Acrylamide Hydrogels for Drilling Circulation Loss Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current hydrogels used in oil drilling for circulation loss control have limitations such as high water usage, long reaction times, and microbial degradation, and lack improved thermal sensitivity properties.

Innovation Solution

Development of organic-inorganic hybrid hydrogels using acrylic monomers and silylated compounds, which can crosslink to form hydrogels sensitive to temperature, pressure, pH, and salinity, allowing for controlled viscosity increase and improved interaction with rock surfaces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional hydrogels are used for circulation loss control, then they can reduce circulation losses, but they require excess water for washing and have long reaction times

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecirculation loss controlVSAvoidreaction time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by incorporating silylated compounds (divinyltetramethyldisiloxane, vinyltrimethoxysilane, methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, trimethylsilyl acrylate, trichlorovinylsilane, trimethylsilyl methacrylate) as crosslinking agents instead of conventional crosslinkers. This parameter change enables the hydrogel to achieve effective circulation loss control with reduced reaction times and without requiring excess water for washing, while maintaining reliable performance in oil drilling operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If conventional hydrogels are used for circulation loss control, then they can reduce circulation losses, but they are susceptible to microbial degradation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecirculation loss controlVSAvoidmicrobial degradation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite hydrogel system combining organic acrylic monomers (acrylamide, methacrylamide, N-isopropylacrylamide, N,N-diethylacrylamide, N,N-dimethylacrylamide, methacrylamidopropyltrimethylammonium chloride) with inorganic silylated compounds. This composite structure produces a hydrogel that maintains circulation loss control reliability while exhibiting resistance to microbial degradation, as the inorganic crosslinking network does not provide substrates for microbial enzymatic attack

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Reliability

If conventional hydrogels are used for circulation loss control, then they can reduce circulation losses, but they lack improved thermal sensitivity properties

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecirculation loss controlVSAvoidthermal sensitivity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the thermal response parameters by incorporating temperature-sensitive acrylic monomers (particularly N-isopropylacrylamide and N,N-diethylacrylamide) into the hydrogel network. These monomers provide lower critical solution temperature (LCST) behavior, enabling the hydrogel to exhibit enhanced thermal sensitivity that allows it to respond to temperature changes in the drilling environment, thereby improving circulation loss control under varying thermal conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The hydrogels demonstrate enhanced thermal sensitivity and sealing capacity, reducing circulation losses in oil drilling operations while being scalable and compatible with various drilling fluids.

Implementation Method 1

the inorganic component comprises at least one silylated compound, which provides greater interactions with a rock

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCrosslinking: Chemical Bonding

Implementation Method 2

Hydrogels are macromolecular polymer gels constituted by crosslinked polymer networks and capable of reversibly absorbing large amounts of water

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAbsorption: Absorption (physical)

Implementation Method 3

the inorganic component comprises at least one silylated compound, which provides greater interactions with a rock

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdhesion: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentUS11787909B2Hydrogels derived from acrylamide for controlling circulation losses and methods of fabrication thereof

Publication Date: 2023.10.17 YPF TECNOLOGIA SA

AI summary

Acrylamide-derived hydrogels and methods of fabrication thereof from an acrylic monomer, a crosslinking agent comprising an organosilicon compound, a polymerization initiator, a solvent and a polymerization accelerator, as well as their use in controlling circulation losses. The obtained hydrogels interact with the walls of the reservoir and exhibits an increase in viscosity, either at delayed times or in response to a given stimulus, such as changes in temperature, pressure, pH, salinity, using a simple and easily scalable methodology.