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. 20, 2007
Filed:
Sep. 03, 2003
Arvind D. Patel, Sugar Land, TX (US);
Emanuel Stamatakis, Houston, TX (US);
Steve Young, Cypress, TX (US);
Arvind D. Patel, Sugar Land, TX (US);
Emanuel Stamatakis, Houston, TX (US);
Steve Young, Cypress, TX (US);
M-I L.L.C., Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
A water based drilling fluid for use in drilling a subterranean well through a subterranean formation that swells in the presence of water, the drilling fluid is formulated to include: an aqueous based continuous phase; a weigh material; a shale encapsulator and an optional shale hydration inhibition agent. The shale encapsulator has the formula: which x and y have a value so that the molecular weight of the cation is in the range of about 10,000 to about 200,000 AMU; A is selected from C–Calkyl, C–Cether or amide; R, R' and R″ are independently selectable C–Calkyl; and Bis a charge balancing anion to the quaternary amine. The shale encapsulator and the optional shale hydration inhibition agent may be present in sufficient concentrations to reduce the swelling of the subterranean formation in the presence of water. Conventional additives may be included into the formulation of the drilling fluid, such conventional additives may include: fluid loss control agents, alkaline reserve and other pH control agents, bridging agents, lubricants, anti-bit balling agents, corrosion inhibition agents, surfactants and solids suspending agents as well as mixtures and combination of these and similar compounds that should be known to one of skill in the art.