Foamed gel completion, workover, and kill fluid
AssigneeMarathon Oil Company
InventorRobert D. Sydansk
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process employing a foamed gel in a wellbore as a completion, workover, or kill fluid. The foamed gel is formed from an aqueous solvent, a water-soluble carboxylate-containing polymer crosslinked by a crosslinking agent containing a reactive transition metal cation, a surfactant, and an added gas. The foamed gel is placed in the wellbore, where it substantially prevents the flow of formation fluid into or out of the wellbore. The completion, workover, or kill operation is then performed. Alternatively, the foamed gel may be combined with another completion, workover, or kill fluid after commencing a wellbore operation.
Claims27
A process employing a foamed gel to substantially reduce the flow of fluid between a subterranean formation below an earthen surface and a wellbore penetrating the formation, the formation containing a formation fluid at a formation fluid pressure, the process comprising the steps of:
- forming a foamed gel which comprises an aqueous solvent, a water-soluble carboxylate-containing polymer crosslinked by a water-soluble crosslinking agent containing a reactive transition metal cation, a water-soluble surfactant, and an added gas;
- placing in said wellbore a volume of said foamed gel sufficient to create a hydrostatic head which exerts a fluid pressure against said formation fluid substantially equal to or greater than said formation fluid pressure, the foamed gel substantially preventing the flow of said formation fluid into said wellbore and substantially incapable of flowing into said formation;
- and
- performing a wellbore operation after placing said volume of said foamed gel in said wellbore, wherein the operation is a completion, workover, or kill operation.
A process employing a foamed gel to substantially reduce the flow of fluid between a subterranean formation below an earthen surface and a wellbore penetrating the formation, the formation containing a formation fluid at a formation fluid pressure, the process comprising the steps of:
- placing a fluid in a wellbore for a wellbore operation selected from the group consisting of completion, workover, and kill operations;
- commencing said wellbore operation;
- forming a foamed gel which comprises an aqueous solvent, a water-soluble carboxylate-containing polymer crosslinked by a water-soluble crosslinking agent containing a reactive transition metal cation, a water-soluble surfactant, and an added gas;
- placing in said wellbore a volume of said foamed gel sufficient to create a hydrostatic head which exerts a fluid pressure against said formation fluid substantially equal to or greater than said formation fluid pressure, the foamed gel substantially preventing the flow of said formation fluid into said wellbore and substantially incapable of flowing into said formation;
- and
- continuing said wellbore operation after placing said volume of said foamed gel in said wellbore.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.