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US4005753A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method of treating a subterranean formation with a polymeric diverting agent

Assignee: Union Oil Company of California
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Filing: 1976-03-04
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Granted: 1977-02-01
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Expires: 1996-03-04
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Abstract

Abstract A water-insoluble particulate composition having controlled slow oil-solubility at temperatures in excess of 350° F. is disclosed. The composition is comprised of solid particles of a homogeneous mixture of (1) polyethylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer containing about 15 to 30 weight percent vinyl acetate, or admixtures of these polymers; (2) a polyamide having a melting point of between about 400° F. and 460° F.; and (3) a softening agent such as a long chain aliphatic diamide having a melting point between about 280° F. and 300° F., or a polyterpene resin having a melting point of between 230° F. and 275° F. Also disclosed is a method of using this particulate composition in well drilling and treating operations where formation temperatures of 350° F. or above are encountered.

Inventors

  • 👤 John W. Scheffel
  • 👤 Paul W. Fischer

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-26 09:19
CPC Classifications
C; C09; C09K; C09K8/00; C09K8/50; C09K8/504; C09K8/506; C09K8/508; C09K8/5083; C09K8/02; C09K8/04; C09K8/14; C09K8/18; C09K8/22; C09K8/24; C09K8/516; E; E21; E21B; E21B43/00; E21B43/25; E21B43/26

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 253 words
A method of treating high temperature subterranean formations having temperatures above about 350° F. penetrated by a well comprising injecting through said well and into contact with said formation a liquid having suspended therein discrete slowly oil-soluble, water-insoluble solid particles having a mean diameter of from about 1/2 inch to about 1 micron comprised of a homogeneous mixture of (1) about 5 to 25 weight percent of a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene having a melt index of less than 100 grams in 10 minutes, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer containing from 15 to 30 weight percent of vinyl acetate having a melt index of from about 1 to about 500 grams per 10 minutes, and admixtures of said polymers; (2) about 8 to 50 weight percent of a polyamide having a melting point between about 400° F. and 460° F. characterized by the formula: ##STR9## wherein R is an alkyl radical containing from 15 to 18 carbon atoms, x is an integer from 2 to 4, and y is an integer from 4 to 10; and (3) about 40 to 50 weight percent of a polyterpene resin having a melting point between about 230° F. and 275° F. or about 60 to 70 weight percent of an aliphatic diamide having a melting point between about 280° F. and 300° F. characterized by the formula: ##STR10## wherein R' is an alkyl radical containing from 15 to 18 carbon atoms and R" is an alkylene radical containing from 2 to 4 carbon atoms.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 253 words
A method of treating high temperature subterranean formations having temperatures above about 350° F. penetrated by a well comprising injecting through said well and into contact with said formation a liquid having suspended therein discrete slowly oil-soluble, water-insoluble solid particles having a mean diameter of from about 1/2 inch to about 1 micron comprised of a homogeneous mixture of (1) about 5 to 25 weight percent of a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene having a melt index of less than 100 grams in 10 minutes, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer containing from 15 to 30 weight percent of vinyl acetate having a melt index of from about 1 to about 500 grams per 10 minutes, and admixtures of said polymers; (2) about 8 to 50 weight percent of a polyamide having a melting point between about 400° F. and 460° F. characterized by the formula: ##STR9## wherein R is an alkyl radical containing from 15 to 18 carbon atoms, x is an integer from 2 to 4, and y is an integer from 4 to 10; and (3) about 40 to 50 weight percent of a polyterpene resin having a melting point between about 230° F. and 275° F. or about 60 to 70 weight percent of an aliphatic diamide having a melting point between about 280° F. and 300° F. characterized by the formula: ##STR10## wherein R' is an alkyl radical containing from 15 to 18 carbon atoms and R" is an alkylene radical containing from 2 to 4 carbon atoms.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 34 words
The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer contains 17 to 19 weight percent vinyl acetate and exhibits a melt index of about 2 to 3 grams per 10 minutes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 28 words
The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the concentration of said solid particles is between about 4 and about 8 pounds of particles per gallon of liquid.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 50 words
The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said solid particles are of the following size distribution: ______________________________________ U.S. Standard sieve, size Weight Percent ______________________________________ 6-20 about 30 to about 50 20-40 about 10 to about 20 40-60 about 20 to about 30 60-100 about 10 to about 20 ______________________________________
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 54 words
The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said softening agent is a long chain aliphatic diamide having a melting point about 290° F. of the formula: ##STR11## wherein R' is an alkyl group containing from 15 to 18 carbon atoms and R" is an alkylene group containing from 2 to 4 carbon atoms.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 25 words
The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said softening agent is a polyterpene resin having a melting point between about 230° and 275° F.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 269 words
A method of completing a well bore drilled into a subterranean formation comprising circulating a completion fluid from the surface to the drilling zone in said formation during the drilling operation and returning to the surface at least a portion of said completion fluid, said completion fluid comprising a pumpable carrier medium having suspended therein particles having a mean diameter of from about 1/2 inch to about 1 micron of a homogeneous solid mixture comprising (1) about 5 to 25 weight percent of a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene having a melt index of less than 100 grams in 10 minutes, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer containing about 15 to 30 weight percent of vinyl acetate having a melt index of from about 1 to about 500 grams per 10 minutes, and admixtures of said polymers; (2) about 8 to 50 weight percent of a polyamide having a melting point between about 400° F. and 460° F. characterized by the formula: ##STR12## wherein R is an alkyl radical containing from 15 to 18 carbon atoms, x is an integer from 2 to 4, and y is an integer from 4 to 10; and (3) about 40 to 50 weight percent of a polyterpene resin having a melting point between about 230° F. and 275° F. or about 60 to 70 weight percent of an aliphatic diamide having a melting point between about 280° F. and 300° F. characterized by the formula: ##STR13## wherein R' is an alkyl radical containing from 15 to 18 carbon atoms and R" is an alkylene radical containing from 2 to 4 carbon atoms.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 269 words
A method of completing a well bore drilled into a subterranean formation comprising circulating a completion fluid from the surface to the drilling zone in said formation during the drilling operation and returning to the surface at least a portion of said completion fluid, said completion fluid comprising a pumpable carrier medium having suspended therein particles having a mean diameter of from about 1/2 inch to about 1 micron of a homogeneous solid mixture comprising (1) about 5 to 25 weight percent of a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene having a melt index of less than 100 grams in 10 minutes, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer containing about 15 to 30 weight percent of vinyl acetate having a melt index of from about 1 to about 500 grams per 10 minutes, and admixtures of said polymers; (2) about 8 to 50 weight percent of a polyamide having a melting point between about 400° F. and 460° F. characterized by the formula: ##STR12## wherein R is an alkyl radical containing from 15 to 18 carbon atoms, x is an integer from 2 to 4, and y is an integer from 4 to 10; and (3) about 40 to 50 weight percent of a polyterpene resin having a melting point between about 230° F. and 275° F. or about 60 to 70 weight percent of an aliphatic diamide having a melting point between about 280° F. and 300° F. characterized by the formula: ##STR13## wherein R' is an alkyl radical containing from 15 to 18 carbon atoms and R" is an alkylene radical containing from 2 to 4 carbon atoms.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 257 words
A method of producing fractures in a subterranean formation penetrated by a well bore comprising injecting a fracturing fluid into said well bore at a pressure and volume flow rate sufficient to produce a fracture in said formation, said fracturing fluid having suspended therein particles having a mean diameter of from about 1/2 inch to about 1 micron of a homogeneous solid mixture comprising (1) about 5 to 25 weight percent of a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene having a melt index of less than 100 grams in 10 minutes, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer containing about 15 to 30 weight percent of vinyl acetate having a melt index of from about 1 to about 500 grams per 10 minutes, and admixtures of said polymers; (2) about 8 to 50 weight percent of a polyamide having a melting point between about 400° F. and 460° F. characterized by the formula: ##STR14## wherein R is an alkyl radical containing from 15 to 18 carbon atoms, x is an integer from 2 to 4, and y is an integer from 4 to 10; and (3) about 40 to 50 weight percent of a polyterpene resin having a melting point between about 230° F. and 275° F. or about 60 to 70 weight percent of an aliphatic diamide having a melting point between about 280° and 300° F. characterized by the formula: ##STR15## wherein R' is an alkyl radical containing from 15 to 18 carbon atoms and R" is an alkylene radical containing from 2 to 4 carbon atoms.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 257 words
A method of producing fractures in a subterranean formation penetrated by a well bore comprising injecting a fracturing fluid into said well bore at a pressure and volume flow rate sufficient to produce a fracture in said formation, said fracturing fluid having suspended therein particles having a mean diameter of from about 1/2 inch to about 1 micron of a homogeneous solid mixture comprising (1) about 5 to 25 weight percent of a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene having a melt index of less than 100 grams in 10 minutes, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer containing about 15 to 30 weight percent of vinyl acetate having a melt index of from about 1 to about 500 grams per 10 minutes, and admixtures of said polymers; (2) about 8 to 50 weight percent of a polyamide having a melting point between about 400° F. and 460° F. characterized by the formula: ##STR14## wherein R is an alkyl radical containing from 15 to 18 carbon atoms, x is an integer from 2 to 4, and y is an integer from 4 to 10; and (3) about 40 to 50 weight percent of a polyterpene resin having a melting point between about 230° F. and 275° F. or about 60 to 70 weight percent of an aliphatic diamide having a melting point between about 280° and 300° F. characterized by the formula: ##STR15## wherein R' is an alkyl radical containing from 15 to 18 carbon atoms and R" is an alkylene radical containing from 2 to 4 carbon atoms.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3302719A Cited
US3455390A Cited
US3593794A Cited
US3684012A Cited
US3630280A Cited
US3717204A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1980-02-01 1980-08-02 1981-02-01 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1984-02-01 1984-08-02 1985-02-01 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1988-02-01 1988-08-02 1989-02-01 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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