PQ sodium silicates and potassium silicates have proven to be cost-effective and environmentally-responsible high-performing chemicals in numerous oilfield applications, including drilling fluids, conformance, cementing, remediation, and enhanced oil recovery.
Silicate-Based Drilling Fluids
It has been known since the 1920s that water-based drilling fluids formulated with potassium or sodium silicate provide superior shale stability, regardless of shale type. Eighty years later, silicates are still recognized as the most effective water-based shale inhibitor. PQ silicates are non-toxic and one of the few oilfield chemicals that can be beneficial to the environment...both on-land and offshore. PQ’s EcoDrill® line of sodium and potassium silicate products allows for service companies to further customize the drilling fluid to maximize performance and reduce drilling fluid costs.
Conformance
PQ’s silicates also have a long history for reducing the flow of unwanted water and increasing well production. Silicates used in this application include N® and Kasolv®16.
Oilwell Cement
The design and placement of an effective cementing system is critical to the commercial success of every oil and gas well. A quality cementing job not only provides a strong bond between casing and formation but also seals off the formation and protects the pipe. PQ soluble silicates allow oilwell cements to be formulated to meet these challenges. PQ produces a wide range of both liquid and powder sodium silicates. PQ’s proprietary process for manufacturing sodium metasilicate produces a dustless, uniformly-sized powder for better dry-blending into the bulk cement. Silicates used in this application include N®, Metso Pentabead® 20, and Metso Bead® 2048.
Treatment & Remediation
The process of drilling and producing a well generates large volumes of solids and liquids that require treatment prior to re-use or disposal. PQ sodium silicate, zeolite, and epsom salt can each be used to remove metals from produced water or frac fluids. Product selection is based on the type of metal and pH of the water. Sodium silicate can also be used to bind or encapsulate both organic and inorganic wastes from the oilfield. PQ products used in this application include: N®, Advera®, and Epsom Salt.
Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR)
With oil price and demand continuing to escalate, there is greater interest in enhanced oil recovery (EOR). An important category of EOR is Chemical Flooding. PQ was heavily involved with the initial development work using sodium silicate for alkaline flooding and later in alkaline-surfactant-polymer flooding. The addition of diluted sodium silicate produces superior results compared to surfactants or polymers alone. N® sodium silicate is generally the product of choice for this application.