Method for fracking subterranean geological formation with surfactant-containing fluid
AssigneeKing Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
InventorsS. M. Shakil Hussain, Muhammad Shahzad Kamal
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surfactant of formula (I) wherein each of R1 and R2 are independently a hydrogen, an optionally substituted alkyl, an optionally substituted cycloalkyl, or an optionally substituted arylalkyl, R3 and R4 are independently an optionally substituted alkyl, an optionally substituted cycloalkyl, or an optionally substituted arylalkyl, x is an integer in a range of 2-8, y is an integer in a range of 1-15, z is an integer in a range of 4-10, n is an integer in a range of 2-5, and A is one of a carboxybetaine group, a sulfobetaine group, or a hydroxy sulfobetaine group. An oil and gas well servicing fluid containing the surfactant and methods of servicing an oil and gas well are also described.
Claims15
A method of fracking a subterranean geologic formation, comprising:
- injecting an oil and gas well servicing fluid into an oil and gas well in the subterranean geologic formation,
- wherein the injecting is at a pressure above the fracture point of the subterranean geologic formation;
- wherein the oil and gas well servicing fluid comprises:
- an aqueous base fluid;
- and
- a surfactant of formula (I)
- wherein:
- each of R1 and R2 are independently H or an optionally substituted C1 to C6 alkyl,
- R3 and R4 are independently an optionally substituted C1 to C6 alkyl;
- x is 6;
- y is an integer in a range of from 7 to 10;
- z is 6;
- n is an integer in a range of from 3 to 4;
- A is an anionic headgroup selected from the group consisting of
- wherein the oil and gas well servicing fluid has a total dissolved solids content in a range of from 50,000 to 350,000 ppm,
- wherein the surfactant is present in a range of from 0.045 to 2 wt. %, relative to a total weight of the oil and gas well servicing fluid,
- wherein the surfactant has a number average molecular weight in a range of from 600 to 1200 g/mol, and
- wherein, during the injecting, the surfactant has a concentration in a range of from 3×10−5 to 5×10−4 M.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.