Patent Application
20080009421
Embodiments disclosed herein relate to fluid loss additives in wellbore fluid mud formulations. In particular, some embodiments disclosed herein relate to fluid loss additives which are condensation reaction products of quebracho and lipophilic amines. In the following description, numerous details are set forth to provide an understanding of the present invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these details and that numerous variations or modifications from the described embodiments may be possible.
Fluid Loss Additive
In one embodiment, a composition for a fluid loss additive comprises a condensation reaction product of quebracho and an organophilic species having a reactive amine. As used herein, a “reactive amine” comprises any amine having at least one active hydrogen, i.e., primary or secondary amines, which are able to react with quebracho in a condensation reaction.
In one embodiment the organophilic reactive amine may comprise C6-C22 fatty acid amines. Such amines may be derived by standard procedures from fatty acids including, for example, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, or linoleic acid. Other natural long chain amines such as tallow amine may be reacted with quebracho. In one embodiment, the organophilic reactive amine may include any C6-C22 alkyl amine or polyamine. The carbon chain(s) may be branched or straight chain alkyls, which may be substituted alkyls. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that by substituted one means replacing a hydrogen along the alkyl chain with any other atom or group of atoms, including isotopes such as deuterium.
In another embodiment, the organophilic reactive amine may comprise at least one of a polyamine surfactant and an amidoamine surfactant. Amidoamine surfactants suitable that may be reacted with quebracho include those represented by:
wherein R1 is selected from a C12-C30 alkyl, C12-C30 alkenyl, C12-C30 arylalkyl, and C12-C30 cycloalkyl; R2 and R3 are each independently selected from H or a C1-C4 alkyl; R4 and R5 are each independently selected from H, C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 alkoxyalkyl, and C1-C4 hydroxyalkyl; and n is an integer from 1 to 10. Amidoamines may be formed from the reaction of a polyamine with a carboxylic acid. For example, in a particular embodiment, an amidoamine formed from a C6-C22 fatty acid reacted with a polyamine. In a particular embodiment, the organophilic reactive amine may include a C12-C22 fatty acid reacted with a polyalkylene polyamine. Alternatively, the organophilic reactive amine may include 2-alkyl imidazoline formed from C12-C22 fatty acid reacted with a polyalkylene polyamine, which may then be derivatized with a dicarboxylic acid. Such 2-alkyl imidazoline derivatives are described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,756, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
In a particular embodiment, SUREMUL®, an amidoamine surfactant that is commercially available from M-I L.L.C. (Houston, Tex.), may be reacted with quebracho to form a quebracho-amine reaction product as disclosed herein. Polyamines suitable to be reacted with quebracho include linear or branched organophilic C6-C36 fatty polyamines including polyaliphatic polyamines, heterocyclic polyamines, and alkylalkanol polyamines. In one embodiment, organophilic reactive polyamines may have at least one amine being a reactive amine. Alternatively, an organophilic species comprising a tertiary amine may be reacted with quebracho.
Formation of the Fluid Loss Additives
To form the reaction products of quebracho and an organophilic reactive amine disclosed herein, the organophilic reactive amine may be slowly mixed with the desired amount of finely divided quebracho, and mixed for about 15 minutes in a Warring blender or ground in a mortar and pestle. The mixture may be heated to initiate a condensation reaction between quebracho and the organophilic reactive amine. The condensation reaction products may be dried and ground again to a fine powder. On a commercial scale, any conventional high intensity mixer may be used, such as a pug mill, Littleford mixer, and the like. After drying and grinding, the quebracho-amine condensation reaction product may be readily dispersed in the oil base drilling mud formulation by mixing or stirring; or the quebracho-amine reaction product may be added at any stage of the formulations of the oil base mud compositions.
In one embodiment, the condensation reaction of quebracho with the organophilic reactive amine may require the application of external heating. In a particular embodiment, the reaction may occur in a temperature range from about 100 to 350° F., and from about 175 to about 275° F. in another embodiment.
In another embodiment, the weight percent ratio of quebracho to the organophilic reactive amine may range from about 50:50 to about 95:5, from about 66:34 to about 90:10 in another embodiment, and from about 75:25 to 80:15 in yet another embodiment.
In yet another embodiment, the quebracho-amine reaction product may be finely ground to a particle size in a range from 10 mesh to 400 mesh US Standard, such that at least 50 weight percent passes a 20 mesh screen. In another embodiment, the quebracho-amine reaction product may be finely ground to a particle size in a range from 10 to 50 mesh, and in a range from about 15 to 25 mesh in yet another embodiment.
Invert Emulsion Fluids and Method of Drilling
In one embodiment, the quebracho-amine reaction products disclosed herein may be included in a wellbore fluid. The wellbore fluids may include, for example, an oleaginous continuous phase, a non-oleaginous discontinuous phase, a quebracho-amine reaction product weighting agents, emulsifiers, and/or viscosifiers.
The oleaginous fluid may be a liquid and more preferably is a natural or synthetic oil and more preferably the oleaginous fluid is selected from the group including diesel oil; mineral oil; a synthetic oil, such as hydrogenated and unhydrogenated olefins including polyalpha olefins, linear and branch olefins and the like, polydiorganosiloxanes, siloxanes, or organosiloxanes, esters of fatty acids, specifically straight chain, branched and cyclical alkyl ethers of fatty acids, mixtures thereof and similar compounds known to one of skill in the art; and mixtures thereof. The concentration of the oleaginous fluid should be sufficient so that an invert emulsion forms and may be less than about 99% by volume of the invert emulsion. In one embodiment the amount of oleaginous fluid is from about 30% to about 95% by volume and more preferably about 40% to about 90% by volume of the invert emulsion fluid. The oleaginous fluid in one embodiment may include at least 5% by volume of a material selected from the group including esters, ethers, acetals, dialkylcarbonates, hydrocarbons, and combinations thereof.
The non-oleaginous fluid used in the formulation of the invert emulsion fluid disclosed herein is a liquid and preferably is an aqueous liquid. More preferably, the non-oleaginous liquid may be selected from the group including sea water, a brine containing organic and/or inorganic dissolved salts, liquids containing water-miscible organic compounds and combinations thereof. The amount of the non-oleaginous fluid is typically less than the theoretical limit needed for forming an invert emulsion. Thus in one embodiment the amount of non-oleaginous fluid is less that about 70% by volume and preferably from about 1% to about 70% by volume. In another embodiment, the non-oleaginous fluid is preferably from about 5% to about 60% by volume of the invert emulsion fluid. The fluid phase may include either an aqueous fluid or an oleaginous fluid, or mixtures thereof. In a particular embodiment, various weighting agents may be included in a wellbore fluid.
Conventional methods can be used to prepare the drilling fluids disclosed herein in a manner analogous to those normally used, to prepare conventional oil-based drilling fluids. In one embodiment, a desired quantity of oleaginous fluid such as a base oil and a suitable amount of a surfactant are mixed together and the remaining components are added sequentially with continuous mixing. An invert emulsion may also be formed by vigorously agitating, mixing or shearing the oleaginous fluid and the non-oleaginous fluid.
The amounts of the quebracho-amine reaction product used in the drilling fluid formulations may vary from about 1 pound per barrel of oil base drilling muds to about 20 pounds per barrel in one embodiment; from 3 to 16 pounds per barrel in another embodiment; and from 6 to 12 pounds per barrel in yet another embodiment. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that more than about 16 pounds per barrel increases costs and may not be necessary, although more can be used as needed.
Other additives that may be included in the wellbore fluids disclosed herein include for example, wetting agents, organophilic clays, viscosifiers, surfactants, dispersants, interfacial tension reducers, pH buffers, mutual solvents, thinners, thinning agents and cleaning agents. The addition of such agents should be well known to one of ordinary skill in the art of formulating drilling fluids and muds.
Emulsifiers that may be used in the fluids disclosed herein include, for example, fatty acids, soaps of fatty acids, amidoamines, polyamides, polyamines, oleate esters, such as sorbitan monoleate, sorbitan dioleate, imidazoline derivatives or alcohol derivatives and combinations or derivatives of the above. Additionally, lime or other alkaline materials are typically added to conventional invert emulsion drilling fluids and muds to maintain a reserve alkalinity.
Wetting agents that may be suitable for use in the fluids disclosed herein include crude tall oil, oxidized crude tall oil, surfactants, organic phosphate esters, modified imidazolines and amidoamines, alkyl aromatic sulfates and sulfonates, and the like, and combinations or derivatives of these. However, when used with the invert emulsion fluid, the use of fatty acid wetting agents should be minimized so as to not adversely affect the reversibility of the invert emulsion disclosed herein. FAZE-WET™, VERSACOAT™, SUREWET™, VERSAWET™, and VERSAWET™ NS are examples of commercially available wetting agents manufactured and distributed by M-I L.L.C. that may be used in the fluids disclosed herein. Silwet L-77, L-7001, L7605, and L-7622 are examples of commercially available surfactants and wetting agents manufactured and distributed by General Electric Company (Wilton, Conn.).
Organophilic clays, normally amine treated clays, may be useful as viscosifiers and/or emulsion stabilizers in the fluid composition disclosed herein. Other viscosifiers, such as oil soluble polymers, polyamide resins, polycarboxylic acids and soaps can also be used. The amount of viscosifier used in the composition can vary upon the end use of the composition. However, normally about 0.1% to 6% by weight range is sufficient for most applications. VG-69™ and VG-PLUS™ are organoclay materials distributed by M-I, L.L.C., Houston, Tex., and VERSA-HRP™ is a polyamide resin material manufactured and distributed by M-I, L.L.C., that may be used in the fluids disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the viscosity of the displacement fluids is sufficiently high such that the displacement fluid may act as its own displacement pill in a well.
Conventional suspending agents that may be used in the fluids disclosed herein include organophilic clays, amine treated clays, oil soluble polymers, polyamide resins, polycarboxylic acids, and soaps. The amount of conventional suspending agent used in the composition, if any, may vary depending upon the end use of the composition. However, normally about 0.1% to about 6% by weight is sufficient for most applications. VG-69™ and VG-PLUS™ are organoclay materials distributed by M-I L.L.C., and VERSA-HRP™ is a polyamide resin material manufactured and distributed by M-I L.L.C., that may be used in the fluids disclosed herein.
Weighting agents or density materials suitable for use the fluids disclosed herein include galena, hematite, magnetite, iron oxides, illmenite, barite, siderite, celestite, dolomite, calcite, and the like. The quantity of such material added, if any, depends upon the desired density of the final composition. Typically, weight material is added to result in a drilling fluid density of up to about 24 pounds per gallon. The weight material is preferably added up to 21 pounds per gallon and most preferably up to 19.5 pounds per gallon.
In one embodiment, a method of drilling a subterranean hole with an invert emulsion drilling fluid comprises mixing an oleaginous fluid, a non-oleaginous fluid, an emulsifier, and a quebracho-amine condensation reaction product to form an invert emulsion; and drilling the subterranean hole using this invert emulsion as the drilling fluid. The fluid may be pumped down to the bottom of the well through a drill pipe, where the fluid emerges through ports in the drilling bit, for example. In one embodiment, the fluid may be used in conjunction with any drilling operation, which may include, for example, vertical drilling, extended reach drilling, and directional drilling. One skilled in the art would recognize that oil-based drilling muds may be prepared with a large variety of formulations. Specific formulations may depend on the state of drilling a well at a particular time, for example, depending on the depth and/or the composition of the formation. The drilling mud compositions described above may be adapted to provide improved oil-based drilling muds under conditions of high temperature and pressure, such as those encountered in deep wells.
The fluids disclosed herein are especially useful in the drilling, completion and working over of subterranean oil and gas wells. In particular the fluids disclosed herein may find use in formulating drilling muds and completion fluids that allow for the easy and quick removal of the filter cake. Such muds and fluids are especially useful in the drilling of horizontal wells into hydrocarbon bearing formations.
The following examples were used to test the effectiveness of quebracho-amine reaction products disclosed herein as fluid loss additives.
Tested fluid loss agents were formed as follows: 1) Additive A: 55 g of Quebracho was thoroughly mixed with 15 g of fatty acid derived amine using mortar and pestle and the mixture was subjected to 225° F. for 16-20 h. The product so obtained was finely powdered using a mixer and screened using #20 meshes and used as fluid loss control agent; 2) Additive B: 55 g of TANNATHIN® was thoroughly mixed with 15 g of fatty acid derived amine using mortar and pestle and the mixture was subjected to 225° F. for 16-20 h. The product so obtained was finely powdered using a mixer and screened using #20 meshes and used as fluid loss control agent; and 3) Additive C: 300 g of powdered Quebracho was thoroughly mixed with SUREMUL® (75 g) using mortar and pestle and the mixture was subjected to 225° F. for 16-20 h. The product so obtained was finely powdered using a mixer and screened using #20 meshes and used as fluid loss control agent.
The fluid loss additives (Additives A, B, and C) were included in invert emulsion fluids formulated with IO 1618 as the base oil (synthetic oil composed of C16-C18 internal olefins) and water in an approximate ratio of 65:35 and various additives. Referring to Tables 1a and 1b below, the components included in invert emulsion fluid Samples 1-13 are shown.
The above invert emulsion drilling fluids were heat aged at the temperatures shown below in Tables 2a and 2b by hot rolling for 16 hours, and the rheological properties of the various mud formulations were determined using a Fann Model 35 Viscometer, available from Fann Instrument Company. The fluid exhibited the following properties, as shown below in Table 2.
The results of the HTHP fluid loss measurements show that quebracho reacted with fatty acid amines (Samples 1, 2, 5, and 6) or with the amidoamine surfactant, SUREMUL®, (Samples 7, 9-13) are superior relative to unmodified quebracho (Sample 8) or TANNATHIN®, a lignite, reacted with fatty acid amines (Samples 3 and 4).
Advantages of the additives and fluids described herein may include at least one of the following. Fluids incorporating a reaction product of an organophilic reactive amine and quebracho may allow for enhanced rheological properties of the fluids. Such agents may also increase lubricity and diminish wear of the drilling equipment. Furthermore, the quebracho-amine reaction products described herein may be considered environmentally compatible due to their ready biodegradability. Compositions as described herein may be effectively used as fluid loss agents at temperatures as high as 375 to 450° F. As compared to other products, the fluid loss agents disclosed herein may provide ease of dispersion into the oil base fluids. Additionally, the formation of the fluid loss additives disclosed herein may not require the presence of polyvalent cations and may be substantially free of polyvalent metallic cations.
While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate that other embodiments can be devised which do not depart from the scope of the invention as disclosed herein. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be limited only by the attached claims.
This application, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 119(e), claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 60/806,749, filed Jul. 7, 2006, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60806749 | Jul 2006 | US |
