Methods and compositions for treating subterranean formations using high ionic strength gelling agent polymers

Abstract

Methods, aqueous treating fluid compositions and high ionic strength gelling agent polymers for treating subterranean formations are provided. The aqueous treating fluid compositions are basically comprised of water and a high ionic strength sulfonated gelling agent polymer. The aqueous treating fluid compositions have superior properties compared to conventional treating fluids.

1 . A method of treating a subterranean formation penetrated by a well bore comprising the steps of: 
 (a) preparing or providing an aqueous treating fluid composition comprising water and a high ionic strength sulfonated gelling agent polymer; and    (b) introducing said aqueous treating fluid composition into said subterranean formation.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said water is selected from the group consisting of fresh water and salt water.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is selected from the group consisting of sulfonated gelling agent biopolymers, sulfonated synthetic gelling agent polymers, sulfonated gelling agent polysaccharides and sulfonated gelling agent polysaccharide derivatives.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is a sulfonated gelling agent biopolymer selected from the group consisting of sulfonated xanthan and sulfonated succinoglycon.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is a sulfonated synthetic gelling agent polymer selected from the group consisting of sulfonated polyvinyl alcohol, sulfonated polyacrylamide, sulfonated polyacrylate and sulfonated polyacrilamide/acrylic acid copolymers.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is a sulfonated gelling agent polysaccharide selected from the group consisting of sulfonated galactomannan gums and sulfonated cellulose.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is a sulfonated gelling agent galactomannan gum selected from the group consisting of sulfonated guar gum, sulfonated gum arabic, sulfonated gum ghatti, sulfonated gum karaya, sulfonated tamarind gum and sulfonated locust bean gum.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is a sulfonated gelling agent polysaccharide derivative selected from the group consisting of sulfonated carboxyalkyl derivatives of guar, sulfonated hydroxyalkyl derivatives of guar and sulfonated cellulose derivatives.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is a sulfonated gelling agent cellulose derivative selected from the group consisting of sulfonated carboxymethylcellulose, sulfonated carboxymethylhydroxyethylcellulose, sulfonated hydroxyethylcellulose, sulfonated methylhydroxypropylcellulose, sulfonated methylcellulose, sulfonated ethylcellulose, sulfonated propylcellulose, sulfonated ethylcarboxymethylcellulose, sulfonated methylethylcellulose and sulfonated hydroxypropylmethylcellulose.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is sulfonated guar.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is a sulfonated hydroxypropyl guar derivative.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is present in said aqueous treating fluid composition in an amount in the range of from about 20 lbs to about 60 lbs per 1000 gal of said aqueous treating fluid composition.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said treating fluid composition further comprises a crosslinking agent.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said crosslinking agent is selected from the group consisting of boron compounds, compounds that supply zirconium IV ions, compounds that supply titanium IV ions, aluminum compounds and compounds that supply antimony ions.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said crosslinking agent is present in said aqueous treating fluid composition in an amount in the range of from about about 2 lbs to about 40 lbs per 1000 gal of said aqueous treating fluid composition.  
     
     
         16 . A method of forming one or more fractures in a subterranean zone penetrated by a well bore comprising the steps of: 
 (a) preparing or providing an aqueous fracturing fluid composition comprising water and a high ionic strength sulfonated gelling agent polymer; and    (b) introducing said aqueous fracturing fluid composition into said subterranean zone at a rate and pressure sufficient to form one or more fractures therein.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said water is selected from the group consisting of fresh water and salt water.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is selected from the group consisting of sulfonated gelling agent biopolymers, sulfonated synthetic gelling agent polymers, sulfonated gelling agent polysaccharides and sulfonated gelling agent polysaccharide derivatives.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is a sulfonated gelling agent biopolymer selected from the group consisting of sulfonated xanthan and sulfonated succinoglycon.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is a sulfonated synthetic gelling agent polymer selected from the group consisting of sulfonated polyvinyl alcohol, sulfonated polyacrylamide, sulfonated polyacrylate and sulfonated polyacrilamide/acrylic acid copolymers.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is a sulfonated gelling agent polysaccharide selected from the group consisting of sulfonated galactomannan gums and sulfonated cellulose.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is a sulfonated gelling agent galactomannan gum selected from the group consisting of sulfonated guar gum, sulfonated gum arabic, sulfonated gum ghatti, sulfonated gum karaya, sulfonated tamarind gum and sulfonated locust bean gum.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is a sulfonated gelling agent polysaccharide derivative selected from the group consisting of sulfonated carboxyalkyl derivatives of guar, sulfonated hydroxyalkyl derivatives of guar and sulfonated cellulose derivatives.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is a sulfonated gelling agent cellulose derivative selected from the group consisting of sulfonated carboxymethylcellulose, sulfonated carboxymethylhydroxyethylcellulose, sulfonated hydroxyethylcellulose, sulfonated methylhydroxypropylcellulose, sulfonated methylcellulose, sulfonated ethylcellulose, sulfonated propylcellulose, sulfonated ethylcarboxymethylcellulose, sulfonated methylethylcellulose and sulfonated hydroxypropylmethylcellulose.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said sulfonated polymer is sulfonated guar.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said sulfonated polymer is a sulfonated hydroxypropyl guar derivative.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is present in said aqueous fracturing fluid composition in an amount in the range of from about 20 lbs to about 60 lbs per 1000 gal of said aqueous fracturing fluid composition.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said aqueous fracturing fluid composition further comprises a crosslinking agent.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein said crosslinking agent is selected from the group consisting of boron compounds, compounds that supply zirconium IV ions, compounds that supply titanium IV ions, aluminum compounds and compounds that supply antimony ions.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28  wherein said crosslinking agent is present in said fracturing fluid composition in an amount in the range of from about 2 lbs to about 40 lbs per 1000 gal of said fracturing fluid composition.  
     
     
         31 . An aqueous treating fluid composition for treating a subterranean formation comprising water and a high ionic strength sulfonated polymer.  
     
     
         32 . The composition of  claim 31  wherein said water is selected from the group consisting of fresh water and salt water.  
     
     
         33 . The composition of  claim 31  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is selected from the group consisting of sulfonated gelling agent biopolymers, sulfonated synthetic gelling agent polymers, sulfonated gelling agent polysaccharides and sulfonated gelling agent polysaccharide derivatives.  
     
     
         34 . The composition of  claim 31  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is a sulfonated gelling agent biopolymer selected from the group consisting of sulfonated xanthan and sulfonated succinoglycon.  
     
     
         35 . The composition of  claim 31  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is a sulfonated synthetic gelling agent polymer selected from the group consisting of sulfonated polyvinyl alcohol, sulfonated polyacrylamide, sulfonated polyacrylate and sulfonated polyacrilamide/acrylic acid copolymers.  
     
     
         36 . The composition of  claim 31  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is a sulfonated gelling agent polysaccharide selected from the group consisting of sulfonated galactomannan gums and sulfonated cellulose.  
     
     
         37 . The composition of  claim 31  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is a sulfonated gelling agent galactomannan gum selected from the group consisting of sulfonated guar gum, sulfonated gum arabic, sulfonated gum ghatti, sulfonated gum karaya, sulfonated tamarind gum and sulfonated locust bean gum.  
     
     
         38 . The composition of  claim 31  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is a sulfonated gelling agent polysaccharide derivative selected from the group consisting of sulfonated carboxyalkyl derivatives of guar, sulfonated hydroxyalkyl derivatives of guar and sulfonated cellulose derivatives.  
     
     
         39 . The composition of  claim 31  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is a sulfonated gelling agent cellulose derivative selected from the group consisting of sulfonated carboxymethylcellulose, sulfonated carboxymethylhydroxyethylcellulose, sulfonated hydroxyethylcellulose, sulfonated methylhydroxypropylcellulose, sulfonated methylcellulose, sulfonated ethylcellulose, sulfonated propylcellulose, sulfonated ethylcarboxymethylcellulose, sulfonated methylethylcellulose and sulfonated hydroxypropylmethylcellulose.  
     
     
         40 . The composition of  claim 31  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is sulfonated guar.  
     
     
         41 . The composition of  claim 31  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is a sulfonated hydroxypropyl guar derivative.  
     
     
         42 . The composition of  claim 31  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is present in an amount in the range of from about 20 lbs to about 60 lbs per 1000 gal of said composition.  
     
     
         43 . The composition of  claim 31  wherein said aqueous treating fluid composition further comprises a crosslinking agent.  
     
     
         44 . The composition of  claim 43  wherein said crosslinking agent is selected from the group consisting of boron compounds, compounds that supply -zirconium IV ions, compounds that supply titanium IV ions, aluminum compounds and compounds that supply antimony ions.  
     
     
         45 . The composition of  claim 43  wherein said crosslinking agent is present in said treating fluid composition in an amount in the range of from about 2 lbs to about 40 lbs per 1000 gal of said composition.  
     
     
         46 . A high ionic strength sulfonated gelling agent polymer selected from the group consisting of sulfonated biopolymers, sulfonated synthetic gelling agent polymers, sulfonated gelling agent polysaccharides and sulfonated gelling agent polysacchride derivatives.  
     
     
         47 . The gelling agent polymer of  claim 46  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is a sulfonated gelling agent biopolymer selected from the group consisting of sulfonated xanthan and sulfonated succinoglycon.  
     
     
         48 . The gelling agent polymer of  claim 46  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is a sulfonated synthetic gelling agent polymer selected from the group consisting of sulfonated polyvinyl alcohol, sulfonated polyacrylamide, sulfonated polyacrylate and sulfonated polyacrilamide/acrylic acid copolymers.  
     
     
         49 . The gelling agent polymer of  claim 46  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is a sulfonated gelling agent polysaccharide selected from the group consisting of sulfonated galactomannan gums and sulfonated cellulose.  
     
     
         50 . The gelling agent polymer of  claim 46  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is a sulfonated gelling agent galactomannan gum selected from the group consisting of sulfonated guar gum, sulfonated gum arabic, sulfonated gum ghatti, sulfonated gum karaya, sulfonated tamarind gum and sulfonated locust bean gum.  
     
     
         51 . The gelling agent polymer of  claim 46  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is a sulfonated gelling agent polysaccharide derivative selected from the group consisting of sulfonated carboxyalkyl derivatives of guar, sulfonated hydroxyalkyl derivatives of guar and sulfonated cellulose derivatives.  
     
     
         52 . The gelling agent polymer of  claim 46  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is a sulfonated gelling agent cellulose derivative selected from the group consisting of sulfonated carboxymethylcellulose, sulfonated carboxymethylhydroxyethylcellulose, sulfonated hydroxyethylcellulose, sulfonated methylhydroxypropylcellulose, sulfonated methylcellulose, sulfonated ethylcellulose, sulfonated propylcellulose, sulfonated ethylcarboxymethylcellulose, sulfonated methylethylcellulose and sulfonated hydroxypropylmethylcellulose.  
     
     
         53 . The gelling agent polymer of  claim 46  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is sulfonated guar.  
     
     
         54 . The gelling agent polymer of  claim 46  wherein said sulfonated gelling agent polymer is a sulfonated hydroxypropyl guar derivative.