Invert emulsion based drilling fluid and methods of using same

• US 10,683,447 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2017
• Issued: 06/16/2020
• 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: Wagle, Vikrant, Al-Yami, Abdullah, AlHareth, Nasser
• Primary Examiner(s): Bhushan, Kumar R
• Application Number:
  US15/612,397
• Publication Number:
  US 20180223166A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 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
• 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

A drilling fluid composition which includes a base fluid, one or more additives, and a viscosifier package. The base fluid is an invert emulsion comprising oil and water. Further, the one or more additives is chosen from an emulsifier, a weighting material, a fluid-loss control additive, or an alkaline compound. The viscosifier package includes a fatty acid having 6 or more carbon atoms and an aliphatic polyester. The drilling fluid composition has a yield point of from 30 lb_f/100 ft² to 100 lb_f/100 ft² and a low shear yield point of from 10 lb_f/100 ft² to 40 lb_f/100 ft². The associated method of drilling a subterranean well including operating a drill in a wellbore in the presence of the drilling fluid composition is also provided.

Claims

1. A drilling fluid composition comprising:

a base fluid, where the base fluid is an invert emulsion comprising oil and water;

one or more additives chosen from an emulsifier, a weighting material, a fluid-loss control additive, or an alkaline compound; and

a viscosifier package, the viscosifier package comprising;

a fatty acid having 6 or more carbon atoms; and

an aliphatic polyester,

the drilling fluid composition having a yield point of from 30 lb_f/100 ft² to 100 lb_f/100 ft² measured according to API recommended practice 13-B2 in accordance with;

yield point=[2×

(300 rpm reading)]−

(600 rpm reading)

and a low shear yield point of from 10 lb_f/100 ft² to 40 lb_f/100 ft² measured in accordance with;

low shear yield point=[2×

(3 rpm reading)]−

(6 rpm reading),

where the drilling fluid composition comprises from 0.33 lb/bbl to 20 lb/bbl of the viscosifier package.

2. The drilling fluid composition of claim 1 where a weight ratio of fatty acid to polyester in the viscosifier package is 1:

60 to 60;

1.

3. The drilling fluid composition of claim 1 where a weight ratio of fatty acid to polyester in the viscosifier package is 1:

3 to 2;

3.

4. The drilling fluid composition of claim 1 where the fatty acid is a long chain fatty acid having a carbon chain of 12 to 36 carbons.

5. The drilling fluid composition claim 1 where the fatty acid has a carbon chain of 16 to 18 carbons.

6. The drilling fluid composition of claim 1 where the aliphatic polyester is chosen from polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), polycaprolactone, and polyhydroxybutyrate.

7. The drilling fluid composition of claim 1 where the polyester comprises polylactic acid.

8. The drilling fluid composition of claim 1 where the drilling fluid composition comprises less than 0.01 wt. % organoclay.

9. The drilling fluid composition of claim 1 where the drilling fluid composition has a 10 second gel strength of from 10 lb_f/100 ft² to 25 lb_f/100 ft² as determined according to test methods provided in API RP 13B-2.

10. The drilling fluid composition of claim 1 where the drilling fluid composition has a 10 minute gel strength of from 10 lb_f/100 ft² to 50 lb_f/100 ft² as determined according to test methods provided in API RP 13B-2.

11. The drilling fluid composition of claim 1 where the fatty acid is a saturated fatty acid.

12. A method of drilling a subterranean well, the method comprising:

operating a drill in a wellbore in the presence of a drilling fluid composition comprising;

a base fluid, where the base fluid is an invert emulsion comprising oil and water;

one or more additives chosen from an emulsifier, a weighting material, a fluid-loss control additive, or an alkaline compound; and

a viscosifier package, the viscosifier package comprising;

a fatty acid having 6 or more carbon atoms; and

an aliphatic polyester,

the drilling fluid composition having a yield point of from 30 lb_f/100 ft² to 100 lb_f/100 ft² measured according to API recommended practice 13-B2 in accordance with;

yield point=[2×

(300 rpm reading)]−

(600 rpm reading)

and a low shear yield point of from 10 lb_f/100 ft² to 40 lb_f/100 ft² measured in accordance with;

low shear yield point=[2×

(3 rpm reading)]−

(6 rpm reading),

where the drilling fluid composition comprises from 0.33 lb/bbl to 20 lb/bbl of the viscosifier package.

13. The method of drilling a subterranean well of claim 12 where a weight ratio of fatty acid to polyester in the viscosifier package is 1:

60 to 60;

1.

14. The method of drilling a subterranean well of claim 12 where the drilling fluid composition comprises from 0.33 to 10 lb/bbl of the viscosifier package.

15. The method of drilling a subterranean well of claim 12 where the fatty acid is a long chain fatty acid having a carbon chain of 12 to 36 carbons.

16. The method of drilling a subterranean well of claim 12 where the fatty acid has a carbon chain of 16 to 18 carbons.

17. The method of drilling a subterranean well of claim 12 where the aliphatic polyester is chosen from polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), polycaprolactone, and polyhydroxybutyrate.

18. The method of drilling a subterranean well of claim 12 where the drilling fluid composition has a 10 second gel strength of from 10 lb_f/100 ft² to 25 lb_f/100 ft² as determined according to test methods provided in API RP 13B-2.

19. The method of drilling a subterranean well of claim 12 where the drilling fluid composition has a 10 minute gel strength of from 10 lb_f/100 ft² to 50 lb_f/100 ft² as determined according to test methods provided in API RP 13B-2.