Viscosification Activator Enhances Well Fluid Viscosity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Viscoelastic surfactant-based well treatment fluids struggle to develop sufficient viscosity at temperatures below 65° F., compromising proppant transport efficiency and being costly, with existing solutions failing to effectively enhance viscosity or reduce gellation time.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a viscosification activator, such as alkoxylated alcohols, condensation products of alkyl phenol and alkylene oxide, or glycol ethers, in a well treatment fluid to initiate or increase viscosity, particularly at low temperatures, forming micellar or vesicular assemblies with viscoelastic surfactants like sodium xylene sulfonate and N,N,N,trimethyl-1-octadecamonium chloride.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If viscoelastic surfactant is used to thicken well treatment fluid, then proppant suspension capability is improved, but viscosity development is insufficient at temperatures below 65° F.

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproppant suspension capabilityVSAvoidviscosity development temperature range

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines viscoelastic surfactant with viscosification activator to create a composite fluid system. The surfactant forms micellar assemblies that provide base viscosity, while the activator (such as salts like CaCl2, Na2SO4, or polymers) enhances and accelerates viscosity development, particularly at lower temperatures where conventional surfactant systems fail.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the well treatment fluid by adding viscosification activators in specific concentrations (0.1-10% by weight). This changes the fluid's rheological parameters, enabling viscosity development at temperatures below 65° F. and reducing gellation time through optimized chemical interactions between surfactant and activator.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If conventional viscoelastic surfactant system is used, then proppant transport is enabled, but gellation time is excessively long

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproppant transport efficiencyVSAvoidgellation time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The viscosification activator is pre-added to the well treatment fluid before pumping operations begin. This preliminary action ensures that viscosity development is initiated immediately upon contact with formation fluids or temperature changes, significantly reducing gellation time and enabling faster proppant transport into the formation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The viscosification activator acts as an intermediary substance that mediates between the viscoelastic surfactant and the well treatment fluid environment. It accelerates the micelle formation and assembly processes, facilitating faster viscosity development without compromising the ultimate proppant transport capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Strength

If higher concentration of viscoelastic surfactant is used to increase viscosity, then proppant suspension is improved, but fluid cost increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefluid viscosityVSAvoidsurfactant concentration

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The viscosification activator serves as a cost-effective intermediary that amplifies the thickening effect of the viscoelastic surfactant. By adding relatively small amounts of activator (0.1-10% by weight), the system achieves high viscosity equivalent to much higher surfactant concentrations, thereby reducing overall fluid cost while maintaining proppant suspension capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent optimizes the concentration ratio between surfactant and activator to achieve maximum viscosity development at minimum cost. By adjusting activator concentration parameters, the system achieves economical viscosity enhancement without requiring excessive surfactant quantities, reducing material costs while maintaining adequate proppant suspension.

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 viscosification activator enhances the viscosity of well treatment fluids, enabling more efficient proppant transport and reducing gellation time, even at temperatures below 65° F., while providing a cost-effective alternative to traditional viscoelastic surfactant-based fluids.

Implementation Method 1

the viscoelastic surfactant in the treatment fluid is capable of forming a surfactant assembly. For instance, the viscoelastic surfactant may form either a micellar assembly or vesicular assembly

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMicelle formation: Self-Assembly

Implementation Method 2

The viscosification activator is present in the well treatment fluid in an amount effective to either cause the well treatment fluid to viscosify or to provide increased viscosification of the well treatment fluid

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectViscosification:

Data Source

PatentUS9018146B2Method of treating a well with viscoelastic surfactant and viscosification activator

Publication Date: 2015.04.28 BAKER HUGHES CO

AI summary

A well treatment fluid contains a viscoelastic surfactant and a viscosification activator. The viscosification activator enhances the viscosity of the well treatment fluid in contrast to a treatment fluid that does not contain a viscosification activator.