Nano-crosslinked Treatment Fluids for High-Temperature Reservoir Permeability Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional crosslinked treatment fluids used in subterranean hydrocarbon reservoirs are not thermally stable at high temperatures (350-450°F), leading to polymer breakdown and reduced effectiveness in controlling fluid flow for extended periods.
Innovation Solution
A treatment fluid system comprising a nano-crosslinker and a base polymer, where the nano-crosslinker is produced by functionalizing a nanomaterial with a crosslinker, and the system is designed to remain crosslinked for extended periods under high temperature and pressure conditions, using a thermally stable acrylamide-based polymer and additives for enhanced stability and viscosity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional crosslinked polysaccharide gels are used in high temperature formations (350-450°F), then the treatment fluid can be easily manufactured and applied, but the polymer breaks down significantly leading to loss of crosslinked state and reduced effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the crosslinking system by using metal cations (such as aluminum, calcium, or zinc) instead of traditional organic crosslinkers. This parameter change enables the treatment fluid to maintain its crosslinked state at high temperatures (350-450°F) where traditional polymers would break down, thereby resolving the thermal stability issue while keeping the system manufacturable
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite crosslinked gel system combining polysaccharide polymers (guar or its derivatives) with metal cation crosslinkers. This composite approach allows the system to leverage the viscosity and gel-forming capabilities of polysaccharides while the metal cations provide thermal stability, enabling the treatment fluid to maintain its crosslinked state at high temperatures
2Duration of action of stationary object
If traditional treatment fluids are used to block fluid flow for extended periods (months, years), then the desired long-term conformance control is achieved, but the crosslinked network breaks down due to thermal instability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the crosslinking mechanism by introducing metal cation-based crosslinking instead of traditional organic crosslinkers. This parameter change creates a more thermally stable crosslinked network that can maintain its integrity for extended periods (months to years) at high formation temperatures, thereby achieving both the desired duration of action and compositional stability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent moves away from using expensive, thermally unstable synthetic polymers toward a system based on relatively inexpensive polysaccharide gels enhanced with metal cations. This approach creates a cost-effective treatment fluid that achieves long-term stability through the metal cation crosslinking mechanism rather than relying on inherently thermally stable but expensive polymer chemistry
3Reliability
If thermally stable synthetic polymers (acrylamide-based) are used at high temperatures, then thermal stability is improved, but the polymer breakdown still occurs and crosslinked state is not maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the crosslinking chemistry from traditional organic crosslinkers to metal cation-based crosslinking. This parameter change creates a crosslinked network that is stable at high temperatures, preventing polymer breakdown and maintaining the crosslinked state throughout the desired service life of the treatment fluid in hot formations
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 treatment fluid system effectively reduces permeability in subterranean reservoirs, mitigates formation damage, and enhances hydrocarbon production by maintaining thermal stability and viscosity at high temperatures, allowing for extended control of fluid flow.
Implementation Method 1
a crosslinked treatment fluid can be used in a fracturing operation to transport proppant to the formation to stimulate low productivity well
Implementation Method 2
The base fluid includes water and the base fluid is operable to suspend the fluid composition
Implementation Method 3
The treatment fluid system is operable to reduce permeability of a high permeability zone in the subterranean reservoir formation
Data Source
AI summary
A treatment fluid system for reducing permeability of high permeability zones in a subterranean reservoir formation comprising a fluid composition comprising a nano-crosslinker, the nano-crosslinker comprising a nanomaterial, and a crosslinker, wherein the crosslinker comprises a chemical group selected from the group consisting of carbonyl, sulfhydryl, amine and imine, wherein the nano-crosslinker is produced by a method selected from the group consisting of pre-treating the nanomaterial with the crosslinker such that the crosslinker has been functionalized onto the nanomaterial, embedding the crosslinker on the nanoparticle, grafting the crosslinker onto the nanomaterial, and coating the crosslinker on the nanomaterial, a base polymer, and a base fluid, the base fluid operable to suspend the fluid composition, wherein the base fluid comprises water, wherein the treatment fluid system is operable to reduce permeability of a high permeability zone in the subterranean reservoir formation.