Granted Patent B2

US 12,325,821 · App. 18/351,448 · Granted Jun 10, 2025

Inventors: Matthew Taylor (Calgary, CA); Stuart Dubberley (Calgary, CA); Jay Nelson Brockhoff (Calgary, CA); Kuangbiao Ma (Calgary, CA)

Assignee: SECURE SPECIALTY CHEMICALS CORP.

C09K8/08C09K2208/34

Abstract

Claims (34)

1. A method for increasing the lubricity of a brine-based drilling fluid having an alkaline pH, the method comprising:

providing a produced water or a brine having a threshold divalent cation concentration and an alkaline pH;

adding to the produced water or brine at least one source of free fatty acids; and

adding to the produced water or brine a dispersant, wherein the dispersant comprises an imidazoline.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of adding the at least one source of fatty acids to the produced water or brine is at an amount and/or rate sufficient to induce formation of a semi-solid lubricant within the brine-based drilling fluid.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the threshold divalent cation concentration is at least 1000 mg/L.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the threshold divalent cation concentration comprises a threshold magnesium concentration is at least 500 mg/L.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the threshold magnesium concentration is at least 1000 mg/L.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of providing the produced water or brine comprises a step of increasing the pH to above at least 7.0.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pH of the produced water or brine is at least 9.0.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the pH of the produced water or brine is at least 10.5.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the threshold divalent cation concentration comprises a threshold calcium concentration of at least 500 mg/L.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the threshold calcium concentration is at least 1000 mg/L.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the produced water or brine is brought to or above the threshold divalent cation concentration by adding magnesium and/or calcium.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one source of free fatty acids is a mixture of a vegetable oil and one or more fatty acids.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the mixture is the vegetable oil and oleic acid.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one source of free fatty acids comprises at least 60% by weight oleic acid.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dispersant comprises a fatty imidazoline ethyl-sulfate quaternary.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dispersant comprises or is 1:1 TOFA-AEEA imidazoline quaternized with diethylsulfate.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dispersant and the at least one source of free fatty acids are added to the produced water or brine together in a lubricant blend.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the lubricant blend comprises:

between about 40% and about 60% by weight vegetable oil;

between about 40% and about 60% by weight oleic acid; and

between about 0.1% and about 10% by weight fatty imidazoline ethyl-sulfate quaternary.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the lubricant blend comprises:

between about 45% and about 55% by weight canola oil;

between about 45% and about 55% by weight oleic acid; and

between about 0.5% and about 5% by weight 1:1 TOFA-AEEA imidazoline quaternized with diethylsulfate.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the lubricant blend comprises:

between about 60% and about 80% by weight oleic acid; and

between about 0.1% and about 10% by weight fatty imidazoline ethyl-sulfate quaternary.

21. The method of claim 17 , wherein the lubricant blend comprises:

about 95% by weight fatty acids, the fatty acids comprising at least 60% by weight oleic acid; and

about 5% by weight dispersant being 1:1 TOFA-AEEA imidazoline quaternized with diethylsulfate.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (376)