Methods for stabilizing fines contained in subterranean formations

Claim 1

A method of preventing or reducing the migration of fines in a permeable Subterranean Formation comprising: contacting said fines in said permeable structure with an effective amount of an organic copolymer having recurring structural monomer units formed in a random fashion of the formula: ##STR17## wherein X is independently selected from the group consisting of oxygen and NH; R 1 , R 6 , and R 8 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and methyl; R 2 is an alkylene group having 1 to about 4 carbon atoms; R 3 and R 5 are independently selected from the group consisting of methyl and ethyl; R 4 is optionally present and is selected from the group consisting of: (1) an alkyl group having from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms; and (2) a quaternary ammonium group having the general formula: ##STR18## wherein: R 10 is selected from the group consisting of an alkylene group having from about 2 to about 6 carbon atoms and a substituted alkylene group having from about 2 to about 6 carbon atoms and containing a hydroxyl group or from 1 to about 3 ether groups; R 11 , R 12 , and R 13 are independently selected from the group consisting of methyl and ethyl; Y is selected from the group consisting of oxygen and NR 16 wherein R 16 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, methyl and ethyl; R 7 is selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group having from 1 to about 3 carbon atoms; and, ##STR19## wherein: R 14 and R 15 are independently selected from the group consisting of methyl and ethyl; and, R 21 is selected from the group consisting of methylene, ethylene, and trimethylene; R 9 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an alkyl group containing 1 to about 4 carbon atoms, a substituted alkyl group having from 1 to about 4 carbon atoms and containing a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, or --SO 3 J wherein J is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, sodium and potassium, and, ##STR20## wherein R 17 is selected from the group consisting of methylene, ethylene, and trimethylene; and, R 18 , R 19 , and R 20 are independently selected from the group consisting of methyl and ethyl; Z is selected from the group consisting of oxygen and NH and provided further when Z is oxygen, R 9 may further be selected from the group consisting of sodium and potassium; A is an anion selected from the group consisting of chloride, bromide, iodide, methyl sulfate, and sulfate; m is an integer equal to the number of anions required to maintain electronic neutrality; n, r, and s are integers the sum of which equals the total number of monomer units in the copolymer required to give a molecular weight in the range of from about 50,000 to about 1,000,000; and, monomer unit I is present in the range of from about 25 to about 95 mole percent in the copolymer; monomer unit II is present in the range of from about 5 to about 75 mole percent of the copolymer; and, monomer unit III is present in the range of from about 0 to about 35 mole percent of the copolymer.

Claim 2

A method of preventing or reducing the migration of fines in a permeable Subterranean Formation comprising: contacting said fines in said permeable structure with an effective amount of an organic copolymer having recurring structural monomer units formed in a random fashion of the formula: ##STR17## wherein X is independently selected from the group consisting of oxygen and NH; R 1 , R 6 , and R 8 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and methyl; R 2 is an alkylene group having 1 to about 4 carbon atoms; R 3 and R 5 are independently selected from the group consisting of methyl and ethyl; R 4 is optionally present and is selected from the group consisting of: (1) an alkyl group having from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms; and (2) a quaternary ammonium group having the general formula: ##STR18## wherein: R 10 is selected from the group consisting of an alkylene group having from about 2 to about 6 carbon atoms and a substituted alkylene group having from about 2 to about 6 carbon atoms and containing a hydroxyl group or from 1 to about 3 ether groups; R 11 , R 12 , and R 13 are independently selected from the group consisting of methyl and ethyl; Y is selected from the group consisting of oxygen and NR 16 wherein R 16 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, methyl and ethyl; R 7 is selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group having from 1 to about 3 carbon atoms; and, ##STR19## wherein: R 14 and R 15 are independently selected from the group consisting of methyl and ethyl; and, R 21 is selected from the group consisting of methylene, ethylene, and trimethylene; R 9 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an alkyl group containing 1 to about 4 carbon atoms, a substituted alkyl group having from 1 to about 4 carbon atoms and containing a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, or --SO 3 J wherein J is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, sodium and potassium, and, ##STR20## wherein R 17 is selected from the group consisting of methylene, ethylene, and trimethylene; and, R 18 , R 19 , and R 20 are independently selected from the group consisting of methyl and ethyl; Z is selected from the group consisting of oxygen and NH and provided further when Z is oxygen, R 9 may further be selected from the group consisting of sodium and potassium; A is an anion selected from the group consisting of chloride, bromide, iodide, methyl sulfate, and sulfate; m is an integer equal to the number of anions required to maintain electronic neutrality; n, r, and s are integers the sum of which equals the total number of monomer units in the copolymer required to give a molecular weight in the range of from about 50,000 to about 1,000,000; and, monomer unit I is present in the range of from about 25 to about 95 mole percent in the copolymer; monomer unit II is present in the range of from about 5 to about 75 mole percent of the copolymer; and, monomer unit III is present in the range of from about 0 to about 35 mole percent of the copolymer.

Claim 14

A method of treating an earthen formation comprising fines to reduce the loss of permeability in said formation because of the migration of the fines comprising: contacting said formation with an effective amount of an organic copolymer having recurring structural monomer units formed in a random fashion of the formula: ##STR25## wherein: X is selected from the group consisting of oxygen and NH; R 1 , R 6 , and R 8 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and methyl; R 2 is an alkylene group having 1 to about 4 carbon atoms; R 3 and R 5 are independently selected from the group consisting of methyl and ethyl; R 4 is optionally present and is selected from the group consisting of (1) an alkyl group having from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms; and (2) a quaternary ammonium group having the general formula: ##STR26## wherein: R 10 is selected from the group consisting of an alkylene group having from about 2 to about 6 carbon atoms and a substituted alkylene group having from about 2 to about 6 carbon atoms and containing a hydroxyl group or from 1 to about 3 ether groups; R 11 , R 12 , and R 13 are independently selected from the group consisting of methyl and ethyl; Y is selected from the group consisting of oxygen and NR 16 wherein R 16 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, methyl and ethyl; R 7 is selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group having from 1 to about 3 carbon atoms; and, ##STR27## wherein: R 14 and R 15 are independently selected from the group consisting of methyl and ethyl; R 21 is selected from the group consisting of methylene, ethylene, and trimethylene; R 9 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an alkyl group containing 1 to about 4 carbon atoms, a substituted alkyl group having from 1 to about 4 carbon atoms and containing a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, or --SO 3 J wherein J is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, sodium and potassium; and, ##STR28## wherein R 17 is selected from the group consisting of methylene, ethylene, and trimethylene; and, R 18 , R 19 , and R 20 are independently selected from the group consisting of methyl and ethyl; Z is selected from the group consisting of oxygen and NH are provided further when Z is oxygen, R 9 may further be selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, sodium, and potassium; and, A is an anion selected from the group consisting of chloride, bromide, iodide, methyl sulfate, and sulfate; m is an integer equal to the number of anions required to maintain electronic neutrality; n, r, and s are integers the sum of which equals the total number of monomer units in the copolymer required to give a molecular weight in the range of from about 50,000 to about 1,000,000; and, monomer unit I is present in the range of from about 25 to about 95 mole percent in the copolymer; monomer unit II is present in the range of from about 5 to about 75 mole percent of the copolymer; and, monomer; unit III is present in the range of from about 0 to about 35 mole percent of the copolymer.

Claim 15

A method of treating an earthen formation comprising fines to reduce the loss of permeability in said formation because of the migration of the fines comprising: contacting said formation with an effective amount of an organic copolymer having recurring structural monomer units formed in a random fashion of the formula: ##STR25## wherein: X is selected from the group consisting of oxygen and NH; R 1 , R 6 , and R 8 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and methyl; R 2 is an alkylene group having 1 to about 4 carbon atoms; R 3 and R 5 are independently selected from the group consisting of methyl and ethyl; R 4 is optionally present and is selected from the group consisting of (1) an alkyl group having from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms; and (2) a quaternary ammonium group having the general formula: ##STR26## wherein: R 10 is selected from the group consisting of an alkylene group having from about 2 to about 6 carbon atoms and a substituted alkylene group having from about 2 to about 6 carbon atoms and containing a hydroxyl group or from 1 to about 3 ether groups; R 11 , R 12 , and R 13 are independently selected from the group consisting of methyl and ethyl; Y is selected from the group consisting of oxygen and NR 16 wherein R 16 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, methyl and ethyl; R 7 is selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group having from 1 to about 3 carbon atoms; and, ##STR27## wherein: R 14 and R 15 are independently selected from the group consisting of methyl and ethyl; R 21 is selected from the group consisting of methylene, ethylene, and trimethylene; R 9 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an alkyl group containing 1 to about 4 carbon atoms, a substituted alkyl group having from 1 to about 4 carbon atoms and containing a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, or --SO 3 J wherein J is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, sodium and potassium; and, ##STR28## wherein R 17 is selected from the group consisting of methylene, ethylene, and trimethylene; and, R 18 , R 19 , and R 20 are independently selected from the group consisting of methyl and ethyl; Z is selected from the group consisting of oxygen and NH are provided further when Z is oxygen, R 9 may further be selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, sodium, and potassium; and, A is an anion selected from the group consisting of chloride, bromide, iodide, methyl sulfate, and sulfate; m is an integer equal to the number of anions required to maintain electronic neutrality; n, r, and s are integers the sum of which equals the total number of monomer units in the copolymer required to give a molecular weight in the range of from about 50,000 to about 1,000,000; and, monomer unit I is present in the range of from about 25 to about 95 mole percent in the copolymer; monomer unit II is present in the range of from about 5 to about 75 mole percent of the copolymer; and, monomer; unit III is present in the range of from about 0 to about 35 mole percent of the copolymer.