The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 05, 1985
Filed:
Jul. 21, 1982
Evelyn N Drake, Plainfield, NJ (US);
Mary E Morrison, Houston, TX (US);
Charles R Dawson, Houston, TX (US);
Exxon Production Research Co., Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
The instant invention is directed to shear thickening fluids to prevent unwanted flow in wells penetrating subterranean formations. The shear thickening fluids comprise (1) a water swellable granular clay present in sufficient quantity so that, upon interaction with an aqueous phase, a stiff paste rapidly forms having a strength of at least 2000 lbs/100 ft.sup.2, (2) a nonaqueous phase comprising a hydrocarbon material and a surfactant, and (3) an aqueous phase comprising water and a watersoluble polymer. The granular clay and water-polymer solution are kept separated by the intervening hydrocarbon-surfactant composition, which is the continuous phase. The intervening oil phase prevents the interaction between the water-polymer phase and the granular clay and results in a stable, nonreacting, pumpable composite until such time as the granular clay is fragmented by application of a sufficiently high shear force. Upon such fragmenting, the clay and aqueous phase intereact resulting in a semi-rigid high strength paste which plugs any unwanted flow.