CA1210929A - Composition and method for servicing wellbores - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT
A method is disclosed for servicing a wellbore comprising introducing into the wellbore a substantially solids-free fluid comprising an admixture of water, cal-cium bromide and methanol and wherein the admixture has a density of at least about 15 lb/gal (1.80 g/cm3) and a crystallization point of no more than about 20°C. The composition is also claimed.

Description

HIG~-DENSITY BRINE FLUID
AND USE IN
SERVICING WELLBORES

This invention relates to a solids-free solu-tion for introduction into wellbores and a method of use therefor.

Subterranean formations may contain valuable mineral deposits such as hydrocarbon oils and gases, sul-fur and other valuable natural resources. Contact may be made with these formations by drilling a wellbore from the surface to the subterranean formation. During the course of this drilling operation a fluid is in~roduced into the wellbore to lubricate and cool the drilling bit, to carry away material removed from subterranean forma-tions by the drilling process, and to seal the walls of the borehole against loss of the fluid or invasion of the borehole by fluids in subterranean formations. Such a fluid or drilling "mud" is described, for example, in US 2,073,413. These drilling muds achieve the high den-sity which is necessary to avoid intrusion of high pres-sure subterranean fluids into the borehole by weighting 27,224-F -1- ~
~ .
.

9~9 the mud with solid materials suc:h as clays or barytes.
High densities in the order of magnitude of 18-20 lb/gal (2.1-2.4 g/cm3) are achievable with such drilling muds.

However, at certain times during the well drilling and completion process, it is desirable to have solids-free solutions contacting the subterranean formations in the borehole. For example, see the arti-cle by J. L. Kennedy, The Oil and Gas Journal, (August 2, 1971) pp. 62-64. Many procedures re~uire a solids-free fluid. For example, packing and completion procedures can be injured by solids suspended in the fluid within the wellbore. See Drillinq and Production Practice, C. M. Hudgins e-t al. (American Petroleum Institute) 1961; Hudgins et al., The Oil and &as Journal, (July 24, 15 1961) pp. 91-96; and J. H. Plonka, World Oil (April, 1972) pp. 88-89; Neal Adams, The Oil ~ Gas Journal (November 9, 1981), pp. 254-275. These articles describe the use of high density, solids-free brines as fluids. Sodium chloride can be used to make brines 20 from 8.33 to 9.8 lb/gal (1.0-1.17 g/cm3). Calcium chloride can be used to make brines from 8.3 to 11.5 lb/gal ~1.0-1.38 g/cm3). Calcium chloride/zinc chlo-ride brines can be used to make brines from 11.5 to 14.0 lb/gal (1.38-1.68 g/cm3). The ~udgins articles describe zinc-containing fluids with densities greater than 14.0 lb/gal (1.68 g/cm3) as being too corrosive for - practical use. The Plonka article describes a solids--free calcium bromide/calcium chloride solution which can achieve a density of 15.0 lb/gal (1.80 g/cm3).

US 4,292,183 describes a zinc bromide/cal-cium bromide solids-free solution having a density lying 27,224-F 2-9~9 in the range from about 14.5 up to about 18.0 lb/gal (1.74-2.16 g/cm3). The Adams article describes a CaC12/CaBr2/ZnBr2 brine system with densi~les up to 19.2 lb/gal (2.30 g/cm3), as well as characteristics of the various fluids and methods of use.

It is sometimes desirable to have a solids-free solution which has a density of gxeater than 15.0 lb/gal (1.80 g/cm3). Until this invention, this required the use of a zinc-containing fluid.

A desirable well-servicing fluid needs to have several characteristics concurrently. The density of the fluid should be such that the hydrostatic head formed by the column of fluid in the wellbore properly balances the fluid pressure of the subterranean forma-tion. Appropriate balance may at times be slightly below the pressure of the subterranean formation, i~ often greater than the pressure of the subterranean formation, but most often is ~et to exactly match the hydraulic pres-~ure of the fluid in the subterranean formation.

Fluids used during workovex and completion range from low-density gases, such as nitrogen, to high--density muds and pacXer fluids. The applications and reguirements for each fluid are different.

Fluids used during the reworking of a well after its initial completion are termed workover fluids.
These fluids may be gases (such as nitrogen or natural gas 3, brine waters, or muds. The functions performed by the workover fluid include well killing, cleaning 27,224-F -3-;eg;;~9 out a well by removing sand, rock, or metal cuttings, and other foreign objects, drilling into a new produc-tive interval, or plugging back to complete a shal-lower interval.

Completion fluids are used during the opera-tions that establish final communications between the productive formation and the well bore. The fluids may be a commercial workover fluid, nitrogen, or a clean, low-solids brine water and may be used for a short per-iod of time such as well perforating or for extended periods such as in gravel packing. The primary require-ment placed on the fluid is that it does not damage nor block the producing formation.

Packer fluids are placed in the annulus lS between the production tubing and casing. The most common requirements for packer fluids are to maintain pressure co~trol, be nontoxic and noncorrosive, remain pumpable, and minimize formation damage.

The well-servicing fluid should be solids--free. That means substa~tially free from suspended solids of greater than about 5 ~m in diameter. It also means that the solution should have a crystallization point lower than the use temperature. Generally, the crystallization point is the minimum temperature at which the soluble solids are dissolved to form a solids--free solution.

Corrosivity is also an important factor. The corrosivity of the brine solution should be such that no 27,224-F -4-12~ iZ9 significant corrosion of metal piping or drilling imple-ments occurs. This generally re~uires an uninhihited cor-rosion rate of less than 0.005 inch/year (0.127 mm/year).
This is partisularly true when the fluid is used to shut in a well. The fluid may be in contact with the downhole piping for long periods of time. It is also important to minimize harm to the environment.

When one requires a solution with a density of greater than 15.0 lb/gal (1.80 g/cm3) to balance the formation pressure, each of the previous recited fluids has shortcomings. All of the brines except the zinc--containing brines will not form a solids-free solution at greater than 15.0 lb/gal (1.80 g/cm3) with a crystal-lization point of less than 20C. The densities and solubilities of the solid salts will not permit it.
While the zinc-containing brines may form solids-free solutions at greater than 15.0 lb/gal (1.80 g/cm3), these solutions are generally more corrosive and may harm the environment. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a solids~free well-servicing fluid with a density of greater than 15.0 lb/gal (1.80 g/cm3) and a crystallization point of less than 20C
that does not require the use of zinc salts.

This and other objects of the invention are achieved in a method for servicing a wellbore comprising introducing into the wellbore a fluid comprising an admix-ture of water, calcium bromide and methanol. The density of this solution is at least about 15.0 lb/gal (1.80 g/cm3) and has a crystallization point of no more than about 20C.

27,224-F -5-~121(~9;~
The composition consisting essentially of an admixture of water, calcium bromide and methanol wherein the admixture has a density of at least about 15.0 lb/gal (1.80 g~cm3) and a crystallization point of no more than about 20C is also considered novel.

A feature of this invention is that it incor-porates commercially available and relatively environ-mentally safe materials to achieve densities which have heretofore been unachievable with such low environmental risk and corrosivity.

The drawing represents a phase diagram for the methanol/CaBr2/water system.

~ he high density, well-servicing fluid of the present invention may consist essentially of a substanti-ally solids-free admixture of water, calcium bromide and methanol wherein the admixture has a density of at least about 15.0 lb/gal (1.80 g/cm3) and a crystallization point of no more than about 20C.-In addition to calcium bromide and methanol, certain hydrates and methanates may be present in theadmixture. Also, other water-soluble materials may be used in the well-servicing fluid in an amount les~ than that which would adversely affect the utility of the solution. Such materials include, for ~xample: organic corrosion inhibitors such as triethanolamine, propargyl alcohol, pyridine and its derivatives, and other organic corrosion inhibitors known to those in the art; viscosity - 27,224-F -6-~21(~9~
adjusting reagents such as, for e~ample, hydroxymethylcel-lulose and others known to those in the art; pH control-ling materials such as sodium hydroxide, calcium hydrox-ide and the like. In some applications it may be desir-able to blend the fluid of the invention with other inor-ganic salt solutions to adjust the final density of the well-servicing fluid. Such solutions include, for exam-ple, solutions of the inorganic salts, calcium chloride, sodium chloride, mixtures thereof and the like.

Well-servicing fluids of this invention would preferably not include metallic ions not commonly found in sea water at a concentration greater than 1 ppm. Metal-lic ions commonly found in sea water in greater than 1 ppm concentration include sodium, magnesium, calcium, potas-sium, and strontium. Metallic ions which would be absent from the composition of the invention include zinc, lith-ium, and chromium which would only be present in small quantities as impurities or as a treating agent such as a zinc oxide corrosion inhibitor. In any case, these materials may be present at less than 1 percent, pref-erably at less than 0.5 percent and most preferably at less than 0.1 percent concentrations by weight based on the total solution.

The presence of any substantial amount of solids in the fluid of the invention may lead to damage to the subterranean formation. Suspended solids may effectively block production from the formation. Pref-erably the fluid is free of solids of a particle size larger than 5 ~m. Most preferably the solution is completely solids-free. Solids present may include gen-eral impurities found in the materials used to make the 27,224-F -7-lZ~9~'9 fluid, dust and dirt adhering to the equipment used or solids precipitated by cooling of the solution or other chemical process such as pH adjustment.

The components used to make the fluid of the invention are generally commercially available materials.
The calcium bromide used may be of general commercial quality and may be a material commonly referred to as calcium bromide spike which is an 80 percent calcium bromide/20 percent water solid. The calcium bromide may also be generated in agueous medium, for example, by reacting hydrogen bromide with calcium hydroxide, for example, in the method described in US 4,234,556.

Any available water may be used to make the fluid as long a~ it does not contain materials deleteri-ous to the properties. Sea water may be used, thoughfresh water is preferred. The components of the admix-ture may be mixed in any order but`generally it is more convenient to add the solids to a mixture of the two liquid components. The percentage ranges of the com-ponents in the fluid of the invention generally rangefrom 55 to 70 percent calcium bromide, 15 to 35 percent water, and 5 to 30 percent methanol. This can ~e seen in the drawing as the area between the two curves, to wit, between the isodensity line of 15.0 lb/gal and the curve showing the compositions with a 20UC crystallization point.

Referring now to the dxawing, we see a stand-ard triangular composition diagram for a 3-component sys-tem~ At the uppermost corner which is l~beled CaBr2 for calcium bromide, the point at the apex of the triangle represents a composition of 100 percent calcium bromide 27,224-F -8~

~Z~92g and each line which is parallel to the opposite side of the triangle represents a 10 percent increment in the per-centage by weight of calcium bromide on the phase diagram.
Similarly a~ the two lower corners of the triangle, meth-anol designated MeO~ and water designated H20 label theapexes which stand for the 100 percent methanol composi-tion and the 100 percent water composition, respectively.
The lines within the triangle running parallel to the opposite sides from each of these two apexes also repre-sent 10 percent increments o composition.

Four curves are presented on this composi-tional chart for discussion. Three of the curves approx-imate straight lines and represent isodensity curves.
That is each of the points on the curve represent the composition which has a given density. The three curves are labeled 15.0, 15.5 and 16.0 lb/gal (1.80, 1,86, and 1.92 g/cm3) (kg/l)). ~he points on these curves may represent compositions which are ~olids or liquids or mixtures thereof. The drawing was made as accurately as the data permits. However, differences of several percent may not be significant and are considered to be within experimental error.

The fourth curve represents an isocrystalliza-tion point line. That is, each point on the line repre-sents a composition which has a crystallization point ofabout 20C or 68F. For purposes of discussion in this application, the crystallization point of the solution is determined by placing 2 to 5 ml of the solution in a test tube and then cooling it in a dry ic~/methylene chloride bath until solids appear. The mixture with the suspended solids is then heated slowly with stirring until the last 27,224-F -9-~Z~ ;2~

crystal dissolves. The temperat.ure at which the last crystal dissolves is the crystallization point.

Other workers in this field have used an exper-imental method similar to this one wherein the crystalli-zation point is taken to be the temperature at which thecrystal first appears upon cooling. This was not done wi~h this system because of the tendency of this system and similar systems to supercool. The result of this is that the temperature at which the first crystal appears may be several degrees lower than the temperature at which the last crystal disappears. Therefore, for pur-poses of the disclosure and the claims of this applica-tion, the temperature at which the last crystal disap-pears is taken to be the crystallization point.

Referring to the drawing, ~he isocrystalli- -zation point line extends from a composition of approxi-mately 35 percent calcium bromide/65 percent methanol to a point just on the opposite side of the 16 lb iso-density line with a composition of approximately 67 per cent calcium bromide, 13 percent methanol and 20 percent water. This approximates the maximum density which can be achieved with this 3-component mixture while still retaining a crystallization point of 20C. ~he isocrys-tallization point curve continues from this maximum to a point which represents approximately 58.8 percent calcium bromide and 41.2 percent water.

The portion of this compositional chart which is bounded by the isocrystallization point curve at 20C
lying in the direction of the apex labeled calcium bro-mide, represènts that portion of the compositions of 27,224-F -10-~z~9;~
these three components which are not solids-free at 20C
and lower temperatures. T~at portion of the compositional chart which lies between the isocrystallization point curve at 20C and the side opposite the calcium bromide apex represents the compositions of these three components which will be solids-free at 20C or higher. The fluid composition of the invention is represented by points in ~hat area of the phase diagram lying on or within the area enclosed by the 15.0 lb/gal (1.80 g/cm3) isodensity line and the 20C isocrystallization point line.

The density of the fluid of the invention is generally expressed in lb/gal, kg/l or g/cm3. One lb/gal equals 0.1198 kg/l and 1 kg/l eguals 1 g/cm3 and 8.345 lb/gal. The density of water is approximately 1 kg/l or 8.34 lb/gal. Density of the solutions may be determined in any of the ways known to those skilled in the art, for example, by using a pycnometer or a hydrometer. Gener-ally the fluid will have a density of at least about 15.0 lb/gal (1.80 g/cm3). This is represented by points on the composition diagram of the figure which lie between the 15.0 lb/gal (1.80 g/cm3) isodensity line and the pure calcium bromide apex of the triangle. Preferably, the density will be greater than 15.0 lb/gal (1.80 g/cm3) or, for example, at least 15.1 lb/gal (1.81 g/cm3).
Most preferably the fluid of the invention will have a density of at least 15.5 lb/gal (1.86 g/cm3) and may have a density of 16.0 lb/gal (1.92 g/cm33 or greater.
All of these densities given require that the fluid of the invention be solids-free and have a crystallization point of 20C or less.

27,224-F -11-~Z~5~;~9 In addition to calcium bromide and methanol, hydrates and methanates of calci.um bromide will be pres-ent in the admixture. While the exact nature of such materials is difficult to determine, and their presence is difficult to detect, it is apparent that whatever species is present, the admi~ture has the properties of density, crystallization point, corrosivity and environ-men~al effects as herein above described.

Examples of well-servicing techniques where ~he fluid of the invention may be employed are taught, for example, in US 2,894,584; US 2,898,294 and US
3,126,950.

The following examples further illustrate this invention, but ~hould not be construed as limiting the scope.

Example 1 108 ml of CH30H (methanol) were added to 100 ml of commercially available fluid containing 53 per-cent CaBr2 and 47 percent H2O. To this was added 150 g 20 of CaBr2 spike in increments of 10 to 50 g (CaBr2 spike is 80 percent CaBr2 and 20 percent H2O). After mixing on a shaker table the solution was filtered. This solu~
tion had a density of 13.19 ppg (1.58 g/cm3). The solu-tio~ was divided in half, and to approximately 125 ml of solution were added 175 g of spike. Again, after shaking until all of the solids were dissolved, the solution was filtered. The density of the solution was 16.0 ppg (1.92 g/cm3) and it had a crystallization point of 64.5F
(18.1C).

27,224-F -12-~L21~L1929 Example 2 To an 8-ounce (235-ml) jar were added 81 ml of methanol and 50 ml of 53 percent CaBr2 and 47 percent H2O. Additions of 25 or 50 g of CaBr~ spike (80 percent CaBr2 and 20 percent ~2) were made 11 times so that the total weight of spike added was 325 g. The solution was then suction filtered. The density was found to be 16.0 ppg (1.92 g~cm3). The crystallization point was deter-mined by placing 2 to 5 ml of solution in a test tube and then cooling in a dry ice/methylene chloride bath until solids appeared. This was then heated slowly with stir-ring until the last crystal dissolved. The crystalliza-tion point of the solution was 62F (16.7C).

An agueous solution of CaBr~/~20/MeOH will have a lower crystallization point when compared to a CaBr2/H20 fluid. The crystallization point depression is due to the presence of MeOH in combination with the CaBr2 and water in solution. At a density of 15.9 ppg (1.91 g/cm3), the CaBr2/H20/MeOH solution has a crystal-20 lization point of 64F (17.8C). This can be directly contrasted to a solution containing only CaBr2 and water wherein a 15.9 ppg ~1.91 g/cm3) fluid would have a crys-tallization point of 81F (27.2C). The variation in crystallization point temperatures (CP) of solutions of 25 CaBr2/~20~MeOH and CaBr2/H20 is illustrated by Table I.

27,224-F -13--1.4-.

1~1(P929 TABLE I
CaBr2/H20 vs CaBr2/H20/MeOH

Density CaBr ~2 CaBr?~H2O~MeO~
CPF CPF
q/cm3 l~/gal ~ CaBr2 (C) % CaBr~ % MeOH (C) 1.905 15.g ~1.581 64.6 12.864 (27.2) (17.8) 1.955 16~3 64.090 65.8 12.370 (32.2) (21.1) 10 1.865 15.5 60.074 63.3 13.355 (23.3) (12.8) 1.815 ~5.1 58.568 62.0 13.960 (2~.0) (15.6 CaBr2/H2O da a Densities: International Critical Tables CP: Seidell (Revised by Linke), Solubilities:
Inorganlc and Metal Orqanic Compounds; Van Nostrand Co., Inc., 1958.

27,224-F -14-

Claims (6)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A composition comprising an admixture of water, calcium bromide and methanol wherein the admixture has a density of at least 1.80 g/cm3 and a crystallization point no higher than 20°C.

2. The composition of Claim 1 wherein the admixture has a density of at least 1.86 g/cm3.

3. The composition of Claim 2 wherein the admixture has a density of at least 1.92 g/cm .

4. The composition of Claim 1 wherein the admixture comprises from 55 to 70 weight percent calcium bromide; from 15 to 35 weight percent water; and from 5 to 30 weight percent methanol.

5. The composition of Claim 1 wherein the fluid composition is represented by points of the phase diagram of the drawing lying on or within an area enclosed by a 1.80 g/cm3 isodensity line and a 20°C isocrystalliza-tion point line.

6. A method of servicing a wellbore comprising introducing into the wellbore a high density fluid, wherein the fluid is the fluid of Claim 1.