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Title: Shear thickening compositions containing polyacrylic acid and polyacrylamide, their preparation and use

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6184966

A process is described for plugging a portion of a well bore using a shear-thickening composition and a emulsion spacer where a conduit, which contains a fluid, extends down into a well bore from the surface to at least that portion to be plugged and where the shear-thickening composition comprises a water-in-oil emulsion having particles of hydratable, water-expandable clay dispersed in the continuous oily phase. The oily phase comprises a hydrocarbon liquid having a surfactant dissolved in which surfactant comprises a polyamine attached to an oil solubilizing hydrocarbon with or without an intervening bridging group and where the dispersed aqueous phase of the emulsion comprises an aqueous polymer solution, having a pH below 7, of both a polyacrylic acid and polyacrylamine. The spacer comprises a water-in-oil emulsion having a composition similar to the water-in-oil emulsion of the shear-thickening composition and each droplet of dispersed aqueous phase of the shear-thickening composition is encapsulated in a film which forms as a result of the interaction of the polyacrylic acid, surfactant and polyacrylamide.

Assignee:
Exxon Research and Engineering Co., Florham Park, NJ
Patent Number(s):
US 4683953
OSTI ID:
6184966
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: Filed date 14 Mar 1985
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English