Method for foam drilling using a biodegradable foaming agent

Patent · Tue Oct 24 04:00:00 EDT 1978

OSTI ID:6540727

Fischer, P W; Pye, D S

A method for conducting foam drilling and workover operations in a borehole, penetrating a subterranean reservoir, and employing an aqueous solution of a biodegradable foaming agent composition containing about 0.3 to 3 parts by weight of an N-fatty ethyl sulfonic acid salt having the formula: RNHCH/sub 2/CH/sub 2/SO/sub 2/OM and per part by weight of an N-fatty propionic acid salt having the formula R/sub 1/NHCH/sub 2/CH/sub 2/COOM/sub 1/ is described. The R and R/sub 1/ are straight chain alkyl radicals having from 10 to 16 carbon atoms, and M and M/sub 1/ are alkali metal or ammonium cations. A particularly preferred foaming agent composition contains sodium 2-(N-lauryl) ethyl sulfonic acid and sodium 2-(N-lauryl) propionic acid.

• Assignee: Union Oil Co. of California
• Patent Number(s): US 4121674
• OSTI ID: 6540727
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
BIODEGRADATION
BOREHOLES
CARBOXYLIC ACID ESTERS
CAVITIES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COLLOIDS
DECOMPOSITION
DISPERSIONS
DRILLING
DRILLING FLUIDS
ESTERS
FOAMS
MIXTURES
OIL WELLS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SOLUTIONS
SULFONIC ACIDS
WELL DRILLING
WELLS