Abstract: Nanoemulsions have been discovered to be useful to the oil field. More particularly water-in-oil (W/O), oil-in-water (O/W) and other classes of nanoemulsions have found beneficial application in drilling, completion, well remediation and other oil and gas industry related operations. Additionally, nanoemulsions may reduce friction pressure losses, as well as reduce subsidence of solid weight material during oil and gas operations. New preparation methods for nanoemulsions have also been discovered.

Abstract: A base fluid may contain nanoparticles where the base fluid may include a non-aqueous fluid, an aqueous fluid, and combinations thereof. The fluid may have a resistivity range of from about 0.02 ohm-m to about 1,000,000 ohm-m. The non-aqueous fluid may be a brine-in-oil emulsion, or a water-in-oil emulsion; and the aqueous fluid may be an oil-in-water emulsion, or an oil-in-brine emulsion; and combinations thereof. The addition of nanoparticles to the base fluid may improve or increase the electrical conductivity and other electrical properties of the fluid. The fluid may be a drilling fluid, a completion fluid, a production fluid, and/or a stimulation fluid.

Abstract: Modified surfactants may be added to an oil-based drilling fluid where the modified surfactant is selected from the group consisting of an extended surfactant, a dendritic surfactant, a dendritic extended surfactant, and combinations thereof. These oil-based drilling fluids may be used for drilling a well through a subterranean reservoir, while circulating the oil-based drilling fluid through the wellbore. The oil-based drilling fluid may include at least modified surfactant, at least one non-polar continuous phase, and at least one polar non-continuous phase. The modified surfactant may have propoxylated/ethoxylated spacer arms extensions. The modified surfactant may have intramolecular mixtures containing hydrophilic and lipophilic portions. They attain high solubilization in the oil-based drilling fluid and may be, in some instances, insensitive to temperature making them useful for a wide variety of oil types.

Abstract: A base fluid may contain graphene nanoparticles where the base fluid may include an oil-based fluid, a water-based fluid, and combinations thereof. The oil-based fluid may be a brine-in-oil emulsion, or a water-in-oil emulsion, and the water-based fluid may be an oil-in-water emulsion, or an oil-in-brine emulsion; and combinations thereof. The addition of graphene nanoparticles to the base fluid may improve one or more properties of the fluid, which may include the flow assurance properties of the fluid, the fluid loss control properties of the fluid, the rheological properties of the fluid, the stability of the fluid, the lubricity of the fluid, the electrical properties of the fluid, the viscosity of the fluid, the thermal properties of the fluid, and combinations thereof. The fluid may be a drilling fluid, a completion fluid, a production fluid, and/or a servicing fluid.

Abstract: Working fluids, such as drilling fluids, may remove heat from other fluids, tools, equipments and environments and transfer it to other locations by using reversible phase change elements. The heat removal occurs through the absorption of heat by one or more phase transitions or a sequence of phase transitions in the elements of the working fluid. For instance, heat is absorbed when the phase change portions of the reversible phase change elements change phase including, but not necessarily limited to, a change from solid to smectic liquid crystal, from solid to nematic liquid crystal, from smectic liquid crystal to isotropic liquid, from nematic liquid crystal to isotropic liquid, from solid to isotropic liquid, and sequences and combinations thereof. Heat is released when the phase change reverses. These phase changes are first-order transitions and are associated with a latent heat or enthalpy.

Abstract: Mesophase fluids may be pre-formed or formed in situ and may be used downhole for various treatments including, but not limited to, cleaning up and removing non-polar materials from reservoir production zones, removing wellbore damage, releasing stuck pipe, components in spacers and pills and the like in oil and gas wells. These treatments involve solubilization of the non-polar material into the emulsion when the treatment fluid contacts non-polar materials. These mesophase fluids use extended chain surfactants having propoxylated/ethoxylated spacer arms. The extended chain surfactants are intramolecular mixtures containing hydrophilic and lipophilic portions. They attain high solubilization in the mesophase fluids (e.g. single phase microemulsions), are in some instances insensitive to temperature and are useful for a wide variety of oil types.

Abstract: One method for treating cuttings from a subsurface formation may include treating the cuttings with at least one surfactant and at least one stabilizing agent. The method may include contacting the cuttings with the stabilizing agent(s) before contacting the cuttings with the surfactant(s). Another method for treating drill cuttings includes returning the drill cuttings to a substantially water-wet condition by using at least one stabilizing agent to remove at least a portion of a hydrocarbon from the drill cuttings.

Abstract: Single-phase microemulsions (SPMEs) and in situ-formed microemulsions in water-wetting pills may be used to reverse the wettability of subterranean rock previously drilled with an oil-based mud or synthetic-based mud before pumping a high fluid loss squeeze pill or crosslink pill or other water-based pill. This wettability reversal occurs by solubilization of the non-polar material into the microemulsion when the water-wetting pill contacts the non-polar material. An in situ microemulsion may be formed when one or more surfactant and a polar phase (e.g. water or brine), and eventually some amount of organic phase, contacts the reservoir formation and reverses the wettability encountered in the porous media. The microemulsions are effective for reversing the wettability that occurs from non-polar materials which include, but are not necessarily limited to, oil-based mud, synthetic-based mud, paraffins, asphaltenes, emulsions, slugs, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: Nanomaterial compositions are useful for applications in drilling and completion fluids as enhancers of electrical and thermal conductivity, emulsion stabilizers, wellbore strength improvers, drag reduction agents, wettability changers, corrosion coating compositions and the like. These nanomaterials may be dispersed in the liquid phase in low volumetric fraction, particularly as compared to corresponding agents of larger size. Nanofluids (fluids containing nano-sized particles) may be used to drill at least part of the wellbore. Nanofluids for drilling and completion applications may be designed including nanoparticles such as carbon nanotubes. These fluids containing nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes, meet the required rheological and filtration properties for application in challenging HPHT drilling and completions operations.

Abstract: Nanoemulsion, macroemulsions, miniemulsions, microemulsion systems with excess oil or water or both (Winsor I, II or III phase behavior) or single phase microemulsions (Winsor IV) improve the removal of filter cakes formed during hydrocarbon reservoir wellbore drilling with OBM. Such filter cakes and their particles can contact, impact and affect the movement of the drill string undesirably resulting in a “stuck pipe” condition. The macroemulsion, nanoemulsion, miniemulsion, microemulsion systems with excess oil or water or both or single phase microemulsion removes oil and solids from the filter cake, thereby releasing the drill string from its stuck condition. In one non-limiting embodiment, the emulsion system may be formed in situ (downhole) rather than produced or prepared in advance and pumped downhole.

Abstract: Nanoemulsion, macroemulsions, miniemulsions, microemulsion systems with excess oil or water or both (Winsor I, II or III phase behavior) or single phase microemulsions (Winsor IV) improve the removal of filter cakes formed during hydrocarbon reservoir wellbore drilling with OBM. The macroemulsion, nanoemulsion, miniemulsion, microemulsion systems with excess oil or water or both or single phase microemulsion removes oil and solids from the deposited filter cake. In one non-limiting embodiment, the emulsion system (e.g. single phase microemulsion, nanoemulsion, or other emulsions) may be formed in situ (downhole) rather than produced or prepared in advance and pumped downhole. Skin damage removal from internal and external filter cake deposition can be reduced.

Abstract: Single phase microemulsions (SPMEs) and in situ-formed microemulsions may be used to clean up and remove non-polar materials from reservoir production zones of oil and gas wells. This clean up occurs by solubilization of the non-polar material into the microemulsion when the treatment fluid contacts the non-polar material. An in situ microemulsion may be formed when one or more surfactant and a polar phase (e.g. water or brine), and eventually some small amount of organic phase, contacts the reservoir formation and solubilizes the non-polar material encountered in the porous media. The microemulsions are effective for removing the formation damage caused by non-polar materials which include, but are not necessarily limited to oil-based mud, synthetic-based mud, paraffins, asphaltenes, emulsions, slugs, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: Methods and related systems are configured to treat a drilling fluid to cause water droplets to coalesce. One or more phases are thereafter separated from the treated drilling fluid. The oil and/or solids separated from the treated drilling fluid may be added to a base fluid.

Abstract: Pumpable multiple phase vesicle compositions carry agents and components downhole or through a conduit, and controllably releasing them at a different place and time by breaking the compositions. In one non-limiting embodiment the pumpable multiple phase vesicles have a third phase containing a first phase which bears the agent to be controllably released. The first and third phases of the vesicles are separated by a surface active material bilayer that forms the second phase. The pumpable multiple phase vesicles may have internal and external phases that are both oil miscible, both aqueous miscible, or both alcohol miscible. The surface active material bilayer may be composed of compounds such as phospholipids, alkyl polyglycosides, gemini surfactants, sorbitan monooleate, sorbitan trioleate, and many others. The agent may be released by one or more of a variety of mechanisms.

Abstract: Fluids containing liquid crystal-forming surfactants or polymeric surfactants, or polymers, or complex polymers or copolymers, or graphite nanotubes or Janus particles in a polar and/or non polar liquid, and optionally, co-surfactants, are useful in drilling, completion and production operations to give increased viscosity (solids suspension ability) and/or decreased fluid loss, as compared to otherwise identical fluids absent the liquid crystals. These liquid crystal compositions contain organized micelles. The liquid crystal-containing fluids are useful in completion fluids, fracturing fluids, formation damage remediation, waste management, lost circulation, drilling optimization, reducing trapped annular pressure during the hydrocarbon production process, well strengthening, friction and drag reducers, fluids introduced through an injection well, for geothermal wells, and the controlled release of additives into a wellbore, at a subterranean formation or at the oil production facilities.

Abstract: Single phase microemulsions improve the removal of filter cakes formed during drilling with oil-based muds (OBMs). The single phase microemulsion removes oil and solids from the deposited filter cake. Optionally, an acid capable of solubilizing the filter cake bridging particles may also be used with the microemulsion. In one non-limiting embodiment the acid may be a polyamino carboxylic acid. Skin damage removal from internal and external filter cake deposition can be reduced. In another optional embodiment, the single phase microemulsion may contain a filtration control additive for delaying the filter cake removal, destruction or conversion.

Abstract: Nanoemulsions, miniemulsions, microemulsion systems with excess oil or water or both (Winsor III) or single phase microemulsions (Winsor IV) may be pre-formed and used as one or more fluid pills during hydrocarbon recovery operations after drilling with OBM or SBM. The nanoemulsions, miniemulsions, microemulsion systems with excess oil or water or both or single phase microemulsions remove oil and solids from the well and wellbore surfaces. In one non-limiting embodiment, a single phase microemulsion (SPME) or other pre-formed fluid may be created from a polar phase, a nonpolar phase, an optional viscosifier, and at least one surfactant.

Abstract: A gravel packing fluid and method for gravel packing a wellbore using a gravel packing fluid comprising an invert emulsion comprising oil as an external phase, clear brine as an internal phase, and a quantity of emulsifier effective to produce a stable invert emulsion, the external phase of the gravel packing fluid further comprising gravel wetting agent.

Abstract: Single phase microemulsions improve the removal of filter cakes formed during drilling with oil-based muds (OBMs). The single phase microemulsion removes oil and solids from the deposited filter cake. Optionally, an acid capable of solubilizing the filter cake bridging particles may also be used with the microemulsion. In one non-limiting embodiment the acid may be a polyamino carboxylic acid. Skin damage removal from internal and external filter cake deposition can be reduced. In another optional embodiment, the single phase microemulsion may contain a filtration control additive for delaying the filter cake removal, destruction or conversion.

Abstract: Nanoemulsions have been discovered to be useful to the oil field. More particularly water-in-oil (W/O), oil-in-water (O/W) and other classes of nanoemulsions have found beneficial application in drilling, completion, well remediation and other oil and gas industry related operations. Additionally, nanoemulsions may reduce friction pressure losses, as well as reduce subsidence of solid weight material during oil and gas operations. New preparation methods for nanoemulsions have also been discovered.