Well kill additive, well kill treatment fluid made therefrom, and method of killing a well

Abstract

For well kill treatment to prevent the intrusion of formation fluids into the wellbore while the well is open, a well kill additive including a dry mixture of water soluble crosslinkable polymer, a crosslinking agent, filter aid, and optionally, a reinforcing material of fibers and / or comminuted plant materials. The method of forming a well kill fluid includes contacting the additive with water or an aqueous solution, with a method of conforming the formation further including the step of injecting the fluid into the wellbore.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 211,958, entitled “Well Kill Additive, Well Kill Treatment Fluid Made Therefrom, and Method of Killing a Well”, filed Aug. 1, 2002, herein incorporated by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to well kill additives and methods of making such additives, to well kill treatment fluids made therefrom and methods of making such fluids, to methods of modifying a well fluid with such additives and / or fluids, to methods of operating a well with such additives and / or fluids, and to methods of killing a well using such additives and / or fluids. In another aspect, the present invention relates to well kill additives comprising polymer, crosslinking agent, and filter aid and methods of making such additives, to well kill treatment fluids made therefrom and methods of making such fluids, to metho...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0032] It is even another object of the present invention to provide for a well kill additive which would allow for simplification of the mixing equipment.

[0037] According to still another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of killing a well to substantially reduce volumetric flow of a formation fluid across a wellbore face into a wellbore penetrating a formation having a formation matrix and containing said formation fluid below an earthen surface. The method includes placing a well kill fluid comprising water soluble crosslinkable polymer, a crosslinking agent, and filter aid in said wellbore at said wellbore face, wherein said fluid which is placed at said wellbore face does not significantly penetrate the formation matrix. The method also includes forming a nonflowing fluid from said well kill fluid in said wellbore at said wellbore face to substantially reduce said volumetric flow of said formation fluid across said wellbore face into said wellbore, thereby killing said well.

[0038] According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for reducing volumetric flow of a formation fluid across a wellbore face into a wellbore penetrating a formation having a formation matrix and containing said formation fluid below an earthen surface. The method includes placing a well kill fluid comprising water soluble crosslinkable polymer, a crosslinking agent and filter aid in said wellbore at said wellbore face, wherein said fluid which is placed at said wellbore face does not significantly penetrate the formation matrix. The method also includes applying pressure to dewater the well kill fluid to form a nonflowing fluid from said well kill fluid in said wellbore at said wellbore face to substantially reduce said volumetric flow of said formation fluid across said wellbore face into said wellbore, thereby killing said well.

Problems solved by technology

Maintenance of a sufficient hydrostatic pressure in the wellbore reduces the potential of a well kick or blow out.

Fluid leakoff can undesirably result in formation damage, i.e., permeability reduction, which is manifested in reduced hydrocarbon recovery from the formation or reduced infectivity into the formation.

Under downhole conditions where the wellbore is in direct communication with voids, it can be extremely difficult to prevent fluid leakoff.

Conventional kill fluids generally do not exhibit sufficient flow resistance to prevent them from escaping the wellbore into the formation matrix via the high permeability voids.

Such leakoff can ultimately result in loss of the hydrostatic pressure overbalance which enables formation fluids to intrude into the wellbore, negating the primary function of the kill treatment.

Although it is possible to maintain the hydrostatic pressure overbalance in the face of severe fluid leakoff by replenishing the lost kill fluid, this practice can be cost prohibitive.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,461, issued Feb. 26, 1991 to Sydansk noted that the utility of kill fluids was limited, particularly in the presence of voids in direct communication with the wellbore, and further noted a need existed for a kill treatment having utility in hydrocarbon recovery operations over a broad range of operating conditions, and particularly having utility when kill fluids are ineffective.

Thus, while U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,760, issued Jan. 3, 1995 to Merrill discloses addition of fibers to an aqueous solution of partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide polymer, with subsequent injection into the subterranean to improve conformance, Sydansk teaches that such would not necessarily work for kill treatment.

There is a real tendency when redrilling such a plug for the bit to be deflected or sidetracked so that the new hole is beside rather than through the bore and the seal is ineffective.