Phenyl Boronate Polymer Crosslinker for High-Temp Fracturing Fluids
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing thickening agents for hydrocarbon extraction, such as boron-crosslinked gels, require high concentrations and high boron usage, and have limitations in viscosity stability under varying conditions, particularly at high temperatures and in shear environments.
Innovation Solution
The use of organic polymers with phenyl boronate groups as crosslinking agents, which can achieve higher viscosities at lower concentrations of boron and polysaccharides, and maintain stability across temperature changes, while also incorporating multifunctional components like tracers or corrosion inhibitors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If high concentrations of boron-crosslinked gels are used to increase viscosity, then proppant carrying ability is improved, but material cost and cleanup complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical parameters of the crosslinking agent by using phenyl boronate groups with nitrogen atoms at meta positions, which fundamentally alters the crosslinking mechanism to achieve superior viscosity enhancement at lower concentrations compared to conventional boron compounds
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs a composite crosslinking agent structure combining organic polymer chains with phenyl boronate groups and nitrogen atoms, creating a multifunctional material that simultaneously provides crosslinking, temperature stability, and enhanced proppant carrying ability
2Stability of the object's composition
If high concentrations of boron compounds are used to achieve desired viscosity, then fluid stability is improved, but environmental impact and cleanup difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses biodegradable organic polymer-based crosslinking agents that break down more easily than conventional boron compounds, reducing environmental persistence and cleanup complexity while maintaining fluid stability during the operational window
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the chemical composition parameters by replacing inorganic boron compounds with organic polymer-based phenyl boronate groups, which provide comparable or superior stability with reduced environmental toxicity
3Strength
If conventional crosslinking agents are used to increase viscosity, then proppant suspension is improved, but temperature stability deteriorates at high temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a composite crosslinking structure where organic polymer chains with phenyl boronate groups and nitrogen atoms work synergistically to maintain crosslink integrity at high temperatures, preventing gel breakdown and maintaining proppant suspension capability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the thermal parameters of the crosslinking system by introducing phenyl groups and nitrogen-containing structures that have higher thermal stability, raising the temperature threshold at which crosslink degradation occurs
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 allows for enhanced viscosity and proppant carrying ability with reduced material usage and improved temperature stability, facilitating more efficient hydraulic fracturing and fluid management in hydrocarbon extraction, while also enabling easier cleanup and monitoring.
Implementation Method 1
a cross linking agent to enhance the viscosity of the fluid by crosslinking the polymer, wherein the crosslinking agent is an organic polymer containing at least one polymer chain with boronate-containing groups distributed along the chain
Implementation Method 2
it facilitates the suspension and transfer into the formation of proppant materials that remain in the fracture
Implementation Method 3
The viscosity of these crosslinked gels can be reduced by mechanical shearing (ie they are shear thinning) but gels cross-linked with boron compounds have the advantage that they will reform spontaneously after exposure to high shear
Implementation Method 4
gels cross-linked with boron compounds have the advantage that they will reform spontaneously after exposure to high shear. This property of being reversible makes boron-crosslinked gels particularly attractive
Data Source
AI summary
An aqueous fluid, possibly a wellbore fracturing fluid, comprises an aqueous solution or dispersion of a first polymer, which may be polysaccharide, as a thickener and a cross linking agent to enhance the viscosity of the fluid by crosslinking the first polymer, wherein the crosslinking agent is a second polymer comprising at least one polymer chain with phenyl boronate groups distributed along the polymer chain and the phenyl boronic acid groups have nitrogen attached to the phenyl group at a position which is meta relative to the boronate group.