Method of using crosslinkable brine containing compositions

1. A method for enhancing the thermal insulation of a production tubing or transfer pipe surrounded by at least one annuli in an oil, gas or geothermal well, comprising:

(a) adding to the at least one annuli a pumpable polymerizable fluid comprising a crosslinkable, monofunctional alkene, a multi-functional alkene, a heat inducible free radical initiator and brine;

(b) decomposing the heat inducible free radical initiator; and

(c) increasing the viscosity of the pumpable polymerizable fluid while maintaining the fluid in contact with the at least one annuli to form a crosslinked hydrated polymer system in the brine.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the brine has a density greater than or equal to 9 ppg.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the brine is selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium chloride, sodium bromide, calcium bromide, zinc bromide, potassium formate, cesium formate and sodium formate brine and mixtures thereof.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the brine is at least one brine selected from the group consisting of calcium chloride, calcium bromide and zinc bromide.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the brine has a density between 9 and 19.2.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the monofunctional alkene is selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid and methacrylic acid and amides, esters, salts or nitriles thereof.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the monofunctional alkene is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyethylacrylate, hydroxymethylacrylate, hydroxyethylmethacrylate, hydroxymethylmethacrylate, polyethylene glycol acrylate, polyethylene glycol methacrylate, polypropylene glycol acrylate, polypropylene glycol methacrylate, tetrahydrofuryl methacrylate, glycidyl methacrylate, N,N-dimethylaminoethylmethacrylate, 2-triethylammoniumethylmethacrylate chloride, N,N-dimethyl-aminopropylmethacryl-amide, methacrylamidepropyltriethylammonium chloride, N-hydroxymethylacrylamide and N-hydroxymethyl-methacrylamide and mixtures thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multi-functional alkene is a difunctional alkene.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the difunctional alkene is selected from the group consisting of diethylene glycol dimethacrylate, diethylene glycol diacrylate, polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate and polyethylene glycol diacrylate.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the free radical initiator is selected from the group consisting of 2,2′-azobis(2-imidazole-2-hydroxyethyl)propane, 2,2′-azobis(2-aminopropane)dihydrochloride, 4,4′-azobis(4-cyanovaleric acid) and 2,2′-azobis(2-methyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)propionamide.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the volume ratio of crosslinkable, monofunctional alkene to multi-functional alkene in the pumpable polymerizable fluid is between from about 2:1 to about 20:1.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the amount of free radical initiator in the pumpable polymerizable fluid is between from about 0.01 to about 0.5 g/100 ml.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluid further comprises a polyol.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the polyol is selected from the group consisting of glycerol, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, poly(1,3-propanediol), poly(1,2-propanediol), poly(1,2-butanediol), poly(1,3-butanediol), poly(1,4-butanediol), poly(2,3-butanediol), co-polymers, block polymers and mixtures thereof.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the amount of monofunctional alkene in the fluid is between from about 1% to about 30% by weight of the fluid.

16. A method for reducing convection flow velocity in at least one annuli surrounding a production tubing or transfer pipe in an oil, gas or geothermal well, comprising:

(a) introducing into the at least one annuli an insulating packer or riser fluid comprising a fluid comprising a crosslinkable, mono functional alkene, a multi-functional alkene, a heat inducible free radical initiator and brine; and

(b) decomposing the free radical initiator;

(c) increasing the viscosity of the insulating packer or riser fluid by forming a crosslinked polymer in the brine; and

(d) maintaining the fluid in the at least one annuli until the convection flow velocity is reduced.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the packer fluid is introduced above the packer in an annulus and the riser fluid is introduced into a riser annulus.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the brine has a density greater than or equal to 9 ppg.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the brine is selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium chloride, sodium bromide, calcium bromide, zinc bromide, potassium formate, cesium formate and sodium formate brine and mixtures thereof.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the monofunctional alkene is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyethylacrylate, hydroxymethylacrylate, hydroxyethylmethacrylate, hydroxymethylmethacrylate, polyethylene glycol acrylate, polyethylene glycol methacrylate, polypropylene glycol acrylate, polypropylene glycol methacrylate, tetrahydrofuryl methacrylate, glycidyl methacrylate, N,N-dimethylaminoethylmethacrylate, 2-triethylammoniumethylmethacrylate chloride, N,N-dimethyl-aminopropylmethacryl-amide, methacrylamidepropyltriethylammonium chloride, N-hydroxymethylacrylamide and N-hydroxymethyl-methacrylamide and mixtures thereof.

21. The method of claim 16 , wherein multi-functional alkene of the fluid of step (a) is a difunctional alkene.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the difunctional alkene is selected from the group consisting of diethylene glycol dimethacrylate, diethylene glycol diacrylate, polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate and polyethylene glycol diacrylate.

23. The method of claim 16 , wherein the insulating packer or riser fluid of step (a) further comprises a polyol.

24. A method for enhancing the thermal insulation of a production tubing or transfer pipe surrounded by at least one annuli in an oil, gas or geothermal well, comprising:

(a) adding to the at least one annuli a pumpable polymerizable fluid comprising a crosslinkable, monofunctional alkene, a difunctional alkene, a heat inducible free radical initiator and brine having a density between 9 to 19.2 ppg;

(b) decomposing the heat inducible free radical initiator; and

(c) increasing the viscosity of the pumpable polymerizable fluid while maintaining the fluid in contact with the at least one annuli to form a crosslinked hydrated polymer system in the brine.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the brine has a density from 14.2 to 19.2 ppg.

26. The method of claim 24 , wherein the monofunctional alkene is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyethylacrylate, hydroxymethylacrylate, hydroxyethylmethacrylate, hydroxymethylmethacrylate, polyethylene glycol acrylate, polyethylene glycol methacrylate, polypropylene glycol acrylate, polypropylene glycol methacrylate, tetrahydrofuryl methacrylate, glycidyl methacrylate, N,N-dimethylaminoethylmethacrylate, 2-triethylammoniumethylmethacrylate chloride, N,N-dimethyl-aminopropylmethacryl-amide, methacrylamidepropyltriethylammonium chloride, N-hydroxymethylacrylamide and N-hydroxymethyl-methacrylamide and mixtures thereof.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the difunctional alkene is selected from the group consisting of diethylene glycol dimethacrylate, diethylene glycol diacrylate, polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate and polyethylene glycol diacrylate.

28. The method of claim 24 , wherein the brine is selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium chloride, sodium bromide, calcium bromide, zinc bromide, potassium formate, cesium formate and sodium formate brine and mixtures thereof.