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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Chem.
Sec. Molecular Liquids
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fchem.2024.1468766

Hydrophobic association supramolecular gel suitable for oil and gas drilling in fractured formation

Provisionally accepted
Yongquan Han Yongquan Han *Zhixue Yu Zhixue Yu Rui Ma Rui Ma Yuzhou Hu Yuzhou Hu
  • PetroChina Changqing Oilfield Company, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    This paper presents a solution to drilling fluid leakage in gas formations with severe loss circulation during the oil and gas drilling. A supramolecular gel plugging agent, synthesized through micellar copolymerization based on hydrophobic binding, effectively seals cracks and pores in the formation during drilling operations. The agent is synthesized via free radical polymerization of monomers like acrylamide, methyl acrylate, and sodium dodecyl sulfate. Indoor evaluations assess the gelation time, viscoelastic properties, swelling behavior, mechanical properties, and plugging performance of the supramolecular gel, aligning with oil and gas drilling requirements.Results demonstrate controllable gelation time, good viscoelastic recovery with certain shear strain and scanning frequencies, and a compressive stress reaching 3.82 MPa at an 88.3% compression ratio. The supramolecular gel exhibits favorable swelling properties, with equilibrium swelling degrees of 22.1% after 188 min of swelling in a 15% NaCl solution and 32.5% in a 1% NaCl solution. In addition, it exhibits strong bonding capability and effective plugging performance, with over 95% plugging rate, reducing leakage and enhancing efficiency in mid and low-permeability layers. This study is significant for providing guidance on long-term plugging in non-homogenous formations with severe lost circulation issues.

    Keywords: Supramolecular gels, Oil and gas drilling, Viscoelastic properties, Swelling properties, plugging performance Not applicable

    Received: 26 Jul 2024; Accepted: 23 Sep 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Han, Yu, Ma and Hu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Yongquan Han, PetroChina Changqing Oilfield Company, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.