Patent Application
20200181472
Disclosed are compositions for shale inhibition. More specifically, embodiments related to compositions for shale inhibition in water-based fluids are disclosed.
Water-based muds (WBMs) are attractive alternatives to oil and synthetic muds for drilling in environmentally sensitive areas where oil-based muds are undesired. WBMs do, however, display adverse reactions when drilling through shales. Water invasion in shale formations weakens the wellbore and leads to difficulties in drilling such as stuck pipe and hole collapse. When in contact with water, shales are widely known to undergo physical and chemical changes due to ion exchange, changes in shale water content, and changes in swelling pressure within the shales. These changes have a direct effect on the chemical and physical stability of the shales. The low (nanodarcy) permeabilities of shales prevents normal filtration additives in WBMs from building the necessary filter cake structures against the wellbore rock formation. Fluid invasion into or exposure to the surrounding formation can therefore not be prevented with fluid loss control additives and a different class of additives is required for preventing shales from reacting with water in WBMs. In these cases, WBMs with specialized shale inhibiting additives are often required.
Different shale inhibiting additives have been developed with the goal of decreasing ion exchange, changes in water content of shales, and changes in swelling pressures in shales. Additives which have been investigated and deployed for use as shale stabilizers are potassium chloride (KCl), organic polymers, polyglycols, polygylcerols, and silicates. Shale-stabilizing muds formulated with the shale inhibiting additives are designed to prevent shale hydration by viscosifying the water in drilling fluids, plugging pores in shales, and osmotically dehydrating shales.
The use of KCl as a clay stabilizer can increase dispersion in some shales. Shales which are rich in kaolinite can lose strength when exposed to KCl due to cation exchange with potassium. Silicate muds are known to be effective in inhibiting swelling and dispersion of shale and chalk. Potassium and sodium chloride salts are known to have certain synergies with silicates. Potassium ions (K+) and sodium ions (Na+) can exchange with calcium ions (Ca2+) on shale surfaces to render more Ca2+ in the drilling fluid. The Ca2+ then precipitates as calcium silicate which may adhere to the shale surface. Monovalent salts also are known to reduce the gel time for the silicates leading to the deposition of polymerized silicate gel onto the shales. However, salts in large quantities adversely affect the environment by altering water and soil quality. In the United States, government regulations prohibit the disposal of greater than 3,000 parts-per-million (ppm) chloride on lease or 1,000 ppm chloride off lease. For this reason, salt water brines have to be hauled away from the drillsite for disposal. Additionally, silicate muds are highly caustic (pH=11-12.5) which poses a risk in the field. Moreover, there are concerns about silicate mud fluid properties, long term wellbore stabilization and formation damage potential.
Disclosed are compositions for shale inhibition. More specifically, embodiments relate to compositions for shale inhibition in water-based fluids.
In a first aspect, a nanosilica containing fluid system for shale stabilization in a shale formation is provided. The nanosilica containing fluid system includes a functionalized nanosilica composition operable to inhibit the erosion of shale. The functionalized nanosilica composition includes a nanosilica particle, the nanosilica particle having a mean diameter and a functionalization compound, the functionalization compound appended to the surface of the nanosilica particle. The nanosilica containing fluid system further includes an aqueous-based fluid, the aqueous-based fluid operable to carry the functionalized nanosilica composition into the shale formation. The nanosilica containing fluid system further includes a synergistic polymer additive operable to interact synergistically with the functionalized nanosilica composition.
In certain aspects, the functionalization compound is an amino silane. In certain aspects, the amino silane is selected from the group consisting of methoxysilanes, ethoxysilanes, and chlorosilanes. In certain aspects, the functionalization compound is an amino(alkyl)n-amino(alkyl)m, silane, where the alkyl groups are composed of 1 to 18 carbon atoms per molecule, and where n is a number between 1 and 18 and m is a number between 1 and 18. In certain aspects, the functionalization compound is an amino(alkyl)x silane, where the alkyl group is composed of 1 to 18 carbon atoms per molecule and where n is a number between 1 and 18. In certain aspects, the functionalization compound is 2-aminoethyl-3-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane. In certain aspects, the mean diameter of the nanosilica particle is between 1 nanometer (nm) and 1000 nm. In certain aspects, the mean diameter of the nanosilica particle is less than 20 nm. In certain aspects, the aqueous-based fluid is selected from the group consisting of water, deionized water, sea water, brine and combinations thereof. In certain aspects, the synergistic polymer additive is polyanionic cellulose. In certain aspects, the nanosilica containing fluid system further includes added salt.
In a second aspect, a composition for shale stabilization is provided. The composition includes a nanosilica particle, the nanosilica particle having a mean diameter, a functionalization compound, the functionalization compound appended to the surface of the nanosilica particle, and a synergistic polymer additive. The functionalized nanosilica composition and the synergistic polymer additive are operable to interact synergistically such that the synergy between the functionalized nanosilica composition and the synergistic polymer additive is operable to provide shale inhibition.
In a third aspect, a method for shale stabilization in a shale formation is provided. The method including the steps of introducing a nanosilica containing fluid into the shale formation. The nanosilica containing fluid includes a functionalized nanosilica composition operable to inhibit shale erosion of the shale formation, an aqueous-based fluid, the aqueous-based fluid operable to carry the functionalized nanosilica composition into the shale formation, and a synergistic polymer additive. The method further includes the step of allowing the functionalized nanosilica composition to inhibit shale erosion of the shale formation. The functionalized nanosilica composition and the synergistic polymer additive are operable to interact synergistically such that the synergy between the functionalized nanosilica composition and the synergistic polymer additive is operable to provide shale inhibition.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages will become better understood with regard to the following descriptions, claims, and accompanying drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the drawings illustrate only several embodiments and are therefore not to be considered limiting of the inventive scope as it can admit to other equally effective embodiments.
While the scope will be described with several embodiments, it is understood that one of ordinary skill in the relevant art will appreciate that many examples, variations and alterations to the apparatus and methods described are within the scope and spirit of the embodiments. Accordingly, the embodiments described here are set forth without any loss of generality, and without imposing limitations. Those of skill in the art understand that the inventive scope includes all possible combinations and uses of particular features described in the specification. In both the drawings and the detailed description, like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
The functionalized nanosilica compositions described here are fluid systems that can be used as shale inhibiting additives in water-based fluids for in shale formations. The functionalized nanosilica compositions described here advantageously improve shale inhibition with reduced environmental impact over conventional shale inhibitors. The functionalized nanosilica compositions can be effective in maintaining well stability and in preventing equipment problems, such as bit balling or sloughing. The functionalized nanosilica compositions described here that are included in an aqueous-based fluid reduce shale erosion as compared to conventional shale inhibition muds, such as silicate muds and potassium chloride muds. The functionalized nanosilica compositions described here advantageously reduce shale erosion by at least between 14 percent (%) and 19 percent (%) and can be useful as shale inhibiting additives. The functionalized nanosilica compositions can invade pore spaces near the wellbore in the shale surface of the shale formation and react with the shale to form a barrier or coating on the shale surface and sealing the pore space. Additionally, the functionalized nanosilica compositions can interact with the shale surface by forming a barrier membrane to water penetration, thereby preventing swelling of the shale grains.
As used here, “aqueous-based fluid” refers to a water-based fluid that is used to drill a wellbore or for other wellbore activities. Aqueous-based fluids are also known as muds. Aqueous-based fluids suitable for use in the embodiments can have a salt concentration due to the presence of salt in the water-based fluid. The salt concentration can be in the range from between less than 1 pound per barrel to 30 pounds per barrel. Examples of aqueous-based fluids include fresh water, deionized water, sea water, brine, and combinations of the same.
As used throughout, the term “nanosilica” refers to a colloidal silica particle with a diameter in the range between 1 nm to 1000 nm. Particles can include spherical shaped particles and oblong or cigar shaped particles. Cigar shaped nanosilica particles have dimensions in the range of 9 nm to 15 nm in diameter and 40 nm to 100 nm in length. References to “nanosilica particle” include the plural, such that nanosilica particle means nanosilica particles as appropriate within the description.
As used throughout, the term “shale” refers to a sedimentary rock comprised of quartz, silicates, carbonates, and clays. The clay content in shales can make them reactive to water-based fluids. Different kinds of clays can have different reactivities with water and as a result different shales can exhibit different reactivities. For instance, a shale with a high smectite content can have a higher reactivity to water than a shale with a higher illite content.
As used throughout, the term “shale inhibition” and “shale stabilization” refer to the ability to prevent or inhibit shale dispersion, shale swelling, shale erosion, and other interactions between shale with water and the clays within the shale with water. Shale inhibition is a form of erosion control. Shale inhibition includes both chemical inhibition and physical inhibition. Examples of chemical inhibition include reaction between Ca2+ ions from the shale or clay and the functionalization compound of the functionalized nanosilica composition. An example of physical inhibition includes sealing the surface of the shale. Without being bound to a particular theory, it is believed that physical inhibition occurs when the nanosilica particles condense and coat the shale surface thus forming an osmotic membrane on the shale, as illustrated in
As used here, “erosion” refers to shale reactivity with a drilling fluid that causes a change in rheology of the drilling fluid. Erosion can be due to water intruding between the layers of the shale, without moving into the shale itself.
Shale inhibition differs from pore plugging. As used here, “pore plugging” refers to processes or methods to reduce the permeability of shale.
In at least one embodiment, the functionalized nanosilica composition includes a nanosilica particle that has been surface functionalized by a functionalization compound. The functionalized nanosilica composition is then mixed with the aqueous-based fluid and a synergistic polymer additive to produce a nanosilica containing fluid.
The nanosilica particle can have a mean diameter in the range between 1 nm and 1000 nm, alternately between 1 nm and 500 nm, alternately less than 250 nm, alternately less than 100 nm, alternately less than 50 nm, alternately less than 25 nm, and alternately less than 20 nm.
The functionalization compound can be any compound that contains a reactive group or ligand capable of or operable to inhibit shales. Examples of functionalization compounds include amino silanes. As used throughout, “amino silanes” refers to functional groups where the silicon atom of the silane group (—Si—) is separated from the amino group by between 1 and 18 methylene groups. One of skill in the art will understand that as used here, “amino” refers to amines that when dissolved in water below pH 10.5 are present in a protonated form, meaning an ammonium form, at a concentration that can be greater than 50%. The amino group can be primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary, and combinations of the same. One of skill in the art will understand that as used here “quaternary” refers to a quaternary ammonium cation. Amino silanes as used here can include between 1 and 5 amino groups. In at least one embodiment, the functionalization compound can be an amino(alkyl)n-amino(alkyl)m, silane, where the alkyl group are composed of 1 to 18 carbon atoms per molecule, n is a number between 1 and 18 and m is a number between 1 and 18. In at least one embodiment, the functionalization compound can be an amino(alkyl)x silane, wherein the alkyl group is composed of 1 to 18 carbon atoms per molecule, wherein n is a number between 1 and 18. Examples of amino silanes include methoxysilanes, ethoxysilanes, and chlorosilanes. Examples of methoxysilanes include 2-aminoethyl-3-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane (AEAPTS), aminopropyltrimethoxysilane and aminophenyltrimethoxysilane. Examples of ethoxysilanes include aminoundecyltriethoxysilane, aminopropylmethyldiethoxysilane, and aminobutyltriethoxysilane. In at least one embodiment, the amino silane is AEAPTS.
Any method known to be capable of functionalizing a particle can be used. In at least one embodiment, the functionalization compound and the nanosilica particle can be mixed together in the presence of water and stirred for a period of time to carry out the reaction between the functionalization compound and the nanosilica particle. In at least one embodiment, the functionalization compound and the nanosilica particle can be mixed together in the presence of a polar solvent and water and stirred for a period of time to carry out the reaction between the functionalization compound and the nanosilica particle. The polar solvent can be any polar solvent that is partially or fully miscible with water. Example of a polar solvent can include methanol. In at least one embodiment, the functionalization compound and the nanosilica particle are mixed at a ratio of the functionalization compound to nanosilica of 1:20.
The aqueous-based fluid is operable to carry the functionalized nanosilica composition into a shale formation.
The functionalized nanosilica composition can be added to the aqueous-based fluid at a concentration of between greater than 0.01 percent by weight (wt %) and 10 wt %, alternately between greater than 0.01 wt % and 5 wt %, alternately between 1 wt % and 5 wt %, and alternately less than 5 wt %.
The synergistic polymer additives can be present in an amount between 0.1 pounds per barrel (lbm/bbl) and 15 lbm/bbl and alternately between 0.5 lbm/bbl and 10 lbm/bbl. As used throughout, “synergy”, “synergistic”, or “synergistically” refers to an interplay between components in a mixture that when combined can produce an overall result that is greater than the sum of the individual components. Synergistic polymer additives can include anionic polymers, water soluble polymers, polymers with low cationic charge, polyglycolic acid, polyvinyl sulfonate, polyvinyl amide, polyacrylamide polymer, polyanionic cellulose polymers, polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride (polyDADMAC), partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (PHPA), acrylamide butylsulfonic acid (ATBS) monomer, and combinations thereof. In at least one embodiment, the synergistic polymer additive is a polyacrylamide polymer and the functionalized nanosilica composition functions synergistically with the polyacrylamide polymer to inhibit shales. In at least one embodiment, the synergistic polymer additive is a polyanionic cellulose polymer and the functionalized nanosilica composition functions synergistically with the polyanionic cellulose polymer to provide shale inhibition. In at least one embodiment, the absence of a synergistic polymer additive results in greater shale erosion.
The nanosilica containing fluid can be used in any well drilling and well completion phase process. In at least one embodiment, the nanosilica containing fluid is used as a spacer fluid. In at least one embodiment, the nanosilica containing fluid is used as a flush fluid. In at least one embodiment, the nanosilica containing fluid is used as a drilling fluid. In at least one embodiment, the nanosilica containing fluid is not used during a production phase process.
In at least one embodiment, the nanosilica containing fluid can include an added salt. Salts suitable for use as the added salt in the nanosilica containing fluid include KCl and sodium chloride (NaCl). In at least one embodiment, salt is added to the nanosilica containing fluid when the aqueous-based fluid is fresh water. In at least one embodiment, salt is added to the nanosilica containing fluid when the aqueous-based fluid is sea water.
In at least one embodiment, the nanosilica containing fluid is contains salt quantities less than 10 pounds per barrel, including added salt.
In at least one embodiment, the functionalized nanosilica compositions seal the surfaces of the shales due to the small size of the silica particles, because they can penetrate into small pores and microfissures or cracks in the shale. Once localized on the surface of the shale or within the pore space, the functionalized nanosilica compositions can gel and seal the volume preventing shale erosion and hydration.
Shale Inhibiting Additives
All of the nanosilica particle suspensions were provided by Nissan Chemical USA, Ltd. (Houston, Tex.). AEAPTS was obtained from Momentive Performance Materials Inc. (Waterford, N.Y.).
Nanosilica A as a Comparative Shale Inhibiting Additive.
Nanosilica A contained 30% solids and was used without any functionalization compound being appended to the surface. The surface of Nanosilica A included silicon oxide.
Nanosilica B as a Comparative Shale Inhibiting Additive.
Nanosilica B contained 30% solids and was a functionalized nanosilica particle with a 12 nm particle diameter. Nanosilica B is functionalized through a proprietary process of Nissan Chemical.
Nanosilica C as a Functionalized Nanosilica Composition.
Nanosilica C was the same as nanosilica A with a 10 nm to 20 nm particle diameter and functionalized with AEAPTS. One gram of AEAPTS was added to 20.0 grams of Nanosilica A and stirred for one hour prior to placement in the aqueous-based fluid.
Nanosilica D as a Functionalized Nanosilica Composition.
Nanosilica D contained 5% solids and was a functionalized nanosilica particle with a particle size between 1-5 nm and was functionalized with AEAPTS.
Control Composition as a Comparative Shale Inhibiting Additive.
One gram of AEAPTS was added to 20.0 grams of DI water and stirred for one hour prior to placement in the aqueous-based fluid.
Pierre II and Mancos Shale Mineralogical Analysis
Mancos shale was purchased from Kocurek Industries, Caldwell, Tex. The Mancos shale was quarried out of Salt Lake City, Utah. Pierre II shale was purchased from TerraTek, Salt Lake City, Utah, a Schlumberger Company. The Pierre II shale comes from central South Dakota.
The Mancos shale and Pierre II shales were pulverized with an Angstrom Model TE250 Ring Puverizer ball mill and analyzed with X-ray diffraction (XRD) for minerology. The diffractometer used was a Bruker D8 advance eco diffractometer system. Clay types in the shale samples were identified through separation of clays. In this test, a spatula of pulverized shale was added to a test tube along with 2-3 drops of an aqueous sodium hexametaphosphate solution. The sample was then sonicated to disperse the particles. The test tube was then centrifuged and the top layer of the suspension was removed with a pipette and the bottom layer was passed through a filter paper. The filter cake formed on the filter paper was smeared onto a microscope slide and the sample was scanned with XRD. The glass slide was then placed into an ethylene glycol mist chamber overnight and afterwards heated to 550° C. for four hours then re-scanned with XRD.
Results
Preparation of Shale Samples for Hot Roll Studies
For shale erosion studies, shale cuttings were broken into small pieces with a Retsch BB50 equipment or manually with a hammer, and passed through a number (#) 4 size mesh screen. The shale material that passed through the #4 mesh screen was then passed over a #8 mesh screen. The material that passed through the #8 mesh screen was disposed of, while the material that was held up by the screen was saved for shale erosion studies. The material held up by the #8 mesh screen provides that the shales used in the hot roll procedure will have a standardized volume to surface area ratio, which means that from experiment to experiment roughly the same volume to surface ratio was exposed to the aqueous-based fluid.
Hot Roll Procedure
The shale sample was placed in 350 milliliters (mL) of the water-based fluids according to the Experiments as described. In Experiments A-E, the aqueous-based fluid was deionized water. Potassium hydroxide (KOH) was used to adjust the pH of the deionized water to make it slightly alkaline. Specifically, enough KOH was added to three (3) liters (L) of deionized water to make the aqueous-based fluid have a pH of between 8.5 and 10. The shale inhibiting additives were added to the aqueous-based fluid and then 30 grams (g) of shale was added to the aqueous-based fluid. The aqueous-based fluid containing the shale was then placed in a roller oven at 150° F. for 16 hours. After the hot rolling procedure, the shale was removed from the aqueous-based fluid and dried in the oven. The shale was then sieved between a #4 mesh screen and a #8 mesh screen. The shale remaining on the #8 mesh screen was then weighed and compared with the weight before the hot rolling procedure. The percent of shale erosion was calculated as:
[1−(weight retained/weight of the original shale)]*100 Equation 1
Experiment A
Experiment A was a comparison study that tested the effect of the shale inhibiting additives, including the functionalized nanosilica compositions, on the rate of shale erosion. The composition for each test performed with Mancos shale is in Table 1 and the composition for each test performed with Pierre II shale is in Table 2.
Results
Experiment A with the nanosilica containing fluid samples with the Pierre II shale (Table 2) revealed that no shale remained that could be caught in the #8 screen for any of the shale inhibiting additives tested. All of the solid that was present was present as a sludge, indicating that the functionalized nanosilica compositions alone are ineffective in shale inhibition of Pierre II shale.
Mancos shale, however, was recoverable after the hot rolling procedure.
Experiment B
Experiment B tested the efficacy of shale erosion inhibition of functionalized nanosilica compositions in the presence of synthetic sea water. The synthetic sea water was measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and was found to be composed of 30.24 milligram per liter (mg/L) calcium, 1000 mg/L sodium, 42.13 mg/L potassium, and 11.1 mg/L magnesium. The shale inhibitor additives were added to the synthetic sea water according to Table 3. Then the samples were subjected to the Hot Roll Procedure. The weights of the shales were caught on #8, #35, #100, #200, and #300 mesh screens in order to establish a particle size distribution of the shales after the hot rolling process.
Results
The mud produced in Experiment B, like the sample shown in
There is little variability in the Mancos shale data for the shale inhibiting additives in synthetic sea water when in the absence of other additives as shown in
In experiments C and D, fluid compositions based on field muds with synergistic polymer additives are used to test the additives.
Experiment C
Experiment C investigated the efficacy of the functionalized nanosilica compositions, where the synergistic polymer additive is a polyanionic cellulose polymer, in an aqueous-based fluid on Mancos and Pierre II shale erosion rates in both sea water and fresh water.
Fresh Water.
A water-based fluid comprised of xanthan and polyanionic cellulose polymer was used as the aqueous-based fluid for the series of shale inhibiting additive studies in Experiment C. The basic formulation of the aqueous-based fluid (as shown in Table 4) follows a conventional water-based polyanionic cellulose mud. To the aqueous-based fluid of Table 4, different samples were created by adding the shale inhibiting additives according to Table 5. After the fluid was blended for 40 minutes in a Fann Multimixer® Model 9B at 11,500 rpm, 30 grams of #8 mesh shale was added to the fluid. The fluid was subjected to the Hot Roll Procedure.
1ppbw is parts-per-billion by weight.
2KOH was added until the pH reached between 8.5 and 10.
After the Hot Roll Procedure the fluid samples were removed from the roller oven and the liquids were decanted and allowed to cool to room temperature. After the liquids reached room temperature, rheologies were taken of the fluids to monitor if any changes in rheology were apparent before and after hot rolling. The shale pieces from each fluid sample were dried in an oven at 220° F. After the materials were dried, they were weighed. They were then passed over a #8 mesh screen. The shale material caught by the mesh was reweighed.
Synthetic Sea Water. The same basic fluid formulation as that depicted in Table 4 was used for experiments of the shale inhibiting additives in a synthetic sea water containing xanthan and polyanionic cellulose, the only difference being the use of sea water. The sea water was made from Instant Ocean® (Blacksburg, Va.) sea salt at a concentration of 42 grams per liter of distilled water.
The shales in the synthetic sea water were tested in the same way as the shales in the fresh water.
Results
The shale inhibiting additives added into the aqueous-based fluids of Table 4 according to Table 5 in Experiment C show some ability to inhibit the erosion of shales. The erosion for a sample of Mancos shale hot rolled with the nanosilica containing fluids of Experiment C reaches 50%.
The erosion seen for Pierre II shale is greater, across Experiments A-C than that observed in the same fluid systems in the case of Mancos shale. The trends in results, however, are consistent with Mancos shale as with Pierre II shale. The Nanosilica B is consistently more inhibitive than Nanosilica A.
Experiment D. Silicate Mud Comparisons
Experiment D was a comparison of the rate of shale erosion of the functionalized nanosilica compositions for five different muds: a typical silicate mud, a KCl mud, a KCl/silicate mud, a functionalized nanosilica composition/KCl mud, and a nanosilica containing fluid mud. The formulations in Table 6 are from a field mud design for silicate tested for inhibition of Pierre II shale erosion. Experiment D was developed as a point of reference comparing the inhibiting effect of muds formulated with sodium silicate/KCl, with sodium silicate and with the functionalized nanosilica compositions. Five formulations were developed which follow from the design tabulated in Table 6. Table 7 shows the variables across the different fluid designs in this experiment.
As in Experiments A-C, the five mud types formulated as in Tables 6 and 7 were subjected to the Hot Roll Procedure with 30 grams of Pierre II shale (between #4 and #8 mesh) and the amount of Pierre II shale (between #4 and #8 mesh) that were recovered are charted in
Results
The results using synthetic sea water as the aqueous-based fluid, show that the KCl/silicate mud gives the lowest value for Pierre II shale erosion with 17.1% shale erosion of shale that passed through a #4 mesh screen, but not a #8 mesh screen. The next best is the Nanosilica B/KCl mud. This gives 24.5% shale erosion of shale pieces based on what passed through a #4 mesh screen, but not a #8 mesh screen. Then the remaining muds, ranked 3 through 5 are silicate mud with 25.9% shale erosion, KCl mud with 37.3% shale erosion, and Nanosilica B mud with 77.4% shale erosion.
On the other hand, the total Pierre II shale erosion with Nanosilica B in this mud formulation is 5.3%. When KCl is also present, the formulation gives just 4.2% shale erosion. In contrast, the silicate mud formulation yields 9.5% shale erosion, the KCl mud formulation gives a 31.7% shale erosion, and the KCl/silicate mud formulation gives a 7.5% shale erosion. The data graphed in
In addition to the higher performance of nanosilica muds, the pH of the nanosilica muds are much lower at about pH 9 to 10 as compared with the silicate mud formulations which are typically about pH 12. Nanosilica is an environmentally innocuous material which is less caustic and may be a safer product to handle than silicate muds. It also can be more effective than silicate in shale inhibition in sea water with the formulations tested.
The data indicate that a nanosilica containing fluid achieves 5.3% total shale erosion after the hot roll test in sea water while silicate/KCl muds show 7.5%. This increased performance of nanosilica is accompanied by greater ease in handling the lower pH fluid (which can range from pH 8.5 to 10.0) compared to silicate muds which often exceed pH 12. In addition to being more potent inhibitors and more safe to handle, nanosilicas offer the possibility of lower minimized environmental damage.
The Experiments A through D show the testing of different nanosilicas as shale inhibitors in the presence of two different types of shale, Mancos shale and Pierre II shale. In the results, the Pierre II shale contained more smectite than the Mancos shale and was, therefore, more water-reactive than the less smectite-rich, Mancos shale. The fluid systems formulated in Experiments C and D are significantly more inhibitive to shales than the fluid systems of Experiments A and B. This indicates a synergy between the synergistic additive polymer and the functionalized nanosilica composition leading to enhanced effectiveness of shale inhibition.
Comparing the inhibiting effect of different functionalized nanosilica compositions with KCl muds, silicate muds, and silicate/KCl muds showed that Nanosilica B appeared to have a strong inhibiting effect, especially in simulated sea water. Without being bound to a particular theory, these results suggest that there is an ion effect which strengthens the inhibitive effect of nanosilica. In the presence of magnesium and calcium ions, nanosilica containing fluid systems are comparable and possibly more powerful inhibitors than silicate/KCl muds.
Experiment E. Nanosilica C Comparison with Nanosilica B
Experiment E investigated the efficacy of Nanosilica B and Nanosilica C on Pierre II shale erosion rates in both fresh water and synthetic sea water.
The five mud types formulated as in Tables 8 and 9 were subjected to the Hot Roll Procedure with 30 grams of Pierre II shale (between #4 and #8 mesh)
Results
Although the technology has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made hereupon without departing from the inventive principle and scope. Accordingly, the scope of the embodiments should be determined by the following claims and their appropriate legal equivalents.
The singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
Optional or optionally means that the subsequently described event or circumstances can or may not occur. The description includes instances where the event or circumstance occurs and instances where it does not occur.
Ranges may be expressed as from one particular value to another particular value. When such a range is expressed, it is to be understood that another embodiment is from the one particular value to the other particular value, along with all combinations within said range.
Throughout this application, where patents or publications are referenced, the disclosures of these references in their entireties are intended to be incorporated by reference into this application, in order to more fully describe the state of the art, except when these references contradict the statements made here.
As used here and in the appended claims, the words “comprise,” “has,” and “include” and all grammatical variations thereof are each intended to have an open, non-limiting meaning that does not exclude additional elements or steps.
This application is a divisional application of U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 15/422,061 filed on Feb. 1, 2017, which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/290,001 filed on Feb. 2, 2016. For purposes of United States patent practice, this application incorporates the contents of both the Provisional Application and Non-Provisional Application by reference in their entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62290001 | Feb 2016 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 15422061 | Feb 2017 | US |
| Child | 16791647 | US |
