Organic Peroxide Breakers for Viscosity Reduction in Oil Fields
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current breaker technologies for viscosified treatment fluids in oil and gas production are ineffective at low temperatures and are not tolerant to natural brines containing chlorides and dissolved organics, leading to incomplete polymer degradation and potential equipment corrosion.
Innovation Solution
The use of non-oxidizing organic peroxides, such as peroxy dicarbonates, diacyl peroxides, dialkyl peroxides, alkylhydroperoxides, and esters of peracids, as breakers to reduce the viscosity of viscosified treatment fluids, which interact with the fluids to efficiently degrade polymers under mild conditions without causing side reactions that lead to corrosion or unwanted viscosities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional breaker technologies are used to reduce viscosity of viscosified treatment fluids, then polymer degradation is achieved, but the breakers are ineffective at low temperatures and cause equipment corrosion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the breaker system by using organic peroxides (such as t-butyl hydroperoxide, cumyl hydroperoxide, or di-tert-butyl peroxide) instead of conventional inorganic breakers. These organic peroxides effectively degrade polymers at low temperatures while avoiding the corrosion problems associated with traditional breaker chemistries, thus resolving the contradiction between degradation effectiveness and equipment protection.
2Reliability
If breaker systems are used to reduce viscosity, then polymer degradation occurs, but the breakers are not tolerant to natural brines containing chlorides and dissolved organics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs organic peroxide breakers that are specifically designed to be tolerant of challenging environmental conditions including chlorides and dissolved organics found in natural brines. These breakers maintain their effectiveness despite the presence of interfering substances, ensuring complete polymer degradation without requiring pre-treatment of the brine, thus resolving the contradiction between degradation completeness and brine tolerance.
3Productivity
If conventional breakers are used in challenging conditions, then viscosity reduction is attempted, but side reactions occur leading to unwanted viscosities and corrosion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potentially harmful interaction between breakers and brine components into a beneficial outcome by selecting organic peroxide breakers that are inherently tolerant of chlorides and dissolved organics. Instead of causing unwanted side reactions, these breakers maintain stable performance in challenging conditions, achieving efficient viscosity reduction without generating harmful by-products or corrosion, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and harmful side reactions.
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
This approach significantly improves polymer degradation and viscosity reduction in fluids from natural sources with high salt concentrations, reducing equipment corrosion and ensuring effective polymer breakdown, even in challenging conditions.
Implementation Method 1
The viscosity of the viscosified fluids or of the crosslinked hydrogels may range from almost as thin as water (1 mPas) to several 1000 mPas. For the reduction of the viscosity of the fluid typically the water soluble polymer is degraded by so called breakers. The breakers cleave the high molecular polymer chain into fragments of lower molecular weight and/or deactivate the crosslinking compound.
Data Source
AI summary
A method to reduce the viscosity of viscosified treatment fluids is disclosed herein. The method includes a water soluble polymer as viscosifying agent, preferably a synthetic water soluble polymer, optionally a crosslinker for the water soluble polymer, a breaker system containing an organic peroxide, mixing the viscosified treatment fluid and the breaker composition and allowing the viscosified treatment fluid and the breaker composition to interact whereby the viscosity of the viscosified treatment is reduced. The application of the process in the production of oil and gas is also discussed.