US 9,868,890 B2 · Method of increasing the density of a well treatment brine

Abstract

A method of increasing the density of a saturated or near saturated salt (initial) brine, such as a monovalent or divalent salt solution, consists of first lowering the true crystallization temperature (TCT) of the saturated or near saturated salt brine to the eutectic point using a glycol and then adding dry salt to the brine of lower TCT to provide a brine of increased density. The TCT may be lowered by the addition of glycol to the saturated or near saturated salt brine. The dry salt is the same salt as the salt of the saturated or near saturated salt brine. The amount of dry salt added to the brine of lower TCT is an amount sufficient to render a saturated or near saturated brine. The density of the resulting brine is higher than the density of the saturated or near saturated salt (initial) brine.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A method of increasing the density of a saturated or near saturated salt brine comprising:

(a) reducing the density of the saturated or near saturated salt brine by adding a glycol thereto, wherein the amount of glycol added to the saturated or near saturated salt brine is an amount sufficient to reduce the true crystallization temperature (TCT) of the saturated or near saturated salt brine to its eutectic point or near eutectic point;
(b) increasing the density of the brine of reduced TCT by adding a dry salt thereto, wherein the dry salt is the same salt as the salt of the saturated or near saturated salt brine and further wherein the amount of salt added to the brine of reduced TCT is an amount sufficient to increase the density of the brine of reduced TCT to a density which is from about 8 to about 30 percent higher than the density of the saturated or near saturated salt brine.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method of increasing the density of a well treatment brine

Life of this patent

Method of increasing the density of a well treatment brine

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21