Antimony-Stabilized Acidizing Foam for Additive Compatibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional acidizing fluids face issues with foam stability due to the presence of additives like corrosion inhibitors and surfactants, leading to premature collapse and poor zonal coverage, and sourcing of gelling agents is restricted in certain regions, affecting the performance and logistics of acidizing operations.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of an antimony-containing compound as a foaming stabilizing agent in acidizing fluids, along with a gelling agent and gas, to enhance foam stability and compatibility, allowing the use of regionally available polymers for effective acidizing operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional additives (corrosion inhibitors, surfactants) are used in acidizing fluids, then corrosion protection and fluid properties are improved, but foam stability deteriorates leading to premature collapse
Solution Approach 1:
A foam stabilizing agent is introduced as an intermediary substance that mediates between the conflicting requirements of maintaining foam structure and allowing conventional additives to function. The stabilizing agent forms a protective film around foam bubbles that prevents collapse while permitting corrosion inhibitors and surfactants to perform their functions in the acidizing fluid formulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The acidizing fluid employs a composite formulation combining multiple components: foam stabilizing agent, corrosion inhibitors, surfactants, and gelling agents. This composite approach allows each component to contribute its specific function while the overall formulation achieves synergistic performance, with the foam stabilizing agent being particularly critical for maintaining foam integrity in the presence of other additives.
2Stability of the object's composition
If gelling agents are sourced from specific regions, then foam stability is improved, but supply chain flexibility and regional adaptability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The foam stabilizing agent is designed to work universally with various gelling agents from different regional sources. It provides a common functional interface that allows acidizing fluid formulations to achieve consistent foam stability regardless of which locally-available gelling agent is used, thereby enabling supply chain flexibility and regional adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The foam stabilizing agent compensates for variations in gelling agent properties by adjusting the foam stabilization mechanism. It modifies the foam film properties and surface tension characteristics to ensure stable foam formation even when gelling agents with different molecular weights, charge densities, or hydrolysis rates are used from different regional sources.
3Stability of the object's composition
If foam stability is enhanced through stabilizing agents, then zonal coverage is improved, but fluid complexity and additive interactions worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The foam stabilizing agent serves as a mediator that simplifies the overall system by providing a single critical function (foam stabilization) that enables the use of multiple other additives without compromising foam integrity. This intermediary approach actually reduces complexity by establishing a clear functional hierarchy where the stabilizing agent manages interactions between other components.
Data Source
AI summary
An acidizing fluid, such as for matrix acidizing or fracture-acidizing a subterranean zone, the acidizing treatment fluid comprising: an acid; an aqueous base fluid; a gelling agent; and a foaming stabilizing agent, wherein the foaming stabilizing agent comprises an antimony-containing compound. The acidizing fluid can further include a foaming agent. Methods of making and utilizing the acidizing fluid are also provided.