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:
Apr. 07, 2009
Filed:
May. 06, 2005
Arvind D. Patel, Sugarland, TX (US);
Emanuel Stamatakis, Houston, TX (US);
Arvind D. Patel, Sugarland, TX (US);
Emanuel Stamatakis, Houston, TX (US);
M-I L.L.C., Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
A water-base wellbore fluid for use in subterranean wells that penetrate through a subterranean formation containing a shale which swells in the presence of water. The well bore fluid includes, an aqueous based continuous phase, and a shale hydration inhibition agent. One illustrative shale hydration inhibition agent is preferably the reaction product of a hydrogenation reaction of the product of the reaction of an aromatic amine with an aldehyde, preferably formaldehyde. Alternatively the shale hydration inhibition agent may be the reaction product of a hydrogenation reaction of the product of the reaction of aniline and formaldehyde. In one illustrative embodiment, the shale hydration inhibition agent is selected from the class of compounds known as polycycloaliphatic amines. The shale hydration inhibition agent may be present in the form of a free-base or preferably in the form of an acid salt of the disclosed amine compounds. The shale hydration inhibition agent is present in sufficient concentration to substantially reduce the swelling of shale drilling cuttings upon contact with the fluid.