Spacer fluid compositions, methods, and systems for aqueous based drilling mud removal

• US 10,392,550 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2017
• Issued: 08/27/2019
• 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, Wagle, Vikrant
• Primary Examiner(s): Li, Alqun
• Application Number:
  US15/489,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20180223167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• 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 23/018 : 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

Spacer fluids include an emulsion, a surfactant package, and at least one additive that modifies the rheology of the spacer fluid, the density of the spacer fluid, or both. The emulsion may include an aqueous external phase and a hydrocarbon-based internal phase. The surfactant package may include one or more surfactants. The surfactant package may also include a surfactant having the general structure R—(OCH₂CH₂)₉—OH, where R is a hydrocarbyl having 12 carbon atoms, 13 carbon atoms, or 14 carbon atoms. The spacer fluid may contain at least 4.25 pounds of R—(OCH₂CH₂)₉—OH per barrel of the spacer fluid.

Claims

1. A wellbore fluid system comprising:

an aqueous mud in a wellbore; and

a spacer fluid in contact with the aqueous mud in the wellbore, the spacer fluid comprising;

an emulsion comprising an aqueous external phase and a hydrocarbon-based internal phase;

a surfactant package comprising;

one or more surfactants having the chemical structure R(OC₂H₄)₉—

OH, where R is a hydrocarbyl having from 12 to 14 carbon atoms and the surfactant has a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance from 11 to 15; and

at least one additive that modifies the rheology of the spacer fluid, the density of the spacer fluid, or both;

in which;

the density of the spacer fluid, as measured by American Petroleum Institute Recommended Practice 13B-1, is 5% to 20% greater than the density of the aqueous mud as measured by American Petroleum Institute Recommended Practice 13B-1; and

the difference between the yield point of the aqueous mud, as measured by American Petroleum Institute Recommended Practice 13B-1, and the yield point of the spacer fluid, as measured by American Petroleum Institute Recommended Practice 13B-1, is less than or equal to 15 lbf/100 ft².

2. The wellbore fluid system of claim 1, in which the density of the spacer fluid is 10% to 20% greater than the density of the aqueous mud.

3. The wellbore fluid system of claim 1, in which the density of the spacer fluid is 10% to 15% greater than the density of the aqueous mud.

4. The wellbore fluid system of claim 1, in which the difference of the yield point of the aqueous mud and the yield point of the spacer fluid is less than or equal to 10 lbf/100 ft².

5. The wellbore fluid system of claim 1, in which the difference of the yield point of the aqueous mud and the yield point of the spacer fluid is less than or equal to 5 lbf/100 ft².

6. The wellbore fluid system of claim 1, in which the surfactant package has a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance value from 13 to 15.

7. The wellbore fluid system of claim 1, in which the spacer fluid has a yield point from 10 lbf/100 ft² to 50 lbf/100 ft² as measured by American Petroleum Institute Recommended Practice 13B-1.

8. The wellbore fluid system of claim 1, in which the spacer fluid has a yield point from 10 lbf/100 ft² and 25 lbf/100 ft² as measured by American Petroleum Institute Recommended Practice 13B-1.

9. The wellbore fluid system of claim 1, in which the spacer fluid has a density from 62.5 pcf to 160 pcf.

10. The wellbore fluid system of claim 1, in which the spacer fluid has a density from 72.0 pcf to 87.5 pcf.

11. The wellbore fluid system of claim 1, in which the hydrocarbon-based internal phase comprises one or more of safra oil, diesel, mineral oil, paraffin oil, ben oil, marula oil, castor oil, palm oil, copra oil, jojoba oil, tung oil, or other oils naturally derived from plants or animals.

12. The wellbore fluid system of claim 1, in which the spacer fluid comprises from 140 pounds to 300 pounds of aqueous external phase per barrel of spacer fluid.

13. The wellbore fluid system of claim 1, in which the spacer fluid comprises from 0.40 pounds to 21 pounds of surfactant package per barrel of spacer fluid.

14. The wellbore fluid system of claim 1, in which the at least one additive comprises one or more of polysaccharides, polyacrylamides, minerals, defoaming agents, BaSO₄, CaCO₃, Fe₂O₃, FeCO₃, FeTiO, bentonite, xanthan gum polymer, polyanionic cellulose.