IP Library › Granted Patent US 12662621
Granted Patent B1
US 12662621 · App. 19/287,101 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Compositions and methods of use of viscoelastic surfactants and nanoparticles for high temperature water conformance applications

Inventors: Ahmed Rabie (Sugar Land, TX); Alvinda Sri Hanamertani (Sugar Land, TX); Christopher Daeffler (Sugar Land, TX)
Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
C09K8/584C09K8/592E21B33/138C09K2208/10C09K2208/30
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12662621
App. No.
19/287,101
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B1
Abstract

A viscoelastic fluid composition includes a viscoelastic surfactant composition ranging from about 0.1 wt. % to about 10 wt. % based on a total wt. % of the viscoelastic fluid composition. The viscoelastic fluid composition further includes crystalline sodium sulfate cellulose (NaSC) nanoparticles ranging from about 0.1 wt. % to about 10 wt. % based on the total wt. % of the viscoelastic fluid composition.

Claims (33)

1 . A viscoelastic fluid composition comprising:

a viscoelastic surfactant composition ranging from about 0.1 wt. % to about 10 wt. % based on a total wt. % of the viscoelastic fluid composition, wherein the viscoelastic surfactant composition is selected from a group consisting of betaines, modified betaines, alkylamidobetaines, sultaines, modified sultaines, alkylamidopropyl sultaines, and combinations thereof; and

crystalline sodium sulfate cellulose (NaSC) nanoparticles ranging from about 0.1 wt. % to about 10 wt. % based on the total wt. % of the viscoelastic fluid composition.

2 . The viscoelastic fluid composition of claim 1 , wherein the NaSC nanoparticles comprise a particle size ranging from about one nanometer (nm) to about 100 nm.

3 . The viscoelastic fluid composition of claim 1 , wherein the NaSC nanoparticles comprise a particle size ranging from about 30 nm to about 70 nm.

4 . The viscoelastic fluid composition of claim 1 , wherein the NaSC nanoparticles comprise a particle size distribution (D90) of greater than or equal to about 50 nm.

5 . The viscoelastic fluid composition of claim 1 , wherein the viscoelastic surfactant composition comprises one or more viscoelastic surfactants having the formula:

where R 1 may be a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group ranging from 1 to 29 carbon atoms, R 2 and R 3 may be independently selected from a group consisting of a hydrogen atom, straight chain alkyl, branched alkyl, or hydroxyalkyl group ranging from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, k is an integer ranging from 1 to 20, and m is an integer ranging from 1 to 20.

6 . The viscoelastic fluid composition of claim 5 , wherein the one or more viscoelastic surfactants have the formula:

where R 4 is selected from a group consisting of hydrogen atom, hydroxyl, alkyl, or hydroxyalkyl groups ranging from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and n is an integer ranging from 0 to 20.

7 . The viscoelastic fluid composition of claim 6 , comprising 20 wt. % to about 40 wt. % of the one or more viscoelastic surfactants based on a total weight of the viscoelastic surfactant composition.

8 . The viscoelastic fluid composition of claim 1 , wherein the viscoelastic surfactant composition comprises oleic amido propyl betaine.

9 . The viscoelastic fluid composition of claim 1 , comprising a viscosity ranging from about 90 centipoise (cP) to about 1750 cP at 100 s −1 at 200° F.

10 . The viscoelastic fluid composition of claim 1 , comprising a viscosity ranging from about 90 cP to about 1100 cP at 100 s −1 at 300° F.

11 . The viscoelastic fluid composition of claim 1 , comprising a viscosity ranging from about 40 cP to about 785 cP at 100 s −1 at 350° F.

12 . The viscoelastic fluid composition of claim 1 , wherein the viscoelastic surfactant composition ranges from about 1 wt. % to about 3 wt. % based on the total wt. % of the viscoelastic fluid composition, and wherein the NaSC nanoparticles range from about 1 wt. % to about 5 wt. % based on the total wt. % of the viscoelastic fluid composition.

13 . The viscoelastic fluid composition of claim 1 , wherein the viscoelastic surfactant composition further comprises sodium chloride, water, organic solvents, or a combination thereof.

14 . The viscoelastic fluid composition of claim 13 , wherein the organic solvents comprise isopropanol, propylene glycol, or a combination thereof.

15 . A system comprising one or more vessels containing the viscoelastic fluid composition of claim 1 , wherein the one or more vessels are disposed within a subterranean formation.

16 . A method comprising:

mixing a viscoelastic surfactant composition and NaSC nanoparticles to form a viscoelastic fluid composition comprising:

the viscoelastic surfactant composition ranging from about 0.1 wt. % to about 10 wt. % based on a total wt. % of the viscoelastic fluid composition, wherein the viscoelastic surfactant composition is selected from a group consisting of betaines, modified betaines, alkylamidobetaines, sultaines, modified sultaines, alkylamidopropyl sultaines, and combinations thereof; and

the NaSC nanoparticles ranging from about 0.1 wt. % to about 10 wt. % based on the total wt. % of the viscoelastic fluid composition; and

providing the viscoelastic fluid composition to a wellbore to treat a subterranean formation.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the viscoelastic fluid composition comprises a fluid viscosity at 200° F. ranging from about 90 cP to about 1750 cP.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the viscoelastic fluid composition plugs water flow in fractures, high permeability zones, or a combination thereof, in carbonate formations of the subterranean formation to reduce water flow.

19 . A system comprising:

one or more vessels disposed in a subterranean formation, wherein the one or more vessels contain a viscoelastic fluid composition comprising:

a viscoelastic surfactant composition ranging from about 0.1 wt. % to about 10 wt. % based on a total wt. % of the viscoelastic fluid composition, wherein the viscoelastic surfactant composition is selected from a group consisting of betaines, modified betaines, alkylamidobetaines, sultaines, modified sultaines, alkylamidopropyl sultaines, and combinations thereof; and

crystalline sodium sulfate cellulose (NaSC) nanoparticles ranging from about 0.1 wt. % to about 10 wt. % based on the total wt. % of the viscoelastic fluid composition.

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the NaSC nanoparticles comprise a particle size ranging from about 30 nm to about 70 nm.

21 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the viscoelastic surfactant composition comprises one or more viscoelastic surfactants having the formula:

where R 1 may be a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group ranging from 1 to 29 carbon atoms, R 2 and R 3 may be independently selected from a group consisting of a hydrogen atom, straight chain alkyl, branched alkyl, or hydroxyalkyl group ranging from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, k is an integer ranging from 1 to 20, and m is an integer ranging from 1 to 20.