C16 Olefin Drilling Fluids for Deep Water Biodegradation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional non-aqueous drilling fluids used in deep water drilling operations pose environmental concerns due to toxicity and biodegradation issues, making disposal challenging and costly, and existing synthetic-based fluids like C1618 IO are hydrolytically unstable and costly.

Innovation Solution

Development of drilling fluid compositions comprising C16 unbranched internal olefin (C16UIO) and C16 linear alpha olefin (C16LAO) blends, which offer improved biodegradation, reduced sediment toxicity, and hydrolytic stability, enabling compliance with EPA standards and efficient deep water drilling performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional non-aqueous drilling fluids (diesel or synthetic-based) are used, then drilling performance is improved, but environmental toxicity and biodegradation issues worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrilling performanceVSAvoidenvironmental toxicity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the drilling fluid by using C16 unbranched internal olefin instead of conventional diesel or ester-based synthetics. This parameter change maintains adequate drilling performance while significantly improving biodegradation (exceeding 60% in 28 days) and reducing sediment toxicity, thereby resolving the contradiction between drilling performance and environmental harm

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a composite formulation combining C16 unbranched internal olefin with specific additives including corrosion inhibitors, scale inhibitors, and biocides. This composite approach achieves both reliable drilling performance through adequate viscosity and lubrication properties while the base fluid's inherent biodegradability ensures reduced environmental toxicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Object-affected harmful factors

If C1618 internal olefin is used to meet EPA standards, then environmental compliance is improved, but cost increases and supply availability worsens

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveEPA complianceVSAvoidcost and supply availability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent substitutes the expensive and supply-constrained C1618 internal olefin with C16 unbranched internal olefin, which is cheaper and more readily available. The C16 alternative achieves EPA compliance through superior biodegradation performance while reducing both cost and supply chain vulnerability, effectively replacing a scarce expensive material with a more accessible economical substitute

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If ester-based synthetic fluids are used, then biodegradation is improved, but hydrolytic stability worsens under deep water conditions

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovebiodegradationVSAvoidhydrolytic stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the problematic ester component from the synthetic drilling fluid formulation and replaces it with C16 unbranched internal olefin. This removal of the hydrolytically unstable ester while retaining synthetic-based performance characteristics eliminates the stability issue while preserving adequate biodegradation properties, resolving the contradiction between biodegradation and hydrolytic stability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Reliability

If non-aqueous drilling fluids are used, then drilling performance in deep water is improved, but disposal complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrilling performanceVSAvoiddisposal complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the previously harmful characteristic of non-aqueous fluids (poor biodegradation and toxicity) into a benefit by using C16 unbranched internal olefin that exhibits excellent biodegradation (>60% in 28 days) and low sediment toxicity. This transformation allows the fluid to maintain adequate drilling performance while enabling simpler, more cost-effective disposal through natural degradation, turning a disposal problem into an environmental advantage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Data Source

PatentUS10060189B2Hexadecene synthetic drilling fluid with improved environmental properties

Publication Date: 2018.08.28 CHEVRON USA INC

AI summary

The disclosure relates to drilling fluid compositions, and their method of use, comprising a C16 unbranched internal olefin, including blends of the C16 unbranched internal olefin and a C16 linear alpha olefin. The exemplary drilling fluids are characterized by properties, e.g., pour points and kinematic viscosities, that enable them to be particularly useful in deep water drilling operations and have reduced environmental impact, e.g., increased biodegradation and reduced sediment toxicity.