- HE® Polymer 300 emulsion

HE^™ Polymer 300 emulsion

HE™ (or “Hostile Environment”) Polymers 100 and 300 are members of a family of synthetic, water soluble polymers of varying composition and molecular weight developed for high-temperature oilfield applications. These polymers are generally available as either powders or invert emulsions.

HE™ Polymer 300 Emulsion is an efficient thickener for a wide variety of fluid types, including fresh water, seawater, brines and acids. It is designed to provide higher thermal stability than other water-soluble polymers. It is an invert (oil-outside phase) emulsion, with the polymer contained in the water phase. This emulsion contains 2.7 lbs of HE^® Polymer 300 in each gallon, or 323 kg/m³.

Advantages of HE^® Polymer 300 Emulsion

Hydrates rapidly in most aqueous systems
Resists thermally induced hydrolysis
Maintains solubility at high temperature
Thickens brines of various compositions
Improves carrying capacity of fluids
Gel able with various organic crosslinkers
High tolerance to changes in pH

Invert Emulsion: Clear to opaque liquid, having an active, partially pre-hydrated polymer content of 32% or 2.72 lb per gallon.

The emulsion polymer is available in 55-gallon drums.

Useful as a thickener or friction reducer in the following brines, or mixtures:

· Fresh Water
· Seawater
· Potassium Chloride
· Potassium Bromide
· Sodium Chloride
· Sodium Chloride – Sodium Carbonate
· Sodium Bromide
· Alkali Metal Formates
· Calcium Chloride
· Calcium Bromide (up to 330º F)
· Zinc Bromide (up to 330º F)

Applications

The HE™ Polymer 300 Emulsion has been utilized as a thickener for brines in drilling and completion applications. The HE™ Polymer 300 Emulsion is readily inverted in most brines, with moderate shear, yielding rheological properties similar to that shown in Figure 1, which describes the polymer’s performance in a 13 lb/gal calcium chloride – calcium bromide brine at 70°F. In the very heavy brines, efficient inversion of the emulsion may require increased shear in mixing or heating of the brine.

Stability

The composition of the HE™ Polymer 300 provides protection against thermal hydrolysis, which allows the polymer to maintain its solubility in high temperature use and to resist precipitation in the presence of multivalent cations. In this Fann 50 test (Figure 2), the thickened calcium chloride – calcium bromide brine was heated incrementally to 300º F. The fluid was kept at each temperature for one hour before proceeding to the next stage. There was very little change in viscosity during that one-hour period, which demonstrates the polymer stability at high temperatures. Almost all of the original viscosity was regained upon cool-down, again indicating no polymer degradation, hydrolysis or loss due to precipitation. In most high temperature brine applications, the polymer may benefit from the use of oxygen scavengers (e.g., sodium thiosulfate) and pH buffers (e.g., sodium bicarbonate).

Polymer Cleanup

The HE™ Polymer 300 is an inherently clean thickener, posing very little risk of formation damage under normal usage conditions. The HE™ Polymer 300 is readily soluble in normal wellbore cleanup type acids. The polymer is degradable using oxidizing agents, such as sodium hypochlorite (bleach) or ammonium persulfate. The activity of the oxidizer is generally enhanced by using fluid with a basic pH. Degradation by oxidizers is also enhanced at temperatures above 125º F.




Before using this product, the user is advised and cautioned to make its own determination and assessment of the safety and suitability of the product for the specific use in question and is further advised against relying on the information contained herein as it may relate to any specific use or application. It is the ultimate responsibility of the user to ensure that the product is suited and the information is applicable to the user’s specific application. Drilling Specialties Company does not make, and expressly disclaims, all warranties, including warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose, regardless of whether oral or written, express or implied, or allegedly arising from any usage of any trade or from any course of dealing in connection with the use of the information contained herein or the product itself. The user expressly assumes all risk and liability, whether based in contract, tort or otherwise, in connection with the use of the information contained herein or the product itself. Further, information contained herein is given without reference to any intellectual property issues, as well as federal, state or local laws which may be encountered in the use thereof. Such questions should be investigated by the user.