Nanoplugging Performance of Hyperbranched Polyamine as Nanoplugging Agent in Oil-Based Drilling Fluid

A hyperbranched polyamine was synthesized by self-condensing vinyl polymerization with divinyl sulfone, N-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine, by A2 + BB2' approach. The hyperbranched polyamine was characterized by FT-IR, TGA, and phase analysis light scanning. Average grain diameter of hyperbranched polyamine was 36.7 nm. Hyperbranched polyamine has good thermal stability. Hyperbranched polyamine (HBPA) was employed successfully as nanoplugging agent in oil-based drilling fluid system, which could plug nanopore formation in shale formation. HBPA has a little effect on rheological properties of oil-based drilling fluid and the FLAPI and FLHTHP decreased dramatically with an increase of hyperbranched polyamine. Emulsion-breaking voltage has a slight increase, which is beneficial to maintain stability of oil-based drilling fluid. When the HBPA concentration is greater than 1 wt%, plugging rate of oil-based drilling fluid for artificial core is close to 100% and the permeability recovery value can reach 99.7% after adding 1 wt% HBPA, which prove that HBPA has an excellent plugging performance.