Method for drilling and completing a well and a packer fluid therefor

Claim 2

A method according to claim 1 wherein there is additionally present an effective insulating amount of at least one agent selected from the group consisting of ethane and ethylene having from 3 to 6, inclusive, halogen atoms per molecule and which is liquid at 200* F. under a pressure of at least 200 psig, has a weight in said liquid state of at least about 7 pounds/gallon, and a thermal conductivity in said liquid state of no greater than about 0.08 Btu/hour sq. foot * F./foot.

Claim 3

A method according to claim 3 wherein said additional insulating agent is selected from the group consisting of trichlorotrifluoroethane, dichlorotetrafluoroethane, and trichloroethylene.

Claim 4

A method according to claim 1 wherein there is additionally present an effective weighting amount of at least one agent selected from the group consisting of ethane and ethylene having from 3 to 6, inclusive, halogen atoms per molecule and which is liquid at 200* F. under a pressure of at least 200 psig, has a weight in said liquid state of at least about 7 pounds/gallon, and a thermal conductivity in said liquid state of no greater than about 0.08 Btu/hour sq. foot * F./foot.

Claim 5

A method according to claim 5 wherein said additional weighting agent is selected from the group consisting of trichlorotrifluoroethane, dichlorotetrafluoroethane, and trichloroethylene present in an amount sufficient to give the packer fluid a weight of at least about 7 pounds/gallon.

Claim 6

A method according to claim 1 wherein said shapes are present in amounts of at least about 12 weight percent based on the total weight of the packer fluid.

Claim 7

A method according to claim 1 wherein said shapes are spherical and have a diameter range such that they will pass through a 50 mesh sieve but are no less than about 10 microns in diameter.

Claim 8

In a method for producing a well through a permafrost zone, the improvement comprising providing at least one annulus zone in said wellbore, said annulus zone extending at least through said permafrost zone, and substantially filling said at least one annulus zone during at least part of the producing of said well with a thermal insulating well packer fluid consisting essentially of an effective thermal insulating amount of hollow shapes of a material selected from the group consisting of glass and plastic, said shapes passing through a 50 mesh sieve, said shapes having a grain density of from about 0.2 to about 0.4 grams/cubic centimeter, said shapes having a thermal conductivity in bulk of no greater than about 0.08 Btu/hour sq. foot * F./foot, the remainder being essentially a hydrocarbonaceous oil.

Claim 9

A method according to claim 9 wherein said material is glass.

Claim 10

A method according to claim 9 wherein there is additionally present an effective insulating amount of at least one agent selected from the group consisting of ethane and ethylene having from 3 to 6, inclusive, halogen atoms per molecule and which is liquid at 200* F. under a pressure of at least 200 psig, has a Weight in said liquid state of at least about 7 pounds/gallon, and a thermal conductivity in said liquid state of no greater than about 0.08 Btu/hour sq. foot * F./foot.

Claim 11

A method according to claim 11 wherein said additional insulating agent is selected from the group consisting of trichlorotrifluoroethane, dichlorotetrafluoroethane, and trichloroethylene.

Claim 12

A method according to claim 9 wherein there is additionally present an effective weighting amount of at least one agent selected from the group consisting of ethane and ethylene having from 3 to 6, inclusive, halogen atoms per molecule and which is liquid at 200* F. under a pressure of at least 200 psig, has a weight in said liquid state of at least about 7 pounds/gallon, and a thermal conductivity in said liquid state of no greater than about 0.08 Btu/hour sq. foot * F./foot.

Claim 13

A method according to claim 13 wherein said additional weighting agent is selected from the group consisting of trichlorotrifluoroethane, dichlorotetrafluoroethane, and trichloroethylene present in an amount sufficient to give the packer fluid a weight of at least about 7 pounds/gallon.

Claim 14

A method according to claim 9 wherein said shapes are present in amounts of at least about 12 weight percent based on the total weight of the packer fluid.

Claim 15

A method according to claim 9 wherein said shapes are spherical and have a diameter range such that they will pass through a 50 mesh sieve but are no less than about 10 microns in diameter.

Claim 16

A method according to claim 9 wherein there is additionally present an effective thickening amount of at least one gelling agent.

Claim 17

A method according to claim 17 wherein said gelling agent is present in an amount of from about 2 to about 10 weight percent based on the total weight of the packer fluid.

Claim 18

A method according to claim 9 wherein there is additionally present an effective amount of at least one material selected from the group consisting of weighting agent and viscosifier.

Claim 19

A method according to claim 9 wherein said hydrocarbonaceous oil is Diesel oil.