Encapsulated Polyamine Fluid Loss Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current delayed gelling systems for preventing fluid loss during oil and gas exploration and production operations, such as drilling and hydraulic fracturing, face challenges in precise control of gelation location and efficiency, leading to inadequate fluid loss mitigation and potential well damage.
Innovation Solution
Encapsulating polyamines within polyurethane shells that release upon high shear, allowing them to react with crosslinkable components like epoxy compounds or polyacrylamide to form a tridimensional network, effectively sealing fractures and preventing fluid loss without the complexity of polymerization systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If delayed gelling systems are used to prevent fluid loss, then fluid loss mitigation is improved, but control over gelation location precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The polyamine is pre-encapsulated in polyurethane shells before injection. The encapsulation is designed to break under specific downhole conditions (high shear, temperature, pressure), allowing the polyamine to be released only at the target location. This preliminary preparation ensures that gelation occurs precisely where needed, resolving the contradiction between achieving fluid loss mitigation and maintaining gelation location control.
2Manufacturing precision
If complex polymerization systems are used for targeted gelation, then gelation control is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and isolates the polyamine within polyurethane encapsulation, separating it from the rest of the system. This allows the polyamine to remain stable during transport and only activate when the encapsulation breaks under downhole conditions. By taking out the polyamine and protecting it separately, the system achieves targeted gelation control without requiring complex polymerization systems, thus resolving the contradiction between gelation control and system complexity.
3Reliability
If delayed gelling systems are injected to form gel downhole, then fluid loss prevention is improved, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic/conditional activation where the polyamine is released in response to specific downhole conditions (high shear, temperature, pressure). Once released, the polyamine rapidly reacts with crosslinkable components to form gel. This conditional release mechanism ensures that gelation occurs only when and where needed, reducing unnecessary time consumption while maintaining effective fluid loss prevention.
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 solution provides targeted and efficient sealing of subterranean environments, reducing fluid loss during drilling and fracturing operations by forming a gel at the desired location, thereby minimizing well damage and operational risks.
Implementation Method 1
a polyurethane encapsulated polyamine which is released when triggered by physical means (high shear, high pressure, temperature, crushing, shearing or any combination of the above)
Implementation Method 2
react with crosslinkable components like epoxy compounds or polyacrylamide to form a tridimensional network
Data Source
AI summary
The instant invention relates to a method for sealing a subterranean environment, wherein a polyurethane encapsulated polyamine is injected into the subterranean environment and is released in situ in the presence of a reactive species able to form a gel or a precipitate by a physical association and/or a chemical reaction with the released polyamine.