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US3852201A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

A clay free aqueous drilling fluid

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-03-21
•
Granted: 1974-12-03
•
Expires: 1993-03-21
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Abstract

Abstract The basic fluid is water or an oil-water mixture. The primary weighting materials are dissolved salts, e.g., sodium chloride, calcium chloride or mixed brines, and in these the calcium or sodium ions inhibit hydration and swelling of drilled solids. When non-cationic fluids are used, an inhibitor is added to prevent such hydration and disintegration - an electrolyte or a cationic surfactant. Any viscosifier added is one having neither a structured viscosity nor gel strength, hydroxyethyl cellulose for example. When the drilling fluid is pumped to the surface, most of the drilled solids are in their original condition and size, and are readily removed and discarded by screening and other available physical means. There is none of the build-up of solids associated with older systems, and hence no need for discarding, thinning, and make-up.

Inventors

  • 👤 J Jackson

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 17:56
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B21/00; E21B21/06; E21B21/063; E21B21/065; C; C09; C09K; C09K8/00; C09K8/02; C09K8/04; C09K8/06; C09K8/08; C09K8/10; C09K8/26

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim 104 words
A CLAY-FREE AQUEOUS DRILLING FLUID CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF WATER, AN ELECTROLYTE INHIBITOR FOR PREVENTING HYDRATION AND SWELLING OF DRILLED SOLIDS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF AT LEAST 600 PPM CALCIUM ION, AT LEAST 200 PPM ALUMINUM ION OR CHRONIUM ION, AT LEAST 1,500 PPM POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, AT LEAST 5,000 PPM SODIUM CHLORIDE AND COMBINATIONS THEREOF, A VISCOSIFYING AMOUNT OF HYDROXYETHYL CELLULOSE, AND FROM ABOUT 25 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF MAGNESIA BASED ON THE COMBINED WEIGHT OF HYDROXYETHYL CELLULOSE AND MAGNESIA, SAID DRILLING FLUID BEING FURTHER CHARACTERIZED AS NOT HAVING THIXOTROPIC PROPERTIES OR STRUCTERED TYPE VISCOSITY AND NOT TENDING TO FORM A FILTER CAKE.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 104 words
A CLAY-FREE AQUEOUS DRILLING FLUID CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF WATER, AN ELECTROLYTE INHIBITOR FOR PREVENTING HYDRATION AND SWELLING OF DRILLED SOLIDS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF AT LEAST 600 PPM CALCIUM ION, AT LEAST 200 PPM ALUMINUM ION OR CHRONIUM ION, AT LEAST 1,500 PPM POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, AT LEAST 5,000 PPM SODIUM CHLORIDE AND COMBINATIONS THEREOF, A VISCOSIFYING AMOUNT OF HYDROXYETHYL CELLULOSE, AND FROM ABOUT 25 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF MAGNESIA BASED ON THE COMBINED WEIGHT OF HYDROXYETHYL CELLULOSE AND MAGNESIA, SAID DRILLING FLUID BEING FURTHER CHARACTERIZED AS NOT HAVING THIXOTROPIC PROPERTIES OR STRUCTERED TYPE VISCOSITY AND NOT TENDING TO FORM A FILTER CAKE.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 15 words
The aqueous drilling fluid according to claim 1 wherein said drilling fluid is a brine.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 20 words
The aqueous drilling fluid according to claim 2 wherein said electrolyte is sodium chloride, potassium chloride or a mixture thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 16 words
The aqueous drilling fluid according to claim 1 containing a lignosulfonate salt fluid loss reducing additive.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 15 words
The aqueous drilling fluid according to claim 4 wherein said drilling fluid is a brine.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 15 words
The aqueous drilling fluid according to claim 4 wherein said lignosulonate salt is calcium lignosulfonate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 24 words
The aqueous drilling fluid according to claim 1 wherein said magnesia is present from about 25 percent to about 33 1/3 percent by weight.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 15 words
The aqueous drilling fluid according to claim 6 wherein said drilling fluid is a brine.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2570947A Cited
US2727001A Cited
US2800449A Cited
US2967150A Cited
US3017351A Cited
US3046221A Cited
US3108068A Cited
US3220947A Cited
US3319715A Cited
US3625889A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1977-12-02 1978-06-03 1978-12-03 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1981-12-02 1982-06-03 1982-12-03 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1985-12-02 1986-06-03 1986-12-03 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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