IP Library Granted Patent US 12,570,892
Granted Patent B2
US 12,570,892 · App. 18/735,965 · Granted Mar 10, 2026

Filter cake removal reactive treatment fluid with chelating agent and viscoelastic surfactant and methods of using same

Inventors: Katherine Leigh Hull (Houston, TX); Rajesh Kumar Saini (Houston, TX); Nam Mai (Houston, TX)
Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
C09K8/528E21B37/06C09K2208/30E21B2200/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,570,892
App. No.
18/735,965
Granted
Mar 10, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A fluid comprising: a base fluid; a chelating agent; a carbonate; an oxidizing salt; an organic acid; a viscoelastic surfactant (VES); and a base, where a viscosity of the fluid is 300 cP (mPa·s) or less at a temperature of 300° F. (148.9° C.) or less, and where a density of the fluid from 9 lb/gal (1.08 kg/L) to 20 lb/gal (2.40 kg/L).

Claims (48)

1 . A fluid comprising:

a base fluid;

a chelating agent;

a carbonate;

an oxidizing salt;

oxalic acid at a concentration from 1 wt. % to 15 wt. % of the fluid;

a viscoelastic surfactant (VES); and

a base at a concentration from 0.2 wt. % to 5 wt. % of the fluid,

wherein a viscosity of the fluid is 300 cP (mPa s) or less at a temperature of 300° F. (148.9° C.) or less, and

wherein a density of the fluid is from 9 lb/gal (1.08 kg/L) to 20 lb/gal (2.40 kg/L).

2 . The fluid of claim 1 , wherein the base fluid comprises a brine.

3 . The fluid of claim 2 , wherein a total dissolved solids (TDS) of the brine is from 50,000 ppm to 250,000 ppm.

4 . The fluid of claim 1 , wherein the base fluid comprises potassium chloride, sodium chloride, calcium chloride, calcium bromide, potassium formate, or cesium formate.

5 . The fluid of claim 1 , wherein the density is from 10 lb/gal (1.20 kg/L) to 16 lb/gal (1.92 kg/L).

6 . The fluid of claim 1 , wherein the viscosity is 300 cP (mPa·s) or less at a temperature from 200° F. (93.3° C.) to 300° F. (148.9° C.).

7 . The fluid of claim 1 , wherein the viscosity is from 80 cP (mPa's) to 100 cP (mPa s) at a temperature from 200° F. (93.3° C.) to 300° F. (148.9° C.).

8 . The fluid of claim 1 , wherein the chelating agent comprises an aminopolycarboxylic acid or a salt thereof, and wherein the VES comprises erucylamidopropyl betaine.

9 . The fluid of claim 1 , wherein the carbonate is potassium carbonate or cesium carbonate, and wherein the oxidizing salt comprises a chlorate or bromate.

10 . The fluid of claim 1 , wherein the base comprises potassium hydroxide.

11 . The fluid of claim 1 , further comprising an acid-generating material comprising polylactic acid (PLA), polyglycolic acid (PGA), an orthoester, or a polyanhydride.

12 . A fluid for filter cake removal, the fluid comprising:

a brine at a concentration from 50 weight percent (wt. %) to 70 wt. % of the fluid, the brine comprising calcium chloride or calcium bromide;

diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) at a concentration from 1 wt. % to 15 wt. % of the fluid;

a carbonate at a concentration from 5 wt. % to 30 wt. % of the fluid;

an oxidizing salt at a concentration from 1 wt. % to 20 wt. % of the fluid;

oxalic acid at a concentration from 1 wt. % to 15 wt. % of the fluid;

a viscoelastic surfactant (VES); and

a base at a concentration from 0.2 wt. % to 5 wt. % of the fluid,

wherein a viscosity of the fluid is 300 cP (mPa s) or less at a temperature of 300° F. (148.9° C.) or less, and

wherein a density of the fluid is from 9 lb/gal (1.08 kg/L) to 20 lb/gal (2.40 kg/L).

13 . The fluid of claim 12 , wherein the density is from 12 lb/gal (1.44 kg/L) to 14 lb/gal (1.68 kg/L)).

14 . The fluid of claim 12 , wherein the viscosity is from 80 cP (mPa·s) to 100 cP (mPa·s) at a temperature from 200° F. (93.3° C.) to 300° F. (148.9° C.).

15 . The fluid of claim 12 , wherein a pH of the fluid is from 9 to 12.

16 . A method of treating a wellbore for filter cake removal, the method comprising:

injecting a reactive treatment fluid into a wellbore in a subterranean formation comprising a filter cake on a wall of the wellbore, the filter cake comprising a barite, the reactive treatment fluid comprising:

a base fluid,

a chelating agent,

a carbonate,

an oxidizing salt,

oxalic acid at a concentration from 1 wt. % to 15 wt. % of the reactive treatment fluid,

a viscoelastic surfactant (VES), and

a base at a concentration from 0.2 wt. % to 5 wt. % of the reactive treatment fluid,

wherein the reactive treatment fluid has a density from 9 lb/gal (1.08 kg/L) to 20 lb/gal (2.40 kg/L) and a viscosity of 300 cP (mPa s) or less at a temperature of 300° F. (148.9° C.) or less;

contacting the reactive treatment fluid with the filter cake in the wellbore, the reactive treatment fluid dissolving or exfoliating the barite from the wall into the reactive treatment fluid; and

recovering the reactive treatment fluid comprising the barite removed from the wall.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising, prior to injecting the reactive treatment fluid into the wellbore, forming the wellbore by drilling, wherein the drilling forms the filter cake in the wellbore.

18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising providing carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) into the wellbore.

19 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising foaming the reactive treatment fluid with CO 2 .

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 13, 2024
From: ARAMCO SERVICES COMPANY
To: SAUDI ARAMCO UPSTREAM TECHNOLOGY COMPANY
Reel/Frame 068269/0178 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 13, 2024
From: SAUDI ARAMCO UPSTREAM TECHNOLOGY COMPANY
To: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
Reel/Frame 068273/0042 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 18, 2024
From: HULL, KATHERINE LEIGH; SAINI, RAJESH KUMAR; MAI, NAM
To: ARAMCO SERVICES COMPANY
Reel/Frame 067754/0368 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250376615A1 · Dec 11, 2025
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