Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
168 words
In an aqueous lime or gypsum based drilling fluid composition containing a water dispersible fluid loss additive, the improvement which comprises: said water dispersible fluid loss additive being comprised of a terpolymer of (1) from about 10 to about 75 weight percent of a vinyl containing alkyl or aromatic substituted sulfonate selected from the group consisting of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid, sodium vinyl sulfonate and vinyl benzene sulfonate; (2) from about 10 to 76 weight percent of a nonionic monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylamide, N,N-dimethylacrylamide, N-vinyl pyrrolidone, N-vinyl acetamide and dimethylamino ethyl methacrylate; and (3) from about 1 to 60 weight percent of an unsaturated polybasic acid selected from the group consisting of itaconic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, citraconic acid, mesaconic acid, glutaconic acid, aconitic acid, α, α'-dimethylmuconic acid and 1-butene 2,3,4-tricarboxylic acid, said polymer having a weight average molecular weight of between about 200,000 and about 1,000,000, being in its free acid or partially or completely neutralized form, and being at least water dispersible.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
168 words
In an aqueous lime or gypsum based drilling fluid composition containing a water dispersible fluid loss additive, the improvement which comprises: said water dispersible fluid loss additive being comprised of a terpolymer of (1) from about 10 to about 75 weight percent of a vinyl containing alkyl or aromatic substituted sulfonate selected from the group consisting of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid, sodium vinyl sulfonate and vinyl benzene sulfonate; (2) from about 10 to 76 weight percent of a nonionic monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylamide, N,N-dimethylacrylamide, N-vinyl pyrrolidone, N-vinyl acetamide and dimethylamino ethyl methacrylate; and (3) from about 1 to 60 weight percent of an unsaturated polybasic acid selected from the group consisting of itaconic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, citraconic acid, mesaconic acid, glutaconic acid, aconitic acid, α, α'-dimethylmuconic acid and 1-butene 2,3,4-tricarboxylic acid, said polymer having a weight average molecular weight of between about 200,000 and about 1,000,000, being in its free acid or partially or completely neutralized form, and being at least water dispersible.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The composition of claim 1 wherein said fluid loss additive is present in an amount in the range of from about 0.25% to about 6 parts per barrel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
The composition of claim 2 in which said terpolymer is in the form of at least one free acid or partial or complete sodium, potassium, ammonium, organic amine or quaternary ammonium salt, said salt containing one or more of sodium, potassium, ammonium, organic amine or quaternary ammonium cations.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
The composition of claim 3 wherein said terpolymer contains from about 19 to about 70 weight percent of said vinyl containing alkyl or aromatic substituted sulfonate, from about 25 to about 76 weight percent of said nonionic monomer, and from about 1 to about 20% of said unsaturated polybasic acid.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The composition of claim 3 in which said terpolymer comprises about 64 weight percent 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid, about 30 weight percent acrylamide and about 6 weight percent itaconic acid.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The composition of claim 3 in which said terpolymer comprises about 54 weight percent 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid, about 39 weight percent acrylamide and about 7 weight percent itaconic acid.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The composition of claim 3 in which said terpolymer comprises about 55 weight percent 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid, about 40 weight percent acrylamide and about 5 weight percent itaconic acid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The composition of claim 3 in which said terpolymer comprises about 39 weight percent 2-acrylamido-2 methylpropane sulfonic acid, about 54 weight percent acrylamide and about 7 weight percent itaconic acid.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The composition of claim 3 in which said terpolymer comprises about 70 weight percent 2-acrylamido-2 methylpropane sulfonic acid, about 25 weight percent acrylamide and about 5 weight percent itaconic acid.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
The composition of claim 3 in which said terpolymer comprises about 19 weight percent 2-acrylamido-2 methylpropane sulfonic acid, about 76 weight percent acrylamide and about 7 weight percent itaconic acid.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The composition of claim 3 in which said terpolymer comprises about 23 weight percent 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid, about 70 weight percent acrylamide and about 7 weight percent itaconic acid.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The drilling fluid composition of claim 11 wherein the weight average molecular weight of said polymer is between about 300,000 to about 700,000.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
204 words
In a method of drilling a well into a subterranean formation in which an aqueous line or gypsum based drilling fluid containing a water dispersible fluid loss additive is circulated into the well, the improvement in said circulating step which comprises: using as said water dispersible fluid loss additive at least one terpolymer formed from (1) about 10% to about 75% by weight of an acid monomer selected from the group consisting of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid, sodium vinyl sulfonate and vinyl benzene sufonate; and (2) about 10% to 76% by weight of a nonionic monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylamide, N,N-dimethylacrylamide, N-vinyl pyrrlidone, N-vinyl acetamide and dimethylamino ethyl methacrylate and metal salts thereof; and about 1% to 60% by weight of unsaturated polybasic acid selected from the group consisting of itaconic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, citraconic acid, mesaconic acid, glutaconic acid, aconitic acid α, α'-dimethylmuconic acid and 1-butene 2,3,4-tricarboxylic acid, said polymer having an average molecular weight of between about 200,000 and about 1,000,000, being in its free acid or partially or completely neutralized form, and being at least water dispersible, said terpolymer being added to said drilling fluid in an amount sufficient to reduce fluid loss of said drilling fluid.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
204 words
In a method of drilling a well into a subterranean formation in which an aqueous line or gypsum based drilling fluid containing a water dispersible fluid loss additive is circulated into the well, the improvement in said circulating step which comprises: using as said water dispersible fluid loss additive at least one terpolymer formed from (1) about 10% to about 75% by weight of an acid monomer selected from the group consisting of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid, sodium vinyl sulfonate and vinyl benzene sufonate; and (2) about 10% to 76% by weight of a nonionic monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylamide, N,N-dimethylacrylamide, N-vinyl pyrrlidone, N-vinyl acetamide and dimethylamino ethyl methacrylate and metal salts thereof; and about 1% to 60% by weight of unsaturated polybasic acid selected from the group consisting of itaconic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, citraconic acid, mesaconic acid, glutaconic acid, aconitic acid α, α'-dimethylmuconic acid and 1-butene 2,3,4-tricarboxylic acid, said polymer having an average molecular weight of between about 200,000 and about 1,000,000, being in its free acid or partially or completely neutralized form, and being at least water dispersible, said terpolymer being added to said drilling fluid in an amount sufficient to reduce fluid loss of said drilling fluid.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said terpolymer is in the form of at least one free acid or partial or complete sodium, potassium, ammonium, organic amine or quaternary ammonium salt, said salt containing one or more of sodium, potassium, ammonium, organic amine or quaternary ammonium cations.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said terpolymer comprises about 55% by weight 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid, about 40% by weight acrylamide or methacrylamide and about 5% by weight itaconic acid in the form of its free acid or partially or completely neutralized sodium, potassium, ammonium, organic amine or quaternary ammonium salt.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said terpolymer comprises about 38% by weight 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid, about 57% by weight acrylamide or methacrylamide and about 5% by weight itaconic acid in the form of its free acid partially or completely neutralized sodium, potassium, ammonium, organic amine or quaternary ammonium salt.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said terpolymer comprises about 18% by weight 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid, about 72% by weight acrylamide or methacrylamide and about 10% by weight itaconic acid in the form of its free acid or partially or completely neutralized sodium, potassium, ammonium, organic amine or quaternary ammonium salt.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said terpolymer comprises about 36% by weight 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid, about 54% by weight acrylamide or methacrylamide and about 10% by weight itaconic acid in the form of its free acid or partially or completely neutralized sodium, potassium, ammonium, organic amine or quaternary ammonium salt.