Stabilizing emulsified acids for carbonate acidizing

• US 8,403,051 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2010
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Holdings LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Huang, Tianping, Crews, James B., Willingham, John R., Mitchell, Richard A., Seth, Kushal
• Primary Examiner(s): Melius, Terry
• Assistant Examiner(s): RUNYAN, SILVANA C
• Application Number:
  US12/903,802
• Publication Number:
  US 20120090845A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 166/307, 166/305.1, 166/310, 166/300, 166/304, 166/270, 166/270.1, 166/403
• US Class Current: 166/307
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2208/10 Nanoparticle-containing well treatment fluids
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/72 Eroding chemicals, e.g. acids
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/74 combined with additives added for specific purposes

Abstract

Emulsified acids have been used to increase production rates of oil and gas in carbonate reservoirs through acid fracturing and matrix acidizing operations. An emulsifier is used to emulsify the aqueous acid with an oil, usually diesel. Very small particles, such as colloidal clay particles and/or nanoparticles increase the stability of the emulsified acids over an elevated temperature range.

Claims

1. A method for acidizing a subterranean carbonate-containing formation, the method comprising:

injecting a stabilized emulsified acid into the subterranean carbonate-containing formation, where the stabilized emulsified acid comprises;

from about 13 to about 45 vol % of at least one oil;

from about 50 to about 85 vol % of an aqueous acid solution comprising at least one acid;

from about 1 to about 5 vol % of at least one emulsifier; and

from about 0.1 to about 5 wt % of acid insoluble nanoparticles, having an average particle size of about 1000 nanometers or less, where the acid insoluble nanoparticles are selected from the group consisting of clays, quartz, tungsten oxide, graphite, graphene, graphene oxide, nano-carbon tubes, and nano-diamonds and combinations thereof; and

dissolving at least a portion of the carbonate in the formation with the acid.

2. The method of claim 1 where the at least one oil is selected from the group consisting of xylene, diesel, toluene, kerosene, other aromatics, refined hydrocarbons and mixtures thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 where the at least one acid is selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, hydrofluoric acid, hydrobromic acid, boric acid, fluoroboric acid, formic acid, acetic acid, glycolic acid, dicarboxylic acid, tricarboxylic acids, aminocarboxylic acids, sulfonic acids, chloracetic acid, hydroxyacetic acid and mixtures thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 where the at least one emulsifier is selected from the group consisting of polysorbates, alkyl sulfosuccinates, alkyl phenols, ethoxylated alkyl phenols, alkyl benzene sulfonates, ethoxylated fatty acid amines, fatty acid amines, stearyl alcohol, lecithin, fatty acids, ethoxylated fatty acids, propoxylated fatty acids, fatty acid salts, tall oils, castor oils, triglycerides, ethoxylated triglycerides, alkyl glucosides, and mixtures and derivatives thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 where the acid concentration in the aqueous acid solution is 10 vol % or greater, based on the aqueous acid solution.

6. The method of claim 1 where the emulsified acid has a viscosity in the range of from about 30 to about 200 cP.

7. A method for acidizing a subterranean carbonate-containing formation, the method comprising:

injecting a stabilized emulsified acid into the subterranean carbonate-containing formation, where the stabilized emulsified acid comprises;

from about 13 to about 45 vol % of at least one oil selected from the group consisting of xylene, diesel, toluene, kerosene, other aromatics, refined hydrocarbons and mixtures thereof;

from about 50 to about 85 vol % of an aqueous acid solution comprising at least one acid is selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, hydrofluoric acid, hydrobromic acid, boric acid, fluoroboric acid, formic acid, acetic acid, glycolic acid, dicarboxylic acid, tricarboxylic acids, aminocarboxylic acids, sulfonic acids, chloracetic acid, hydroxyacetic acid and mixtures thereof;

from about 1 to about 5 vol % of at least one emulsifier selected from the group consisting of polysorbates, alkyl sulfosuccinates, alkyl phenols, ethoxylated alkyl phenols, alkyl benzene sulfonates, ethoxylated fatty acid amines, fatty acid amines, stearyl alcohol, lecithin, fatty acids, ethoxylated fatty acids, propoxylated fatty acids, fatty acid salts, tall oils, castor oils, triglycerides, ethoxylated triglycerides, alkyl glucosides, and mixtures and derivatives thereof; and

from about 0.1 to about 5 wt % of acid insoluble nanoparticles, having an average particle size of about 1000 nanometers or less, where the nanoparticles are selected from the group consisting of clays, quartz, tungsten oxide, graphite, graphene, graphene oxide, nano-carbon tubes, and nano-diamonds and combinations thereof; and

dissolving at least a portion of the carbonate in the formation with the acid.

8. The method of claim 7 where the emulsified acid has a viscosity in the range of from about 30 to about 200 cP.

9. The method of claim 7 where the acid concentration in the aqueous acid solution is 10 vol % or greater, based on the aqueous acid solution.

10. The method of claim 9 where the acid concentration in the aqueous acid solution is 10 vol % or greater, based on the aqueous acid solution.

11. The method of claim 9 where the emulsified acid has a viscosity in the range of from about 30 to about 200 cP.

12. A method for acidizing a subterranean carbonate-containing formation, the method comprising:

injecting a stabilized emulsified acid into the subterranean carbonate-containing formation, where the stabilized emulsified acid comprises;

from about 13 to about 45 vol % of at least one oil;

from about 50 to about 85 vol % of an aqueous acid solution comprising at least one acid;

from about 1 to about 5 vol % of at least one emulsifier; and

from about 0.1 to about 5 wt % of acid insoluble nanoparticles, having an average particle size of about 1000 nanometers or less, where the acid insoluble nanoparticles are selected from the group consisting of clays, quartz, tungsten oxide, graphite, graphene, graphene oxide, nano-carbon tubes, and nano-diamonds and combinations thereof; and

dissolving at least a portion of the carbonate in the formation with the acid;

where the amount of acid insoluble nanoparticles is effective to improve the thermal stability of the stabilized emulsified acid as contrasted with an identical emulsified acid absent the nanoparticles.

13. The method of claim 12 where the at least one oil is selected from the group consisting of xylene, diesel, toluene, kerosene, other aromatics, refined hydrocarbons and mixtures thereof.

14. The method of claim 12 where the at least one acid is selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, hydrofluoric acid, hydrobromic acid, boric acid, fluoroboric acid, formic acid, acetic acid, glycolic acid, dicarboxylic acid, tricarboxylic acids, aminocarboxylic acids, sulfonic acids, chloracetic acid, hydroxyacetic acid and mixtures thereof.

15. The method of claim 12 where the at least one emulsifier is selected from the group consisting of polysorbates, alkyl sulfosuccinates, alkyl phenols, ethoxylated alkyl phenols, alkyl benzene sulfonates, ethoxylated fatty acid amines, fatty acid amines, stearyl alcohol, lecithin, fatty acids, ethoxylated fatty acids, propoxylated fatty acids, fatty acid salts, tall oils, castor oils, triglycerides, ethoxylated triglycerides, alkyl glucosides, and mixtures and derivatives thereof.