Stabilizing clayey formations

6787507
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Inventors

Coveney, Peter V.
Watkinson, Michael
Whiting, Andrew
Boek, Edo S.

Application #

581485

Filed

Jul-31-2000

Published

Sep-7-2004

Current US Class

166/294
166/295
166/300
507/239
507/261
507/266
507/268

International Classes

E21B 043/27; E21B 033/13

Field of Search

166/294 166/295 166/300 507/129 507/136 507/139 507/239 507/261 507/266 507/268

Assignee

Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Sugar Land, TX)

Examiners

Tucker; Philip C.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Mitchell; Thomas O., Nava; Robin, Schlather; Stephen

US Patent References

3941191   Method of consolid...
4137971   Method of consolid...
4158521   Method of stabilizin...
4172800   Drilling fluids cont...
4307980   Process for consoli...
4497596   Method of minimizi...
4505833   Stabilizing clayey f...
4536303   Methods of minimi...
4536304   Methods of minimi...
4536305   Methods for stabiliz...
4563292   Methods for stabiliz...
4625802   Potassium silicate c...
4693639   Clay stabilizing ag...
4703800   Method for consolid...
4715746   Method of strengthe...
4761099   Process for strength...
4787453   Permeability stabili...
4828726   Stabilizing clayey f...
4830765   Modified non-pollut...
4842073   Fluid additive and...
4889885   Composite material...
4965292   Process for strength...
5089151   Fluid additive and...
5097904   Method for clay sta...
5099923   Clay stabilizing me...
5152906   Clay stabilizing co...
5197544   Method for clay sta...
5201612   Process for the cons...
5211250   Method for stabilizi...
5242021   Method and device...
5342530   Clay stabilizer
 

Referenced by:

View Backward References

Other References

Giannelis Polymer layered silicate nanocomposites Adv. Mater., vol. 8, No. 1, 1996, pp. 29-35. Lan et al On the nature of polyimide-clay hybrid composites Chem. Mater., vol. 6, 1994, pp. 573-575. Lan et al Epoxy self-polymerization in smectite clays J. Phys. Chem. Solids, vol. 57, Nos. 6-8, 1996, pp. 1005-1010. Lan et al Clay-reinforced epoxy nanocomposites Chem. Mater., vol. 6, 1994, pp. 2216-2219. Messersmith et al Synthesis and characterization of layered silicate-epoxy nanocomposites Chem. Mater., vol. 6, 1994, pp. 1719-1725. Wang et al Clay-polymer nanocomposites formed from acidic derivatives of montmorillonite and an epoxy resin Chem. Mater., vol. 6, 1994, pp. 468-474.

Citation

Cite This Patent

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Abstract
A method of stabilizing a clayey geological formation surrounding a hydrocarbon well is described. It comprises the step of treating the formation with a first reactant and a second reactant, characterized in that a reaction of said first and said second reactant is essentially initiated in the presence of clayey material. The reaction can be characterized by substrate intercalation or condensation stabilization with no pH adjustment or stabilization through reaction of glycol with a carbonyl group containing second reactant or a reaction involving an epoxide ring opening under neutral or acidic conditions.
 
Claims
What is claimed is:

1. A method of stabilizing a clayey geological formation surrounding a hydrocarbon oil well comprising the steps of:

injecting from a surface reservoir an aqueous fluid comprising a first and a second reactant, wherein the first reactant is a glycol and the second reactant comprises at least one carbonyl group;

letting said fluid contact said clayey formation;

allowing intercalation of said first and second reactant into clay galleries of said clayey geological formation; and

stabilizing said formation by using a reaction between said first and said second reactant, wherein said reaction comprises an in situ polymerization taking place in the presence of clay, within said clay galleries, to maintain the integrity of said hydrocarbon oil well.



Description
This invention relates to compositions and methods for stabilizing subterranean clayey formations surrounding a borehole. More specifically, it pertains to clay stabilizing additives for aqueous fluids used in drilling, completing and maintaining boreholes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When geological formations containing water swelling clays come in contact with water, particularly fresh water, clays in the formations may swell and/or disperse with attendant loss of permeability and/or mechanical strength to interfere with recovery of petroleum or other minerals from the formations. Swelling and dispersion occur when aqueous fluids used in oil recovery come in contact with the clays. Clayey formations are often impermeable or have low permeability or lose part or all of their permeability on contact of the clays with water or water base systems such as injection fluids, drilling muds, stimulation fluids and gels. Dispersed clays may also invade a permeable producing formation during drilling to create low permeability zone in the vicinity of the borehole.
 
  Process for treating a clayey geological formation to prevent, inhibit or reduce swelling or migrating of clay particles in a formation by treating the...  The present invention provides methods of stimulating fluid production from an unconsolidated formation penetrated by a wellbore while preventing the migration...