 : Amides
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2215/265 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2215/28 : Amides; Imides
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2217/044 : Polyamides
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2020/017 : Specific gravity or density
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2020/02 : Viscosity; Viscosity index
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2020/04 : Molecular weight; Molecular weight distribution
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2030/06 : Oiliness; Film-strength; Anti-wear; Resistance to extreme pressure
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/22 : with essential removal of material , e.g. cutting, grinding or drilling
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/40 : Generators or electric motors in oil or gas winning field
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2050/013 : Water-in-oil
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/00 : Methods or apparatus for flushing boreholes, e.g. by use of exhaust air from motor freeing objects stuck in boreholes by flushing E21B31/03
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/002 : Down-hole drilling fluid separation systems containers comprising collecting means with a strainer E21B27/005; subsoil filtering E21B43/02; down-hole production separators E21B43/38
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/003 : Means for stopping loss of drilling fluid plastering the borehole wall E21B33/138
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/14 : for cementing casings into boreholes
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/25 : Methods for stimulating production by vibrating earth formations E21B43/003
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/91 : Use of waste materials as fillers for mortars or concrete

Abstract

Drilling fluid compositions include a base fluid, at least one additive chosen from an emulsifier, weighting material, fluid-loss additive, viscosifier, or alkali compound, and from 0.1 wt. % to 1 wt. %, based on total weight of the drilling fluid composition, of an ethoxylated alcohol compound having the formula R—(OCH₂CH₂)₇—OH, in which R is a saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched hydrocarbyl group having from 8 to 20 carbon atoms. The base fluid may be an aqueous base fluid. Methods for drilling a subterranean well include operating a drill in a wellbore in the presence of a drilling fluid composition including the base fluid, the additive, and the ethoxylated alcohol compound.

Claims

1. A drilling fluid composition comprising:

a base fluid;

at least one additive chosen from an emulsifier, a weighting material, a fluid-loss additive, a viscosifier, or an alkali compound; and

from 0.1 wt. % to 1 wt. %, based on the total weight of the drilling fluid composition, of an ethoxylated alcohol compound having formula (I);

R—

(OCH₂CH₂)₇—

OH 

 

(I)

where R is a hydrocarbyl group having exactly 12 carbon atoms;

in which

the drilling fluid composition has a density equal to or greater than 90 lbm/ft³.

2. The drilling fluid composition of claim 1 where the drilling fluid composition has a yield point of from 45 lbf/100 ft² to 100 lbf/100 ft² and a 10-second gel strength of from 1 lbf/100 ft² to 30 lbf/100 ft² as determined according to test methods provided in API RP 13B-1.

3. The drilling fluid composition of claim 1, in which the base fluid is an aqueous base fluid.

4. The drilling fluid composition of claim 3, in which the aqueous base fluid comprises at least 50 weight percent water based on the total weight of the aqueous base fluid.

5. The drilling fluid composition of claim 3, in which the aqueous base fluid is chosen from fresh water, filtered water, distilled water, sea water, salt water, produced water, formation brine, or combinations thereof.

6. The drilling fluid composition of claim 1, in which R is a saturated linear hydrocarbyl group.

7. The drilling fluid composition of claim 1, in which R is —

(CH₂)_mCH₃, where m is 11.

8. The drilling fluid composition of claim 1, in which the at least one additive comprises a weighting material.

9. The drilling fluid composition of claim 8, in which the weighting material is chosen from at least one of barite, calcium carbonate, hematite, siderite, or ilmenite.

10. The drilling fluid composition of claim 8 comprising from 1 wt. % to 73 wt. % weighting material, based on the total weight of the drilling fluid composition.

11. The drilling fluid composition of claim 1 comprising from 20 wt. % to 50 wt. % base fluid, based on the total weight of the drilling fluid composition.

12. The drilling fluid composition of claim 1 further comprising from 0.01 wt. % to 0.7 wt. % xanthan gum polymer based on the total weight of the drilling fluid composition.

13. The drilling fluid composition of claim 1 further comprising from 0.01 wt. % to 0.7 wt. % soda ash based on the total weight of the drilling fluid composition.

14. The drilling fluid composition claim 1, in which the at least one additive comprises a weighting material, and in which the drilling fluid composition comprises, based on the total weight of the drilling fluid composition:

from 1 wt. % to 73 wt. % weighting material;

from 0.01 wt. % to 0.7 wt. % soda ash;

from 0.01 wt. % to 3 wt. % pre-hydrated bentonite;

from 0.01 wt. % to 0.7 wt. % xanthan gum polymer;

from 0.1 wt. % to 1.0 wt. % starch;

from 0.01 wt. % to 3 wt. % lime; and

from 0.01 wt. % to 3 wt. % sodium sulfite.