Quotables
"The radio craze will die out in time."
Thomas Edison ; 1922
PatentStorm News
Make the Most of PatentStorm
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest patents by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Got questions? Ask a Patent Expert!
Registered users: Manage your profile, comments and alerts.
US Patent 6390208 - Aphron-containing well drilling and servicing fluids
US Patent Issued on May 21, 2002
Estimated Patent Expiration Date:
May 7, 2019Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
Estimated Patent Expiration Date:
May 7, 2019Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.AbstractThe invention provides a method and fluid for drilling or servicing a well in a subterranean formation containing lost circulation zones or depleted, low pressure reservoirs. The fluid comprises an aqueous liquid having dispersed therein a polymer which increases the low shear rate viscosity of the fluid to the extent that the thixotropic index of the fluid is at least about 10 and a surfactant, and wherein the fluid contains less than about 15% by volume of aphrons preferably generated by the turbulence and pressure drop as the fluid exits the drill bit in the vicinity of the formation. The method of drilling a wellbore in a subterranean formation comprises continuously circulating, while drilling, such a drilling fluid.Other References
| InventorApplicationNo. 320375 filed on 05/07/1999US Classes:175/72, Prevention of lost circulation or caving166/292Using specific materialsField of Search175/72, Prevention of lost circulation or caving166/292, Using specific materials166/309, Producing foam or gas in well by foaming or gas producing material507/102, Contains intended gaseous phase at entry into wellbore507/110, Organic component is carbohydrate or derivative thereof (e.g., sugar or gum, such as galactomannan, xanthan, etc.) or carboxylic acid ester of an alcohol which has five or more hydroxy groups bonded directly to carbons507/202Contains intended gaseous phase at entry into wellboreExaminersPrimary: Bagnell, DavidAssistant: Dougherty, Jennifer R. Attorney, Agent or FirmUS Patent References3229777, 3243000, 3246696, 3269468, 3313362, 3334052, 3393738, 3610340, 3754561, 3819519, 4008766, Oil recovery by waterflooding employing a biopolymer-surfactant systemIssued on: 02/22/1977 Inventor: Savins4013568, Composition and method for drilling formations containing geothermal fluid Issued on: 03/22/1977 Inventor: Fischer , et al.4036764, Method of foam drilling using a sulfoacetate foaming agent Issued on: 07/19/1977 Inventor: Fischer , et al.4088583, Composition and method for drilling high temperature reservoirs Issued on: 05/09/1978 Inventor: Pyle, et al.4092252, Controlling corrosion in gas-containing aqueous drilling fluid Issued on: 05/30/1978 Inventor: Fischer, et al.4155410, Method for correcting lost circulation Issued on: 05/22/1979 Inventor: Jackson, deceased , et al.4162970, Injectors and their use in gassing liquids Issued on: 07/31/1979 Inventor: Zlokarnik4217231, Low fluid loss foam Issued on: 08/12/1980 Inventor: King4247405, Viscosity-stabilized aqueous solutions Issued on: 01/27/1981 Inventor: Wier4387032, Concentrates for fire-fighting foam Issued on: 06/07/1983 Inventor: Chiesa, Jr.4391339, Cavitating liquid jet assisted drill bit and method for deep-hole drilling Issued on: 07/05/1983 Inventor: Johnson, Jr. , et al.4417985, Treatment of waters with broad spectrum contaminants Issued on: 11/29/1983 Inventor: Keane4432881, Water-dispersible hydrophobic thickening agent Issued on: 02/21/1984 Inventor: Evani4442018, Stabilized aqueous foam systems and concentrate and method for making them Issued on: 04/10/1984 Inventor: Rand4486333, Preparation of biliquid foam compositions Issued on: 12/04/1984 Inventor: Sebba4565647, Foaming surfactant compositions Issued on: 01/21/1986 Inventor: Llenado4610729, Removal of chlorine-based contaminants from materials contaminated with same Issued on: 09/09/1986 Inventor: Keane4684479, Surfactant mixtures, stable gas-in-liquid emulsions, and methods for the production of such emulsions from said mixtures Issued on: 08/04/1987 Inventor: D'Arrigo4698148, Removal of chlorine-based contaminants from materials contaminated the same Issued on: 10/06/1987 Inventor: Keane4704200, Method of separating oil or bitumen from surfaces covered with same Issued on: 11/03/1987 Inventor: Keane4717515, Apparatus for dispersing fluids in liquids Issued on: 01/05/1988 Inventor: Forsyth , et al.4743383, Drilling fluid additives for use in hard brine environments Issued on: 05/10/1988 Inventor: Stewart , et al.4832833, Formation of membrane-like material Issued on: 05/23/1989 Inventor: Keane4964465, Method employing liquidized sand for controlling lost circulation of drilling fluids Issued on: 10/23/1990 Inventor: Surles5024276, Hydraulic fracturing in subterranean formations Issued on: 06/18/1991 Inventor: Borchardt5030366, Spacer fluids Issued on: 07/09/1991 Inventor: Wilson, et al.5086974, Cavitating jet nozzle Issued on: 02/11/1992 Inventor: Henshaw5105884, Foam for improving sweep efficiency in subterranean oil-bearing formations Issued on: 04/21/1992 Inventor: Sydansk5129457, Enhanced liquid hydrocarbon recovery process Issued on: 07/14/1992 Inventor: Sydansk5134118, Aqueous based drilling fluid Issued on: 07/28/1992 Inventor: Patel, et al.5175278, Heteropolysaccharide S-657 Issued on: 12/29/1992 Inventor: Peik, et al.5296164, High-stability foams for long-term suppression of hydrocarbon vapors Issued on: 03/22/1994 Inventor: Thach, et al.5310002, Gas well treatment compositions and methods Issued on: 05/10/1994 Inventor: Blauch, et al.5314644, Microbubble generator Issued on: 05/24/1994 Inventor: Michelsen, et al.5352436, Surfactant-stabilized microbubble mixtures, process for preparing and methods of using the same Issued on: 10/04/1994 Inventor: Wheatley, et al.5372462, Polymer enhanced foam for blocking fluid flow in soil Issued on: 12/13/1994 Inventor: Sydansk5397001, Apparatus for the separation of hydrophobic and hydrophilic particles using microbubble column flotation together with a process and apparatus for generation of microbubbles Issued on: 03/14/1995 Inventor: Yoon, et al.5495891, Foamed gel employed as a drilling fluid, a lost circulation fluid, or a combined drilling/lost circulation fluid Issued on: 03/05/1996 Inventor: Sydansk5513712, Polymer enhanced foam drilling fluid Issued on: 05/07/1996 Inventor: Sydansk5529122, Method for altering flow profile of a subterranean formation during acid stimulation Issued on: 06/25/1996 Inventor: Thach5565416, Corrosion inhibitor for wellbore applications Issued on: 10/15/1996 Inventor: Wu5566760, Method of using a foamed fracturing fluid Issued on: 10/22/1996 Inventor: Harris5567741, Aerated anaerobic compositions with enhanced bulk stability Issued on: 10/22/1996 Inventor: Casey, et al.5639443, Stabilized microbubble compositions Issued on: 06/17/1997 Inventor: Schutt, et al.5654260, Corrosion inhibitor for wellbore applications Issued on: 08/05/1997 Inventor: Wu5682951, Foamed gel completion, workover, and kill fluid Issued on: 11/04/1997 Inventor: Sydansk5706895, Polymer enhanced foam workover, completion, and kill fluids Issued on: 01/13/1998 Inventor: Sydansk5716910, Foamable drilling fluid and methods of use in well drilling operations Issued on: 02/10/1998 Inventor: Totten, et al.5728652, Brine fluids having improved rheological charactersitics Issued on: 03/17/1998 Inventor: Dobson, Jr., et al.5821203, Foamed drilling fluids, their process for preparation and the corresponding drilling method Issued on: 10/13/1998 Inventor: Williamson5858928, Gel of an apolar medium, its use for the preparation of water-based drilling fluids Issued on: 01/12/1999 Inventor: Aubert, et al.5881826, Aphron-containing well drilling and servicing fluids Issued on: 03/16/1999 Inventor: Brookey5916849, Polysaccharide-containing well drilling and servicing fluids Issued on: 06/29/1999 Inventor: House5977030, Method of increasing the LSRV of aqueous fluids and oil-in-water emulsions prepared thereby Issued on: 11/02/1999 Inventor: House6123159, Aphron-containing well drilling and servicing fluids of enhanced stability Issued on: 09/26/2000 Inventor: Brookey, et al.6127319, Oil-in-water emulsion Issued on: 10/03/2000 Inventor: House6148917, Method of releasing stuck pipe or tools and spotting fluids therefor Issued on: 11/21/2000 Inventor: Brookey, et al.6159708Chaperone expression plasmids Issued on: 12/12/2000 Inventor: Sogo, et al. International ClassesE21B 007/18E21B 033/13 |
