Hydro-fracking method using an aloe vera fracturing fluid

• US 10,442,971 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2018
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: King Fahd University Of Petroleum And Minerals
• Original Assignee: King Fahd University Of Petroleum And Minerals
• Inventors: Hossain, Mohammed Enamul
• Primary Examiner(s): Loikith, Catherine
• Application Number:
  US15/882,245
• Publication Number:
  US 20180155600A1
• Time in Patent Office: 624 Days
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2208/34 Lubricant additives
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/04 Aqueous well-drilling compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/05 containing inorganic compounds only, e.g. mixtures of clay and salt
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/20 Natural organic compounds or derivatives thereof, e.g. polysaccharides or lignin derivatives
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/665 containing inorganic compounds proppants C09K8/80
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/68 containing organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/70 characterised by their form or by the form of their components, e.g. foams
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/845 containing inorganic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/86 containing organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/92 characterised by their form or by the form of their components, e.g. encapsulated material C09K8/70 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/003 Means for stopping loss of drilling fluid plastering the borehole wall E21B33/138
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/26 by forming crevices or fractures

Abstract

A drilling mud composition including Aloe vera particles with a largest dimension of 75-600 μm, an aqueous base fluid, and a viscosifier, where the Aloe vera particles are present in the drilling mud composition at a concentration of less than 150 ppm, relative to the total weight of the drilling mud composition. A process for fracking a geological formation, whereby the drilling mud composition is injected into the geological formation through a well bore at a pressure of at least 5,000 psi to fracture the geological formation.

Claims

1. A process for fracturing an underground geological formation, comprising:

mixing water, Aloe vera powder having a largest dimension of 75-600 μ

m, and bentonite to form a drilling mud composition,

wherein the Aloe vera particles are present in the drilling mud composition at a concentration of less than 150 ppm, relative to the total weight of the drilling mud composition; and

wherein the Aloe vera particles comprise 20-60 wt % carbon, 30-36 wt % oxygen, 2-14 wt % calcium, 1-9 wt % potassium, 1-8 wt % chlorine, 1-5 wt % aluminum, and 1-4 wt % phosphorous, relative to the total weight of the Aloe vera particles;

injecting the drilling mud composition into the underground geological formation through a well bore at a pressure of at least 5,000 psi to fracture the underground geological formation and form fissures in the underground geological formation, then

injecting a suspension of sand or quartz into the underground geological formation through the well bore to deposit the sand or the quartz in the fissures.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the bentonite is present in an amount of 0.1-30 wt % relative to the total weight of the drilling mud composition.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein the drilling mud composition has an apparent viscosity of 11-15 cP.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein the drilling mud composition has a plastic viscosity of 7.5-10.5 cP.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein the drilling mud composition has a yield point of 5-12 lb/100 f.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein the drilling mud composition has a gel strength of 3-15 lb/100 ft² after 10 seconds.

7. The process of claim 1, wherein the drilling mud composition reduces a % loss of the aqueous base fluid in the underground geological formation during the injecting compared to a drilling mud composition that is substantially the same without the Aloe vera particles.

8. The process of claim 1, further comprising circulating the drilling mud composition within the well bore after the injecting.

9. The process of claim 8, wherein the drilling mud composition is circulated for at least 30 minutes.

10. The process of claim 1, wherein the drilling mud composition further comprises at least one additive selected from the group consisting of an antiscalant, a thickener, a deflocculant, an anionic polyelectrolyte, a lubricant, a fluid loss additive, and a weighting agent.