Differential filters for stopping water during oil production
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorsPaul Howard, Philip F. Sullivan, Timothy Lesko
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A differential filter includes a swellable polymer that swells after contacting water such that permeability of the differential filter is reduced. A method of controlling water production in a well includes deploying a differential filter downhole; and performing a downhole operation, wherein the differential filter comprises a swellable polymer that swells after contacting water such that permeability of the differential filter is reduced.
Claims38
A method of controlling water production in a well, comprising:
- deploying a differential filter downhole;
- and
- performing a downhole operation,
- wherein the differential filter comprises matrix particles, a swellable polymer that swells after contacting water such that permeability of the differential filter is reduced, the swellable polymer being non-soluble in said water and wherein the swellable polymer comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, poly maleic anhydride, polyacrylamide, polyvinyl alcohol, latex, polyamide, polyester, and a co-polymer thereof, and wherein the swellable polymer is coated on the matrix particles.
A method of controlling water production in a well, comprising:
- deploying a differential filter downhole;
- and
- performing a downhole operation;
- and
- wherein the differential filter comprises a mixture of non-swellable matrix particles and swellable polymer particles mixed with the non-swellable matrix particles, the swellable polymer particles swelling after contacting water such that permeability of the differential filter is reduced and wherein the swellable polymer comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, poly maleic anhydride, polyacrylamide, polyvinyl alcohol, latex, polyamide, polyester, and a co-polymer thereof, and
- wherein the matrix particles comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of poly(L-lactide), polystyrene, crossliniked thermosetting polymers, and thermoplastic polymers.
A method of controlling water production in a well, comprising:
- deploying a differential filter downhole;
- and
- performing a downhole operation,
- wherein the differential filter comprises matrix particles, a swellable polymer which is coated on the matrix particles and that swells after contacting water such that permeability of the differential filter is reduced, the swellable polymer being non-soluble in said water.
A method of controlling water production in a well, comprising:
- deploying a differential filter downhole by disposing the differential filter on a device for deployment downhole;
- and
- performing a downhole operation,
- wherein the differential filter comprises a swellable polymer that swells after contacting water such that permeability of the differential filter is reduced, the swellable polymer being non-soluble in said water.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.