# US 2013/0157905 A1 · Method for the Removal or Suppression of Interfering Metal Ions Using Environmentally Friendly Competitive Binders > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0157905 A1 - Document ID: US20130157905A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/331,746 - Filed: 2011-12-20 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-20 - Assignees: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. - Inventors: Rajesh K. Saini; Jeremy Holtsclaw; David M. Loveless; Lucas K. Fontenelle; Prajakta R. Patil; Ramesh Muthusamy - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130157905A1 ## CPC - C09K 8/12: containing synthetic organic macromolecular compounds or their precursors - C02F 1/288: {using composite sorbents, e.g. coated, impregnated, multi-layered} - C02F 1/683: {by addition of complex-forming compounds} - C09K 8/52: Compositions for preventing, limiting or eliminating depositions, e.g. for cleaning - C09K 8/685: {containing cross-linking agents} - C09K 8/74: combined with additives added for specific purposes - E21B 21/068: {using chemical treatment} - C02F 5/08: Treatment of water with complexing chemicals or other solubilising agents for softening, scale prevention or scale removal, e.g. adding sequestering agents - C02F 2101/108: {Boron compounds} - C02F 2101/20: Heavy metals or heavy metal compounds - C02F 2103/365: {from petrochemical industry (e.g. refineries)} - C09K 2208/26: Gel breakers other than bacteria or enzymes - C09K 2208/32: Anticorrosion additives - C09K: MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract The present invention relates to environmentally friendly compositions and methods for removing or suppressing metal ions in waters, flowback waters, and produced waters to make such waters suitable for subsequent use in oil-field applications and for delinking metal cross-linked gelling agents. One embodiment of the present invention provides a method of providing a competitive binder and allowing the competitive binder to interact with interfering metal ions in a flowback fluid to suppress or remove interfering metal ions. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: providing a competitive binder; and allowing the competitive binder to interact with interfering metal ions in a flowback fluid to suppress or remove interfering metal ions. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: using the flowback fluid to form a treatment fluid or disposing of the flowback fluid. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 further comprising: introducing the treatment fluid into a subterranean formation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein the treatment fluid is a fracturing fluid, a drilling fluid, a cementing fluid, or a gravel packing fluid. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the competitive binder is a soluble or insoluble in the flowback fluid. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the interfering metal ions comprise at least one metal ion selected from the group consisting of: calcium, magnesium, strontium, boron, iron, titanium, chromium, cobalt, copper, manganese, aluminum, hafnium, zirconium, and any combination of these. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the competitive binder comprises at least one competitive binder selected from the group consisting of: tannic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid, catechol, dopamine, sorbitol, salicylic acid, fluoride, 4-amino-2-hydroxybenzoic acid, polyol, polyphenol, polycarboxylate, hydroxycarboxylate, hydroxylamide, amines, polyamine, polyaminecarboxylate, polycarboxylic acid, polyamides, polyphosphates, polyphosphonates, phosphates, phosphonates, polysaccharides, substituted polysaccharides containing chelant groups, chitosan, chitin, any derivative of these, and any combination of these. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the competitive binder is present in less than about 5% by weight of the flowback fluid. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the competitive binder is bound to a solid surface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the solid surface is a bead that has been packed in a column. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 further comprising: removing the competitive binder bound to a solid surface from flowback fluid by filtration. ### Claim 12 A method comprising: providing a competitive binder; providing a viscosified treatment fluid having a cross-linked gelling agent and having a first viscosity; allowing the competitive binder to interact with the cross-linked gelling agent of the viscosified treatment fluid so as to delink the cross-linked gelling agent thus reducing the first viscosity of the viscosified treatment fluid to a second viscosity. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein the competitive binder comprises at least one competitive binder selected from the group consisting of: tannic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid, catechol, dopamine, sorbitol, salicylic acid, fluoride, 4-amino-2-hydroxybenzoic acid, polyol, and polyphenol, polycarboxylate, hydroxycarboxylate, hydroxylamide, amines, polyamine, polyaminecarboxylate, polycarboxylic acid, polyamides, polyphosphates, polyphosphonates, phosphates, phosphonates, polysaccharides, substituted polysaccharides containing chelant groups, chitosan, chitin, any derivative of these, and any combination of these. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein the competitive binder is encapsulated by an encapsulant. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein the encapsulant comprises at least one encapsulant selected from the group consisting of: ethyl cellulose, gelatin, starch, latex, shellac, poly(methyl methacrylate), polyvinylidene chloride, titanium dioxide, polyacrylate, and any combination of these. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein the viscosified treatment fluid is a fracturing fluid, gravel packing fluid, a workover fluid, or an acidizing fluid. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein the cross-linked gelling agent is formed from a reaction comprising a polymer selected from the group consisting of: guar, xanthan, polysaccharide, cellulose, synthetic polymer, any derivative of these, and any combination of these. ### Claim 18 A method comprising: introducing a first competitive binder to a flowback fluid wherein the first competitive binder coordinates with an interfering metal ion in the flowback fluid thereby forming a competitive binder-metal complex; filtering out the competitive binder-metal complex thereby forming a reusable fluid; using the reusable produced water as a base fluid to form a treatment fluid having a first viscosity; introducing the treatment fluid to a subterranean formation and allowing a cross-linked gelling agent to form; and introducing a second competitive binder to the treatment fluid thereby delinking the cross-linked gelling agent of the viscosified treatment fluid so as to reduce the first viscosity of the viscosified treatment fluid to a second viscosity. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 wherein the first and second competitive binders comprise at least one competitive binder selected from the group consisting of: tannic acid, catechol, dopamine, sorbitol, salicylic acid, 4-amino-2-hydroxybenzoic acid, fluoride, polyol, polyphenol, polycarboxylate, hydroxycarboxylate, hydroxylamide, amines, polyamine, polyaminecarboxylate, polycarboxylic acid, polyamides, polyphosphates, polyphosphonates, phosphates, phosphonates, polysaccharides, substituted polysaccharides containing chelant groups, chitosan, chitin, any derivative of these, and any combination of these. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 wherein at least a portion of the competitive binder is encapsulated by an encapsulant thereby controllably delaying delinking of the cross-linked polymer. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 wherein the treatment fluid further comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of: a surfactant, a scale inhibitor, an acid, a proppant, and any combination of these. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 wherein the first competitive binder and the second competitive binder are the same.