Water absorbing polymers for treatment of brines and water-based drilling fluids

摘要

A method for removing water from a wellbore fluid may include the steps of contacting a wellbore fluid with a water absorbing polymer, where the wellbore fluid includes an aqueous fluid, allowing the water absorbing polymer to interact with the wellbore fluid for a sufficient period of time so that the water absorbing polymer absorbs at least a portion of water in the aqueous fluid, and separating the water absorbing polymer containing the absorbed water from the wellbore fluid.

主权项

1. A method for removing excess water from a dilute wellbore fluid containing drilling solids, comprising:
contacting a dilute wellbore fluid with a water absorbing polymer, the dilute wellbore fluid comprising: an aqueous fluid comprising halide or carboxylate salts of mono- or divalent cations; allowing the water absorbing polymer to interact with the dilute wellbore fluid for a sufficient period of time so that the water absorbing polymer absorbs only a portion of water in the dilute wellbore fluid forming a concentrated wellbore fluid comprising the halide or carboxylate salts of mono- or divalent cations; and separating the drilling solids in conjunction with the water absorbing polymer containing the absorbed water from the concentrated wellbore fluid by a filter.