Dissipative Surfactant Aqueous-Based Drilling System for Use in Hydrocarbon Recovery Operations from Heavy Oil and Tar Sands

Abstract

A water-based drilling fluid which includes an aqueous fluid and a water-soluble dissipative surfactant composition is described, wherein the dissipative surfactant composition includes at least one fatty acid or ester derivative of a plant or vegetable oil. Also described are methods of using such aqueous-based drilling fluids including the dissipative surfactant composition as described in hydrocarbon recovery operations associated with oil/tar sand, where such fluids act to increase the dispersant qualities of hydrocarbons within the oil/tar sand, and where such fluid exhibit a reduced coefficient of friction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A water-based drilling fluid, the drilling fluid comprising:
 an aqueous fluid; and   a water-soluble, dissipative surfactant composition comprising at least one fatty vegetable oil or fatty acid derived from a plant, at least one extreme pressure additive, and at least one ester or diester in an amount ranging from 0 wt. % of the dissipative surfactant composition to about 15 wt. %.   
     
     
         2 . The drilling fluid of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one fatty vegetable oil in the dissipative surfactant comprises at least one of ricinoleic acid, linoleic acid, oleic acid, stearic acid, palmitic acid, dihydroxystearic acid, linolenic acid, and eicosanoic acid. 
     
     
         3 . The drilling fluid of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one fatty acid is a C 14 -C 28  fatty acid. 
     
     
         4 . The drilling fluid of  claim 1 , wherein the plant source of the at least one fatty vegetable oil or fatty acid is selected from the group consisting of plants of the  Brassica  species, including canola and rapeseed, soy, corn, sunflower, cotton, cocoa, safflower, oil palm, coconut palm, flax, castor, peanut, wheat, oat, and rice. 
     
     
         5 . The drilling fluid of  claim 1 , wherein the dissipative surfactant composition is present in about 3%/vol. of the drilling fluid composition. 
     
     
         6 . The drilling fluid of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid acts as a dispersant with regard to the flow of hydrocarbons from an oil/tar sand formation. 
     
     
         7 . The drilling fluid of  claim 1 , wherein the ester or diester is a synthetic or natural C 10  to C 28  ester. 
     
     
         8 . The drilling fluid of  claim 1 , wherein the dissipative surfactant composition further comprises an extreme pressure additive. 
     
     
         9 . The drilling fluid of  claim 8 , wherein the extreme pressure additive is a non-halogenated phosphorus or sulfur-containing compound. 
     
     
         10 . The drilling fluid of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one of a gelling agent, filtration control additive, and an alkaline buffer.   
     
     
         11 . A method of treating a well bore, the method comprising:
 mixing an aqueous fluid and a dissipative surfactant comprising at least one fatty vegetable oil or fatty acid derived from a plant and at least one phosphorus- or sulfur-containing extreme pressure additive, to form a water-based well bore fluid; and   using the water-based well bore fluid during a drilling operation.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one fatty vegetable oil in the dissipative surfactant comprises at least one of ricinoleic acid, linoleic acid, oleic acid, stearic acid, palmitic acid, dihydroxystearic acid, lenolenic acid, and eicosanoic acid. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the ester derivative of the at least one fatty acid is formed from at least one of a mono-, di-, tri-, and polyol. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the ester is a synthetic or natural C 10  to C 28  ester. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the ester derivative of the at least one fatty acid comprises at least one of a sorbitan and a pentaerythritol based ester. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the ester derivative is formed from at least one fatty acid and at least one alcohol in a ratio of at least 1:1. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the dissipative surfactant composition further comprises at least one weighting agent. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one fatty vegetable oil in the dissipative surfactant is obtained from a genetically-modified plant species selected from the group consisting of  Brassica, Helianthus, Glycine max, Zea mays, Crambe , and  Limnanthes  species. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the well bore fluid further comprises at least one of a gelling agent, filtration control additive, and an alkaline buffer. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the drilling operation involves the presence of oil/tar sand. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the use of the fluid acts as a dispersant with regard to the flow of hydrocarbons from an oil/tar sand formation due to those dispersant qualities. 
     
     
         22 . The drilling fluid system of  claim 1 , wherein the dissipative surfactant additive composition improves the lubrication and reduces the coefficient of friction on the water-phase of the drilling fluid. 
     
     
         23 . A method of drilling a subterranean formation utilizing an aqueous-based drilling fluid, wherein the drilling fluid is comprised of an aqueous base fluid and a dissipative surfactant additive system, wherein:
 the dissipative surfactant system comprises:
 a plant or vegetable oil or vegetable oil triglyceride obtained from naturally-occurring or genetically-modified plant species selected from the group consisting of  Brassica, Helianthus, Glycine max, Zea mays, Crambe , and  Limnanthes  species; and 
 a phosphorus- or sulfur-containing friction reducing or extreme pressure additive; 
   wherein the method includes adding an effective amount of the dissipative surfactant system to substantially reduce the coefficient of friction compared to a fluid absent the dissipative surfactant system.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the drilling fluid further comprises a filtration control additive, a gelling agent, an alkaline buffer, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the drilling fluid further comprises a solid weighting agent. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the plant or vegetable oil or vegetable oil triglyceride has an oleic acid content or monounsaturated character of greater than 18%,