Drilling fluid component

The present embodiment relates generally to a relative permeability modifying polymer for use with drilling fluids.

While drilling oil and gas wells, a drilling fluid, which may be oil-based or water-based as explained below, is circulated through a drill bit in a well bore and then back to the earth's surface, thereby lubricating the drill string and removing cuttings from the well bore. This phase in the life of a well is known as the “drilling phase.” It is understood that there is also a “production phase” in the life of a well during which hydrocarbons or other desired substances are produced from the well.

The well bore may pass through zones which produce water instead of hydrocarbons. Besides being highly undesirable during the production phase, water producing zones can cause problems in the well bore with certain completion activities. However, water production is generally ignored during the drilling phase.

If the water production problem becomes severe during the production phase, remedial steps such as isolation of the water producing zone and application of a sealant are taken. Obviously, such remedial steps are time consuming and expensive. Moreover, the sealant may interfere with the production of hydrocarbons if it enters a hydrocarbon producing zone.

Recently, wells in the production phase have been successfully treated with compounds known as relative permeability modifiers, which decrease the co-production of water with hydrocarbons by reducing the flow of water through hydrocarbon producing formations, yet have little or no effect on the permeability of the formations with respect to hydrocarbons. However, it is desirable to curb water production as early as possible in the life of a well, and to produce more effective relative permeability modifying compositions.

Thus, what is needed is a method and composition for modifying the permeability of water producing zones during the drilling phase of a well without affecting the subsequent production of hydrocarbons.

A relative permeability modifying polymer according to the present embodiment for use with drilling fluids comprises a water soluble polymer formed from a hydrophobic or hydrophobically modified hydrophilic monomer and a hydrophilic monomer. Another embodiment includes a method for producing a water soluble polymer formed from a hydrophilic monomer for use as a relative permeability modifying polymer.

Acceptable polymers for use as a relative permeability modifying polymer of the present invention are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/236,722 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,476,169, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein as if reproduced in their entireties. In short, the polymers comprise a hydrophobic or hydrophobically modified hydrophilic monomer and a hydrophilic monomer.

A group of hydrophobic or hydrophobically modified hydrophilic monomers suitable for use in preparing the relative permeability modifying polymer of the present invention are listed in TABLE 1 under the heading “Component A.” Likewise, a group of hydrophilic monomers suitable for use in preparing the relative permeability modifying polymer of the present invention are listed in TABLE 1 under the heading “Component B.”

Referring to TABLE 1, a polymer for use as a relative permeability modifying polymer of the present invention comprises at least one Component A monomer and at least one Component B monomer. Such polymers have mole ratios of Component A to Component B in a range from 10:90 to 0.02:99.98, and molecular weights in the range of from 250 kDalton to 3,000 kDalton.

In a first embodiment, a relative permeability modifying polymer comprises a water soluble Component A monomer polymerized with any of the Component B monomers.

In a second embodiment, a relative permeability modifying polymer comprises a water insoluble Component A monomer, such as octadecylmethacrylate, that is mixed with a surfactant well known to those of ordinary skill in the art such as alkyl ammonium salts, alkylaryl ammonium salts, alkyl sulfates, alkyl ether sulfates, alkoxylates, and betaines, and then polymerized with any of the Component B monomers.

In a third embodiment, a relative permeability modifying polymer comprises a copolymer of dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (“DMEMA”) and alkyl-DMEMA halide.

In a fourth embodiment, a relative permeability modifying polymer comprises a copolymer of dimethylaminopropyl methacrylamide (“DMAPMA”) and alkyl-DMAPMA halide.

According to a method of the present embodiment for forming a relative permeability modifying polymer comprising a water soluble polymer formed from a hydrophilic monomer, the method comprises polymerizing a tertiary amine, such as DMEMA, to form poly-DMEMA homopolymer and then hydrophobically modifying the poly-DMEMA homopolymer by partial quaternization with an alkyl halide to form a copolymer of DMEMA and alkyl-DMEMA halide. Preferably, the alkyl halide is C16 alkyl (hexadecyl) bromide. More preferably, the alkyl halide is C16 alkyl (n-hexadecyl) bromide.

According to another method of the present embodiment of forming a relative permeability modifying polymer comprising a water soluble polymer formed from a hydrophilic monomer, the method comprises polymerizing an amine-containing compound, such as DMAPMA to form poly-DMAPMA homopolymer and then hydrophobically modifying the poly-DMAPMA homopolymer by partial quaternization with an alkyl halide to form a copolymer of DMAPMA and alkyl-DMAPMA halide.

In operation, a relative permeability modifying polymer according to the foregoing is placed down hole in a well bore that includes water producing zones for modifying the permeability of the water producing zones without affecting the production of hydrocarbons.

In a first embodiment of operation, the relative permeability modifying polymer is mixed with a drilling fluid. Applicants propose that during the normal “leak-of” of drilling fluid filtrate into the formation, the relative permeability modifying polymer is adsorbed into the formation. As shown in the accompanying examples, this leads to a significant percentage reduction in water permeability. Preferably, the drilling fluid is a water-based drilling fluid. The term “water-based drilling fluid” is used to refer to drilling fluids that have an aqueous continuous phase. Alternatively, an oil-based drilling fluid may be used. The term “oil-based drilling fluid” is used to refer to drilling fluids that have an oil-based continuous phase. Although oil-based drilling fluids have an oil-based continuous phase, it is understood that they also comprise an emulsified aqueous phase, which allows the relative permeability modifying polymer to be incorporated into the drilling fluid. The relative permeability modifying polymer is added to the drilling fluid in a range of 500 ppm to 10,000 ppm of the drilling fluid. It is understood that the use of the relative permeability modifying polymer with drill-in fluids and completion fluids, as well as the above-mentioned drilling fluids is also contemplated.

Alternatively, in operation, the relative permeability modifying polymer can be spotted as a pill over a water producing zone after cessation of drilling. The pill, comprising an aqueous solution of the relative permeability modifying polymer, is squeezed into the formation in a conventional manner, and drilling resumed. As shown in the accompanying examples, this leads to a significant percentage reduction in water permeability. The relative permeability modifying polymer may be dissolved in an aqueous carrier liquid, comprising fresh water, seawater, or an aqueous salt solution. An aqueous salt solution preferably contains one or more salts, such as potassium chloride, sodium chloride, ammonium chloride, and calcium chloride, in an amount in the range of 2% to 10% by weight of the solution. The relative permeability modifying polymer is added in a range of 500 ppm to 10,000 ppm of the aqueous carrier liquid.

It can be readily appreciated that a relative permeability modifying polymer according to the foregoing is advantageous because it can provide improved zonal isolation between zones at the time of completion, eliminate or postpone the need for water shutoff during the production phase of the well, and extend the production phase of the well life.

The following examples are illustrative of the methods and compositions discussed above.