# US 2014/0155299 A1 · Use of oligo-quaternary compositions to increase scale inhibitor lifetime in a subterranean formation

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- Number: US 2014/0155299 A1
- Document ID: US20140155299A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/899,643
- Filed: 2013-05-22
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-05-22
- Assignees: Corsicana Technologies, Inc.
- Applicants: Corsicana Technologies, Inc.
- Inventors: Julie Hardy; Curtis Sitz
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140155299A1

## CPC

- E21B 37/06: using chemical means for preventing or limiting {, e.g. eliminating,} the deposition of paraffins or like substances
- C09K 8/52: Compositions for preventing, limiting or eliminating depositions, e.g. for cleaning
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- C09K: MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE

## Abstract

A method of inhibiting scale in a subterranean formation comprises pretreating the subterranean formation with a polyquaternary amine that serves as a squeeze life extention (SLE) agent, and then introducing a scale inhibitor pill into the subterranean formation, wherein the scale inhibitor pill includes one or more scale inhibitor compositions. For example, the polyquaternary amine may be a polymer having up to 5 quaternary amine centers, but is preferably a nonpolymeric diquaternary amine having a molecular weight of from 250 to 500. One such example is 1,3-propandiaminium, 2-hydroxy-N,N,N,N′,N′,N′-hexamethyl-, dichloride. The SLE agent is preferably introduced into the formation in a brine solution having a concentration from 0.1 to 20 weight percent. The SLE agents may be used with a variety of known scale inhibitors and scale inhibitor chemistries.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A composition for use in a spearhead treatment in a subterranean formation and in a wellbore connected thereto, comprising
(a) one or more polyquaternary amine salt selected from a diquaternary amine salt, a triquaternary amine salt, a tetraquaternary amine salt, a pentaquaternary amine salt, and a hexaquaternary amine salt; and
(b) a brine comprising water and one or more salts selected from a sodium halide, a calcium halide, and a magnesium halide, wherein the brine has an electrical conductivity of greater than 0.1 mS/cm.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the polyquaternary amine salt is a nonpolymeric diquaternary amine salt.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The composition of claim 2, wherein the nonpolymeric diquaternary amine salt has a cation with a molecular weight of from about 170 to 1500.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The composition of claim 2, wherein the nonpolymeric diquaternary amine salt is introduced into the formation in a brine solution having a nonpolymeric diquaternary amine salt concentration of from 0.1 to 20 weight percent.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The composition of claim 2, wherein the nonpolymeric diquaternary amine salt is thermally stable to 180° C.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The composition of claim 2, wherein the nonpolymeric diquaternary amine salt has a cation selected from:
(a) 1,3-propandiaminium, 2-hydroxy-N,N,N,N′,N′,N′-hexamethyl-;
(b) 1,3-propandiaminium, 2-hydroxy-N-(2-hydroxyethyl), N,N,N′,N′,N′-pentamethyl-; and
(c) 1,3-propandiaminium, 2-hydroxy-N,N-(2-hydoxylethyl), N,N′,N′ N′-tetramethyl-.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The composition of claim 6, wherein the nonpolymeric diquaternary amine salt is introduced into the formation in a brine solution having a nonpolymeric diquaternary amine salt concentration of from 0.1 to 20 weight percent.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The composition of claim 2, wherein the nonpolymeric diquaternary amine salt is symmetrical.

### Claim 9 (depends on 2)

The composition of claim 2, wherein the nonpolymeric diquaternary amine salt is non-symmetrical.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The composition of claim 1, wherein the polyquaternary amine salt is a polymer having from 1 to 5 quaternary amine centers.

### Claim 11

A composition for inhibiting scale in a subterranean formation and in a wellbore connected thereto,
comprising:
one or more polyquaternary amines selected from a diquaternary amine salt, a triquaternary amine salt, a tetraquaternary amine salt, a pentaquaternary amine salt, and a hexaquaternary amine salt;
a scale inhibitor composition selected from a scale inhibitor comprising at least one anionic group, a scale inhibitor comprising at least one phosphonate or phosphate ester group, a polymeric scale inhibitor comprising carboxylate, phosphonate, or phosphonate ester groups; or a polymeric scale inhibitor wherein the scale inhibitor is formed from monomers of formulae (I) or (II):
wherein R3 is CO2Z, SO3Z, PO3Z2, or an alkyl or aryl group substituted with at least one CO2Z, SO3Z or PO3Z2 group in which Z is a hydrogen atom or a univalent metal atom; and R4, R5 and R6 are each independently selected from hydrogen, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or aryl group having from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, or an R3 group; and
a brine comprising water and one or more salts selected from a sodium halide, a calcium halide, and a magnesium halide; wherein the brine has an electrical conductivity of greater than 0.1 mS/cm.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The composition of claim 11, wherein the polyquaternary amine is a nonpolymeric diquaternary amine.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The composition of claim 12, wherein the cation in the nonpolymeric diquaternary amine has a molecular weight of from about 170 to 1500.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The composition of claim 12, wherein the nonpolymeric diquaternary amine is introduced into the formation in a brine solution having a nonpolymeric diquaternary amine concentration of from 0.1 to 20 weight percent.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The composition of claim 12, wherein the nonpolymeric diquaternary amine is thermally stable to 180° C.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The composition of claim 12, wherein the cation in the nonpolymeric diquaternary amine is selected from:
(a) 1,3-propandiaminium, 2-hydroxy-N,N,N,N′,N′,N′-hexamethyl-;
(b) 1,3-propandiaminium, 2-hydroxy-N-(2-hydroxyethyl), N,N,N′,N′,N′-pentamethyl-; and
(c) 1,3-propandiaminium, 2-hydroxy-N,N-(2-hydoxylethyl), N,N′,N′ N′-tetramethyl-.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The composition of claim 16, wherein the nonpolymeric diquaternary amine is introduced into the formation in a brine solution having a nonpolymeric diquaternary amine concentration of from 0.1 to 20 weight percent.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

The composition of claim 12, wherein the nonpolymeric diquaternary amine is symmetrical.

### Claim 19 (depends on 12)

The composition of claim 12, wherein the nonpolymeric diquaternary amine is non-symmetrical.

### Claim 20 (depends on 11)

The composition of claim 11, wherein the polyquaternary amine is a polymer having from 1 to 5 quaternary amine centers.

### Claim 21 (depends on 11)

The composition of claim 11, wherein the scale inhibitor is a phosphonate.

### Claim 22 (depends on 11)

The composition of claim 11, wherein the scale inhibitor is a polymeric scale inhibitor.

### Claim 23 (depends on 11)

The composition of claim 11, wherein the polyquaternary amine is selected from:
(a) 1,3-propandiaminium, 2-hydroxy-N,N,N,N′,N′,N′-hexamethyl-, dichloride;
(b) 1,3-propandiaminium, 2-hydroxy-N-(2-hydroxyethyl), N,N,N′,N′,N′-pentamethyl-, dichloride; and
(c) 1,3-propandiaminium, 2-hydroxy-N,N-(2-hydoxylethyl), N,N′,N′ N′-tetramethyl-, dichloride; and
wherein the scale inhibitor is selected from BHMT phosphonate, DETA phosphonate, a phosphorus-containing polycarboxylate, a phosphorus-containing polymer, and a sulfonated polyacrylate.