IP Library Granted Patent US 12,391,863
Granted Patent B2
US 12,391,863 · App. 17/595,243 · Granted Aug 19, 2025

Breaker fluids and methods of use thereof

Inventors: Balakrishnan Panamarathupalayam (Houston, TX); Richard Toomes (Houston, TX); Daniel Alvarez (Houston, TX)
Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
C09K8/524C09K8/508C09K2208/26
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,391,863
App. No.
17/595,243
Granted
Aug 19, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of breaking a filtercake in a wellbore may include circulating a breaker fluid into the wellbore having a filtercake on the walls thereon, the filter cake including copolymer formed from at least one acrylamide monomer and at least one sulfonated anionic monomer, the breaker fluid comprising: a base fluid; a mixture of hydrolysable esters of dicarboxylic acids; and an organic peroxide oxidant.

Claims (36)

1. A method of breaking a filtercake in a wellbore, comprising:

circulating a breaker fluid into the wellbore, thereby breaking a filtercake on walls of the wellbore, wherein the filtercake includes a copolymer formed from at least one acrylamide monomer and at least one sulfonated anionic monomer, the breaker fluid comprising:

a base fluid;

a mixture of hydrolysable esters of dicarboxylic acids; and

an oxidant composed of an organic peroxide;

wherein the organic peroxide is tert-butyl hydroperoxide;

wherein the organic peroxide is included in the breaker fluid at about 15 ppb; and

wherein the breaker fluid achieves a flowback of at least 50% at temperatures from 300 to 400° F.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one acrylamide monomer is at least one selected from unsubstituted acrylamide, alkylacrylamides, N-methylol acrylamide, N-isopropyl acrylamide, diacetone-acrylamide, C1 to C14 N-alkyl acrylamide, C1 to C14 N,N-dialkyl acrylamides, N-cycloalkane acrylamides, or combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sulfonated anionic monomer is selected from 2-acrylamide-2-methyl-propanesulfonic acid, vinyl sulfonate, and styrene sulfonic acid.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the copolymer contains covalent intermolecular crosslinking.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixture of hydrolysable esters of dicarboxylic acids includes about 57-67 wt. % dimethyl glutarate, 18-28 wt. % dimethyl succinate, and 8-22 wt. % dimethyl adipate.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixture of hydrolysable esters of dicarboxylic acids is about 5% to 30% by volume of the breaker fluid.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the base fluid is a divalent brine.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the breaker fluid further comprises a coating on the oxidant to delay release of the oxidant.

9. A method of performing a wellbore operation, comprising:

pumping a wellbore fluid into a wellbore through an earthen formation, the wellbore fluid comprising:

a first base fluid; and

a polymeric fluid loss control agent formed from at least an acrylamide monomer and a sulfonated anionic monomer;

operating a drilling tool in the wellbore during the pumping the wellbore fluid into the wellbore;

circulating a breaker fluid into the wellbore, thereby breaking a filtercake on walls of the wellbore; wherein the filtercake includes the polymeric fluid loss control agent, the breaker fluid comprising:

a second base fluid;

a mixture of hydrolysable esters of dicarboxylic acids; and

an oxidant composed of an organic peroxide;

wherein the organic peroxide is tert-butyl hydroperoxide;

wherein the organic peroxide is included in the breaker fluid at about 15 ppb; and

wherein the breaker fluid achieves a flowback of at least 50% at temperatures from 300 F to 400° F.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the wellbore fluid is pumped into the wellbore through a reservoir section of the wellbore during the operating the drilling tool in the wellbore.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

initiating production of hydrocarbons from the reservoir.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the acrylamide monomer is at least one selected from unsubstituted acrylamide, alkylacrylamides, N-methylol acrylamide, N-isopropyl acrylamide, diacetone-acrylamide, C1 to C14 N-alkyl acrylamide, C1 to C14 N,N-dialkyl acrylamides, N-cycloalkane acrylamides, or combinations thereof.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the sulfonated anionic monomer is selected from 2-acrylamide-2-methyl-propanesulfonic acid, vinyl sulfonate, and styrene sulfonic acid.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the polymeric fluid loss control agent contains covalent intermolecular crosslinking.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the mixture of hydrolysable esters of dicarboxylic acids includes about 57-67 wt. % dimethyl glutarate, 18-28 wt. % dimethyl succinate, and 8-22 wt. % dimethyl adipate.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the mixture of hydrolysable esters of dicarboxylic acids is about 5% to 30% by volume of the breaker fluid.

17. The method of claim 9 , wherein the base fluid is a divalent brine.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 19, 2021
From: M-I L.L.C.
To: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 058159/0626 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 16, 2021
From: PANAMARATHUPALAYAM, BALAKRISHNAN; TOOMES, RICHARD; ALVAREZ, DANIEL
To: M-I L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 058123/0763 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62848323 · May 15, 2019
Related Publication 20220195285A1 · Jun 23, 2022
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