Polymer hydration method using microemulsions
AssigneeBaker Hughes Incorporated
InventorsThomas A. Jones, Tom Wentzler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Long-chained polymer compounds are useful to viscosify aqueous brine fluids so that they can function as drilling fluids, completion/workover fluids, fracturing fluids, agricultural products, cleaning compounds, etc. These polymers may be hydrated with a microemulsion or lactescent emulsion prior to being added to the target fluid. The rate and completeness of hydration by this method are controlled and improved. In one non-limiting embodiment the microemulsion includes a polar hydrocarbon component, a nonpolar hydrocarbon oil, a small amount of water, a surfactant and optionally a co-surfactant.
Claims17
A method for hydrating a polymer comprising:
- forming a microemulsion by mixing water with a polar component and at least one surfactant of a type and in an amount effective to form a microemulsion and a co-surfactant, where the microemulsion comprises:
- from about 0.01 to about 5 wt % water,
- from about 5 to about 15 wt % polar component,
- from about 1 to about 20 wt % surfactant, and
- from about 1 to about 15 wt % co-surfactant;
- contacting the polymer with the microemulsion;
- and
- hydrating the polymer.
A method for hydrating a polymer comprising
- forming a microemulsion by mixing water with a polar component, a nonpolar hydrocarbon oil and at least one surfactant of a type and in an amount effective to form a microemulsion upon mixing, where the surfactant is a nonionic surfactant having a hydrophilic/lipophilic balance (HLB) approximately the same as that of the non-polar hydrocarbon oil, and a co-surfactant, where microemulsion comprises:
- from about 0.01 to about 5 wt % water,
- from about 5 to about 15 wt % polar component,
- from about 1 to about 20 wt % surfactant, and
- from about 1 to about 15 wt % co-surfactant;
- contacting the polymer with the microemulsion;
- and
- adding the polymer to brine,
- where the method further comprises precisely controlling the amount of water to be substantially all that is necessary to hydrate the polymer, but not excessively hydrate the polymer.
A method for hydrating a polymer comprising
- forming a microemulsion by mixing water with a polar hydrocarbon component and at least one surfactant of a type and in an amount effective to form a microemulsion upon mixing, where the surfactant has a hydrophilic/lipophilic balance (HLB) number greater than 10, a non-polar diluent oil, and a co-surfactant having an HLB number of less than 5, and where the microemulsion comprises:
- from about 0.01 to about 5 wt % water,
- from about 5 to about 15 wt % polar component,
- from about 1 to about 20 wt % surfactant, and
- from about 1 to about 15 wt % co-surfactant;
- contacting the polymer with the microemulsion;
- and
- where the method further comprises precisely controlling the amount of water to be substantially all that is necessary to hydrate the polymer, but not excessively hydrate the polymer through controlling the rate of hydration by subsequently contacting the polymer with a mixture of a polar compound with a surfactant.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.