Methods of treating subterranean well formations

Patent · Tue Jul 29 04:00:00 EDT 1980

OSTI ID:6483798

Elphingstone, E A; Misak, M D; Briscoe, J E

Methods are provided of treating subterranean well formations with highly viscous thixotropic treating fluids which are stable at high temperatures and in the presence of acid. The method for treating a subterranean well formation comprises combining an aqueous acid solution with an aqueous alkali metal silicate solution having a pH greater than 11 in an amount sufficient to lower the pH of the resulting mixture to a level in the range of from 7.5 to 8.5 thereby forming a polymerized alkali metal silicate gel, shearing the gel to obtain a highly viscous treating fluid into the subterranean well formation. A variety of alkali metal silicates can be utilized in accordance with the present invention, e.g., sodium, potassium, lithium, rubidium, and cesium silicate. Of these, sodium silicate is preferred. 25 claims.

• Assignee: Halliburton Co.
• Patent Number(s): US 4215001
• OSTI ID: 6483798
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
ACIDIZATION
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
BASES
CESIUM COMPOUNDS
CESIUM SILICATES
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FRACTURING FLUIDS
FUELS
GELS
LITHIUM COMPOUNDS
LITHIUM SILICATES
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
OIL WELLS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PH VALUE
POTASSIUM COMPOUNDS
POTASSIUM SILICATES
RUBIDIUM COMPOUNDS
RUBIDIUM SILICATES
SHEAR PROPERTIES
SILICATES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SODIUM SILICATES
STIMULATION
SURFACTANTS
THIXOTROPY
VISCOSITY
WELL COMPLETION
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS