Use of nanoparticles as lubricity additive in well fluids

Abstract

A use of nanoparticles in a well fluid for improved lubricity is disclosed herein. The nanoparticles are present in the well fluid in low amounts below 5 wt %. The nanoparticles may be formed ex situ and added to the fluid or in situ in the fluid. In one aspect, the well fluid is a drilling fluid. In a further aspect, the well fluid is an invert emulsion based fluid or an aqueous based fluid.

1 . A use of nanoparticles as a lubricity additive for a well fluid, wherein the well fluid comprises a base fluid and the nanoparticles are present in an amount of about 5 wt % or less. 
     
     
         2 . The use of  claim 1  wherein the well fluid is a drilling fluid. 
     
     
         3 . The use of  claim 1  wherein the base fluid comprises an aqueous base fluid or an invert emulsion base fluid. 
     
     
         4 . The use of  claim 1  wherein the nanoparticles are present in an amount of between 0.1 wt % and 4 wt %. 
     
     
         5 . The use of  claim 4  wherein the nanoparticles are present in an amount of between 1 wt % to 4 wt %. 
     
     
         6 . The use of  claim 1  wherein the nanoparticles have a particle size between about 1 and 120 nm. 
     
     
         7 . The use of  claim 6  wherein the nanoparticles have a particle size between about 1 and 30 nm. 
     
     
         8 . The use of  claim 1  wherein the nanoparticles are selected from the group consisting of metal hydroxide, metal oxide, metal carbonate, metal sulfide, metal sulfate, and a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The use of  claim 8  wherein the nanoparticles are selected from the group consisting of iron hydroxide, iron oxide, calcium carbonate, iron sulfide, barium sulfate and a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The use of  claim 9  wherein the nanoparticles are iron oxide formed from iron hydroxide in high pressure high temperature conditions in the underground formation. 
     
     
         11 . The use of  claim 1  wherein the nanoparticles are formed ex situ by the method of providing aqueous-based precursor solutions for forming the nanoparticles, mixing the precursor solutions under high shear and adding the mixed precursor solutions to the base fluid, to form the nanoparticle-containing fluid. 
     
     
         12 . The use of  claim 1  wherein the nanoparticles are formed in situ in the fluid by the method of providing powder precursor salts for forming the nanoparticles, adding the powder precursor salts to the base fluid and subjecting the fluid to mixing and shear to form the nanoparticle-containing fluid. 
     
     
         13 . The use of  claim 1  wherein the nanoparticles are in formed in situ in the fluid by the method of providing aqueous-based precursor solutions for forming the nanoparticles, adding the precursor solutions to the base fluid, and subjecting the fluid to mixing and shear to form the nanoparticle-containing fluid. 
     
     
         14 . The use of  claim 8  wherein the nanoparticles are iron (III) hydroxide. 
     
     
         15 . The use of  claim 11  or  13  wherein the aqueous-based precursor solutions comprise:
 a. an aqueous based solution containing FeCl 3(aq)  and an aqueous based solution containing NaOH (aq) ; 
 b. an aqueous-based solution containing Ca(NO) 3  and an aqueous based solution containing Na 2 CO 3 ; 
 c. an aqueous-based solution containing BaCl 2  and an aqueous based solution containing Na 2 SO 4 ; or 
 d. an aqueous-based solution containing Na 2 S and an aqueous based solution containing FeCl 2 . 
 
     
     
         16 . The use of  claim 1  wherein the fluid is used for drilling in an underground formation. 
     
     
         17 . The use of  claim 2  wherein the drilling fluid further comprises other additives comprising weighting agents, emulsifiers, foaming agents, and surfactants.