WETTABILITY ALTERING GELLABLE TREATMENT FLUIDS

• US 20140367111A1
• Filed: 06/12/2013
• Published: 12/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Shumway, William Walter, Deville, Jay Paul, Gamage, Pubudu H.
• Application Number:
  US13/916,086
• Publication Number:
  US 20140367111A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/308.5
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2208/30 Viscoelastic surfactants [VES]
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/12 containing synthetic organic macromolecular compounds or their precursors
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/5083 obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/512 containing cross-linking agents
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/528 inorganic depositions, e.g. sulfates or carbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/5756 containing cross-linking agents
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/605 containing biocides
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/685 containing cross-linking agents
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/725 Compositions containing polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/882 obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/887 containing cross-linking agents

Abstract

Gellable treatment fluids containing an acrylamide copolymer and a suitable surfactant can be used in various subterranean operations where it is necessary for the treatment fluid to remain in a gelled state for extended periods of time at high formation temperatures. The surfactants are chosen to increase the relative permeability of the hydrocarbons in the subterranean formation by wettability alteration.

Claims

1. A treatment fluid for a subterranean formation comprising:

an aqueous carrier fluid;

a crosslinking agent;

an acrylamide copolymer; and

a relative permeability modifier.

2. The treatment fluid of claim 1 wherein said relative permeability modifier comprises a surfactant selected from the group consisting of alkyl amidopropyl amine betaines, alkyl betaines, alkyl amine oxides and combinations thereof, wherein said alkyl of said surfactant in the group is selected from the group consisting of decyl, cocoyl, lauryl, cetyl and oleyl.

3. The treatment fluid of claim 2 wherein said surfactant comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of laurylamidopropyl betaine;

lauryl betaine, and lauryl amine oxide.

4. The treatment fluid of claim 2 wherein said relative permeability modifier further comprises a co-surfactant.

5. The treatment fluid of claim 4 wherein said surfactant is introduced as a solution in said co-surfactant into a mixture of said aqueous carrier fluid, crosslinking agent, gel stabilizer and acrylamide copolymer.

6. The treatment fluid of claim 4 wherein said surfactant and co-surfactant are introduced as a microemulsion into a mixture of said aqueous carrier fluid, crosslinking agent, gel stabilizer and acrylamide copolymer.

7. The treatment fluid of claim 4 wherein said co-surfactant is an alcohol.

8. The treatment fluid of claim 5 wherein said alcohol is butanol.

9. The treatment fluid of claim 1 wherein said acrylamide copolymer is a terpolymer that comprises 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid, acrylamide and acrylic acid monomer units or any salt thereof.

10. The treatment fluid of claim 9 further comprising a gel stabilizer and wherein said relative permeability modifier comprises laurylamidopropyl betaine and butanol and said laurylamidopropyl is introduced as a solution in said butanol, into a mixture of said aqueous carrier fluid, crosslinking agent, gel stabilizer and acrylamide copolymer.

11. The treatment fluid of claim 9 further comprising a gel stabilizer and wherein said relative permeability modifier comprises lauryl betaine and butanol and said lauryl betaine is introduced as a solution in said butanol into a mixture of said aqueous carrier fluid, crosslinking agent, gel stabilizer and acrylamide copolymer.

12. The treatment fluid of claim 9 further comprising a gel stabilizer and wherein said relative permeability modifier comprises lauryl amine oxide and butanol and said lauryl amine oxide is introduced as a solution in butanol into a mixture of said aqueous carrier fluid, crosslinking agent, gel stabilizer and acrylamide copolymer.

13. A process for formulating a kill pill for a subterranean formation comprising:

adding an acrylamide copolymer to an aqueous carrier fluid while mixing to produce a first mixture;

adjusting the pH of said first mixture to from 2 to 4 to produce a pH adjusted mixture;

mixing in a crosslinking agent to said pH adjusted mixture to produce a second mixture; and

mixing into said second mixture a relative permeability modifier, wherein said relative permeability modifier comprises a surfactant selected from the group consisting of alkyl amidopropyl amine betaines, alkyl betaines, alkyl amine oxides and combinations thereof, wherein said alkyl of said surfactant in the group is selected from the group consisting of decyl, cocoyl, lauryl, cetyl and oleyl.

14. The process of claim 13 further comprising, after mixing in any said relative permeability modifier, mixing in an antioxidant and a stabilizer, and thereafter adjusting the pH to be from 1 to 6.

15. The process of claim 13 wherein said surfactant comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of laurylamidopropyl betaine, lauryl betaine, and lauryl amine oxide, into said second mixture to produce said kill pill.

16. The process of claim 13 further comprising adjusting the pH of said kill pill after mixing in said surfactant such that said kill pill has a pH from 3 to 5.

17. The process of claim 13 further comprising mixing in a gel stabilizer after said mixing in of said surfactant.

18. The process of claim 13 wherein said relative permeability modifier further comprises a co-surfactant.

19. The process of claim 18 wherein said co-surfactant is an alcohol.

20. The process of claim 19 wherein said surfactant is in solution in said alcohol when said permeability modifier is mixed into said second mixture.

21. The process of claim 19 wherein said surfactant and said alcohol are in a microemulsion when said permeability modifier is mixed into said second mixture.

22. The process of claim 19 wherein said alcohol is butanol.

23. The process of claim 13 wherein said acrylamide copolymer is a terpolymer that comprises 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid, acrylamide and acrylic acid monomer units or any salt thereof.

24. A method of treating a subterranean formation comprising:

providing a treatment fluid comprising an aqueous carrier fluid, a crosslinking agent, an acrylamide copolymer, and a relative permeability modifier comprising a surfactant selected from the group consisting of alkyl amidopropyl amine betaines, alkyl betaines, alkyl amine oxides and combinations thereof, wherein said alkyl of said surfactant in the group is selected from the group consisting of decyl, cocoyl, lauryl, cetyl and oleyl;

introducing said treatment fluid into a subterranean formation;

allowing said treatment fluid to form a gel in said subterranean formation; and

breaking said gel after it has been in said subterranean formation for at least about one day.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein said surfactant comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of laurylamidopropyl betaine;

lauryl betaine, and lauryl amine oxide.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein said acrylamide copolymer is a terpolymer that comprises 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid, acrylamide and acrylic acid monomer units or any salt thereof.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein said relative permeability modifier further comprises an alcohol co-surfactant.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein said alcohol is butanol.