Clay Stabilization with Nanoparticles
A treating fluid may contain an effective amount of a particulate additive to stabilize clays, such as clays in a subterranean formation, by inhibiting or preventing them from swelling and/or migrating, where the particulate additive is an alkaline earth metal oxide, alkaline earth metal hydroxide, alkali metal oxide, alkali metal hydroxide, transition metal oxide, transition metal hydroxide, post-transition metal oxide, post-transition metal hydroxide, piezoelectric crystal, and/or pyroelectric crystal. The particle size of the magnesium oxide or other agent may be nanometer scale, which scale may provide unique particle charges that help stabilize the clays. These treating fluids may be used as treatment fluids for subterranean hydrocarbon formations, such as in hydraulic fracturing, completion fluids, gravel packing fluids and fluid loss pills. The carrier fluid used in the treating fluid may be aqueous, brine, alcoholic or hydrocarbon-based.
1 . A method for stabilizing clays comprising introducing into a subterranean formation containing clays a treating fluid comprising:
a base fluid, and
an amount of a particulate additive effective to stabilize the clays, the particulate additive:
having a mean particle size of 100 nm or less, and
being selected from the group consisting of alkaline earth metal oxides, alkaline earth metal hydroxides, alkali metal oxides, alkali metal hydroxides, transition metal oxides, transition metal hydroxides, post-transition metal oxides, post-transition metal hydroxides, piezoelectric crystals, pyroelectric crystals, and mixtures thereof,
where the clays in the formation are inhibited from expansion and/or migration as compared with introducing an identical fluid absent the particulate additive.
2 . The method of claim 1 where the base fluid is selected from the group consisting of water, brine, oil, alcohol, and mixtures thereof.
3 . The method of claim 1 where:
the alkaline earth metal is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, calcium, strontium, and barium,
the alkali metal is selected from the group consisting of lithium, sodium, and potassium,
the transition metal is selected from the group consisting of titanium and zinc, and
the post-transition metal is aluminum, and mixtures thereof.
4 . The method of claim 1 where the effective amount of the particulate additive ranges from about 2 to about 300 pptg (about 0.24 to about 36 kg/1000 liters) based on the treating fluid.
5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising treating the subterranean formation by a process selected from the group consisting of:
fracturing the formation under effective pressure where the treating fluid further comprises a proppant;
acidizing the formation where the treating fluid further comprises an acid;
packing the formation with gravel where the treating fluid further comprises gravel;
completing a well; and
controlling fluid loss where the treating fluid further comprises a salt or easily removed solid; and mixtures thereof.
6 . The method of claim 1 where the mean particle size of the particulate additive is 90 nm or less.
7 . A method for stabilizing clays comprising introducing into a subterranean formation containing clays an aqueous treating fluid comprising:
an aqueous base fluid, and
an amount of a particulate additive effective to stabilize the clays, the particulate additive:
having a mean particle size of 100 nm or less, and
being selected from the group consisting of alkaline earth metal oxides, alkaline earth metal hydroxides, alkali metal oxides, alkali metal hydroxides, transition metal oxides, transition metal hydroxides, post-transition metal oxides, post-transition metal hydroxides, piezoelectric crystals, pyroelectric crystals, and mixtures thereof, where:
the alkaline earth metal is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, calcium, strontium, and barium,
the alkali metal is selected from the group consisting of lithium, sodium, and potassium,
the transition metal is selected from the group consisting of titanium and zinc, and
the post-transition metal is aluminum, and mixtures thereof;
where the clays in the formation are inhibited from expansion and/or migration as compared with introducing an identical fluid absent the particulate additive.
8 . The method of claim 7 where the effective amount of the particulate additive ranges from about 2 to about 300 pptg (about 0.24 to about 36 kg/1000 liters) based on the treating fluid.
9 . The method of claim 7 further comprising treating the subterranean formation by a process selected from the group consisting of:
fracturing the formation under effective pressure where the aqueous treating fluid further comprises a proppant;
acidizing the formation where the aqueous treating fluid further comprises an acid;
packing the formation with gravel where the aqueous treating fluid further comprises gravel;
completing a well; and
controlling fluid loss where the aqueous treating fluid further comprises a salt or easily removed solid; and mixtures thereof.
10 . The method of claim 1 where the mean particle size of the particulate additive is 90 nm or less.
11 . A method for stabilizing clays comprising introducing into a subterranean formation containing clays a treating fluid comprising:
a base fluid, and
from about 2 to about 300 pptg (about 0.24 to about 36 kg/1000 liters) based on the treating fluid of a particulate additive effective to stabilize the clays, the particulate additive:
having a mean particle size of 90 nm or less, and
being selected from the group consisting of alkaline earth metal oxides, alkaline earth metal hydroxides, alkali metal oxides, alkali metal hydroxides, transition metal oxides, transition metal hydroxides, post-transition metal oxides, post-transition metal hydroxides, piezoelectric crystals, pyroelectric crystals, and mixtures thereof,
where the clays in the formation are inhibited from expansion and/or migration as compared with introducing an identical fluid absent the particulate additive.
12 . The method of claim 11 where the base fluid is selected from the group consisting of water, brine, oil, alcohol, and mixtures thereof.
13 . The method of claim 11 where:
the alkaline earth metal is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, calcium, strontium, and barium,
the alkali metal is selected from the group consisting of lithium, sodium, and potassium,
the transition metal is selected from the group consisting of titanium and zinc, and
the post-transition metal is aluminum, and mixtures thereof.
14 . The method of claim 11 further comprising treating the subterranean formation by a process selected from the group consisting of:
fracturing the formation under effective pressure where the treating fluid further comprises a proppant;
acidizing the formation where the treating fluid further comprises an acid;
packing the formation with gravel where the treating fluid further comprises gravel;
completing a well; and
controlling fluid loss where the treating fluid further comprises a salt or easily removed solid; and mixtures thereof.