Aphron-containing aqueous well drilling and servicing fluids

Patent 6770601 Issued on August 3, 2004. Estimated Expiration Date:

February 9, 2019. Estimated 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.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

1737623

1824221

2043633

2224135

2531427

2531812

2713029

2713030

2808887

2818230

More ...

Inventor

Brookey, Tommy F.

Assignee

Masi Technologies, LLC

Application

No. 09246932 filed on 02/09/1999

US Classes:

507/102, Contains intended gaseous phase at entry into wellbore507/202, Contains intended gaseous phase at entry into wellbore507/104, Organic component is cellular or fibrous material derived from plant or animal source (e.g., wood, nutshell, paper, leather, cotton, etc.)507/110, 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 carbons507/113, Carboxyalkylcellulose (e.g., CMC, CMHEC, etc.)507/114, Hydroxyalkylcellulose (e.g., HEC, etc.)507/136, Organic component contains ether linkage (e.g., PEG ether, etc.)507/204, Organic component is cellular or fibrous material derived from plant or animal source (e.g., wood, nutshell, paper, leather, cotton, etc.)507/213, Polysaccharide is a xanthan (e.g., scleroglucans, etc.)507/215, Carboxyalkylcellulose (e.g., CMC, CMHEC, etc.)507/216, Hydroxyalkylcellulose (e.g., HEC, etc.)507/261, Organic component contains ether linkage (e.g., PEG ether, etc.)175/72, Prevention of lost circulation or caving166/309Producing foam or gas in well by foaming or gas producing material

Examiners

Primary: Tucker, Philip

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Conley Rose, P.C.

Foreign Patent References

WO 9836151 EP 08/01/1998

International Class

C09K 702

Abstract

The 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 viscosifier which increases the low shear rate viscosity of the fluid to at least 10,000 centipoise, an aphron-generating surfactant, and aphrons, wherein the fluid contains less than about 20% 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 re-circulating, while drilling, such a drilling fluid.

Other References

Roy et al., Apicit Abstract 94:5466, Abstract of Fluid/Part. Sep. J. V5N.1, pp. 31-36, (1992).*
Tom Brookey; “Micro-bubbles”: New Aphron Drill-In Fluid Technique Reduces Formation Damage in Horizontal Wells; Paper SPE 39587, Presented at the 1998 SPE (Society of Petroleum Engineers) International Symposium on Formation Damage Control held in Lafayette, Louisiana on Feb. 18-19, 1998, SPE, Richardson, Texas.
Gas Research Institute; Underbalanced Drilling Manual: GRI Reference No. GRI-97/0236, pp. 1-6 to 1-8, 2-75 to 2-81, 2-96, 2-101 to 2-104, 2-119, 2-120, 2-125 to 2-127, 2-131, 2-135 to 2-139, Chicago, Illinois., (1997).
Felix Sebba; Foams and Biliquid Foams -Aphrons; 1987, Chapter 5, pp. 63-78, John Wiley & Sons Ltd., Great Britain.
Article entitled “Treatability of Water-based Drilling Fluids Using Colloidal Gas Aphrons,” D. Roy, K.T. Valsaraj, and V.J. Amedee, Department of Civil Engineering and Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, Fluid/Particle Separation Journal, vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 31-36, Mar. 1992.
Article entitled “Drill-in Fluids Improve High-angle Well Production,” Petroleum Engineer Int'l., Mar., 1995.
Article entitled “Microbubbles: Generation and Interaction With Colloid Particles,” J.B. Melville and E. Matijevic, Institute of Colloid and Surface Science and Department of Chemistry, Clarkson College of Technology, Potsdam, NY., pp. 217-235, 1975.
Article entitled “Separation of Organic Dyes From Wastewater by Using Colloidal Gas Aphrons,” D. Roy, K.T. Valsarlj, and S.A. Kottai, Marcel Dekker, Inc., Separation Science and Technology, 27(5), pp. 573-589, 1992.
SPE 39589 entitled “Microbubbles: New Aphron Drill-in Fluid Technique Reduces Formation Damage in Horizontal Wells,” Tom Brookey, SPE, ActiSystems, Inc., Society of Petroleum Engineers, Feb. 18-19, 1998.
SPE 53984 entitled “Lagomar's Integrated Field Laboratory for Intensive Evaluation of Technologies,” G. de Carvajal, A. Velasques, J. Graterol, F. Ramirez and M. Medina, PDVSA E&P and R. Guimerans, PDVSA Intevep, 1999.
U.S. Statutory. Invention Registration No. H837, Pieffer et al., Filed Jul. 5, 1989, Published Nov. 6, 1990.
U.S. Statutory. Invention Registration No. H1000, Patel et al., Filed Aug. 16, 1990, Published Dec. 3, 1991.
Article entitled “Carbohydrate Chemistry: Monosaccharides and Their Oligomers,” H.S. El Khadem, Academic Press, Inc., 1988.
Article entitle “Bioactive Carbohydrates: In Chemistry, Biochemistry and Biology,” J.F. Kennedy and C.A. White, Halsted Press: A division of John Wiley & Sons, 1983.
Article entitled “Hidraulica Forajului,” (Translation: YES: of pp. 444-455), Oct. 26, 1982.