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

• US 8,101,556 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2009
• Issued: 01/24/2012
• 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: Norman, Lewis R., Saini, Rajesh K., Ghosh, Anindya, Hall, Bobby E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kugel, Timothy J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ADMASU, ATNAF S
• Application Number:
  US12/387,849
• Publication Number:
  US 20100285999A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 507/219, 507/203, 507/239, 507/240, 507/244, 507/246, 507/248, 507/261, 166/268, 166/270.1, 166/305.1
• 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 comprising:

introducing a treatment fluid into a subterranean formation;

wherein the treatment fluid comprises a carrier fluid and a cationic surfactant;

wherein the cationic surfactant comprises a cationic head group;

a hydrophobic group that is a saturated or unsaturated, branched or straight chain alkyl group comprising about 6 to about 22 carbons; and

a polar group attached to the cationic head group that comprises an amine or a sulfide but not an ether.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cationic surfactant reduces the occurrence of at least one of water blocks or gas condensates in a portion of the subterranean formation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the cationic surfactant is adsorbed on a rock surface in a portion of the subterranean formation.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising producing a fluid comprising a gas from the subterranean formation.

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

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the cationic surfactant has a structure of

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the cationic surfactant has a structure of

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the cationic surfactant comprises about 0.01% to about 10% of the treatment fluid by weight.

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

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the treatment fluid is introduced into the subterranean formation at or above a pressure sufficient to create or enhance one or more fractures therein.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the treatment fluid further comprises a plurality of proppant particulates.

12. A method comprising:

introducing a treatment fluid into a subterranean formation;

wherein the treatment fluid comprises a carrier fluid and a cationic surfactant;

wherein the cationic surfactant has a structure of

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the treatment fluid is introduced into the subterranean formation at or above a pressure sufficient to create or enhance one or more fractures therein.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the cationic surfactant comprises about 0.01% to about 10% of the treatment fluid by weight.

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

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the treatment fluid further comprises a plurality of proppant particulates.

17. A method comprising:

introducing a treatment fluid into a subterranean formation;

wherein the treatment fluid comprises a carrier fluid and a cationic surfactant;

wherein the cationic surfactant has a structure of;

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the cationic surfactant comprises about 0.01% to about 10% of the treatment fluid by weight.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the subterranean formation comprises coal bed methane.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the treatment fluid further comprises a plurality of proppant particulates.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the treatment fluid is introduced into the subterranean formation at or above a pressure sufficient to create or enhance one or more fractures therein.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the cationic surfactant has a structure of

23. A treatment fluid comprising:

a carrier fluid; and

a cationic surfactant;

wherein the cationic surfactant comprises a cationic head group;

a hydrophobic group that is a saturated or unsaturated, branched or straight chain alkyl group comprising about 6 to about 22 carbons; and

a polar group attached to the cationic head group that comprises an amine or a sulfide but not an ether.

24. A treatment fluid comprising:

a carrier fluid; and

a cationic surfactant;

wherein the cationic surfactant has a structure of;