Polyurethane activator-breaker fluid system

Abstract

A combined activator-breaker fluid system is effective in oil and gas field applications to essentially simultaneously activate or deploy a shape-memory material and at least partially remove a polymeric filter cake left by a drilling mud, all in one step or trip.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of installing a wellbore device on a downhole tool in a subterranean formation while at least partially removing a polymer filter cake in proximity thereto, the method comprising:
 positioning a downhole tool in a wellbore in proximity to the subterranean formation where a polymer filter cake has been formed adjacent thereto, the downhole tool comprising at least one shape-memory material;   introducing a composition into the wellbore to contact the at least one shape-memory material and the polymer filter cake, where the composition comprises at least one plasticizer and at least one polymer filter cake breaker; and   essentially simultaneously deploying the at least one shape-memory material and at least partially removing the polymer filter cake with the composition.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  where the at least one shape-memory material is selected from the group consisting of a polyurethane, a polyurethane made by reacting a polycarbonate polyol with a polyisocyanate, a polystyrene, a polyethylene, an epoxy, a rubber, a fluoroelastomers, a nitrile, a polymer made from ethylene propylene diene monomers (EPDM), a polyamide, a polyurea, a polyvinyl alcohol, a vinyl alcohol-vinyl ester copolymer, a phenolic polymer, a polybenzimidazole, a polyethylene oxide/acrylic acid/methacrylic acid copolymer crosslinked with N,N′-methylene-bis-acrylamide, a polyethylene oxide/methacrylic acid/N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone copolymer crosslinked with ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, a polyethylene oxide/poly(methyl methacrylate)/N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone copolymer crosslinked with ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  where the at least one plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of methanol, methyl ethyl ketone, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, toluene, isopropyl alcohol, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  where the at least one polymer filter cake breaker is selected from the group consisting of enzymes, oxidizers and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  where the composition comprises:
 from about 1 to about 10 volume % of the at least one plasticizer; and 
 from about 1 to about 6 volume % of the at least one polymer filter cake breaker. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising displacing a previously placed fluid prior to introducing the composition, where the previously placed fluid is selected from the group consisting of a solids free mud, a completion brine, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising producing hydrocarbons from the formation through the wellbore where the deployed shape-memory material prevents the undesirable production of solids from the formation but allows the desirable production of hydrocarbons and at least some remnants of the polymer filter cake. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  where the method is accomplished with one trip of a drill string into the wellbore. 
     
     
         9 . A method of installing a wellbore device on a downhole tool in a subterranean formation while at least partially removing a polymer filter cake in proximity thereto, the method comprising:
 positioning a downhole tool in a wellbore in proximity to the subterranean formation where a polymer filter cake has been formed adjacent thereto, the downhole tool comprising at least one shape-memory material;   introducing a composition into the wellbore to contact the at least one shape-memory material and the polymer filter cake, where the composition comprises:
 at least one plasticizer selected from the group consisting of methanol, methyl ethyl ketone, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, toluene, isopropyl alcohol, and combinations thereof, and 
 at least one polymer filter cake breaker selected from the group consisting of enzymes, oxidizers and combinations thereof; and 
   essentially simultaneously deploying the at least one shape-memory material and at least partially removing the polymer filter cake with the composition.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  where the at least one shape-memory material is selected from the group consisting of a polyurethane, a polyurethane made by reacting a polycarbonate polyol with a polyisocyanate, a polystyrene, a polyethylene, an epoxy, a rubber, a fluoroelastomers, a nitrile, a polymer made from ethylene propylene diene monomers (EPDM), a polyamide, a polyurea, a polyvinyl alcohol, a vinyl alcohol-vinyl ester copolymer, a phenolic polymer, a polybenzimidazole, a polyethylene oxide/acrylic acid/methacrylic acid copolymer crosslinked with N,N′-methylene-bis-acrylamide, a polyethylene oxide/methacrylic acid/N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone copolymer crosslinked with ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, a polyethylene oxide/poly(methyl methacrylate)/N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone copolymer crosslinked with ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  where the composition comprises:
 from about 1 to about 10 volume % of the at least one plasticizer; and 
 from about 1 to about 6 volume % of the at least one polymer filter cake breaker. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising displacing a previously placed fluid prior to introducing the composition, where the previously placed fluid is selected from the group consisting of a solids free mud, a completion brine, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising producing hydrocarbons from the formation through the wellbore where the deployed shape-memory material prevents the undesirable production of solids from the formation but allows the desirable production of hydrocarbons and at least some remnants of the polymer filter cake. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9  where the method is accomplished with one trip of a drill string into the wellbore. 
     
     
         15 . A method of installing a wellbore device on a downhole tool in a subterranean formation while at least partially removing a polymer filter cake in proximity thereto, the method comprising:
 positioning a downhole tool in a wellbore in proximity to the subterranean formation where a polymer filter cake has been formed adjacent thereto, the downhole tool comprising at least one shape-memory material;   introducing a composition into the wellbore to contact the at least one shape-memory material and the polymer filter cake, where the composition comprises
 from about 1 to about 10 volume % of at least one plasticizer, and 
 from about 1 to about 6 volume % of at least one polymer filter cake breaker; and 
   essentially simultaneously deploying the at least one shape-memory material and at least partially removing the polymer filter cake;   
       where the method is accomplished with one trip of a drill string into the wellbore with the composition. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  where the at least one shape-memory material is selected from the group consisting of a polyurethane, a polyurethane made by reacting a polycarbonate polyol with a polyisocyanate, a polystyrene, a polyethylene, an epoxy, a rubber, a fluoroelastomers, a nitrile, a polymer made from ethylene propylene diene monomers (EPDM), a polyamide, a polyurea, a polyvinyl alcohol, a vinyl alcohol-vinyl ester copolymer, a phenolic polymer, a polybenzimidazole, a polyethylene oxide/acrylic acid/methacrylic acid copolymer crosslinked with N,N′-methylene-bis-acrylamide, a polyethylene oxide/methacrylic acid/N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone copolymer crosslinked with ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, a polyethylene oxide/poly(methyl methacrylate)/N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone copolymer crosslinked with ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  where the at least one plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of methanol, methyl ethyl ketone, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, toluene, isopropyl alcohol, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  where the at least one polymer filter cake breaker is selected from the group consisting of enzymes, oxidizers and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising displacing a previously placed fluid prior to introducing the composition, where the previously placed fluid is selected from the group consisting of a solids free mud, a completion brine, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising producing hydrocarbons from the formation through the wellbore where the deployed shape-memory material prevents the undesirable production of solids from the formation but allows the desirable production of hydrocarbons and at least some remnants of the polymer filter cake.