Treatment fluids for reduction of water blocks, Oil blocks, and/or gas condensates and associated methods

• US 20100285999A1
• Filed: 05/08/2009
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Saini, Rajesh K., Norman, Lewis R., Hall, Bobby E., Ghosh, Anindya
• Granted Patent: US 8,101,556 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 507/240
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/52 Compositions for preventing, limiting or eliminating depositions, e.g. for cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/602 containing surfactants
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/68 containing organic compounds

Abstract

The present invention provides treatment fluids useful for subterranean operations, and more particularly, in at least one aspect, a treatment fluid that comprises a carrier fluid and a cationic surfactant comprising a cationic head group, a polar group attached to the head group, and a hydrophobic group that is either a saturated or unsaturated, branched or straight chain alkyl, and comprises about 6 carbons to about 22 carbons. The treatment fluids of the present invention are at least suitable for use as a remedial treatment for the reduction of existing water blocks, oil blocks, and/or gas condensates.

Claims

1. A method of treating a well bore comprising:

introducing a treatment fluid into a subterranean formation, wherein the treatment fluid comprises a carrier fluid and a cationic surfactant, the a cationic surfactant comprising a cationic head group, a polar group attached to the head group, and a hydrophobic group that is either a saturated or unsaturated, branched or straight chain alkyl, and comprises about 6 carbons to about 22 carbons.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the cationic surfactant reduces the occurrence of water blocks and/or gas condensates in a portion of the subterranean formation.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the cationic surfactant is adsorbed onto a rock surfaces in a portion of the formation.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the cationic surfactant has an initial flow rate through a vertical sand column in the range of about 0.5 ml/sec to about 0.1 ml/sec.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprises the step of producing a fluid comprising a gas from the subterranean formation.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the ether comprises at least one ether selected from the group consisting of end capped ethylene oxide, end capped propylene oxide, and any derivative thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the cationic surfactant comprises a surfactant having the following general structure:

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the cationic surfactant comprises a surfactant having the following general structure:

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the cationic surfactant comprises a surfactant having the following general structure:

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the cationic surfactant is present in an amount of about 0.01% to about 10% by weight of the treatment fluid.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the subterranean formation comprises coal bed methane.

12. A method comprising:

providing a treatment fluid comprising;

a carrier fluid; and

a cationic surfactant comprising a cationic head group, a polar group attached to the head group, and a hydrophobic group that is either a saturated or unsaturated, branched or straight chain alkyl, and comprises about 6 carbons to about 22 carbons;

introducing the treatment fluid into a subterranean formation at or above a pressure sufficient to create or enhance one or more fractures in the subterranean formation.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the cationic surfactant reduces the occurrence of water blocks and/or gas condensates in a portion of the subterranean formation.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the cationic surfactant is adsorbed onto a rock surfaces in a portion of the formation.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the subterranean formation comprises coal bed methane.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the ether comprises at least one ether selected from the group consisting of ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, and any derivative thereof.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the cationic surfactant has an initial flow rate through a vertical sand column in the range of about 0.5 ml/sec to about 0.1 ml/sec.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the cationic surfactant comprises a surfactant having the following general structure:

19. The method of claim 12 wherein the cationic surfactant comprises a surfactant having the following general structure:

20. The method of claim 12 wherein the cationic surfactant comprises a surfactant having the following general structure:

21. The method of claim 12 wherein the cationic surfactant is present in an amount of about 0.01% to about 10% by weight of the treatment fluid.

22. The method of claim 12 wherein the treatment fluid comprises a plurality of proppant particulates.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein the cationic surfactant comprises an initial flow rate through the vertical sand column in the range of about 0.5 ml/sec to about 0.1 ml/sec.

23. A treatment fluid comprising:

a carrier fluid; and

a cationic surfactant comprising a cationic head group, a polar group attached to the head group, and a hydrophobic group that is either a saturated or unsaturated, branched or straight chain alkyl, and comprises about 6 carbons to about 22 carbons.