Biodegradable Shale Stabilizer Using Defatted Soy Flour
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Aqueous-based drilling fluids can adversely affect water-sensitive subterranean formations, such as shale, leading to issues like swelling and erosion, and there is a need for environmentally friendly additives that are not harmful to people or the environment.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating food-grade, biodegradable proteins, specifically defatted soy flour, as shale stabilizers in aqueous-based drilling fluids to minimize erosion and sloughing, while maintaining desirable properties like good rheology and low fluid loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If aqueous-based drilling fluids are used, then drilling fluid cost and environmental safety are improved, but water-sensitive shale formations suffer from swelling and erosion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces food-grade proteins as intermediary substances that mediate between the aqueous drilling fluid and the water-sensitive shale formation. These proteins adsorb onto the shale surface, forming a protective layer that prevents direct contact between the drilling fluid water and the shale, thereby eliminating the harmful effects while maintaining the benefits of aqueous-based fluids.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs food-grade proteins that are biodegradable and environmentally friendly, replacing traditional harmful shale stabilizers. These proteins provide effective shale stabilization during drilling operations and then naturally decompose, eliminating long-term environmental contamination issues associated with conventional additives.
2Stability of the object's composition
If traditional shale stabilizers are used to prevent shale erosion, then shale retention is improved, but environmental safety and food safety are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent fundamentally changes the chemical composition parameters of shale stabilizers by replacing synthetic or harmful substances with food-grade proteins. This parameter change maintains the stabilizing function while improving environmental safety, allowing the same technical effect (shale retention) to be achieved without compromising safety standards.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes composite protein structures with specific amino acid compositions and molecular configurations that provide effective shale stabilization. These composite protein materials combine multiple functional properties including adsorption capability, film-forming ability, and biodegradability, achieving both technical performance and environmental safety.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If food-grade proteins are used as shale stabilizers, then environmental safety and shale retention are improved, but the complexity of fluid formulation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent demonstrates that food-grade proteins can serve multiple functions simultaneously: they act as shale stabilizers, fluid loss control agents, and environmentally safe additives. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple separate chemical additives, thereby simplifying the overall fluid formulation despite the sophisticated nature of the protein molecules.
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 use of food-grade proteins as shale stabilizers effectively reduces fluid loss and enhances shale retention, providing a safe and environmentally friendly solution for drilling in water-sensitive formations, with defatted soy flour demonstrating high efficacy in reducing adverse effects on shale formations.
Implementation Method 1
Incorporating food-grade, biodegradable proteins, specifically defatted soy flour, as shale stabilizers in aqueous-based drilling fluids to minimize erosion and sloughing
Implementation Method 2
The stabilizer is edible and biodegradable
Data Source
AI summary
A method of using an aqueous-based drilling fluid comprises: introducing the drilling fluid into a wellbore, wherein the wellbore penetrates a subterranean formation, wherein the drilling fluid comprises: (A) a base fluid, wherein the base fluid comprises water; and (B) a shale stabilizer additive, wherein the shale stabilizer additive: (i) is made from a protein; (ii) is food grade; and (iii) provides a shale retention of at least 85% for the subterranean formation.