Alkylated Polyetheramines as Clay Stabilizing Agents

Abstract

The present disclosure provides water-based well treatment fluids for use in treating subterranean formations to prevent swelling and/or migration of fines. The water-based well treatment fluid contains an aqueous continuous phase, a clay stabilizing agent consisting of an alkylated polyetheramine and a weighting material. In addition to inhibiting swelling and/or migration, the water-based well treatment fluids are thermally stable, are toxicologically safe, and have exceptional handling properties.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A water-based well treatment fluid comprising an aqueous continuous phase, a clay stabilizing agent consisting of an alkylated polyetheramine and a weighting material, wherein the alkylated polyetheramine is a compound having a formula (I): 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein: R is C 2 H 4 ,
 R 1  is a straight chain or branched C 1  to C 6  alkyl group, and 
 x is an integer from 1 to 3. 
 
     
     
         2 . The water-based well treatment fluid of  claim 1 , wherein the aqueous continuous phase is selected from fresh water, sea water, brine, a mixture of water and a water soluble organic compound and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The water-based well treatment fluid of  claim 1 , wherein the alkylated polyetheramine is a compound having formula (III) or a compound having the formula (IV): 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
         4 . The water-based well treatment fluid of  claim 1 , wherein the amount of clay stabilizing agent present in the water-based well treatment fluid ranges from about 0.05% to about 0.5% by volume of the water-based well treatment fluid. 
     
     
         5 . The water-based well treatment fluid of  claim 1 , wherein the weighting material is barium sulfate, barite, hematite, iron oxide, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, an organic salt, an inorganic salt or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The water-based well treatment fluid of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more additives. 
     
     
         7 . A process of making a water-based well treatment fluid comprising admixing a clay stabilizing agent consisting of an alkylated polyetheramine, a weighting material and optional additives with an aqueous continuous phase, wherein the alkylated polyetheramine is a compound having a formula (I): 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein: R is C 2 H 4 ,
 R 1  is a straight chain or branched C 1  to C 6  alkyl group, and 
 x is an integer from 1 to 3. 
 
     
     
         8 . A water-based well treatment fluid made according to the process of  claim 7 . 
     
     
         9 . A method of inhibiting the swelling and/or migration of clay subterranean materials encountered during the drilling of a subterranean formation comprising circulating in the subterranean formation a water-based well treatment fluid comprising an aqueous continuous phase, a clay stabilizing agent consisting of an alkylated polyetheramine and a weighting material, wherein the alkylated polyetheramine is a compound having a formula (I): 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein: R is C 2 H 4 ,
 R 1  is a straight chain or branched C 1  to C 6  alkyl group, and 
 x is an integer from 1 to 3. 
 
     
     
         10 . A method of extracting oil from an oil containing subterranean formation comprising:
 providing through a first borehole, a pressurized water-based well treatment fluid comprising an aqueous continuous phase, a clay stabilizing agent consisting of an alkylated polyetheramine and a weighting material, wherein the alkylated polyetheramine is a compound having a formula (I):   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein: R is C 2 H 4 ,
 R 1  is a straight chain or branched C 1  to C 6  alkyl group, and 
 x is an integer from 1 to 3; and 
 
         recovering oil from the subterranean formation through a second borehole. 
       
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the subterranean formation was previously hydraulically fractured and oil was previously extracted. 
     
     
         12 . The water-based well treatment fluid of  claim 1 , wherein x is an integer from 1 to 2. 
     
     
         13 . The water-based well treatment fluid of  claim 1 , wherein the weighting material is barium sulfate, barite, hematite, iron oxide, magnesium carbonate, an organic salt, an inorganic salt or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The water-based well treatment fluid of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid further comprises at least one of gel breakers, penetration rate enhancers, corrosion inhibitors, lost circulation fluids, anti-bit balling agents, proppants, and sand for gravel packing.