US3757864A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Friction reducing and gelling agent for organic liquids
Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corp
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Filing: 1971-05-12
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Granted: 1973-09-11
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Expires: 1991-05-12
Abstract
Abstract The pressure drop of a confined non-polar organic liquid in motion due to friction is markedly lessened by admixing with the liquid an effective amount of one or more aluminum salts of an aliphatic orthophosphate ester. By increasing the concentration of the aluminum salts of the aliphatic orthophosphate ester so that a gelling quantity is present, the organic liquid can be gelled to provide for example a fracturing fluid for oil and gas wells wherein hard particulate material may be suspended to serve as proppants in the resulting fractures.
Inventors
- 👤 D Crawford
- 👤 R Earl
- 👤 R Monroe
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 19:35
CPC Classifications
C; C07; C07F; C07F9/00; C07F9/02; C07F9/06; C07F9/08; C07F9/09; C09; C09K; C09K3/00; C09K8/00; C09K8/60; C09K8/62; C09K8/64; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S507/00; Y10S507/922; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/0318; Y10T137/0391
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
36 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said salt is a monoaliphatic orthophosphate ester wherein one substituent is H and the other is selected from C1 to C20 alkyls, or C2 to C20 alkenyls and alkynyls.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
101 words
The method of decreasing the pressure drop and therefore lessening the energy requirement to move a confined organic liquid, due to friction both within the liquid itself and between the liquid and confining walls, comprising admixing with said liquid the aluminum salt of a mono-, or dialiphatic-substituted orthophosphate ester or mixture thereof, the aliphatic radicals are independently C1 to C20 alkyls, or C2 to C20 alkenyls or alkynyls, and wherein the aliphatic radicals independently contain carbon chains of different lengths, the amount of said salt employed between about 0.5 and about 100 pounds per thousand gallons of liquid being so treated.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 3 wherein at least one said aluminum salt is an alkyl alkenyl orthophosphate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 3 wherein both of said aliphatic substituents of said dialiphatic-substituted orthophosphate ester are alkyls.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method according to claim 3 wherein said salt is a dialiphatic orthophosphate ester wherein one radical is selected from C1 to C3 alkyls and the other is selected from C8 to C18 alkyls.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
109 words
The method of fracturing a subterranean formation employing an organic fracturing fluid to create and improve flow channels therein wherein pressure drop of the fracturing fluid due to friction is greater than desired which comprises admixing with said organic fluid an effective amount of an aluminum salt of mono-, or dialiphatic-substituted orthophosphoric ester, or mixtures thereof wherein the aliphatic groups are independently selected from the class consisting of C1 to C20 alkyls or C2 to C20 alkenyls and alkynyls, to lessen the pressure drop caused by said fracting fluid and injecting the so-treated organic fluid down the wellbore and into the formation at sufficient pressure to fracture the formation.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
84 words
The method of fracturing a subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore employing a gelled organic fracturing fluid to create and improve flow channels therein which comprises: admixing with said organic fluid a gelling quantity of an aluminum salt of a mono- , or dialiphatic-substituted orthophosphoric acid ester wherein the aliphatic groups are independently C1 to C20 alkyls, or C2 to C20 alkenyls or alkynyls, and injecting the gelled organic fluid down the wellbore and into the formation at sufficient pressure to fracture the formation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according to claim 8 wherein the gelled organic fluid contains hard particulate material to act as a proppant.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method according to claim 9 wherein said hard particulate material is sand.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method according to claim 9 wherein the organic fluid is kerosene.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method according to claim 9 wherein the organic fluid is diesel oil.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
106 words
A method of fracturing a subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore, employing as a fracturing fluid an organic liquid, which comprises: a. separately admixing with said organic liquid a mono- or dialiphatic-substituted orthophosphoric acid ester and an aluminum compound which reacts with the ester in situ in the organic liquid to form an aLuminum salt of said ester which gels the organic liquid, the ester and aluminum compound being provided in a total amount and in a specific weight ratio to gel the organic liquid; and, b. pumping the gelled organic liquid down the wellbore and into the formation at sufficient pressure to fracture the formation.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method as defined in claim 13 including in addition mixing a propping agent into the organic liquid.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
106 words
The method of fracturing a fluid-bearing subterranean formation employing an organic fracturing fluid to create and improve flow channels therein wherein pressure drop of the fracturing fluid due to friction is greater than desired, which comprises: admixing with said organic fluid an effective amount of an aluminum salt OF dialiphatic-substituted orthophosphoric acid ester wherein the aliphatic groups are independently selected from the class consisting of C1 to C20 alkyls, or C2 to C20 alkenyls and alkynyls, to lessen the pressure drop caused by said fracturing fluid and injecting the so-treated organic fluid down the wellbore and into the formation at sufficient pressure to fracture the formation.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
139 words
A method of fracturing a subterranean formation which comprises: a. providing in an organic liquid a sufficient quantity of at least one aluminum salt of a dialiphatic orthophosphate ester, wherein the pair of aliphatic radicals are selected from the group consisting of ethyl and octyl, propyl and octyl, butyl and octyl, octyl and octyl, methyl and dodecyl, ethyl and dodecyl, propyl and dodecyl, dodecyl and dodecyl, methyl and tetradecyl, ethyl and tetradecyl, n-propyl and tetradecyl, ethyl and hexadecyl, octadecyl and n-propyl, butyl and octadecyl, hexyl and 9-octadecenyl, to provide a friction reduction of said organic liquid moving through a conduit of at least about 10 percent, and b. introducing the organic liquid containing the aluminum salt of the dialiphatic orthophosphate ester through a borehole and into contact with the subterranean formation at a pressure sufficient to fracture the formation.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method as defined in claim 13 wherein the aluminum compound is sodium aluminate.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as defined in claim 13 wherein the aluminum compound is sodium aluminate which is first dispersed in an aqueous solution.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-09-10 | 1977-03-12 | 1977-09-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-09-10 | 1981-03-12 | 1981-09-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-09-10 | 1985-03-12 | 1985-09-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |