Methods and compositions for use in oil and/or gas wells

• US 9,464,223 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flotek Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Flotek Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Champagne, Lakia M., Fursdon-Welsh, Angus, Lett, Nathan L., Green, Maria Elizabeth
• Primary Examiner(s): Bland, Alicia
• Application Number:
  US14/212,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20140284057A1
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/26 Oil-in-water emulsions
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/36 Water-in-oil emulsions
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/40 Spacer compositions, e.g. compositions used to separate well-drilling from cementing masses
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/42 Compositions for cementing, e.g. for cementing casings into boreholes; Compositions for plugging, e.g. for killing wells compositions for plastering C09K8/50
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/584 characterised by the use of specific surfactants
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/602 containing surfactants
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/62 Compositions for forming crevices or fractures
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/16 Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons

Abstract

Methods and compositions comprising an emulsion or a microemulsion for use in various aspects of the life cycle of an oil and/or gas well are provided. In some embodiments, the emulsion or the microemulsion comprises water, a solvent, and a surfactant, and optionally, one or more additives.

Claims

1. A composition for use in an oil and/or gas well having a wellbore, comprising a fluid and an emulsion or microemulsion, wherein the emulsion or the microemulsion comprises:

water;

an alcohol;

a solvent comprising a terpene; and

a surfactant, wherein the surfactant has a structure as in Formula I;

2. The composition as in claim 1, wherein the surfactant comprises a styrylphenol ethoxylate surfactant.

3. The composition as in claim 1, wherein R⁷ is —

CH═

CHAr.

4. The composition as in claim 1, wherein R⁸ is —

CH═

CHAr.

5. The composition as in claim 1, wherein R⁹ is —

CH═

CHAr.

6. The composition as in claim 1, wherein R¹⁰ is hydrogen.

7. The composition as in claim 1, wherein R¹¹ is hydrogen.

8. The composition as in claim 1, wherein R¹² is hydrogen.

9. The composition as in claim 1, wherein n=10.

10. The composition as in claim 1, wherein the alcohol comprises isopropanol.

11. The composition as in claim 1, wherein the terpene is d-limonene.

12. The composition as in claim 1, wherein the terpene is a citrus terpene.

13. The composition as in claim 1, wherein the terpene is dipentene.

14. The composition as in claim 1, wherein R¹² is a C_1-6 alkyl.

15. The composition as in claim 1, wherein R¹² is methyl or ethyl.