Layered Magnesium Silicate Additive for Drilling Fluid Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Water-based drilling fluids experience thinning under high temperature high pressure (HTHP) downhole conditions, leading to issues like pipe sticking and high torque requirements, which conventional additives like bentonite clays and polymers fail to adequately address due to loss of effectiveness and degradation.

Innovation Solution

The development of synthetic functionalized additives, specifically a layered magnesium silicate with mixed functional groups covalently bonded to tetrahedral silicate layers, which are synthesized through a process involving magnesium salts, silanes, and aqueous hydroxide, to enhance the rheological properties and stability of drilling fluids.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If bentonite clays or polymers are added to maintain rheological properties of WBMs, then viscosity is improved, but effectiveness is lost under HTHP conditions due to degradation and thinning

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverheological properties stabilityVSAvoidadditive effectiveness under HTHP

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the chemical structure of silicate layers by covalently bonding multiple different functional groups (such as amine, carboxylate, hydroxyl, phenol, or sulfonate groups) to the silicate surface. This parameter change in molecular structure enables the additive to maintain stability and effectiveness under HTHP conditions where conventional bentonite clays and polymers degrade.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a composite structure by combining an octahedral brucite layer with two functionalized silicate layers to form a layered magnesium silicate. This composite material integrates the structural stability of brucite with the functional versatility of silicate layers bearing multiple different functional groups, achieving both rheological enhancement and HTHP stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Quantity of substance

If large quantities of bentonite clays are added to maintain viscosity, then rheological properties are improved, but effectiveness is lost at HTHP conditions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadditive concentrationVSAvoidadditive performance under HTHP

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical parameters of the additive by introducing multiple different functional groups covalently bonded to silicate layers. This molecular modification enables the additive to maintain effectiveness at lower concentrations under HTHP conditions, eliminating the need to add large quantities of conventional bentonite clays.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Stability of the object's composition

If polymers are used to maintain viscosity, then rheological properties are improved, but viscosity degradation occurs with temperature increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveviscosity stabilityVSAvoidthermal stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The invention creates a composite layered structure combining brucite with functionalized silicate layers. This composite architecture provides thermal stability that prevents viscosity degradation at elevated temperatures, overcoming the limitation of conventional polymers that undergo degradation or thinning with temperature rise.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent modifies the chemical structure by covalently bonding multiple different functional groups to the silicate layers, creating a thermally stable composite material that maintains viscosity under high temperature HTHP conditions where conventional polymers fail.

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 synthetic functionalized additives significantly reduce the thinning of drilling fluids under HTHP conditions, maintaining viscosity and thixotropy, and can be used in combination with viscosifiers like PHPA to achieve stable gelation and reduce the need for additional additives, thereby improving drilling efficiency and reducing the risk of pipe sticking.

Implementation Method 1

maintaining viscosity and thixotropy

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThixotropy: Thixotropy

Implementation Method 2

achieve stable gelation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGelation: Gel

Data Source

PatentUS11912926B2Synthetic functionalized additives, methods of synthesizing, and methods of use

Publication Date: 2024.02.27 SAUDI ARABIAN OIL CO

AI summary

Synthetic functionalized additives may comprise a layered magnesium silicate. The layered magnesium silicate may comprise a first functionalized silicate layer comprising a first tetrahedral silicate layer covalently bonded to at least two different functional groups, an octahedral brucite layer, and a second functionalized silicate layer comprising a second tetrahedral silicate layer covalently bonded to at least two different functional groups. A drilling fluid may comprise the synthetic functionalized additive.