Polymeric gels for oil and gas conformance control applications and methods of making same
A gel material for oil and gas conformance control operations is provided. The gel material includes a plurality of gel material components including polyacrylamide, triamine silica, and nanosilica which are added in suitable amounts to form the gel material under a gel formation condition. The present technology replaces and/or supplements conventional crosslinkers and provides enhanced polymeric gels, such as, for oil and gas field applications including wellbore strengthening, loss circulation materials, and water shut-off applications, at high temperatures. The present technology is compatible with fresh and high salinity water.
1. A method of preventing or reducing loss circulation during drilling operations in an oil and gas well, the method comprising:
mixing a plurality of gel material components comprising polyacrylamide (PAM), triamine silica (TAS), and nanosilica (NS) at a surface temperature of an oil and gas well to form a mixture;
injecting the mixture through a tubing in the oil and gas well; and
allowing the mixture to form a gel material in the oil and gas well.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein a concentration of the polyacrylamide (PAM) is 9 wt. %.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing to the mixture a chelating agent comprising at least one of diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA), hydroxy ethylethylenediaminetriacetic acid (HEDTA), or ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA).
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the chelating agent comprises ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) in a concentration of up to 1 wt. %.
5. A method of wellbore strengthening, LCMs, and/or water shut-off applications at high temperatures in oil and gas well drilling operations, the method comprising:
mixing a plurality of gel material components comprising polyacrylamide (PAM), triamine silica (TAS), and nanosilica (NS) at a surface temperature of an oil and gas well to form a mixture;
injecting the mixture through a tubing in the oil and gas well; and
allowing the mixture to form a gel material in the oil and gas well.
6. The method of claim 5 further comprising adding polyethyleneimine (PEI) to the mixture.
7. The method of claim 5 further comprising polyacrylamide tert-butyl (PAtBA).
8. The method of claim 5 , wherein a concentration of the polyacrylamide (PAM) is 9 wt. %.
9. The method of claim 5 further comprising providing to the mixture a chelating agent comprising at least one of diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA), hydroxy ethylethylenediaminetriacetic acid (HEDTA), or ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA).
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the chelating agent comprises ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) in a concentration of up to 1 wt. %.