John Joseph Willingham

US Patent:

7347266, Mar 25, 2008

Filed:

Sep 8, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/517688

Inventors:

James B. Crews - Willis TX, US
John R. Willingham - Cypress TX, US

Assignee:

Baker Hughes Incorporated - Houston TX

International Classification:

E21B 43/27

US Classification:

166300, 166303

Abstract:

Fluids viscosified with viscoelastic surfactants (VESs) may have their viscosities reduced (gels broken) by the direct or indirect action of a breaker composition that contains at least one mineral oil, at least one polyalphaolefin oil, and/or at least one saturated fatty acid. The breaker may initially be dispersed oil droplets in an internal, discontinuous phase of the fluid. In one non-limiting embodiment, the breaker, e. g. mineral oil is added to the fluid after it has been substantially gelled. The breaking composition is believed to act possibly by rearranging, disaggregating or otherwise attacking the micellar structure of the VES-gelled fluid in a non-spontaneous, rate controlled manner at elevated fluid temperatures. In a specific, non-limiting instance, a brine fluid gelled with an amine oxide surfactant can have its viscosity broken with a light, low viscosity paraffinic mineral oil.

US Patent:

7723272, May 25, 2010

Filed:

Feb 26, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/679018

Inventors:

James B. Crews - Willis TX, US
Tianping Huang - Spring TX, US
Allen D. Gabrysch - Houston TX, US
James H. Treadway - Magnolia TX, US
John R. Willingham - Cypress TX, US
Patrick A. Kelly - Conroe TX, US
William R. Wood - Spring TX, US

Assignee:

Baker Hughes Incorporated - Houston TX

International Classification:

C09K 8/582
C09K 8/584
C09K 8/86

US Classification:

507201, 507239, 507240, 507241, 507244, 507245, 507260, 507265, 507269, 507271, 507272, 166246, 166283, 1663051, 1663082

Abstract:

Viscoelastic surfactant (VES) gelled aqueous fluids containing water, a VES, an internal breaker, a VES stabilizer, a fluid loss control agent and a viscosity enhancer are useful as treating fluids and particularly as fracturing fluids for subterranean formations. These VES-based fluids have faster and more complete clean-up than polymer-based fracturing fluids. The use of an internal breaker permits ready removal of the unique VES micelle based pseudo-filter cake with several advantages including reducing the typical VES loading and total fluid volume since more VES fluid stays within the fracture, generating a more optimum fracture geometry for enhanced reservoir productivity, and treating reservoirs with permeability above the present VES limit of approximately 400 md to at least 2000 md.

US Patent:

8188015, May 29, 2012

Filed:

May 19, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/783182

Inventors:

James B. Crews - Willis TX, US
Tianping Huang - Spring TX, US
Allen D. Gabrysch - Houston TX, US
James H. Treadway - Magnolia TX, US
John R. Willingham - Cypress TX, US
Patrick A. Kelly - Conroe TX, US
William R. Wood - Spring TX, US

Assignee:

Baker Hughes Incorporated - Houston TX

International Classification:

C09K 8/582
C09K 8/584
C09K 8/86

US Classification:

507272, 507201, 507239, 507240, 507241, 507244, 507245, 507260, 507265, 507269, 507271, 166246, 166283, 1663051, 1663082

Abstract:

Viscoelastic surfactant (VES) gelled aqueous fluids containing water, a VES, an internal breaker, a VES stabilizer, a fluid loss control agent and a viscosity enhancer are useful as treating fluids and particularly as fracturing fluids for subterranean formations. These VES-based fluids have faster and more complete clean-up than polymer-based fracturing fluids. The use of an internal breaker permits ready removal of the unique VES micelle based pseudo-filter cake with several advantages including reducing the typical VES loading and total fluid volume since more VES fluid stays within the fracture, generating a more optimum fracture geometry for enhanced reservoir productivity, and treating reservoirs with permeability above the present VES limit of approximately 400 md to at least 2000 md.

US Patent:

8278252, Oct 2, 2012

Filed:

Sep 4, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/849820

Inventors:

James B. Crews - Willis TX, US
Tianping Huang - Spring TX, US
James H. Treadway - Magnolia TX, US
John R. Willingham - Cypress TX, US

Assignee:

Baker Hughes Incorporated - Houston TX

International Classification:

C09K 8/58
C09K 8/68

US Classification:

507271, 507240, 507241, 507245, 507272, 507276, 1663051

Abstract:

An aqueous, viscoelastic fluid gelled with a viscoelastic surfactant (VES) is stabilized and improved with an effective amount of an alkaline earth metal oxide, alkaline earth metal hydroxide, alkali metal oxides, alkali metal hydroxides, transition metal oxides, transition metal hydroxides, post-transition metal oxides, and post-transition metal hydroxides. These fluids are more stable and have a reduced or no tendency to precipitate, particularly at elevated temperatures. The additives may reduce the amount of VES required to maintain a given viscosity. These stabilized, enhanced, aqueous viscoelastic fluids may be used as treatment fluids for subterranean hydrocarbon formations, such as in hydraulic fracturing. The particle size of the magnesium oxide or other agent may be nanometer scale, which scale may provide unique particle charges that use chemisorption, crosslinking and/or other chemistries to associate and stabilize the VES fluids.

US Patent:

8551926, Oct 8, 2013

Filed:

Feb 28, 2013

Appl. No.:

13/781276

Inventors:

Tianping Huang - Al Khobar, SA
James B. Crews - Willis TX, US
John R. Willingham - Cypress TX, US
Richard A. Mitchell - Houston TX, US
Kushal Seth - Houston TX, US

Assignee:

Baker Hughes Incorporated - Houston TX

International Classification:

C09K 8/14
E21B 43/16

US Classification:

507267, 166307

Abstract:

Emulsified acids have been used to increase production rates of oil and gas in carbonate reservoirs through acid fracturing and matrix acidizing operations. An emulsifier is used to emulsify the aqueous acid with an oil, usually diesel. Very small particles, such as colloidal clay particles and/or nanoparticles increase the stability of the emulsified acids over an elevated temperature range.

US Patent:

20070244015, Oct 18, 2007

Filed:

Apr 5, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/696840

Inventors:

James B. Crews - Willis TX, US
John R. Willingham - Cypress TX, US

Assignee:

BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED - Houston TX

International Classification:

C09K 8/80

US Classification:

507266

Abstract:

The increased viscosity of aqueous fluids gelled with viscoelastic surfactants (VESs) may be maintained or stabilized by one or more stabilizers added or introduced thereto. The stabilizers are glycols and/or polyols and may stabilize the increased viscosity of VES-gelled fluids effectively over an increased temperature range, e.g. up to 300 F. (149 C.). Even though some VESs used to increase the viscosity of aqueous fluids contain a glycol solvent, the use, addition or introduction of the same or different glycol or a polyol, possibly of increased purity, may improve the viscosity stability of the fluid as a whole.

US Patent:

20080153719, Jun 26, 2008

Filed:

Feb 28, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/039205

Inventors:

James B. CREWS - Willis TX, US
John R. WILLINGHAM - Cypress TX, US

Assignee:

BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED - Houston TX

International Classification:

C09K 8/64

US Classification:

507265

Abstract:

Fluids viscosified with viscoelastic surfactants (VESs) may have their viscosities reduced (gels broken) by the direct or indirect action of a breaker composition that contains at least one mineral oil, at least one polyalphaolefin oil, and/or at least one saturated fatty acid. The breaker may initially be dispersed oil droplets in an internal, discontinuous phase of the fluid. In one non-limiting embodiment, the breaker, e.g. mineral oil is added to the fluid after it has been substantially gelled. The breaking composition is believed to act possibly by rearranging, disaggregating or otherwise attacking the micellar structure of the VES-gelled fluid in a non-spontaneous, rate controlled manner at elevated fluid temperatures. In a specific, non-limiting instance, a brine fluid gelled with an amine oxide surfactant can have its viscosity broken with a light, low viscosity paraffinic mineral oil.

US Patent:

20120267102, Oct 25, 2012

Filed:

Mar 8, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/415505

Inventors:

Tianping Huang - Al Khobar, SA
James B. Crews - Willis TX, US
John R. Willingham - Cypress TX, US
Christopher K. Belcher - Houston TX, US

Assignee:

Baker Hughes Incorporated - Houston TX

International Classification:

C09K 8/62
E21B 43/00
C09K 8/72
C09K 8/60
B82Y 30/00

US Classification:

166279, 507269, 977773

Abstract:

A treating fluid may contain an effective amount of a particulate additive to fixate or reduce fines migration, where the particulate additive is an alkaline earth metal oxide alkaline earth metal hydroxide, alkali metal oxides, alkali metal hydroxides transition metal oxides, transition metal hydroxides, post-transition metal oxides, post-transition metal hydroxides piezoelectric crystals and pyroelectric crystals. The particle size of the magnesium oxide or other agent may be nanometer scale, which scale may provide unique particle charges that help fixate the formation fines. These treating fluids may be used as treatment fluids for subterranean hydrocarbon formations, such as in hydraulic fracturing, completion fluids, gravel packing fluids and fluid loss pills. The carrier fluid used in the treating fluid may be aqueous, brine, alcoholic or hydrocarbon-based.