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US 11,578,248 B2Granted
Emulsifiers for direct emulsion drilling fluids
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsCatherine Martin Santos, Li Guo
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of drilling in a subterranean formation. A method may include providing a direct emulsion drilling fluid comprising an aqueous fluid, an oil, and a polysorbate emulsifier; circulating the direct emulsion drilling fluid from a surface, through a wellbore, and back to the surface; and extending the wellbore in the subterranean formation while circulating the direct emulsion drilling fluid.
Claims20
A method of drilling in a subterranean formation comprising:
- providing a water wet direct emulsion drilling fluid free of weighting agent with a density of about 7 lb/gal to about 12 lb/gal and a pH from about 9 to about 12 comprising an aqueous-based fluid, an oil, a viscosifying polymer, and a polysorbate emulsifier;
- wherein the viscosifying polymer is present in an amount of about 0.1 lb/bbl up to about 10 lb/bbl;
- wherein the viscosifying polymer has a mean particle size of about 100 nm to about 500 μm;
- wherein the polysorbate emulsifier is selected from the group consisting of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monolaurate, polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monopalmitate, polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monostearate, polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate, and combinations thereof;
- wherein the polysorbate emulsifier is present in an amount of about 0.10 lb/bbl to about 15 lb/bbl;
- wherein the water wet direct emulsion drilling fluid is a stable water wet system in that the water wet direct emulsion has a property of no phase stratification after 24 hours at 200° F.;
- circulating the water wet direct emulsion drilling fluid from a surface, through a wellbore, and back to the surface;
- and
- extending the wellbore in the subterranean formation while circulating the water wet direct emulsion drilling fluid.
6 more elements
A method of drilling in a subterranean formation comprising:
- providing a water wet direct emulsion drilling fluid free of weighting agent and free of surfactant with a density of about 7 lb/gal to about 12 lb/gal and a pH from about 9 to about 12 comprising an aqueous-based fluid present in an amount of about 20% by volume up to about 90% by volume;
- a viscosifier present in an amount of about 0.1 lb/bbl up to about 10 lb/bbl;
- a clay present in an amount of about 1 lb/bbl up to about 20 lb/bbl;
- an oil present in an amount of about 20% by volume up to about 90% by volume;
- a polysorbate emulsifier present in amount of about 0.1 lb/bbl up to about 15 lb/bbl, and a weighting agent;
- wherein the viscosifying polymer has a mean particle size of about 100 nm to about 500 μm,
- wherein the polysorbate emulsifier is the only emulsifier and is selected from the group consisting of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monolaurate, polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monopalmitate, polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monostearate, polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate, and combinations thereof;
- wherein the water wet direct emulsion drilling fluid is a stable water wet system in that the water wet direct emulsion drilling fluid has a property of no phase stratification after 24 hours at 200° F.;
- circulating the water wet direct emulsion drilling fluid from a surface, through a wellbore, and back to the surface;
- and
- extending the wellbore in the subterranean formation while circulating the water wet direct emulsion drilling fluid.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.