ASSEMBLIES FOR THE PURIFICATION OF A RESERVOIR OR PROCESS FLUID

• US 20110220358A1
• Filed: 08/26/2009
• Published: 09/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Lawrence, Nathan, Robinson, Kay, Meredith, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US13/062,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20110220358A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/301
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 15/00 Separating processes involving the treatment of liquids with solid sorbents using liquid sorbents B01D11/00; ion exchange processes or materials, sorbent materials in general B01J, e.g. sorbents for chromatography B01J20/281; for investigating or analysing materials G01N30/00; Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/26 Synthetic macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3202 characterised by the carrier, support or substrate used for impregnation or coating
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3272 Polymers obtained by reactions otherwise than involving only carbon to carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3278 Polymers being grafted on the carrier
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3282 Crosslinked polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/285 using synthetic organic sorbents
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/286 using natural organic sorbents or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/288 using composite sorbents, e.g. coated, impregnated, multi-layered
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/108 Boron compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/20 Heavy metals or heavy metal compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/22 Chromium or chromium compounds, e.g. chromates
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2303/16 Regeneration of sorbents, filters
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 5/10 using organic substances
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/528 inorganic depositions, e.g. sulfates or carbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/536 characterised by their form or by the form of their components, e.g. encapsulated material
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/54 Compositions for in situ inhibition of corrosion in boreholes or wells
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/68 containing organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/80 Compositions for reinforcing fractures, e.g. compositions of proppants used to keep the fractures open

Abstract

A sugar-based assembly is provided for the removal of a component from a reservoir or process fluid. The sugar-based assembly comprises a sugar optionally bound to a support, and where the support is present, the sugar is bound directly to the support or via a linker group, and the use of the sugar-based assembly in methods of purification of reservoir or process fluids, including subterranean reservoir and process fluids.

Claims

1. A method of removing a component from a reservoir or process fluid comprising a step of contacting the fluid with a sugar-based assembly comprising a sugar which is immobilized in a solid form insoluble in the fluid, whereby to form a complex of the component with the sugar-based assembly and reservoir or process fluid which is depleted of the component.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sugar-based assembly is a particle.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the sugar is a polysaccharide is an alginate.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the polysaccharide is an alginate.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the polysaccharide incorporates modifications to the functional groups present on the polysaccharide chain.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein he polysaccharide is an alginate modified by addition of residues of a dicarboxylic acid.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the polysaccharide is crosslinked.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the sugar-based assembly comprises a sugar immobilized onto a support which is insoluble in the fluid.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the sugar is chemically bound to the support either directly or via a linker group.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the support is a proppant.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the support is a surface of a subterranean formation.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the component which is removed is a scaling ion.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the component is an ion selected from the ions of B, Cu, Fe, Co, Ni, Ba, Ca, Sr, Mo, W, Zn, Cd, Hg, Pb, Pd, Pt, and V.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the component is a Pb ion.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid originates from a subterranean formation and the step of contacting the fluid with the sugar-based assembly takes place at a subterranean location.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the subterranean location is an aquifer, a petroleum reservoir, or a wellbore which penetrates an aquifer or petroleum reservoir.

17. The method of claim 15 additionally comprising the preliminary step of deploying a sugar-based assembly to a subterranean location.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein an additive is provided at the contacting step.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of separating the complex from the depleted reservoir or process fluid.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of releasing the component from the complex.

23. A filter having a sugar-based assembly as defined in claim 1.

24. Use of a filter according to claim 23 in a method of removing a component from a reservoir or process fluid.

25. A downhole tool configured for deployment downhole, the downhole tool comprising a sugar-based assembly as defined in claim 1.

26. A downhole tool according to claim 25, wherein he downhole tool is attachable to a drill string.

27. A downhole tool according to claim 25, wherein the sugar-based assembly is releasable from the downhole tool.

28. A method of recovering a component from a reservoir or process fluid comprising the steps of (i) deploying the downhole tool of claim 25 to a downhole location;

(ii) contacting the sugar-based assembly of the downhole tool with a reservoir or process fluid comprising a component, thereby to from a complex of the sugar-based assembly of the filter and the component, and a reservoir or process fluid which is depleted of the component.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising the step of (iii) removing the downhole tool from the downhole location to a surface location.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the sugar-based assembly of the downhole tool is released from the downhole tool into the reservoir or process fluid.

31. A fracturing fluid having a sugar-based assembly as defined in claim 1.

32. The fracturing fluid according to claim 31, wherein he sugar-based assembly comprises part of a fracturing fluid proppant.

33. A proppant bearing a sugar-based assembly as defined in claim 1.

34. Use of a fracturing fluid according to claim 31 in the hydraulic fracturing treatment of a reservoir.

35. A method of removing a component from a subterranean reservoir or process fluid comprising the steps of (iii) delivering a proppant according to claim 33 to a reservoir fracture thereby to provide a sugar-based assembly of the proppant at a reservoir or process fluid flow path;

and (iv) contacting the sugar-based assembly of the proppant with a reservoir or process fluid, thereby to form a complex of the sugar-based assembly of the proppant and the component, and a reservoir or process fluid which is depleted of the component.

36. The method of claim 35, comprising the preliminary steps of (i) providing a fracturing fluid at a reservoir formation;

and (ii) fracturing the reservoir formation.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the reservoir formation is fractured in a hydraulic fracturing treatment.

38. A sugar-based assembly for recovering a component from a reservoir or process fluid, wherein the sugar-based assembly is as defined in claim 1.

21. A method of removing a component from a reservoir or process fluid comprising a step of contacting the fluid with a filter which comprises a sugar-based assembly comprising a sugar which is immobilized in a solid form insoluble in the fluid, thereby to form a complex of the component with the sugar-based assembly of the filter and a reservoir or process fluid which is depleted of the component.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising a step of separating the reservoir or process fluid depleted of the component from the filter.