US 11,926,713 B2
Polymer gels and methods for monitoring gel integrity in wellbores
Jesus Manuel Felix Servin, Dhahran (SA); and Amr I. Abdel-Fattah, Dhahran (SA)
Assigned to Saudi Arabian Oil Company
Filed by Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA)
Filed on Apr. 25, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/306,674.
Application 18/306,674 is a division of application No. 16/933,137, filed on Jul. 20, 2020, granted, now 11,667,760.
Prior Publication US 2023/0257530 A1, Aug. 17, 2023
Int. Cl. C09K 8/32 (2006.01); C08J 3/075 (2006.01); C08K 3/22 (2006.01); C09K 8/03 (2006.01); C09K 8/588 (2006.01)
CPC C08J 3/075 (2013.01) [C08K 3/22 (2013.01); C09K 8/032 (2013.01); C09K 8/588 (2013.01); C08J 2301/02 (2013.01); C08J 2305/12 (2013.01); C08J 2329/04 (2013.01); C08J 2333/08 (2013.01); C08J 2333/26 (2013.01); C08K 2003/2275 (2013.01); C08K 2201/003 (2013.01); C08K 2201/01 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
 
1. A method for monitoring gel integrity in a subterranean formation, the method comprising:
introducing a polymer gel in a non-gelled state into the subterranean formation, the polymer gel comprising:
a polymer gel base material comprising at least water and polymer; and
superparamagnetic nanoparticles having a bimodal size distribution and each having a diameter of less than 100 nm, where:
at least 25 wt. % of the superparamagnetic nanoparticles have diameters in a first size range between a first diameter and a second diameter, where the first diameter is less than the second diameter, and where the difference between the first diameter and the second diameter is 4 nm;
the diameter of the particles in the first size range is measured as the core diameter;
at least 25 wt. % of the superparamagnetic nanoparticles have diameters in a second size range between a third diameter and a fourth diameter, where the third diameter is less than the fourth diameter, and where the difference between the third diameter and the fourth diameter is 8 nm;
the diameter of the particles in the second size range is measured as the hydrodynamic diameter;
the second diameter is less than or equal to the third diameter;
subjecting the polymer gel in the subterranean formation to a magnetic field; and
measuring magnetic susceptibility of the formation at a certain depth, as a function of time.