Aggregating compositions, modified particulate metal-oxides, modified formation surfaces, and methods for making and using same

Abstract

A method for treating solid materials is disclosed, where the treating compositions coats surfaces or portions of surfaces of the solid materials changing an aggregation or agglomeration propensity of the materials. Treating composition and treated solid materials are also disclosed. The methods and treated materials are ideally suited for oil field applications.

We claim: 
     
         1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein a pressure of the drilling fluid is operated in an over-balanced pressure condition, an under-balanced pressure condition or a managed pressure condition. 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . A method for drilling comprising the step of:
 while drilling, circulating a drilling fluid, to provide bit lubrication, heat removal and cutting removal, where the drilling fluid includes an aggregating composition including a polymer comprising homopolymers selected from the group consisting of poly-2-vinyl pyridine, poly-4-vinyl pyridine, and mixtures or combinations thereof and copolymers selected from the group consisting of copolymers of 2-vinyl pyridine and 4-vinyl pyridine, copolymers of ethylene and 2-vinyl pyridine and/or 4-vinyl pyridine, copolymers of propylene and 2-vinyl pyridine and/or 4-vinyl pyridine, copolymers of acrylic acid and 2-vinyl pyridine and/or 4-vinyl pyridine, copolymers of methacrylic acid and 2-vinyl pyridine and/or 4-vinyl pyridine, copolymers of acrylates and 2-vinyl pyridine and/or 4-vinyl pyridine, copolymers of methacrylates and 2-vinyl pyridine and/or 4-vinyl pyridine, and mixtures or combinations thereof and where the composition increases an aggregation potential or propensity and/or alters a zeta potential of any particulate solid in the drilling fluid or that becomes entrained in the drilling fluid to increase solids removal.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising a reaction product of an amine and a phosphate-containing compound. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein
 the amine comprises amines having the general formula R 1 ,R 2 NH or mixtures or combinations thereof, where R 1  and R 2  are independently a hydrogen atom or a carbyl group having between about between about 1 and 40 carbon atoms and the required hydrogen atoms to satisfy the valence and where one or more of the carbon atoms can be replaced by one or more hetero atoms selected from the group consisting of boron, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, sulfur or mixture or combinations thereof and where one or more of the hydrogen atoms can be replaced by one or more single valence atoms selected from the group consisting of fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine or mixtures or combinations thereof and   the phosphate-containing compound comprises phosphate acids and esters having the general formula P(O)(OR 3 )(OR 4 )(OR 5 ) or mixture or combinations thereof, where R 3 , R 4 , and OR 5  are independently a hydrogen atom or a carbyl group having between about between about 1 and 40 carbon atoms and the required hydrogen atoms to satisfy the valence and where one or more of the carbon atoms can be replaced by one or more hetero atoms selected from the group consisting of boron, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, sulfur or mixture or combinations thereof and where one or more of the hydrogen atoms can be replaced by one or more single valence atoms selected from the group consisting of fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine or mixtures or combinations thereof or polymeric forms thereof.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein
 the amine is selected from the group consisting of aniline and alkyl anilines or mixtures of alkyl anilines, pyridines and alkyl pyridines or mixtures of alkyl pyridines, pyrrole and alkyl pyrroles or mixtures of alkyl pyrroles, piperidine and alkyl piperidines or mixtures of alkyl piperidines, pyrrolidine and alkyl pyrrolidines or mixtures of alkyl pyrrolidines, indole and alkyl indoles or mixture of alkyl indoles, imidazole and alkyl imidazole or mixtures of alkyl imidazole, quinoline and alkyl quinoline or mixture of alkyl quinoline, isoquinoline and alkyl isoquinoline or mixture of alkyl isoquinoline, pyrazine and alkyl pyrazine or mixture of alkyl pyrazine, quinoxaline and alkyl quinoxaline or mixture of alkyl quinoxaline, acridine and alkyl acridine or mixture of alkyl acridine, pyrimidine and alkyl pyrimidine or mixture of alkyl pyrimidine, quinazoline and alkyl quinazoline or mixture of alkyl quinazoline, or mixtures or combinations thereof.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the phosphate-containing compound comprises phosphate esters of alkanols having the general formula P(O)(OH) x (OR 6 ) y  where x+y=3 and are independently a hydrogen atom or a carbyl group having between about between about 1 and 40 carbon atoms and the required hydrogen atoms to satisfy the valence and where one or more of the carbon atoms can be replaced by one or more hetero atoms selected from the group consisting of boron, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, sulfur or mixture or combinations thereof and where one or more of the hydrogen atoms can be replaced by one or more single valence atoms selected from the group consisting of fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine or mixtures or combinations thereof such as ethoxy phosphate, propoxyl phosphate or higher alkoxy phosphates or mixtures or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the phosphate-containing compound comprises phosphate esters of alkanol amines having the general formula N[R 7 OP(O)(OH) 2 ] 3  where R 7  is a carbenzyl group having between about between about 1 and 40 carbon atoms and the required hydrogen atoms to satisfy the valence and where one or more of the carbon atoms can be replaced by one or more hetero atoms selected from the group consisting of boron, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, sulfur or mixture or combinations thereof and where one or more of the hydrogen atoms can be replaced by one or more single valence atoms selected from the group consisting of fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine or mixtures or combinations thereof group including the tri-phosphate ester of tri-ethanol amine or mixtures or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         40 . A method for drilling comprising the step of:
 while drilling, circulating a first drilling fluid, to provide bit lubrication, heat removal and cutting removal,   upon encountering an underground structure that produces undesirable quantities of particulate solids, changing the first drilling fluid to a second drilling fluid including an aggregating composition comprising a polymer comprising homopolymers selected from the group consisting of poly-2-vinyl pyridine, poly-4-vinyl pyridine, and mixtures or combinations thereof and copolymers selected from the group consisting of copolymers of 2-vinyl pyridine and 4-vinyl pyridine, copolymers of ethylene and 2-vinyl pyridine and/or 4-vinyl pyridine, copolymers of propylene and 2-vinyl pyridine and/or 4-vinyl pyridine, copolymers of acrylic acid and 2-vinyl pyridine and/or 4-vinyl pyridine, copolymers of methacrylic acid and 2-vinyl pyridine and/or 4-vinyl pyridine, copolymers of acrylates and 2-vinyl pyridine and/or 4-vinyl pyridine, copolymers of methacrylates and 2-vinyl pyridine and/or 4-vinyl pyridine, and mixtures or combinations thereof to provide bit lubrication, heat removal and cutting removal and to increase an aggregation potential or decrease the absolute value of a zeta potential of any particulate solids in the drilling fluid or that becomes entrained in the drilling fluid to increase solids removal.   
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising the step of:
 after passing through the structure that produces an undesired quantities of particulate solids, changing the second drilling fluid to the first drilling fluid or to a third drilling fluid.   
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein a pressure of the first drilling fluid, the second drilling fluid and the third drilling fluid are operated in an over-balanced pressure condition, an under-balanced pressure condition, or a managed pressure condition. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the second drilling fluid further comprising a reaction product of an amine and a phosphate-containing compound. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein
 the amine comprises amines having the general formula R 1 ,R 2 NH or mixtures or combinations thereof, where R 1  and R 2  are independently a hydrogen atom or a carbyl group having between about between about 1 and 40 carbon atoms and the required hydrogen atoms to satisfy the valence and where one or more of the carbon atoms can be replaced by one or more hetero atoms selected from the group consisting of boron, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, sulfur or mixture or combinations thereof and where one or more of the hydrogen atoms can be replaced by one or more single valence atoms selected from the group consisting of fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine or mixtures or combinations thereof and   the phosphate-containing compound comprises phosphate acids and esters having the general formula P(O)(OR 3 )(OR 4 )(OR 5 ) or mixture or combinations thereof, where R 3 , R 4 , and OR 5  are independently a hydrogen atom or a carbyl group having between about between about 1 and 40 carbon atoms and the required hydrogen atoms to satisfy the valence and where one or more of the carbon atoms can be replaced by one or more hetero atoms selected from the group consisting of boron, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, sulfur or mixture or combinations thereof and where one or more of the hydrogen atoms can be replaced by one or more single valence atoms selected from the group consisting of fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine or mixtures or combinations thereof or polymeric forms thereof.   
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein
 the amine is selected from the group consisting of aniline and alkyl anilines or mixtures of alkyl anilines, pyridines and alkyl pyridines or mixtures of alkyl pyridines, pyrrole and alkyl pyrroles or mixtures of alkyl pyrroles, piperidine and alkyl piperidines or mixtures of alkyl piperidines, pyrrolidine and alkyl pyrrolidines or mixtures of alkyl pyrrolidines, indole and alkyl indoles or mixture of alkyl indoles, imidazole and alkyl imidazole or mixtures of alkyl imidazole, quinoline and alkyl quinoline or mixture of alkyl quinoline, isoquinoline and alkyl isoquinoline or mixture of alkyl isoquinoline, pyrazine and alkyl pyrazine or mixture of alkyl pyrazine, quinoxaline and alkyl quinoxaline or mixture of alkyl quinoxaline, acridine and alkyl acridine or mixture of alkyl acridine, pyrimidine and alkyl pyrimidine or mixture of alkyl pyrimidine, quinazoline and alkyl quinazoline or mixture of alkyl quinazoline, or mixtures or combinations thereof.   
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the phosphate-containing compound comprises phosphate esters of alkanols having the general formula P(O)(OH)(OR 6 ) y  where x+y=3 and are independently a hydrogen atom or a carbyl group having between about between about 1 and 40 carbon atoms and the required hydrogen atoms to satisfy the valence and where one or more of the carbon atoms can be replaced by one or more hetero atoms selected from the group consisting of boron, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, sulfur or mixture or combinations thereof and where one or more of the hydrogen atoms can be replaced by one or more single valence atoms selected from the group consisting of fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine or mixtures or combinations thereof such as ethoxy phosphate, propoxyl phosphate or higher alkoxy phosphates or mixtures or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the phosphate-containing compound comprises phosphate esters of alkanol amines having the general formula N[R 7 OP(O)(OH) 2 ] 3  where R 7  is a carbenzyl group having between about between about 1 and 40 carbon atoms and the required hydrogen atoms to satisfy the valence and where one or more of the carbon atoms can be replaced by one or more hetero atoms selected from the group consisting of boron, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, sulfur or mixture or combinations thereof and where one or more of the hydrogen atoms can be replaced by one or more single valence atoms selected from the group consisting of fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine or mixtures or combinations thereof group including the tri-phosphate ester of tri-ethanol amine or mixtures or combinations thereof.