Electrically conductive oil-based fluids

Abstract

At least one petroleum coke may be added to an oil-based fluid to improve the electrical conductivity of the oil-based fluid. The oil-based fluid may be a drilling fluid, a completion fluid, a drill-in fluid, a stimulation fluid, a servicing fluid, and combinations thereof. In a non-limiting embodiment, the downhole fluid composition may be circulated in a subterranean reservoir wellbore.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 circulating a downhole fluid composition into a subterranean reservoir wellbore; wherein the downhole fluid composition comprises:
 an oil-based emulsion; 
 at least one petroleum coke in an effective amount to improve the electrical conductivity of the downhole fluid, and the at least one petroleum coke is in particle form, wherein the at least one petroleum coke has been treated with a metallic salt selected from the group consisting of metal halides, metal nitrites, quaternary ammonium salts, metal nitrates, and combinations thereof; and 
 at least one surfactant to the oil-based emulsion in an amount effective to suspend the at least one petroleum coke in the oil-based emulsion. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising operating a downhole tool at the same time or different time as circulating the downhole fluid composition. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one petroleum coke is calcined petroleum coke. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the amount of the at least one petroleum coke ranges from about 0.05 wt % to about 25 wt % based on the total fluid composition. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the size of the at least one petroleum coke particles ranges from about 10 nm to about 1,000 microns. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  where the downhole fluid composition is made by a process comprising in any order:
 adding an effective amount of at least one petroleum coke in particle form to an oil-based emulsion to form a downhole fluid composition having improved electrical conductivity; wherein he at least one petroleum coke is in particle form; and 
 adding the at least one surfactant to the oil-based emulsion. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  where the method improves electrical conductivity of the downhole fluid composition by a decrease in resistivity from 3 to 9 orders of magnitude. 
     
     
         8 . A method comprising:
 circulating a downhole fluid composition into a subterranean reservoir wellbore; wherein the downhole fluid composition comprises:
 an oil-based emulsion; 
 from about 0.05 wt % to about 25 wt % based on the total fluid composition of at least one petroleum coke in an effective amount to improve the electrical conductivity of the downhole fluid, and the at least one petroleum coke is in particle form, wherein the at least one petroleum coke has been treated with a metallic salt selected from the group consisting of metal halides, metal nitrites, quaternary ammonium salts, metal nitrates, and combinations thereof, and wherein the size of the at least one petroleum coke particles ranges from about 10 nm to about 1,000 microns; and 
 at least one surfactant to the oil-based emulsion in an amount effective to suspend the at least one petroleum coke in the oil-based emulsion. 
   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising operating a downhole tool at the same time or different time as circulating the downhole fluid composition. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one petroleum coke is calcined petroleum coke. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  where the downhole fluid composition is made by a process comprising in any order:
 adding an effective amount of at least one petroleum coke in particle form to an oil-based emulsion to form a downhole fluid composition having improved electrical conductivity; wherein he at least one petroleum coke is in particle form; and 
 adding the at least one surfactant to the oil-based emulsion. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  where the method improves electrical conductivity of the downhole fluid composition by a decrease in resistivity from 3 to 9 orders of magnitude. 
     
     
         13 . A method comprising:
 circulating a downhole fluid composition into a subterranean reservoir wellbore; wherein the downhole fluid composition comprises:
 an oil-based emulsion; 
 at least one petroleum coke in an effective amount to improve the electrical conductivity of the downhole fluid, and the at least one petroleum coke is in particle form, wherein the at least one petroleum coke has been treated with a metallic salt selected from the group consisting of metal halides, metal nitrites, quaternary ammonium salts, metal nitrates, and combinations thereof; and 
 at least one surfactant to the oil-based emulsion in an amount effective to suspend the at least one petroleum coke in the oil-based emulsion; and 
   operating a downhole tool at the same time or different time as circulating the downhole fluid composition;   
       where the method improves electrical conductivity of the downhole fluid composition by a decrease in resistivity from 3 to 9 orders of magnitude. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one petroleum coke is calcined petroleum coke. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the amount of the at least one petroleum coke ranges from about 0.05 wt % to about 25 wt % based on the total fluid composition. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the size of the at least one petroleum coke particles ranges from about 10 nm to about 1,000 microns. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13  where the downhole fluid composition is made by a process comprising in any order:
 adding an effective amount of at least one petroleum coke in particle form to an oil-based emulsion to form a downhole fluid composition having improved electrical conductivity; wherein he at least one petroleum coke is in particle form; and 
 adding the at least one surfactant to the oil-based emulsion.