Baker Hughes Corporation

Baker Hughes, a Ge Compnay, LLC

Ana Forgiarini

Lirio Quintero

David E Clark

Jean-Louis Salager

Thomas Jones

Allen Dale Gabrysch

Gianna Pietrangeli

Mesophase surfactant solutions and/or micellar solutions, pre-formed single phase microemulsions (SPMEs), and in situ-formed fluids may be used to clean up and remove hydrocarbons and synthetic oils such as oil-based mud filter cake and near wellbore damage in oil and gas wells. Removal occurs by solubilization of the hydrocarbons and synthetic oils into the micellar solutions, SPME, in situ-formed fluids, etc. when the fluid formulation contacts the hydrocarbons and synthetic oils. An in situ-formed fluid (e.g. microemulsion), may be formed when one or more surfactant, an optional linker, optional co-surfactant, optional acid, optional co-solvent and a polar high-density brine phase, and eventually some amount of organic phase, contacts the subterranean location and solubilizes the hydrocarbons and synthetic oils encountered, such as in the near wellbore of a subterranean formation. The micellar solutions, microemulsions, in situ-formed fluids, etc. are effective for removing the formation damage caused by hydrocarbons and synthetic oils.

Microemulsions, mesophase surfactant and micellar solutions, and in situ-formed fluids formulated with high density brine

Mesophase fluids may be pre-formed or formed in situ and may be used downhole for various treatments including, but not limited to, cleaning up and removing non-polar materials from reservoir production zones, removing wellbore damage, releasing stuck pipe, components in spacers and pills and the like in oil and gas wells. These treatments involve solubilization of the non-polar material into the emulsion when the treatment fluid contacts non-polar materials. These mesophase fluids use extended chain surfactants having propoxylated/ethoxylated spacer arms. The extended chain surfactants are intramolecular mixtures containing hydrophilic and lipophilic portions. They attain high solubilization in the mesophase fluids (e.g. single phase microemulsions), are in some instances insensitive to temperature and are useful for a wide variety of oil types.

Mesophase fluids with extended chain surfactants for downhole treatments

Nanoemulsion, macroemulsions, miniemulsions, microemulsion systems with excess oil or water or both (Winsor I, II or III phase behavior) or single phase microemulsions (Winsor IV) improve the removal of filter cakes formed during hydrocarbon reservoir wellbore drilling with OBM. The macroemulsion, nanoemulsion, miniemulsion, microemulsion systems with excess oil or water or both or single phase microemulsion removes oil and solids from the deposited filter cake. In one non-limiting embodiment, the emulsion system (e.g. single phase microemulsion, nanoemulsion, or other emulsions) may be formed in situ (downhole) rather than produced or prepared in advance and pumped downhole. Skin damage removal from internal and external filter cake deposition can be reduced.

In situ fluid formation for cleaning oil- or synthetic oil-based mud

Single phase microemulsions (SPMEs) and in situ-formed microemulsions may be used to clean up and remove non-polar materials from reservoir production zones of oil and gas wells. This clean up occurs by solubilization of the non-polar material into the microemulsion when the treatment fluid contacts the non-polar material. An in situ microemulsion may be formed when one or more surfactant and a polar phase (e.g. water or brine), and eventually some small amount of organic phase, contacts the reservoir formation and solubilizes the non-polar material encountered in the porous media. The microemulsions are effective for removing the formation damage caused by non-polar materials which include, but are not necessarily limited to oil-based mud, synthetic-based mud, paraffins, asphaltenes, emulsions, slugs, and combinations thereof.

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Merida, Venezuela

Ana Forgiarini