초록 ▼

An amount of treatment water injected into a subterranean well may be reduced by providing an environmentally friendly polymer, such as a biodegradable polymer (e.g., an aspartic acid based polymer), to the subterranean well. In some cases, the aspartic acid based polymer may include one or more of

An amount of treatment water injected into a subterranean well may be reduced by providing an environmentally friendly polymer, such as a biodegradable polymer (e.g., an aspartic acid based polymer), to the subterranean well. In some cases, the aspartic acid based polymer may include one or more of a copolymer of the aspartic acid based polymer, a terpolymer of the aspartic acid based polymer, an aspartic acid based polymer derivative, an aspartic acid based polymer having an end cap, and a soluble salt of the aspartic acid based polymer. In some cases, the treatment water use may be reduced within the range of about five percent to about ninety five percent.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method for reducing an amount of water injected into an existing subterranean well during hydrocarbon production, the method comprising: pumping a formation fluid including a hydrocarbon and a produced water from an existing subterranean well;adding a flow of fresh treatment water to the existi

1. A method for reducing an amount of water injected into an existing subterranean well during hydrocarbon production, the method comprising: pumping a formation fluid including a hydrocarbon and a produced water from an existing subterranean well;adding a flow of fresh treatment water to the existing subterranean well at a first ratio of fresh treatment water to produced water;after adding a flow of fresh treatment water, monitoring the existing subterranean well for production impairment;after monitoring the existing subterranean well for production impairment, adding an aspartic acid based polymer to the flow of fresh treatment water;after adding the aspartic acid based polymer, reducing the flow of fresh treatment water to the hydrocarbon producing existing subterranean well such that the flow of fresh treatment water is added at a second ratio of fresh treatment water to produced water, the second ratio less than the first ratio to reduce a total volume injected into the existing subterranean well;after reducing the flow of fresh treatment water, monitoring the existing subterranean well for production impairment; andwherein the produced water is a combination of at least a subterranean brine and the fresh treatment water. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second ratio of fresh treatment water to produced water is about 5 percent to about 95 percent of the first ratio of fresh treatment water to produced water. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second ratio of fresh treatment water to produced water is about 25 percent to about 80 percent of the first ratio of fresh treatment water to produced water. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the aspartic acid based polymer is added to the flow of fresh treatment water at a first specified concentration to result in a second specified concentration in the produced water. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first specified concentration of the aspartic acid based polymer is within a range from about 1 part per million (ppm) to about 1000 ppm. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the aspartic acid based polymer includes one or more of a copolymer of the aspartic acid based polymer, a terpolymer of the aspartic acid based polymer, an aspartic acid based polymer derivative, an aspartic acid based polymer having an end cap, and a soluble salt of the aspartic acid based polymer. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the aspartic acid based polymer from polysuccinimide and/or a derivative of polysuccinimide. 8. The method of claim 6, wherein the aspartic acid based polymer is made from at least one dibasic acid. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one dibasic acid is at least one of L-aspartic acid, maleic anhydride, fumaric acid, glutamic acid, gluataric acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, and/or maliemic acid. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the aspartic acid based polymer is a polyaspartic acid sodium salt. 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising inhibiting crystallization and/or precipitation of sodium chloride. 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the flow of fresh treatment water includes pumping water from one or more of a surface water source, a well water source, a reclaimed water source, a waste water source, a production water source and/or a fracturing fluid source. 13. A method for reducing an amount of water injected into an existing subterranean well during hydrocarbon production, the method comprising: pumping a formation fluid including a hydrocarbon and a produced water from an existing subterranean well;adding a flow of fresh treatment water to the subterranean well at a ratio of fresh treatment water to produced water;monitoring the existing subterranean well for production impairment;adding an aspartic acid based polymer to the flow of fresh treatment water;while monitoring the existing subterranean well for production impairment, incrementally decreasing the ratio of fresh treatment water to produced water such that a total volume injected into the existing subterranean well is reduced;monitoring an ion concentration of the produced water; andwherein the produced water is a combination of at least a subterranean brine and the fresh treatment water. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the aspartic acid based polymer is added to the flow of fresh treatment water at a concentration between 1 part per million (ppm) and 1000 ppm. 15. The method of claim 13, wherein the aspartic acid based polymer is added to the flow of fresh treatment water at a specified concentration to result in a specified concentration in the produced water. 16. The method of claim 13, further comprising inhibiting at least one of a sodium chloride scale, calcium carbonate scale formation, a calcium sulfate scale formation, and a barium sulfate scale formation. 17. The method of claim 13, wherein the aspartic acid based polymer from polysuccinimide and/or a derivative of polysuccinimide. 18. A method for reducing an amount of water injected into an existing subterranean well during hydrocarbon production, the method comprising: pumping a formation fluid including a hydrocarbon and a produced water from an existing subterranean well;adding a flow of fresh treatment water to the existing subterranean well at a first ratio of fresh treatment water to produced water;after adding a flow of fresh treatment water, monitoring the subterranean well for production impairment;after adding a flow of fresh treatment water, monitoring an ion concentration of the produced water;after monitoring the existing subterranean well for production impairment, adding an aspartic acid based polymer to the flow of fresh treatment water, the aspartic acid based polymer includes one or more of a copolymer of the aspartic acid based polymer, a terpolymer of the aspartic acid based polymer, an aspartic acid based polymer derivative, an aspartic acid based polymer having an end cap, a soluble salt of the aspartic acid based polymer, and a polyaspartic acid sodium salt;after adding the aspartic acid based polymer, reducing the flow of fresh treatment water to the hydrocarbon producing existing subterranean well such that the flow of fresh treatment water is added at a second ratio of fresh treatment water to produced water, the second ratio of fresh treatment water to produced water about 25 percent to about 75 percent of the first ratio of fresh treatment water to produced water such at a total volume injected into the existing subterranean well is reduced; andafter reducing the flow of fresh treatment water, monitoring the existing subterranean well for production impairment;wherein the produced water is a combination of at least a subterranean brine and the fresh treatment water.