Biopolymer based cationic surfactant for clay stabilization and prevention of sludging
Methods of stabilizing swellable clays in a subterranean formation and methods of reducing the formation of sludge in a subterranean formation using a biopolymer based cationic surfactant are described. The biopolymer based cationic surfactant includes a quaternary ammonium compound having an alkyl polyglucoside backbone and amino alcohol side chains.
1. A method of stabilizing swellable clays in a subterranean formation comprising:
providing a treatment fluid comprising a biopolymer based cationic surfactant that includes a quaternary ammonium compound having an alkyl polyglucoside backbone and amino alcohol side chains; and
introducing the treatment fluid into the subterranean formation.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the biopolymer based cationic surfactant has the formula:
where R is a C 1 -C 15 chain and R 1 is a C 1 -C 39 chain.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein R is a C 12 chain and R 1 is a C 18 chain.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the swellable clays are selected from the group consisting of smectite, kaolin, illite, chlorite, vermiculite, palygorskite, sepiolite and mixtures thereof.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the treatment fluid further comprises water.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the water comprises fresh water, salt water, or mixtures thereof.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the treatment fluid comprises from about 0.1 to about 5 weight percent of the biopolymer based cationic surfactant.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the treatment fluid further comprises an aqueous acid solution, alcohol-water mixture, gel, or mixtures thereof.
9. A method of reducing formation of sludge in a subterranean formation comprising:
combining a biopolymer based cationic surfactant and an aqueous acid solution to form a treatment fluid, wherein the biopolymer based cationic surfactant comprises a quaternary ammonium compound having an alkyl polyglucoside backbone and amino alcohol side chains;
introducing the treatment fluid into the subterranean formation; and
contacting a sludging crude oil with the treatment fluid.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the biopolymer based cationic surfactant has the formula:
where R is a C 1 -C 15 chain and R 1 is a C 1 -C 39 chain.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein R is a C 12 chain and R 1 is a C 18 chain.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the aqueous acid solution comprises hydrochloric acid and/or hydrochloric-hydrofluoric acid mixtures.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the aqueous acid solution comprises about 15 weight percent hydrochloric acid.
14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the treatment fluid comprises from about 0.1 to about 5 weight percent of the biopolymer based cationic surfactant.
15. The method of claim 9 , wherein reducing the formation of sludge is part of an acidizing operation.
16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the sludging crude oil comprises asphaltenes.
17. A method of stabilizing swellable clays and reducing formation of sludge in a subterranean formation comprising:
providing a treatment fluid comprising a biopolymer based cationic surfactant that includes a quaternary ammonium compound having an alkyl polyglucoside backbone and amino alcohol side chains; and
introducing the treatment fluid into the subterranean formation.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the biopolymer based cationic surfactant has the formula:
where R is a C 1 -C 15 chain and R 1 is a C 1 -C 39 chain.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein R is a C 12 chain and R 1 is a C 18 chain.
20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the treatment fluid further comprises an aqueous acid solution.