Self-Degrading High Temperature Stable Gel for Downhole Applications
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- providing a treatment fluid comprising an aqueous carrier fluid, a crosslinking agent, a pH-adjusting agent, and a terpolymer that comprises 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid, acrylamide, and acrylic acid monomer units, or any salt thereof, with the proviso that the treatment fluid does not include any gel stabilizers;
introducing the treatment fluid into a subterranean formation;
allowing the treatment fluid to form a gel in the subterranean formation; and
allowing the gel to break, without using an external breaker, after the gel has been in the subterranean formation for at least about one day.
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Abstract
A method of treating a subterranean formation including providing a treatment fluid comprising an aqueous carrier fluid, a crosslinking agent, a pH-adjusting agent, and a terpolymer that comprises 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid, acrylamide, and acrylic acid monomer units, or any salt thereof, where the treatment fluid does not include any gel stabilizers, or only minimal amounts of gel stabilizers. The treatment fluid is introduced into a subterranean formation and is allowed to form a gel in the subterranean formation. The gel is broken, without using an external breaker, after the gel has been in the subterranean formation for at least about one day.
12 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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providing a treatment fluid comprising an aqueous carrier fluid, a crosslinking agent, a pH-adjusting agent, and a terpolymer that comprises 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid, acrylamide, and acrylic acid monomer units, or any salt thereof, with the proviso that the treatment fluid does not include any gel stabilizers; introducing the treatment fluid into a subterranean formation; allowing the treatment fluid to form a gel in the subterranean formation; and allowing the gel to break, without using an external breaker, after the gel has been in the subterranean formation for at least about one day. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method comprising:
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providing a treatment fluid comprising an aqueous carrier fluid, a crosslinking agent, a pH-adjusting agent, a gel stabilizer present in the amount of less than about 0.05% by volume of the treatment fluid, and a terpolymer that comprises 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid, acrylamide, and acrylic acid monomer units, or any salt thereof; introducing the treatment fluid into a subterranean formation; allowing the treatment fluid to form a crosslinked gel in the subterranean formation that, after formation, at least partially blocks the flow of formation fluids from at least a portion of the subterranean formation; and allowing the crosslinked gel to break, without using an external breaker, after it has been in the subterranean formation for at least about one day. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A treatment fluid comprising:
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an aqueous carrier fluid present in the amount of from about 85% to about 98.4% by volume of the treatment fluid; a terpolymer that comprises 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid, acrylamide, and acrylic acid monomer units, or any salt thereof, present in the amount of from about 1% to about 10% by volume of the treatment fluid; a crosslinking agent capable of crosslinking the terpolymer, present in the amount of from about 0.1% to about 5% by volume of the treatment fluid; a pH-adjusting agent present in the amount of from about 0.5% to about 5% by volume of the treatment fluid, and a gel stabilizer present in the amount of less than about 0.05% by volume of the treatment fluid. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification