# US 10,767,097 B2 · Invert emulsion drilling fluids with fatty acid and fatty diol rheology modifiers

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- Number: US 10,767,097 B2
- Document ID: US10767097B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/692,733
- Filed: 2019-11-22
- Published: 2020-03-19
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2016-11-30
- Assignees: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
- Applicants: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
- Inventors: Vikrant Wagle; Abdullah Al-Yami
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10767097B2

## CPC

- C09K 8/36: Water-in-oil emulsions
- C09K 8/032: {Inorganic additives}
- C09K 8/035: Organic additives
- E21B 43/16: Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons
- C09K: MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS

## Abstract

Provided here are various invert emulsion drilling fluid compositions. The invert emulsion fluid is a water in oil emulsion, which can include an invert emulsifier to stabilize the water in oil emulsion, a 16 to 18 carbon carboxylic acid, a 36 carbon fatty dimer diol, a polymeric filter control agent, and an inorganic mineral including one or more of lime, calcium chloride, and barite. The invert emulsion drilling fluids can be formulated to be substantially free of clay.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An invert emulsion drilling fluid, comprising:
a water in oil emulsion;
an invert emulsifier to stabilize the water in oil emulsion in an amount operable to stabilize the water in oil emulsion;
a fatty acid mixture of C16 and C18 saturated linear alpha carboxylic acids;
a 36 carbon fatty dimer diol;
a filtration control agent; and
an inorganic mineral including one or more of lime, calcium chloride, and barite;
wherein the invert emulsion drilling fluid is formulated without clay.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The invert emulsion drilling fluid of claim 1, wherein the invert emulsion drilling fluid further comprises a 36 carbon dimer diacid having the formula:

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The invert emulsion drilling fluid of claim 1, wherein the 36 carbon fatty dimer diol has the formula:

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The invert emulsion drilling fluid of claim 1, wherein the invert emulsion drilling fluid is formulated to have an oil to water ratio from 5:95 to 95:5 by volume.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The invert emulsion drilling fluid of claim 1, wherein the invert emulsion drilling fluid is formulated to have a density ranging from 63 to 164 lbm/ft3.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The invert emulsion drilling fluid of claim 1, wherein the invert emulsion drilling fluid is formulated to have a calcium chloride (CaCl2) water phase salinity concentration of 200 to 390 thousand parts per million.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The invert emulsion drilling fluid of claim 1, wherein the invert emulsion drilling fluid is formulated to have the invert emulsifier in an amount of 2 to 25 lbm/bbl.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The invert emulsion drilling fluid of claim 1, wherein the invert emulsion drilling fluid is formulated to have lime in an amount of 0.5 to 5 lbm/bbl.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The invert emulsion drilling fluid of claim 1, wherein the invert emulsion drilling fluid is formulated to have the fatty acid mixture in an amount of at least 0.5 to 10 lbm/bbl.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The invert emulsion drilling fluid of claim 1, wherein the invert emulsion drilling fluid is formulated to have the filtration control agent in an amount of 0.25 to 5 lbm/bbl.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The invert emulsion drilling fluid of claim 1, wherein the invert emulsion drilling fluid is formulated to have the 36 carbon fatty dimer diol in an amount of at least 0.5 lbm/bbl.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The invert emulsion drilling fluid of claim 1, wherein the oil is selected from the group consisting of mineral oil, diesel fuel, and synthetic oil, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The invert emulsion drilling fluid of claim 1, wherein the invert emulsion drilling fluid is formulated to have a yield point greater than 15 lbf/100 ft2.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The invert emulsion drilling fluid of claim 1, wherein the invert emulsion drilling fluid is formulated to have a low shear yield point greater than 7 lbf/100 ft2.