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Publication Number
US-11066595-B2
Publication Date
2021-07-20
Expiration Date
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to biocide compositions, formulations and methods for using formulations. In particular the present disclosure relates to biocide compositions and their use in effecting biocidal activity in subterranean oil and gas wells being drilled, completed, worked over or produced.
Core Innovation
The disclosure addresses reducing bacterial population in a gas or oil well by treating the well with an aqueous, oxidizing biocide. The biocide comprises a stabilized hypochlorous acid solution having a pH of at least 11 and a water soluble bromide ion source. The oxidizing biocide contains about 1% by weight to about 20% by weight of a chlorine source, about 1% by weight to about 20% by weight of a stabilizer, about 5% by weight to about 10% by weight of a base, about 0.1% by weight to about 15% by weight of a water soluble bromide ion source, and about 35% by weight to about 92.9% by weight of water.
The approach further ties the biocide to well-fluid contexts where downhole and flowback water may include one or more compositions comprising crosslinkers, gelling agents, friction reducers, or surfactants. The biocide is positioned for biocidal activity and control of bacteria and biofilms in well fluids and well systems, with documented performance including chlorine residual persistency and bacterial knockdown.
A related aspect of the disclosure treats flowback water from a gas or oil well with the same type of aqueous, oxidizing biocide. The flowback water is treated with the stabilized hypochlorous acid solution and a water soluble bromide ion source, with specified ranges for the chlorine source, stabilizer, base, bromide ion source, and water, and formulation examples include Biocide A comprising 6.7% chlorine and 1.5% sodium bromide.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims cover three core inventive objects: a process for reducing a bacterial population in a gas or oil well, a process for treating flowback water in a gas or oil well, and a composition for use in drilling, completion, work over, or production of subterranean oil and gas wells. Across these claims, the inventive coverage centers on a stabilized hypochlorous acid solution at pH of at least 11 combined with a water soluble bromide ion source and specified component weight ranges, optionally used with downhole and flowback waters containing crosslinkers, gelling agents, friction reducers, or surfactants.
Stabilized hypochlorous acid biocide with bromide ion source at pH ≥ 11
Treating the gas or oil well with an aqueous, oxidizing biocide comprising a stabilized hypochlorous acid solution having a pH of at least 11 and a water soluble bromide ion source, the biocide containing about 1% by weight to about 20% by weight of a chlorine source, about 1% by weight to about 20% by weight of a stabilizer, about 5% by weight to about 10% by weight of a base, about 0.1% by weight to about 15% by weight of a water soluble bromide ion source, and about 35% by weight to about 92.9% by weight of water.
Compatibility with crosslinkers, gelling agents, friction reducers, or surfactants present in well compositions
The oil or gas well contains one or more compositions wherein the one or more compositions comprise one or more crosslinkers, gelling agents, friction reducers, or surfactants.
Treating flowback water with stabilized hypochlorous acid biocide and bromide ion source
Treating the flowback water with an aqueous, oxidizing biocide comprising a stabilized hypochlorous acid solution having a pH of at least 11 and a water soluble bromide ion source, wherein the aqueous, oxidizing biocide contains about 1% by weight to about 20% by weight of a chlorine source, about 1% by weight to about 20% by weight of a stabilizer, about 5% by weight to about 10% by weight of a base, about 0.1% by weight to about 15% by weight of a water soluble bromide ion source, and about 35% by weight to about 92.9% by weight of water.
Flowback water includes crosslinker, gelling agent, friction reducer, or surfactant compositions
The flowback water comprises one or more crosslinker, gelling agent, friction reducer, or surfactant.
Well-treatment composition using downhole and flowback water plus stabilized hypochlorous acid biocide
A composition for use in the drilling, completion, work over or production of subterranean oil and gas wells comprising downhole and flowback water in a gas or oil well and an aqueous, oxidizing biocide comprising a stabilized hypochlorous acid solution having a pH of at least 11 and a water soluble bromide ion source, wherein the aqueous, oxidizing biocide contains about 1% by weight to about 20% by weight of a chlorine source, about 1% by weight to about 20% by weight of a stabilizer, about 5% by weight to about 10% by weight of a base, about 0.1% by weight to about 15% by weight of a water soluble bromide ion source, and about 35% by weight to about 92.9% by weight of water.
Downhole and flowback water includes crosslinker, gelling agent, friction reducer, or surfactant
The downhole and flowback water comprises one or more crosslinker, gelling agent, friction reducer, or surfactant.
Across the independent claims, the main inventive subject matter is the use of an aqueous, oxidizing biocide based on a stabilized hypochlorous acid solution at pH of at least 11 together with a water soluble bromide ion source and defined weight percentage ranges for chlorine source, stabilizer, base, bromide source, and water, used in gas or oil well contexts where downhole and flowback water also contains crosslinkers, gelling agents, friction reducers, or surfactants.
Stated Advantages
Provides a chlorine residual for up to about 24 hours after treatment.
Documented Applications
Reducing a bacterial population in a gas or oil well.
Treating flowback water in a gas or oil well.
Drilling, completion, work over or production of subterranean oil and gas wells using a composition comprising downhole and flowback water with the oxidizing biocide.
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