Treatment of a subterranean formation with composition including a microorganism or compound generated by the same

{
  "publication_number": "US9670395B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Treatment of a subterranean formation with composition including a microorganism or compound generated by the same",
  "abstract": "The present invention relates to methods of treating a subterranean formation with a composition including a compound made by a microorganism or a microorganism that can make the compound. Various embodiments provide methods of using compositions for treatment of subterranean formations including exopolysaccharides or microorganisms that can make exopolysaccharides under downhole conditions. In various embodiments, the present invention provides a method of treating a subterranean formation, including providing at least one exopolysaccharide by subjecting an extremophilic or extremotolerant microorganism to conditions such that the microorganism forms the exopolysaccharide, or by subjecting a microorganism genetically modified using an extremophilic or extremotolerant microorganism to conditions such that the microorganism forms the exopolysaccharide. The method can also include contacting a composition including the exopolysaccharide with a subterranean material downhole.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method of treating a subterranean formation, the method comprising: providing at least one exopolysaccharide by at least one of subjecting an extremophilic or extremotolerant microorganism to conditions comprising a temperature of about 150° C. to about 500° C. such that the microorganism forms the exopolysaccharide, or subjecting a microorganism genetically modified using an extremophilic or extremotolerant microorganism to conditions comprising a temperature of about 150° C. to about 500° C. such that the microorganism forms the exopolysaccharide; and contacting the subterranean formation with a composition comprising the exopolysaccharide, the exopolysaccharide being a viscosity modifying compound that increases viscosity of the composition, wherein the extremophilic or extremotolerant microorganism is at least one of Acetobacter, Achromobacter, Acinetobacter, Aeropyrum, Agrobacterium, Alcaligenes, Alteromonas, Aquifex, Archaeoglobus, Aureomonas, Azotobacter, Bacillus, Beijerinckia, Chromohalobacter, Colwellia, Escherichia, Exiguobacterium, Geobacillus, Geothermobacterium, Hahella, Haloarcula, Halobacterium, Halobiforma, Halococcus, Haloferax, Halomonas, Halopiger, Haloquadratum, Halorubrum, Haloterrigena, Idiomarina, Lactobacillus, Lentinus, Leuconostoc, Methanococcus, Methanosarcina, Methylobacterium, Micrococcus, Mucorales, Natrialba, Natronobacterium, Natronococcus, Palleronia, Pantoea, Paracoccus, Phoma, Pseudoalteromonas, Pseudomonas, Pyrococcus, Pyrolobus, Rhizobium, Rhodococcus, Salipiger, Sclerotium, Sinorhizobium, Sphingomonas, Staphylococcus, Sulfolobus, Tetragenococcus, Thermococcus, Thermotoga, Thermus, Vibrio, Xanthomonas, Zymomonas, Acetobacter xylinum, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Aeropyrum pernix, Agrobacterium radiobacter, Alcaligenes faecalis var. myxogenes, Alcaligenes viscosus, Alteromonas hispanica, Alteromonas infernus, Alteromonas macleodii subsp. Fijiensis, Aquifex aeolicus, Archaeoglobus fulgidus, Aureomonas elodea, Azotobacter vinelandii, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus thermodenitrificans, Beijerinckia indica, Chromohalobacter beijerinckii, Colwellia psychrerythraea, Escherichia coli, Exiguobacterium acetylicum, Exiguobacterium aestuarii, Exiguobacterium antarticum, Exiguobacterium artmeiae, Exiguobacterium aurantiacum, Exiguobacterium marinum, Exiguobacterium mexicanum, Exiguobacterium oxidotolerans, Exiguobacterium profumsum, Exiguobacterium sibiricum, Exiguobacterium undae, Geobacillus tepidamans, Geothermobacterium ferrireducens, Hahella chejuensis, Haloarcula hispanica, Haloarcula japonica, Haloarcula marismortui, Halobacterium noricense, Halobiforma haloterrestris, Halococcus dombrowskii, Halococcus salifodinae, Haloferax denitrificans, Haloferax gibbonsii, Haloferax mediterranei, Haloferax volcanii, Halomonas alkaliantarctica, Halomonas eurihalina, Halomonas maura, Halomonas salaria, Halopiger aswanensis, Haloterrigena hispanica, Lactobacillus hilgardii, Lentinus elodes, Leuconostoc dextranicum, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Methanococcus jannaschii, Natronobacterium gregoryi, Palleronia marisminoris, Pantoea stewartii subsp. Stewartii, Phoma herbarum, Pseudoalteromonas antarctica, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas marginalis, Pyrococcus furiosus, Pyrolobus fumarii, Salipiger mucosus, Sclerotium delfinii, Sclerotium glucanicum, Sclerotium rolfsii, Sinorhizobium meliloti, Sphingomonas paucimobilis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus equi, Sulfolobus solfataricus, Tetragenococcus halophilus, Thermococcus litoralis, Thermotoga maritima, Thermus aquaticus, Vibrio Diabolicus, Xanthomonas campestris, or Zymomonas mobilis.",
    "2. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing of the exopolysaccharide is performed above the surface.",
    "3. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing of the exopolysaccharide is performed downhole.",
    "4. The method of claim 1, wherein placing the composition in the subterranean formation comprises placing the microorganism in the subterranean formation.",
    "5. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature is about 200° C. to about 500° C.",
    "6. The method of claim 1, wherein the microorganism is at least one of an acidophile, an alkaliphile, an anaerobe, a cryptoendolith, a halophile, a hyperthermophile, a hypolith, a lithoautotroph, metallotolerant, an oligotroph, an osmophile, a piezophile, a polyextremophile, a psychrophile, a cryophile, radioresistant, a thermophile, a thermoacidophile, or a xerophile.",
    "7. The method of claim 1, wherein the microorganism is at least one of acidotolerant, alkalitolerant, anaerobe, a cryptoendolith, halotolerant, a hyperthermophile, a hypolith, a lithoautotroph, metallotolerant, an oligotroph, osmotolerant, piezotolerant, polyextremotolerant, psychrotolerant, cryotolerant, radioresistant, thermotolerant, thermoacidotolerant, or xerotolerant.",
    "8. The method of claim 1, wherein the microorganism is at least one of archaea, bacteria, fungi, or algea.",
    "9. The method of claim 1, wherein the exopolysaccharide is at least one of acetan, alginate, cellulose, chitosan, curdlan, a cyclosophoran, dextran, emulsan, a galactoglucopolysaccharide, gellan, glucuronan, N-acetyl-glucosamine, N-acetyl-heparosan, hyaluronic acid, indicant, kefiran, lentinan, levan, mauran, pullulan, scleroglucan, schizophyllan, stewartan, succinoglycan, xanthan, or welan.",
    "10. The method of claim 1, wherein the exopolysaccharide is the same as an exopolysaccharide made by a microorganism comprising at least one of Acetobacter, Achromobacter, Acinetobacter, Aeropyrum, Agrobacterium, Alcaligenes, Alteromonas, Aquifex, Archaeoglobus, Aureomonas, Azotobacter, Bacillus, Beijerinckia, Chromohalobacter, Colwellia, Escherichia, Exiguobacterium, Geobacillus, Geothermobacterium, Hahella, Haloarcula, Halobacterium, Halobiforma, Halococcus, Haloferax, Halomonas, Halopiger, Haloquadratum, Halorubrum, Haloterrigena, Idiomarina, Lactobacillus, Lentinus, Leuconostoc, Methanococcus, Methanosarcina, Methylobacterium, Micrococcus, Mucorales, Natrialba, Natronobacterium, Natronococcus, Palleronia, Pantoea, Paracoccus, Phoma, Pseudoalteromonas, Pseudomonas, Pyrococcus, Pyrolobus, Rhizobium, Rhodococcus, Salipiger, Sclerotium, Sinorhizobium, Sphingomonas, Staphylococcus, Sulfolobus, Tetragenococcus, Thermococcus, Thermotoga, Thermus, Vibrio, Xanthomonas, or Zymomonas.",
    "11. The method of claim 1, wherein the exopolysaccharide is the same as an exopolysaccharide made by a microorganism comprising at least one of Acetobacter xylinum, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Aeropyrum pernix, Agrobacterium radiobacter, Alcaligenes faecalis var. myxogenes, Alcaligenes viscosus, Alteromonas hispanica, Alteromonas infernus, Alteromonas macleodii subsp. Fijiensis, Aquifex aeolicus, Archaeoglobus fulgidus, Aureomonas elodea, Azotobacter vinelandii, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus thermodenitrificans, Beijerinckia indica, Chromohalobacter beijerinckii, Colwellia psychrerythraea, Escherichia coli, Exiguobacterium acetylicum, Exiguobacterium aestuarii, Exiguobacterium antarticum, Exiguobacterium artmeiae, Exiguobacterium aurantiacum, Exiguobacterium marinum, Exiguobacterium mexicanum, Exiguobacterium oxidotolerans, Exiguobacterium profumsum, Exiguobacterium sibiricum, Exiguobacterium undae, Geobacillus tepidamans, Geothermobacterium ferrireducens, Hahella chejuensis, Haloarcula hispanica, Haloarcula japonica, Haloarcula marismortui, Halobacterium noricense, Halobiforma haloterrestris, Halococcus dombrowskii, Halococcus salifodinae, Haloferax denitrificans, Haloferax gibbonsii, Haloferax mediterranei, Haloferax volcanii, Halomonas alkaliantarctica, Halomonas eurihalina, Halomonas maura, Halomonas salaria, Halopiger aswanensis, Haloterrigena hispanica, Lactobacillus hilgardii, Lentinus elodes, Leuconostoc dextranicum, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Methanococcus jannaschii, Natronobacterium gregoryi, Palleronia marisminoris, Pantoea stewartii subsp. Stewartii, Phoma herbarum, Pseudoalteromonas antarctica, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas marginalis, Pyrococcus furiosus, Pyrolobus fumarii, Salipiger mucosus, Sclerotium delfinii, Sclerotium glucanicum, Sclerotium rolfsii, Sinorhizobium meliloti, Sphingomonas paucimobilis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus equi, Sulfolobus solfataricus, Tetragenococcus halophilus, Thermococcus litoralis, Thermotoga maritima, Thermus aquaticus, Vibrio Diabolicus, Xanthomonas campestris, or Zymomonas mobilis.",
    "12. The method of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises a mixture of the exopolysaccharide and an aqueous or oil-based fluid comprising a drilling fluid, stimulation fluid, fracturing fluid, spotting fluid, clean-up fluid, production fluid, completion fluid, remedial treatment fluid, abandonment fluid, pill, acidizing fluid, cementing fluid, packer fluid, or a combination thereof.",
    "13. The method of claim 12, wherein the cementing fluid comprises Portland cement, pozzolana cement, gypsum cement, high alumina content cement, slag cement, silica cement, or a combination thereof.",
    "14. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of prior to, during, or contacting the subterranean formation with the composition, the composition is used downhole, at least one of alone or in combination with other materials, as a drilling fluid, stimulation fluid, fracturing fluid, spotting fluid, clean-up fluid, production fluid, completion fluid, remedial treatment fluid, abandonment fluid, pill, acidizing fluid, cementing fluid, packer fluid, or a combination thereof.",
    "15. A method of treating a subterranean formation, the method comprising: providing at least one exopolysaccharide by at least one of subjecting an extremophilic or extremotolerant microorganism to conditions comprising a temperature of about 150° C. to about 500° C. such that the microorganism forms the exopolysaccharide, or subjecting a microorganism genetically modified using an extremophilic or extremotolerant microorganism to conditions comprising a temperature of about 150° C. to about 500° C. such that the microorganism forms the exopolysaccharide, the extremophilic or extremotolerant microorganism comprising at least one of Acetobacter, Achromobacter, Acinetobacter, Aeropyrum, Agrobacterium, Alcaligenes, Alteromonas, Aquifex, Archaeoglobus, Aureomonas, Azotobacter, Bacillus, Beijerinckia, Chromohalobacter, Colwellia, Escherichia, Exiguobacterium, Geobacillus, Geothermobacterium, Hahella, Haloarcula, Halobacterium, Halobiforma, Halococcus, Haloferax, Halomonas, Halopiger, Haloquadratum, Halorubrum, Haloterrigena, Idiomarina, Lactobacillus, Lentinus, Leuconostoc, Methanococcus, Methanosarcina, Methylobacterium, Micrococcus, Mucorales, Natrialba, Natronobacterium, Natronococcus, Palleronia, Pantoea, Paracoccus, Phoma, Pseudoalteromonas, Pseudomonas, Pyrococcus, Pyrolobus, Rhizobium, Rhodococcus, Salipiger, Sclerotium, Sinorhizobium, Sphingomonas, Staphylococcus, Sulfolobus, Tetragenococcus, Thermococcus, Thermotoga, Thermus, Vibrio, Xanthomonas, and Zymomonas; and contacting the subterranean formation with a composition comprising the exopolysaccharide, the exopolysaccharide being a viscosity modifying compound that increases viscosity of the composition.",
    "16. A method of treating a subterranean formation, the method comprising: providing at least one exopolysaccharide by at least one of subjecting an extremophilic or extremotolerant microorganism to conditions comprising a temperature of about 150° C. to about 500° C. such that the microorganism forms the exopolysaccharide, or subjecting a microorganism genetically modified using an extremophilic or extremotolerant microorganism to conditions comprising a temperature of about 150° C. to about 500° C. such that the microorganism forms the exopolysaccharide, the exopolysaccharide comprising at least one of acetan, alginate, cellulose, chitosan, curdlan, a cyclosophoran, dextran, emulsan, a galactoglucopolysaccharide, gellan, glucuronan, N-acetyl-glucosamine, N-acetyl-heparosan, hyaluronic acid, indicant, kefiran, lentinan, levan, mauran, pullulan, scleroglucan, schizophyllan, stewartan, succinoglycan, xanthan, and welan; and contacting the subterranean formation with a composition comprising the exopolysaccharide, the exopolysaccharide being a viscosity modifying compound that increases viscosity of the composition.",
    "17. A method of treating a subterranean formation, the method comprising: providing at least one exopolysaccharide by at least one of subjecting an extremophilic or extremotolerant microorganism to conditions comprising a temperature of about 150° C. to about 500° C. such that the microorganism forms the exopolysaccharide, or subjecting a microorganism genetically modified using an extremophilic or extremotolerant microorganism to conditions comprising a temperature of about 150° C. to about 500° C. such that the microorganism forms the exopolysaccharide; and contacting the subterranean formation with a composition comprising the exopolysaccharide, the exopolysaccharide being a viscosity modifying compound that increases viscosity of the composition, wherein the providing of the exopolysaccharide is performed above the surface."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "During the drilling, extraction, and production of petroleum materials, extreme conditions can be experienced downhole that make these activities difficult. For example, some wells can have high salinity, extreme pH, high temperature, high pressure conditions. Wells with undisturbed bottomhole temperatures above about 150-177° C. can be classified as high temperature, with temperatures above about 204-218° C. ultra-high temperature, and with temperatures above about 260° C. generally considered extreme-high temperature. Wells with wellhead pressure greater than about 10,000-15,000 psi are considered high pressure, with pressures above about 15,000-20,000 psi ultra-high pressure, and with pressures above about 30,000 psi generally considered extreme high pressure.\n\nDuring the drilling, completion, and production phases of wells for petroleum or water extraction, the downhole use of compositions having high viscosities is important for a wide variety of purposes. Higher viscosity fluids can more effectively carry materials to a desired location downhole, such as proppants. Similarly, higher viscosity drilling fluids can more effectively carry materials away from a drilling location downhole.\n\nVarious materials used to affect properties of fluids downhole can degrade and become ineffective under the extreme conditions experienced downhole in some wells. For example, guar gum can be used to increase viscosity but can degrade under various extreme downhole conditions.\n\nIn various embodiments, the present invention provides a method of treating a subterranean formation.",
  "cpc": [
    "C09K 8/582",
    "C04B 2103/0001",
    "C04B 2103/0067",
    "C04B 2103/44",
    "C04B 2111/20",
    "C04B 24/38",
    "C04B 28/02",
    "C04B 40/0633",
    "C09K 8/035",
    "C09K 8/467",
    "C09K 8/52",
    "C09K 8/64",
    "C09K 8/68",
    "C09K 8/725"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "C09K 8/582",
    "C04B 28/02",
    "C09K 8/035",
    "C09K 8/20",
    "C09K 8/467",
    "C09K 8/52",
    "C09K 8/60",
    "C09K 8/64",
    "C09K 8/68",
    "C09K 8/72"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Halliburton Energy Services Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Cato Russell McDaniel"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2013-04-22",
  "publication_date": "2017-06-06",
  "grant_date": "2017-06-06",
  "priority_date": "2013-04-22",
  "application_number": "US-201313867536-A",
  "family_id": "51729454",
  "cited_by_count": 5,
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    "US20090023613A1",
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    "WO2014176061A1"
  ]
}