Nanofluids and methods of use for drilling and completion fluids

摘要

Nanomaterial compositions are useful for applications in drilling and completion fluids as enhancers of electrical and thermal conductivity, emulsion stabilizers, wellbore strength improvers, drag reduction agents, wettability changers, corrosion coating compositions and the like. These nanomaterials may be dispersed in the liquid phase in low volumetric fraction, particularly as compared to corresponding agents of larger size. Nanofluids (fluids containing nano-sized particles) may be used to drill at least part of the wellbore. Nanofluids for drilling and completion applications may be designed including nanoparticles such as carbon nanotubes. These fluids containing nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes, meet the required rheological and filtration properties for application in challenging HPHT drilling and completions operations.

主权项

1. A drilling fluid comprising:
a base fluid selected from the group consisting of an aqueous fluid, a non-aqueous fluid and combinations thereof, where the base fluid comprises a continuous phase; solid particles suspended in the continuous phase; and nanoparticles having a size less than 999 nm, selected from the group consisting of:
deformable polymer latex nanoparticles selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polymethyl methacrylate, carboxylated styrene/butadiene copolymer, polyvinylacetate copolymer, polyvinyl acetate/vinyl chloride/ethylene copolymer, polyvinyl acetate/ethylene copolymer, natural latex, polyisoprene, polydimethylsiloxane and combinations thereof;metal oxides selected from the group consisting of silica, magnesium oxide, iron oxide, manganese oxide, copper oxide, zinc oxide, nickel oxide, alumina and combinations thereof; boron; carbon; carbon black; graphitized carbon; graphene; ferromagnetic nanoparticles; nanoplatelets; halloysite clay nanotubes;polymer-based nanoparticles selected from the group consisting of polyethylene oxide, polyaramids, polyaniline, polyvinyl alcohol, polystyrene, polyacrylonitrile, nylon, polyester, cellulose and combinations thereof;degradable nanoparticles; nanocapsules; mesoporous nanoparticles; multistimuli-responsive nanospheres; core/shell nanoparticles; nitrides; carbides; carbon nanotubes; coated nanofibers; carbon-based nanoparticles, metallic-based nanoparticles, Ni-based nanoparticles, and those nanoparticles with functional groups selected from the group consisting of SH; NH2; NHCO; OH; COOH; F; Br; Cl; I; H; R—NH, R—O, R—S, where R is selected from the group consisting of low molecular weight organic chains with a carbon number on average to 10 or less and combinations thereof; CO; COCl; and SOCl; andcompositions selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate; potassium carbonate; TiO2; Mg(OH)2; Fe2O3; Fe3O4, CeO2; Mn3O4, SiC; Si3N4; and mixtures thereof;where the nanoparticles are present in the fluid in an amount effective to have an effect selected from the group consisting of:
associate with shale of a subterranean formation adjacent a wellbore to stabilize the shale as compared with an identical drilling fluid absent the nanoparticles; modify the electrical conductivity of the fluid as compared with an identical drilling fluid absent the nanoparticles; increase the rheological stability of the fluid over a temperature range from ambient up to about 320° C. and a pressure range of from about atmospheric pressure up to about 350 MPa, as compared with an identical drilling fluid absent the nanoparticles; reduce the drag of the fluid as compared with an identical drilling fluid absent the nanoparticles; increase the stability of an emulsified fluid as compared with an identical drilling fluid absent the nanoparticles, where the base fluid is an emulsion of an aqueous fluid and a non-aqueous fluid; reverse the wettability of a downhole material selected from the group consisting of filter cake, drill cuttings, wellbore surfaces, casing, downhole equipment and combinations thereof; lessen the corrosion of equipment contacted by the drilling fluid as compared with an identical drilling fluid absent the nanoparticles, where the equipment comprises a material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, duplex steel, chrome steel, martensitic alloy steels, ferritic alloy steels, austenitic stainless steels, precipitation-hardened stainless steels, high nickel content steels, and combinations thereof; and improve fluid loss by increased viscosity as compared with an identical drilling fluid absent the nanoparticles.