Method for treating subterranean formations with temporarily thickening solutions

Patent · Tue Mar 17 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6892141

Sandy, J M; Smith, G D

A method is described of temporarily reducing the permeability of a subterranean formation penetrated by a well bore comprising: preparing a fluid composition by admixing an aqueous liquid, a gelling agent comprising a cellulose ether which is chemically modified to incorporate pendent vicinal dihydroxy groups in an amount sufficient to provide DS of about 0.3 to about 1.3 and exhibits shearthermal stability at a temperature in excess of 200/sup 0/F, the gelling agent being present in an amount in excess of about 0.3 percent by weight of the aqueous liquid. A pH-adjusting agent is present in an amount sufficient to provide an initial pH to the fluid composition of below about 5 at least immediately prior to addition of a crosslinking agent and a crosslinking agent comprising a zirconium (IV) containing compound present in an amount of at least about 0.001 percent by weight of the aqueous liquid. The gelling agent is prepared by charging the cellulose ether to a diluent system including water in an amount sufficient to swell the cellulose ether to provide a slurry in an enclosed reaction vessel.

• Assignee: Halliburton Co., Duncan, OK
• Patent Number(s): US 4649999
• OSTI ID: 6892141
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
03 NATURAL GAS
030300 -- Natural Gas-- Drilling
Production
& Processing
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
CARBOHYDRATES
CELLULOSE
CHEMICAL PREPARATION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMICAL REACTORS
COLLOIDS
COMPLEXES
CROSS-LINKING
DISPERSIONS
ETHERS
GELS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MEDIUM TEMPERATURE
MIXING
MIXTURES
NATURAL GAS WELLS
OIL WELLS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERMEABILITY
PH VALUE
PLUGGING
PLUGGING AGENTS
POLYMERIZATION
POLYSACCHARIDES
SACCHARIDES
SLURRIES
SOLUTIONS
SUSPENSIONS
SYNTHESIS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPLEXES
WATER
WELLS
ZIRCONIUM COMPLEXES