High temperature viscoelastic surfactant (VES) fluids comprising nanoparticle viscosity modifiers
In accordance with one or more embodiments, this disclosure describes a viscoelastic fluid for a subterranean formation comprising: viscoelastic surfactant comprising the general formula: where R 1 is a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group of from 17 to 29 carbon atoms, R 2 and R 3 , are each independently selected from a straight chain or branched alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms; R 4 is selected from H, hydroxyl, alkyl or hydroxyalkyl groups of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; k is an integer of from 2-20; m is an integer of from 1-20; and n is an integer of from 0-20; brine solution; and at least one nanoparticle viscosity modifier comprising a particle size of 0.1 to 500 nanometers, or 0.1 to 100 nanometers.
1. A viscoelastic fluid for a subterranean formation comprising:
viscoelastic surfactant according to the formula (I):
where R 1 is a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group of from 17 carbon atoms to 29 carbon atoms, R 2 and R 3 , are each independently selected from a straight chain or branched alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group of from 1 carbon atom to 6 carbon atoms, R 4 is selected from H, hydroxyl, alkyl, or hydroxyalkyl groups of from 1 carbon atom to 4 carbon atoms; k is an integer of from 2-20; m is an integer of from 1-20; and n is an integer of from 0-20;
brine solution; and
at least one nanoparticle viscosity modifier comprising a particle size of 0.1 nanometers to 500 nanometers, or 0.1 nanometers to 100 nanometers, where the at least one nanoparticle viscosity modifier is selected from the group consisting of ZrO 2 nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, or combinations thereof.
2. The viscoelastic fluid for a subterranean formation according to claim 1 , where the at least one viscosity modifier is non-polymeric.
3. The viscoelastic fluid for a subterranean formation according to claim 1 , where the viscoelastic surfactant comprises erucamidopropyl hydroxypropylsultaine.
4. The viscoelastic fluid for a subterranean formation according to claim 1 , further comprising solvent.
5. The viscoelastic fluid for a subterranean formation according to claim 4 , where the solvent is selected from water, alcohol, or combinations thereof.
6. The viscoelastic fluid for a subterranean formation according to claim 5 , where the alcohol comprises monohydric alkyloxy, diol, triol or a combination thereof.
7. The viscoelastic fluid for a subterranean formation according to claim 1 , where the viscoelastic fluid comprises from 0.5% by weight to 20% by weight of the viscoelastic surfactant.
8. The viscoelastic fluid for a subterranean formation according to claim 1 , where the viscoelastic fluid comprises from 1% by weight to 50% by weight of salt in the solution.
9. The viscoelastic fluid for a subterranean formation according to claim 1 , where the brine solution comprises one or more metal salts or metal halides.
10. The viscoelastic fluid for a subterranean formation according to claim 1 , where the brine solution comprises one or more alkali or alkaline earth metal halides.
11. The viscoelastic fluid for a subterranean formation according to claim 10 , where the metal halides comprise calcium chloride, calcium bromide, zinc bromide, or combinations thereof.
12. The viscoelastic fluid for a subterranean formation according to claim 1 , where the viscoelastic fluid comprises from 0.001% by weight to 5% by weight of the at least one nanoparticle viscosity modifier.
13. The viscoelastic fluid for a subterranean formation according to claim 1 , where the at least one nanoparticle viscosity modifier has a particle size from 10 nanometers to 60 nanometers.
14. The viscoelastic fluid for a subterranean formation according to claim 1 , further comprising breaker material.
15. The viscoelastic fluid for a subterranean formation according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one additional surfactant.
16. The viscoelastic fluid for a subterranean formation according to claim 1 , where the additional surfactant comprises cationic surfactant, anionic surfactant, non-ionic surfactant, amphoteric surfactant, or a combination thereof.
17. A method of treating a subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore with a viscoelastic fluid comprising:
mixing a viscoelastic surfactant, at least one nanoparticle viscosity modifier, and a brine solution to produce the viscoelastic fluid, the viscoelastic surfactant according to formula (I):
where R 1 is a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group of from 17 carbon atoms to 29 carbon atoms, R 2 and R 3 , are each independently selected from a straight chain or branched alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group of from 1 carbon atom to 6 carbon atoms, R 4 is selected from H, hydroxyl, alkyl or hydroxyalkyl groups of from 1 carbon atom to 4 carbon atoms; k is an integer of from 2-20; m is an integer of from 1-20; and n is an integer of from 0-20; and
the at least one nanoparticle viscosity modifier comprising a particle size of 0.1 nanometers to 500 nanometers, or 0.1 nanometers to 100 nanometers, where the at least one nanoparticle viscosity modifier is selected from the group consisting of ZrO 2 nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, or combinations thereof; and
introducing the viscoelastic fluid into the subterranean formation through the wellbore, where the treatment fluid is subjected to temperatures greater than 250° F.
18. The method of treating a subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore with the viscoelastic fluid according to claim 17 , where the treatment fluid is subjected to temperatures greater than 275° F.