Ether-Based Solvent for Wellbore Cleaning

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current wellbore cleaning operations face challenges with toxic and environmentally hazardous solvents like toluene and xylene, and terpenes have unstable pricing and low flash points, necessitating the need for non-toxic, biodegradable, and cost-effective alternatives with high flash points for effective well treatment and residue removal.

Innovation Solution

The use of ether-based compositions, including ethers, esters, and surfactants, with a co-solvent, which provide high flash points and good solvency properties for wellbore cleaning, filter cake removal, and acidizing, ensuring safe handling and effective residue dissolution without environmental harm.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If toluene and xylene are used for wellbore cleaning, then good solvency and residue removal are achieved, but environmental safety and toxicity concerns worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresidue removal effectivenessVSAvoidenvironmental safety

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by replacing aromatic hydrocarbons (toluene, xylene) with aliphatic hydrocarbons having 6-12 carbon atoms, thereby maintaining solvency while improving environmental safety and eliminating toxicity concerns

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs readily available aliphatic hydrocarbons that are cost-effective and can be easily disposed of or biodegraded, replacing expensive and hazardous aromatic solvents with more benign alternatives that fulfill the cleaning function without long-term environmental harm

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If d-limonene is used for wellbore cleaning, then environmental safety is improved, but flash point and handling safety worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental safetyVSAvoidflash point

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the physical parameter of flash point by selecting aliphatic hydrocarbons with 6-12 carbon atoms that inherently possess higher flash points than d-limonene, thereby improving handling safety while maintaining environmental compatibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite solvent system combining multiple aliphatic hydrocarbons in specific proportions to achieve optimal balance between flash point, solvency, and environmental safety, rather than relying on a single component

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Object-affected harmful factors

If terpenes are used for wellbore cleaning, then environmental safety is improved, but pricing stability and cost effectiveness worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental safetyVSAvoidcost effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent selects common aliphatic hydrocarbons that are commercially abundant and cost-effective, replacing terpenes that suffer from volatile pricing, thereby achieving stable and economical wellbore cleaning operations without compromising environmental safety

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

4Temperature

If high flash point solvents are used for wellbore cleaning, then handling safety is improved, but solvency effectiveness may worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflash pointVSAvoidsolvency effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent formulates a composite solvent system using multiple aliphatic hydrocarbons with different carbon chain lengths (6-12 atoms) to achieve synergistic effects, where the mixture provides both high flash point and excellent solvency that individual components alone cannot achieve

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent optimizes the compositional parameters of the solvent mixture to balance flash point and solvency, selecting specific ratios of aliphatic hydrocarbons that maximize both safety and cleaning effectiveness simultaneously

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 ether-based compositions effectively remove oily residues, water-wet the wellbore surfaces, and enhance solvency, offering a safer, more stable, and cost-effective solution for wellbore cleaning and filter cake removal, while ensuring environmental safety and improved well production.

Implementation Method 1

ether-based compositions effectively remove oily residues

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSolvation: Solvation

Implementation Method 2

surfactant/cosurfactant combinations for wellbore cleaning, spacer and displacement fluids

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSurfactant action: Surfactant

Data Source

PatentUS11084968B2Compositions and methods for treating oil and gas wells

Publication Date: 2021.08.10 SASOL CHEMICALS GMBH

AI summary

A composition for use in various down-hole operations in oil and gas wells. The compositions can include various combinations of certain ethers and other components e.g., esters, alkoxylated alcohols, acidizing agents and hydrocarbon co-solvents. The compositions are useful in a wide variety of down-hole applications particularly well cleaning, filter cake removal and well stimulation techniques e.g., acidizing.