Methods and compositions for use in oil and/or gas wells
Methods and compositions comprising an emulsion or a microemulsion for use in various aspects of the life cycle of an oil and/or gas well are provided. In some embodiments, the emulsion or the microemulsion comprises water, a solvent, and a surfactant, and optionally, one or more additives.
1. A composition for use in an oil and/or gas well having a wellbore, comprising a fluid and an emulsion or a microemulsion, wherein the emulsion or the microemulsion comprises:
water;
an alcohol;
a solvent comprising a terpene; and
a surfactant having a structure as in Formula III:
wherein each of R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10 , and R 11 are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, optionally substituted alkyl, and —CH═CHAr, provided at least one of R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10 , and R 11 is —CH═CHAr;
Ar is an aryl group;
Z + is a cationic group;
n is 1-100; and
m is 1.
2. The composition as in claim 1 , wherein Z + is N(R 13 ) 3 + , wherein each R 13 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, optionally substituted alkyl, or optionally substituted aryl.
3. The composition as in claim 1 , wherein at least two of R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , R 10 , and R 11 are —CH═CHAr.
4. The composition as in claim 1 , wherein R 7 and R 8 are —CH═CHAr and R 9 , R 10 and R 11 are each hydrogen.
5. The composition as in claim 1 , wherein R 7 , R 8 , and R 9 are —CH═CHAr and R 10 and R 11 are each hydrogen.
6. The composition as in claim 1 , wherein Ar is phenyl.
7. The composition as in claim 1 , wherein n is 1-50.
8. The composition as in claim 1 , wherein the fluid is a fracturing fluid.
9. The composition as in claim 1 , wherein the emulsion or the microemulsion comprises between about 1 wt % and about 60 wt % water versus the total emulsion or microemulsion composition.
10. The composition as in claim 1 , wherein the emulsion or the microemulsion comprises between about 1 wt % and about 30 wt % solvent versus the total emulsion or microemulsion composition.
11. The composition as in claim 1 , wherein the emulsion or the microemulsion comprises between about 5 wt % and about 65 wt % surfactant versus the total emulsion or microemulsion composition.
12. The composition as in claim 1 , wherein the emulsion or the microemulsion comprises a first type of surfactant and a second type of surfactant.
13. The composition as in claim 1 , wherein the emulsion or the microemulsion comprises between about 1 wt % and about 50 wt % alcohol versus the total emulsion or microemulsion composition.
14. The composition as in claim 13 , wherein the alcohol comprises isopropanol.
15. The composition as in claim 1 , wherein the emulsion or the microemulsion comprises a freezing point depression agent.
16. The composition as in claim 15 , wherein the emulsion or the microemulsion comprises a first type of freezing point depression agent and a second type of freezing point depression agent.
17. The composition as in claim 15 , wherein the emulsion or the microemulsion comprises between about 0 wt % and about 25 wt % freezing point depression agent versus the total emulsion or microemulsion composition.