Triggering polymerization on-demand for water control downhole

Abstract

Methods of sealing a subterranean formation including introducing a trigger-able fluid, the trigger-able fluid containing an ethylenically unsaturated monomer, into a subterranean formation, and using an electromagnetic trigger unit having a electromagnetic source to initiate polymerization of the ethylenically unsaturated monomer after at least a portion of the trigger-able fluid has permeated into the subterranean formation.

1 . A method of sealing a subterranean formation, comprising:
 permeating at least a portion of a subterranean formation with a trigger-able fluid, wherein the trigger-able fluid comprises an ethylenically unsaturated monomer; and   following the permeating, exposing the trigger-able fluid to electromagnetic radiation generated by an electromagnetic trigger unit comprising an electromagnetic radiation source to initiate polymerization of the ethylenically unsaturated monomer.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ethylenically unsaturated monomer is one or more monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, acrylamide, methacrylic acid, methacrylamide, hydroxyethylacrylate, maleic acid, N,N-diallyldialkyl ammonium halides, diallyldimethyl ammonium chloride, methylene bis-acrylamide, urea, vinyl acetic acid, styrene sulfonic acid, and salts thereof 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein polymerizing the ethylenically unsaturated monomer forms a polymerized structure that reduces permeability of the subterranean formation permeated by the trigger-able fluid by at least about 80%. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein polymers resulting from the polymerization of the ethylenically unsaturated monomer comprise a crosslinkable moiety, and
 the trigger-able fluid further comprises a cross-linking agent capable of crosslinking the polymers resulting from the polymerization of the ethylenically unsaturated monomer to form a three-dimensional network.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the crosslinking agent comprises a functional group selected from the group consisting of an aldehyde, a dialdehyde, a phenol, a substituted phenol, an ether, a polyvalent metal, and a chelated polyvalent metal. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the ethylenically unsaturated monomer is diallyldimethyl ammonium chloride, and the crossing-linking agent is methylene bis acrylamide. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the trigger-able fluid further comprises:
 an agent that delays initiation of the polymerization reaction, and   an initiator selected from the group consisting of water-soluble initiators, a persulfate, an ammonium persulfate, an organic peroxides, an inorganic peroxide, an azo initiator, a 2,2′-azobis(2-amidinopropane)dihydrochloride, a nitroxide, and a disulfide.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation is a microwave. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the polymerized structure has G′ between about 1000 dynes/cm 2  and about 200,000 dynes/cm 2 . 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the trigger-able fluid that has permeated the water-bearing formation is exposed to electromagnetic radiation for an amount of time in the range of from about 5 seconds to about 5 minutes. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the exposing comprises:
 lowering the electromagnetic trigger unit into the wellbore to a position in a vicinity of the trigger-able fluid that has permeated at least a portion of the subterranean formation, and   after the electromagnetic trigger unit is in the vicinity of the trigger-able fluid that has permeated at least a portion of the subterranean formation, initiating polymerization of the ethylenically unsaturated monomer by generating electromagnetic radiation with the electromagnetic trigger.   
     
     
         12 . A method of controlling water in a subterranean formation, comprising:
 introducing a trigger-able fluid comprising one or more ethylenically unsaturated monomers into a wellbore that penetrates a water-bearing subterranean formation, wherein at least some of the trigger-able fluid permeates a portion of the water-bearing subterranean formation; and   after at least a portion of the trigger-able fluid has permeated the water-bearing subterranean formation, initiating polymerization of the ethylenically unsaturated monomer of the trigger-able fluid that permeated the water-bearing subterranean formation by exposing the trigger-able fluid to electromagnetic radiation generated by an electromagnetic trigger unit positioned in the wellbore.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the ethylenically unsaturated monomer is one or more monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, acrylamide, methacrylic acid, methacrylamide, hydroxyethylacrylate, maleic acid, N,N-diallyldialkyl ammonium halides, diallyldimethyl ammonium chloride, methylene bis-acrylamide, urea, vinyl acetic acid, styrene sulfonic acid, and salts thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein polymerizing the ethylenically unsaturated monomer forms a polymerized structure that reduces permeability of the water-bearing subterranean formation permeated by the trigger-able fluid by at least about 80%. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein polymers resulting from the polymerization of the ethylenically unsaturated monomer comprise a crosslinkable moiety, and
 the trigger-able fluid further comprises a cross-linking agent capable of crosslinking the polymers resulting from the polymerization of the ethylenically unsaturated monomer to form a three-dimensional network.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the crosslinking agent comprises a functional group selected from the group consisting of an aldehyde, a dialdehyde, a phenol, a substituted phenol, an ether, a polyvalent metal, and a chelated polyvalent metal. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the ethylenically unsaturated monomer is diallyldimethyl ammonium chloride, and the crossing-linking agent is methylene bis acrylamide. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the trigger-able fluid further comprises:
 an agent that delays initiation of the polymerization reaction, and   initiator selected from the group consisting of water-soluble initiators, a persulfate, an ammonium persulfate, an organic peroxides, an inorganic peroxide, an azo initiator, a 2,2′-azobis(2-amidinopropane)dihydrochloride, a nitroxide, and a disulfide.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation is a microwave. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the polymerized structure has G′ between about 1000 dynes/cm 2  and about 200,000 dynes/cm 2 . 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the portion of the trigger-able fluid that has permeated the water-bearing formation is exposed to electromagnetic radiation for an amount of time in the range of from about 5 seconds to about 5 minutes. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the electromagnetic trigger unit is positioned in the wellbore in the vicinity of the water-bearing subterranean formation before any of the trigger-able fluid has permeated the water-bearing subterranean formation. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the electromagnetic trigger unit is positioned in the wellbore in the vicinity of the water-bearing subterranean formation after at least a portion of the trigger-able fluid has permeated the water-bearing subterranean formation. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising removing the electromagnetic trigger unit from the wellbore. 
     
     
         25 . A method of controlling water in a subterranean formation, comprising:
 introducing a trigger-able fluid into a wellbore that penetrates a water-bearing subterranean formation, the trigger-able fluid comprising:
 diallyldimethyl ammonium chloride, 
 methylene bis acrylamide, 
 an inhibitor, and 
 an initiator selected from the group consisting of water-soluble initiators, a persulfate, an ammonium persulfate, an organic peroxides, an inorganic peroxide, an azo initiator, a 2,2′-azobis(2-amidinopropane)dihydrochloride, a nitroxide, and a disulfide,
 wherein at least some of the trigger-able fluid permeates a portion of the water-bearing subterranean formation; and 
 
   after at least a portion of the trigger-able fluid has permeated the water-bearing subterranean formation, initiating polymerization of the diallyldimethyl ammonium chloride of the trigger-able fluid that permeated the water-bearing subterranean formation by exposing the trigger-able fluid to electromagnetic radiation generated by an electromagnetic trigger unit positioned in the wellbore in the vicinity of the water-bearing subterranean formation.