Polyelectrolyte Complexes for Oil and Gas Applications
AssigneeUniversity of Kansas
InventorsCory J. Berkland, Mary Cordova, Jenn-Tai Liang, G. Paul Willhite
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Abstract
A polyelectrolyte complex for the controlled release of an oil and gas field chemical selected from the group consisting of (a) a gel-forming or cross-linking agent, (b) a scale inhibitor, (c) a corrosion inhibitor, (d) an inhibitor of asphaltene or wax deposition, (e) a hydrogen sulfide scavenger, (f) a hydrate inhibitor, (g) a breaking agent, and a surfactant.
Claims26
A method for controlling or delaying the release of a gel breaking agent in an oil and gas well comprising the steps of:
- providing a polyelectrolyte complex consisting essentially of a polyanion and a polycation, said polyelectrolyte complex entrapping or encapsulating said gel breaking agent, wherein said polyelectrolyte complex is a nanoparticle having a particle size less than about 2000 nm;
- and
- introducing a composition comprising polyelectrolyte complex entrapping or encapsulating said gel breaking agent into an oil and gas well.
A fracturing fluid for an oil and gas well, wherein said fracturing fluid has a gel breaking agent therein, and wherein said gel breaking agent is entrapped or encapsulated within a polyelectrolyte complex consisting essentially of a polycation and a polyanion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.