Shaped Compressed Pellets for Slow Release of Well Treatment Agents Into a Well and Methods of Using Same

• US 20120012326A1
• Filed: 07/19/2010
• Published: 01/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Holdings LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Gupta, D.V. Satyanarayana, Darby, John Gregory, Shen, Dong
• Granted Patent: US 9,010,430 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/310
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/524 organic depositions, e.g. paraffins or asphaltenes
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/536 characterised by their form or by the form of their components, e.g. encapsulated material
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 37/06 using chemical means for preventing or limiting , e.g. eliminating, the deposition of paraffins or like substances

Abstract

Shaped particulates which have been compressed from a composite of a well treatment agent and adsorbent in a matrix may be introduced into horizontal or deviated oil or gas wells. The well treatment agent of the shaped pellets may be used to prevent and/or control the formation of deposits in a production well.

Claims

1. A method of inhibiting or controlling the rate of release of a well treatment agent in a well by introducing into the well a shaped compressed pellet of a binder and a composite of a well treatment agent adsorbed onto a water-insoluble adsorbent.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the well is a production well.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the shaped compressed pellets are spherical.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the shaped compressed pellets are directly dropped into the well from the well head.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the shaped compressed pellets are directly dropped into the production tubing within the well.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the specific gravity of the shaped compressed pellets is between from about 1.1 to about 3.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the well is a horizontal or deviated well.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the well is a deviated well and wherein the deviations in the well are between from 45°

to about 89°

or wherein the deviations in the well are S-shaped.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the shaped compressed pellet further contains a weighting agent.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the pellet is coated with a resin.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the shaped compressed pellet are introduced into the well in a receptacle and further wherein the receptacle is suspended in the well to a targeted area.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the shaped compressed pellet is cylindrically shaped.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the receptacle is a wire basket.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the receptacle is suspended at the bottom of the well by a wireline.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the receptacle is hung to bottom of a rod pump.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the well treatment agent is selected from the group consisting of corrosion inhibitors, scale inhibitors, paraffin inhibitors, gas hydrate inhibitors, salt formation inhibitors, asphaltene dispersants, foaming agents, oxygen scavengers, biocides and surfactants.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the well treatment agent is a scale inhibitor.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the adsorbent is diatomaceous earth.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, an epoxy resin or a phenolic resin.

20. A method of inhibiting or controlling the formation of unwanted deposits in a deviated well by:

(a) introducing into the tubing in the well a compressed spherical pellet of a binder and a composite of a well treatment agent adsorbed onto a water-insoluble adsorbent;

(b) flowing the spheres over obstructions within the tubing and deviations in the well into a targeted area in the well where unwanted deposits are undesired; and

(c) continuously releasing from the spherical pellet the well treatment agent in the targeted area.

21. A method of inhibiting or controlling the formation of unwanted deposits in a well by:

(a) introducing into the tubing in the well a receptacle containing a compressed spherical pellet of a binder and a composite of a well treatment agent adsorbed onto a water-insoluble adsorbent;

(b) lowering the receptacle to a targeted area in the well where deposits are undesired; and

(c) continuously releasing from the spherical pellet the well treatment agent in the targeted area.