Inventors:
Robert L. Horton - Sugar Land TX, US
Bethicia Prasek - Houston TX, US
Frederick B. Growcock - Houston TX, US
John W. Vian - Deer Park TX, US
Catalin D. Ivan - Sugar Land TX, US
International Classification:
C09K 8/04
US Classification:
507128, 507129, 507135, 507140, 507237, 507239, 507259, 507271, 507272, 1663051, 175 72
Abstract:
A process to substantially reduce fluid loss in which an appropriate amount of a non-flowing gel of sufficient strength is emplaced to substantially eliminate or reduce loss of the drilling fluid. The gel composition of the process includes: (1) a non-cellulose containing copolymer having vinyl phosphonate co-monomer units which may be incorporated into the polymer by copolymerization with the other co-monomer(s) comprising the polymer or by grafting upon an already existing polymer or co-polymer, (2) a crosslinking agent active upon the phosphonate groups, (3) a crosslinking initiator comprising a Bronsted Lowry base or Lewis base and (4) an aqueous solvent.