Evaluating hydrocarbon exploration and recovery operations fluids based on carbon footprint

Inventors: Muhammad Ahsan (Ontario, CA); Edgar Luna (Houston, TX)

G06Q30/018 E21B21/066 E21B21/068 G06Q50/06

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12,682,358
App. No.: 18/355,886
Granted: Jul 14, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

Examples described herein provide for evaluating greenhouse gas emissions for a fluid for a hydrocarbon exploration and recovery operation. The method includes performing an emissions lifecycle analysis for the drilling and completion fluid. The method further includes determining a greenhouse gas emissions value for the drilling and completion fluid based at least in part on a result of the emissions lifecycle analysis. The method further includes modifying a portion of the hydrocarbon exploration and recovery operation based at least in part on the greenhouse gas emissions value.

Claims (47)

1 . A method for conducting hydrocarbon exploration and recovery operation implemented by hydrocarbon exploration and recover apparatus that uses a drilling fluid and a completion fluid, the method comprising:

developing, using a computer processing system, a model of an emissions lifecycle analysis for the drilling fluid and the completion fluid, the model comprising a plurality of blocks modeling various phases of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for each of the drilling fluid and the completion fluid, the plurality of blocks comprising: a first block modeling GHG emissions from a manufacturing process and having a first chemical composition choice that influences the associated GHG emissions; a second block modeling GHG emission from operations and having a second chemical composition choice that influences the associated GHG emissions; and a third block modeling GHG emissions from disposal and having a third chemical composition choice that influences the associated GHG emissions;

determining, using the computer processing system and the model, a greenhouse gas emissions value for the drilling fluid and the completion fluid for multiple possibilities in which at least one of the first chemical composition choice, the second chemical composition choice, or the third chemical composition choice for each of the drilling fluid and the completion fluid are varied for each possibility;

selecting, using the computer processing system, one of the first chemical composition choice, the second chemical composition choice, or the third chemical composition choice for each of the drilling fluid and the completion fluid from the multiple possibilities that reduces total GHG emissions;

conducting the hydrocarbon exploration and recovery operation with the hydrocarbon exploration and recovery apparatus using drilling fluid having a first drilling fluid chemical composition and a completion fluid having a first completion fluid chemical composition;

modifying the hydrocarbon exploration and recovery operation to change at least one of (i) the first drilling fluid chemical composition to a second drilling fluid chemical composition or (ii) the first completion fluid chemical composition to a second completion fluid chemical composition to reduce the total GHG emissions, the second drilling fluid chemical composition and the second completion fluid chemical composition being from the selected choice;

wherein a disposal emissions analysis in the third block is based at least in part on a water-based mud analysis and an oil-based mud analysis and the water-based mud analysis is based at least in part on GHG emissions from water-based mud cuttings, wherein the GHG emissions from water-based mud cuttings is based at least in part on GHG emissions from transportation and landfilling of water-based mud cuttings, GHG emissions from chemical products used in treating water-based mud cuttings, and GHG emissions from incineration of water-based mud waste.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein performing a manufacturing emissions analysis for the drilling fluid and the completion fluid in the first block comprises determining GHG emissions for material extraction.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein performing a manufacturing emissions analysis for the drilling fluid and the completion fluid in the first block comprises determining GHG emissions for packaging.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the model further comprises a fourth block for performing a transportation emissions analysis for the drilling fluid and the completion fluid by determining GHG emissions for a mode of transportation.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the mode of transportation comprises multiple modes of transportation.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein performing an operational emissions analysis for the drilling fluid and the completion fluid in the second block comprises determining GHG emissions from chemical mixing and/or chemical lifting equipment.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein performing an operational emissions analysis for the drilling fluid and the completion fluid in the third block comprises determining GHG emissions for solids control equipment.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein water-based mud cuttings are being disposed and performing a disposal emissions analysis for the drilling fluid and the completion fluid in the fourth block comprises determining GHG emissions from at least one of landfilling, chemical used in treating, incineration, or industrial water treatment.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein oil-based mud cuttings are being disposed and performing a disposal emissions analysis for the drilling fluid and the completion fluid in the third block comprises determining GHG emissions from a thermal desorption treatment.

10 . A system for conducting a hydrocarbon exploration and recovery operation that uses a drilling fluid and a completion fluid, the system comprising:

an apparatus for implementing the hydrocarbon exploration and recovery operation using the drilling fluid having a first drilling fluid chemical composition and a completion fluid having a first completion fluid chemical composition;

a memory storing computer readable instructions; and

a processing device for executing the computer readable instructions, the computer readable instructions controlling the processing device to perform operations comprising:

developing, using a computer processing system, a model of an emissions lifecycle analysis for the drilling fluid and the completion fluid, the model comprising a plurality of blocks modeling various phases of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for each of the drilling fluid and the completion fluid, the plurality of blocks comprising: a first blockmodeling GHG emissions from a manufacturing process and having a first chemical composition choice that influences the associated GHG emissions; a second block modeling GHG emissions from operations having a second chemical composition choice that influences the associated GHG emissions; and a third block modeling GHG emissions from disposal and having a third chemical composition choice that influences the associated GHG emissions;

determining a greenhouse gas emissions value for the drilling fluid based and the completion fluid for multiple possibilities in which at least one of the first chemical composition choice, the second chemical composition choice, or the third chemical composition choice are varied for each possibility;

selecting one of the first chemical composition choice, the second chemical composition choice, or the third chemical composition choice for each of the drilling fluid and the completion fluid from the multiple possibilities that reduces total GHG emissions;

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein a manufacturing emissions analysis for the first block is based at least in part on GHG emissions from extraction of a raw material for manufacturing the drilling fluid and the completion fluid, GHG emissions from transportation of the raw material for manufacturing the drilling fluid and the completion fluid, GHG emissions from a manufacturing process for manufacturing the drilling fluid and the completion fluid, and GHG emissions from chemical packaging for packaging the drilling fluid and the completion fluid.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the model further comprises a fourth block for a transportation emissions analysis that is based at least in part on GHG emissions from transporting the drilling fluid and the completion fluid from a first location to a second location and GHG emissions from transporting the drilling fluid and the completion fluid from the second location to a third location.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the first location is a location associated with the manufacturing process, and wherein the third location is the hydrocarbon exploration and recovery operation.

14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the GHG emissions determined in the fourth block from transporting the drilling fluid and the completion fluid from the first location to the second location is based at least in part on GHG emissions from sea transportation, GHG emissions from air transportation, and GHG emissions from rail transportation.

15 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the GHG emissions determined in the fourth block from transporting the drilling fluid and the completion fluid from the second location to the third location is based at least in part on GHG emissions from road transportation and GHG emissions from rail transportation.

16 . The system of claim 10 , wherein an operational emissions analysis in the second block is based at least in part on emissions from chemical mixing, emissions from chemical lifting, and emissions from solids control equipment.

17 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the oil-based mud analysis is based at least in part on GHG emissions from transportation of oil-based mud cuttings, GHG emissions from an oil-based mud circulation and solids removal system, and GHG emissions from thermal desorption treatment of oil-based mud cuttings.

18 . A system for conducting a hydrocarbon exploration and recovery operation that uses a drilling fluid and a completion fluid, the system comprising:

a memory storing computer readable instructions; and

a processing device for executing the computer readable instructions, the computer readable instructions controlling the processing device to perform operations comprising:

developing, using a computer processing system, a model of an emissions lifecycle analysis for the drilling fluid and the completion fluid, the model comprising a plurality of blocks modeling various phases of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for each of the drilling fluid and the completion fluid, the plurality of blocks comprising: a first blockmodeling GHG emissions from a manufacturing process and having a first chemical composition choice that influences the associated GHG emissions; a second block modeling GHG emissions from operations having a second chemical composition choice that influences the associated GHG emissions; and a third block modeling GHG emissions from disposal and having a third chemical composition choice that influences the associated GHG emissions;

wherein a disposal emissions analysis in the third block is based at least in part on a water-based mud analysis and an oil-based mud analysis; wherein the water-based mud analysis is based at least in part on GHG emissions from water-based mud wastewater treatment, and the GHG emissions from water-based mud wastewater treatment is based at least in part on GHG emissions from transportation for water-based mud wastewater collection, GHG emissions from industrial water treatment of water-based mud, and GHG emissions from chemical products used in wastewater treatment.

19 . A method for conducting hydrocarbon exploration and recovery operation implemented by hydrocarbon exploration and recover apparatus that uses a drilling fluid and a completion fluid, the method comprising:

wherein a disposal emissions analysis in the third block is based at least in part on a water-based mud analysis and an oil-based mud analysis and the water-based mud analysis is based at least in part on GHG emissions from water-based mud wastewater treatment, wherein the GHG emissions from water-based mud wastewater treatment is based at least in part on GHG emissions from transportation for water-based mud wastewater collection, GHG emissions from industrial water treatment of water-based mud, and GHG emissions from chemical products used in wastewater treatment.