US2065512A - Plugging water sands by a hydratable material - Google Patents

Plugging water sands by a hydratable material Download PDF

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US2065512A
US2065512A US748578A US74857834A US2065512A US 2065512 A US2065512 A US 2065512A US 748578 A US748578 A US 748578A US 74857834 A US74857834 A US 74857834A US 2065512 A US2065512 A US 2065512A
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water
oil
sand
well
bearing
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US748578A
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George E Cannon
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Standard Oil Development Co
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Standard Oil Development Co
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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C09—DYES; PAINTS; POLISHES; NATURAL RESINS; ADHESIVES; COMPOSITIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • C09K—MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
    • C09K8/00—Compositions for drilling of boreholes or wells; Compositions for treating boreholes or wells, e.g. for completion or for remedial operations
    • C09K8/02—Well-drilling compositions
    • C09K8/32—Non-aqueous well-drilling compositions, e.g. oil-based
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C09—DYES; PAINTS; POLISHES; NATURAL RESINS; ADHESIVES; COMPOSITIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • C09K—MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
    • C09K8/00—Compositions for drilling of boreholes or wells; Compositions for treating boreholes or wells, e.g. for completion or for remedial operations
    • C09K8/50—Compositions for plastering borehole walls, i.e. compositions for temporary consolidation of borehole walls
    • C09K8/502—Oil-based compositions
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S106/00—Compositions: coating or plastic
    • Y10S106/04—Bentonite
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S507/00—Earth boring, well treating, and oil field chemistry
    • Y10S507/926—Packer fluid

Definitions

  • This invention relates to improvements in excluding water from oil and gas wells.
  • reference numeral i designates the bore of a well into which extends a string of tubing 2.
  • the portion of the tubing 2 protruding from the surface of the earth is provided with a T-shaped coupling 5.
  • the T-shaped coupling 5 is provided with pipes 6, l, and 8.
  • the tubing 2 extends substantially throughout the length of the bore l of the well.
  • the bore of the well pierces strata such as l0 and II, which are composed of water-bearing sand which flows into the tubing 2 of the well and is delivered with oil and gas from the oil-bearing sand Hi.
  • the water from the water-bearing sands l0 and II is prevented from flowing into the bore l of the well by pumping into the well as by the pipe 8 a fluid from a suitable source of supply l5 by means of a pump IS.
  • the fluid flows downwardly through the casing 2 to the end of the casing and then it flows upwardly and is delivered through a line ll.
  • the fluid is maintained under sufllcient pressure by the pump IE to cause the fluid to overcome the hydrostatic head of the water in the porous strata "land II and forces its way into the porous sand permeating the water-bearing strata to the desired extent.
  • the water in the sands l0 and It contains soluble inorganic salts such as sodium chloride, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, and the like.
  • the fluid on contact with the water in the sand, forms In shutting off water by the a solid substance within the interstices of the sand at 20, which plugs the pores of the sand and renders it impervious to water flow.
  • the fluid used comprises a suspension of a material which swells on contact with water.- 5
  • the base of the fluid is a non-aqueous medium, which preferably is miscible with water.
  • the material is inert physically to oil.
  • the material used may be such hydratable material as hydratable clays, for example bentonite. Gelatin, 10 agar agar, and like material which swell on contact with water can also be used.
  • the hydratable materials can be suspended in anynonaqueous medium such as crude oil, gas oil or the like, but preferably in a medium such as alcohol, 15 glycerine or the like, which is miscible with water.
  • lime and dispersing agents such as oleic acid may be added to aid in suspending the hydratable material in the non-aqueous medium for convenience in han- 20 dling the suspension.
  • Other members of the fatty acid series, the soaps of fatty acids, soaps of naphthenic acids and sulfonated naphthenic compounds may be used as dispersing agents for the suspension, if desired. 25
  • composition may be cited:
  • the isopropyl alcohol is the non-aqueous suspending medium
  • the bentonlte is the hydratable material which swells on 0011- 35 tact with water
  • the lime and the oleic acid are suspending or dispersing agents which are added to make the suspension more stable and easier to handle. Either the lime or the oleic acid, or
  • the composition is pumped from the reservoir I5 into the well under sufllcient pressure to cause 50 the composition to pass into the water-bearing sands I0 and II, where the colloidal material is wetted by the water present in the sand, and hydration takes place which increases the volume of the solid particles substantially filling the in- M terstices oi the sand, as designated at 20, resulting in the permeability of the sand being reduced tosuch an extent that it is impossible for water to flow from the sand into the well.
  • the portion of the hydratable material which is forced into the oil-producing formation II is not hydrated and the particles do not'increase in size.
  • a process or plugging oi! water producing sands in a well producing both oil and water, comprisingintroducing into the well a suspension in oil 0! a solid material inert to oil but which swells on contact with water and permitting the suspension to flow into both the oil and waterbearing sands whereby the suspension on contact with the water in the water-bearing sand swells to plug the pores of only the water-bearing sand to forms sealagainst the further entrance of water into the well.
  • a process for plugging oil water producing sand in a wellproduclng both oil and water comprising introducing into the well a suspension in a non-aqueous medium oi a solid material inert to the medium and to the oil which solid material swells on contact with water and permitting the suspension to flow into both the oil and waterbearing sands whereby the material contacts the water in the water-bearing sand and swells to plug the pores oi only the water-bearing sand swells to plug the pores oi only the water-bear ingj sand to form a seal against the further entrance 0! water into the well while permitting iree ilow oi oil-from the oil-bearing sand.
  • a process for plugging oil water producing sand in a well producing both oil and water comprising introducing into the well a suspension of a hydratabie clay in a non-aqueous medium to cause the suspension to iiow into both the oil and water-bearing sands whereby the hydratable clay contacts the water in the water-bearing sand and swells taping the pores of only the water-bearing sand to form a seal against theiurther entrance of water into the well whilepermitting iree flow of oil from the oil bearing sand.
  • a process for plugging oil water producing sand in a well producing both oil and water comprising introducing into the well a suspension of gelatine in a non-aqueous medium to cause the gelatine to flow into both the water and oil-bearing sands whereby the gelatine contacts the water in the water-bearing sand and swells to plug the pores at only the water-bearing sand to form a seal against iurther entrance of water into the well while permitting iree ilow of oil from the oil-bearing sand.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Lubricants (AREA)

Description

Dec. 29, 1936 A N 2,065,512
PLUGGING WATER SANDS BY A HYDRATABLE MATERIAL Filed Oct. 17, 1954 Flaw Our-L er Patented Dec. 29, 1936 UNITED STATES PLUGGING WATER SANDS BY A HYDRATABLE MATERIAL George E. Cannon, Houston, Tex., assignor to Standard Oil Development Company, a corporation of Delaware Application October 17, 1934, Serial No. 748,578
5 Claims.
This invention relates to improvements in excluding water from oil and gas wells.
In producing oil or gas from a well, water frequently enters the well along with the oil or gas. Production of water in this manner is undesirable and frequently attempts are made to shut off the flow of water by cementing the lower portion of the well or by driving lead wool into the bottom of the well. methods commonly in use, it frequently happens that a portion of the oil-bearing stratum is plugged off also and the oil contained in such stratum is lost. In some cases the exact position of the formation which is producing water is not known or is so situated that it is impossible to use the cement or lead wool method for plugging the water off.
It is an object of this invention to plug waterbearing sands encountered in oil wells without affecting the oil-bearing sands.
Other objects would be apparent from the specification and from the accompanying drawing, in which latter the figure is a diagrammatic representation of a preferred apparatus for carrying out the invention.
Referring particularly to the drawing, reference numeral i designates the bore of a well into which extends a string of tubing 2. The portion of the tubing 2 protruding from the surface of the earth is provided with a T-shaped coupling 5. The T-shaped coupling 5 is provided with pipes 6, l, and 8. The tubing 2 extends substantially throughout the length of the bore l of the well. The bore of the well pierces strata such as l0 and II, which are composed of water-bearing sand which flows into the tubing 2 of the well and is delivered with oil and gas from the oil-bearing sand Hi.
The water from the water-bearing sands l0 and II is prevented from flowing into the bore l of the well by pumping into the well as by the pipe 8 a fluid from a suitable source of supply l5 by means of a pump IS. The fluid flows downwardly through the casing 2 to the end of the casing and then it flows upwardly and is delivered through a line ll. The fluid is maintained under sufllcient pressure by the pump IE to cause the fluid to overcome the hydrostatic head of the water in the porous strata "land II and forces its way into the porous sand permeating the water-bearing strata to the desired extent. The water in the sands l0 and It contains soluble inorganic salts such as sodium chloride, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, and the like. The fluid, on contact with the water in the sand, forms In shutting off water by the a solid substance within the interstices of the sand at 20, which plugs the pores of the sand and renders it impervious to water flow.
The fluid used comprises a suspension of a material which swells on contact with water.- 5 The base of the fluid is a non-aqueous medium, which preferably is miscible with water. The material is inert physically to oil. The material used may be such hydratable material as hydratable clays, for example bentonite. Gelatin, 10 agar agar, and like material which swell on contact with water can also be used. The hydratable materials can be suspended in anynonaqueous medium such as crude oil, gas oil or the like, but preferably in a medium such as alcohol, 15 glycerine or the like, which is miscible with water. The addition of lime and dispersing agents such as oleic acid may be added to aid in suspending the hydratable material in the non-aqueous medium for convenience in han- 20 dling the suspension. Other members of the fatty acid series, the soaps of fatty acids, soaps of naphthenic acids and sulfonated naphthenic compounds may be used as dispersing agents for the suspension, if desired. 25
By way of specific example, the following composition may be cited:
Per cent by volume Isopropyl alcohol 84.5 Bentonite 10.0 30 Lime 5.0 Oleic acid 0.5
In this compound the isopropyl alcohol is the non-aqueous suspending medium, the bentonlte is the hydratable material which swells on 0011- 35 tact with water, the lime and the oleic acid are suspending or dispersing agents which are added to make the suspension more stable and easier to handle. Either the lime or the oleic acid, or
The composition is pumped from the reservoir I5 into the well under sufllcient pressure to cause 50 the composition to pass into the water-bearing sands I0 and II, where the colloidal material is wetted by the water present in the sand, and hydration takes place which increases the volume of the solid particles substantially filling the in- M terstices oi the sand, as designated at 20, resulting in the permeability of the sand being reduced tosuch an extent that it is impossible for water to flow from the sand into the well. The portion of the hydratable material which is forced into the oil-producing formation II is not hydrated and the particles do not'increase in size. When production of oil or gas from the well is resumed, the portion oi the suspensesoid which has entered the oil sand is washed out and the permeability of this portion of the sand is not appreciably attected. The hydratable material which has entered the water-producing formations II and ii is trapped due to its having increased in size, re-
sulting in permanentlypiugging the water-bearing sands II and ii.
Various changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims, in. which it is desired to claim all novelty inherent in the invention.
I claim:
1. A process (or plugging oi! water producing sands in a well producing both oil and water, comprisingintroducing into the well a suspension in oil 0! a solid material inert to oil but which swells on contact with water and permitting the suspension to flow into both the oil and waterbearing sands whereby the suspension on contact with the water in the water-bearing sand swells to plug the pores of only the water-bearing sand to forms sealagainst the further entrance of water into the well. i V a l 2. A process for plugging oil water producing sand in a wellproduclng both oil and water, comprising introducing into the well a suspension in a non-aqueous medium oi a solid material inert to the medium and to the oil which solid material swells on contact with water and permitting the suspension to flow into both the oil and waterbearing sands whereby the material contacts the water in the water-bearing sand and swells to plug the pores oi only the water-bearing sand swells to plug the pores oi only the water-bear ingj sand to form a seal against the further entrance 0! water into the well while permitting iree ilow oi oil-from the oil-bearing sand.
4. A process for plugging oil water producing sand in a well producing both oil and water, comprising introducing into the well a suspension of a hydratabie clay in a non-aqueous medium to cause the suspension to iiow into both the oil and water-bearing sands whereby the hydratable clay contacts the water in the water-bearing sand and swells taping the pores of only the water-bearing sand to form a seal against theiurther entrance of water into the well whilepermitting iree flow of oil from the oil bearing sand.
5. A process for plugging oil water producing sand in a well producing both oil and water. comprising introducing into the well a suspension of gelatine in a non-aqueous medium to cause the gelatine to flow into both the water and oil-bearing sands whereby the gelatine contacts the water in the water-bearing sand and swells to plug the pores at only the water-bearing sand to form a seal against iurther entrance of water into the well while permitting iree ilow of oil from the oil-bearing sand.
GEORGE E. CANNON.
US748578A 1934-10-17 1934-10-17 Plugging water sands by a hydratable material Expired - Lifetime US2065512A (en)

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Cited By (25)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2757737A (en) * 1953-04-24 1956-08-07 California Research Corp Method of preventing lost circulation
US2776112A (en) * 1954-09-30 1957-01-01 Exxon Research Engineering Co Method of drilling wells
US2778604A (en) * 1954-09-01 1957-01-22 Exxon Research Engineering Co Method for preventing lost returns
US2800963A (en) * 1953-12-10 1957-07-30 Halliburton Oil Well Cementing Method and composition for sealing earth formation
US2806531A (en) * 1955-12-19 1957-09-17 Exxon Research Engineering Co Composition for treating wells and method for using same
US2887159A (en) * 1955-11-16 1959-05-19 Dow Chemical Co Method of shutting off water in petroleum wells
US2890169A (en) * 1956-03-26 1959-06-09 Jersey Prod Res Co Drilling fluid for wells
US2890752A (en) * 1956-09-05 1959-06-16 B J Service Inc New squeeze cement proces and slurry
US2933135A (en) * 1955-11-01 1960-04-19 Standard Oil Co Well strata productivity control
US2935472A (en) * 1954-08-16 1960-05-03 Minnesota Mining & Mfg Lost circulation materials
US2990016A (en) * 1957-02-26 1961-06-27 Gulf Oil Corp Method of and composition for sealing lost circulation in wells
US3063246A (en) * 1959-05-29 1962-11-13 Sun Oil Co Underground storage of hydrocarbons
US3082823A (en) * 1960-03-31 1963-03-26 Halliburton Co Composition and method for sealing porous formations
US3124934A (en) * 1964-03-17 Method of reducing seepage from
US3302717A (en) * 1961-12-26 1967-02-07 Dow Chemical Co Selective plugging of subterranean formations to inhibit intrusion of water
US3407878A (en) * 1966-09-02 1968-10-29 Phillips Petroleum Co Lost circulation control
US3462962A (en) * 1966-10-27 1969-08-26 Frank Weldon Jessen Prevention of corrosion of metal pipes placed underground
US3474866A (en) * 1965-10-23 1969-10-28 Fenix & Scisson Inc Method of and means for sealing casing strings
US3566968A (en) * 1969-11-06 1971-03-02 Phillips Petroleum Co Material and method for preventing fluid flow
US3635034A (en) * 1969-07-09 1972-01-18 Us Interior Method of plugging mine passages having water emanating therefrom
US4191249A (en) * 1978-11-16 1980-03-04 Union Oil Company Of California Reducing the relative water/petroleum movement in a petroleum producing reservoir
FR2436172A1 (en) * 1978-09-18 1980-04-11 American Colloid Co WATERPROOFING COMPOSITION OF BENTONITE AND GEL OIL AS WELL AS PROCESS FOR ITS MANUFACTURE AND APPLICATION
US4261422A (en) * 1978-11-07 1981-04-14 Texaco Inc. Method for treating underground formations
US4279547A (en) * 1978-09-18 1981-07-21 American Colloid Company Bentonite-gelled oil waterproofing composition
US4514538A (en) * 1983-05-26 1985-04-30 Lidia Shvakhman Composition

Cited By (25)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3124934A (en) * 1964-03-17 Method of reducing seepage from
US2757737A (en) * 1953-04-24 1956-08-07 California Research Corp Method of preventing lost circulation
US2800963A (en) * 1953-12-10 1957-07-30 Halliburton Oil Well Cementing Method and composition for sealing earth formation
US2935472A (en) * 1954-08-16 1960-05-03 Minnesota Mining & Mfg Lost circulation materials
US2778604A (en) * 1954-09-01 1957-01-22 Exxon Research Engineering Co Method for preventing lost returns
US2776112A (en) * 1954-09-30 1957-01-01 Exxon Research Engineering Co Method of drilling wells
US2933135A (en) * 1955-11-01 1960-04-19 Standard Oil Co Well strata productivity control
US2887159A (en) * 1955-11-16 1959-05-19 Dow Chemical Co Method of shutting off water in petroleum wells
US2806531A (en) * 1955-12-19 1957-09-17 Exxon Research Engineering Co Composition for treating wells and method for using same
US2890169A (en) * 1956-03-26 1959-06-09 Jersey Prod Res Co Drilling fluid for wells
US2890752A (en) * 1956-09-05 1959-06-16 B J Service Inc New squeeze cement proces and slurry
US2990016A (en) * 1957-02-26 1961-06-27 Gulf Oil Corp Method of and composition for sealing lost circulation in wells
US3063246A (en) * 1959-05-29 1962-11-13 Sun Oil Co Underground storage of hydrocarbons
US3082823A (en) * 1960-03-31 1963-03-26 Halliburton Co Composition and method for sealing porous formations
US3302717A (en) * 1961-12-26 1967-02-07 Dow Chemical Co Selective plugging of subterranean formations to inhibit intrusion of water
US3474866A (en) * 1965-10-23 1969-10-28 Fenix & Scisson Inc Method of and means for sealing casing strings
US3407878A (en) * 1966-09-02 1968-10-29 Phillips Petroleum Co Lost circulation control
US3462962A (en) * 1966-10-27 1969-08-26 Frank Weldon Jessen Prevention of corrosion of metal pipes placed underground
US3635034A (en) * 1969-07-09 1972-01-18 Us Interior Method of plugging mine passages having water emanating therefrom
US3566968A (en) * 1969-11-06 1971-03-02 Phillips Petroleum Co Material and method for preventing fluid flow
FR2436172A1 (en) * 1978-09-18 1980-04-11 American Colloid Co WATERPROOFING COMPOSITION OF BENTONITE AND GEL OIL AS WELL AS PROCESS FOR ITS MANUFACTURE AND APPLICATION
US4279547A (en) * 1978-09-18 1981-07-21 American Colloid Company Bentonite-gelled oil waterproofing composition
US4261422A (en) * 1978-11-07 1981-04-14 Texaco Inc. Method for treating underground formations
US4191249A (en) * 1978-11-16 1980-03-04 Union Oil Company Of California Reducing the relative water/petroleum movement in a petroleum producing reservoir
US4514538A (en) * 1983-05-26 1985-04-30 Lidia Shvakhman Composition

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