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Review
. 2023 Dec 11;9(12):969.
doi: 10.3390/gels9120969.

Review of the Perspectives and Study of Thermo-Responsive Polymer Gels and Applications in Oil-Based Drilling Fluids

Jintang Wang  1   2 , Lei Liu  1   2 , Siyang Zhang  2 , Bo Liao  1   2 , Ke Zhao  1   2 , Yiyao Li  1   2 , Jiaqi Xu  1   2 , Longqiao Chen  3
Affiliations
Review

Review of the Perspectives and Study of Thermo-Responsive Polymer Gels and Applications in Oil-Based Drilling Fluids

Jintang Wang et al. Gels. .

Abstract

Thermoresponsive polymer gels are a type of intelligent material that can react to changes in temperature. These materials possess excellent innovative properties and find use in various fields. This paper systematically analyzes the methods for testing and regulating phase transition temperatures of thermo-responsive polymer gels based on their response mechanism. The report thoroughly introduces the latest research on thermo-responsive polymer gels in oil and gas extraction, discussing their advantages and challenges across various environments. Additionally, it elucidates how the application limitations of high-temperature and high-salt conditions can be resolved through process optimization and material innovation, ultimately broadening the scope of application of thermo-responsive polymer gels in oil and gas extraction. The article discusses the technological development and potential applications of thermo-responsive polymer gels in oil-based drilling fluids. This analysis aims to offer researchers in the oil and gas industry detailed insights into future possibilities for thermo-responsive polymer gels and to provide helpful guidance for their practical use in oil-based drilling fluids.

Keywords: oil and gas exploration; oil-based drilling fluids; phase transition temperature; thermo-responsive polymer gels.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The structure of PNIPAM and its thermo-responsive phenomena.
Figure 2
Figure 2
A thermodynamic map showing the solubility and solution properties of polymers in water [31].
Figure 3
Figure 3
Common LCST thermo-responsive polymers.
Figure 4
Figure 4
A novel thermo-responsive hydrogel for intranasal drug delivery: (a) CLSM images of rat nasal epithelia following administration of FITC-insulin solution in PBS, (b) FITC-insulin loaded HTCC–PEG–GP system, and (c) FITC-insulin solution in HTCC solution. [52].
Figure 5
Figure 5
Interaction of tetrapheyl anions and neutral PNIPAM chains at different temperatures: (a) below the TLCS, Ph4B− ions feel an attraction for the hydrophobic moieties of the hydrated PNIPAM chains; (b) around the TLCS, the PNIPAM chains begin to dehydrate resulting in a more hydrophobic environment and the tetraphenyl anions increase their interaction with the PNIPAM interface; and (c) at T > TLCS, the great adsorption of the anions on PNIPAM chains limits the aggregation of the polymer and produces the formation of monodisperse nanoparticles with electrostatic stability [65]. (green is tetrapheyl anions, and red is salt ions).
Figure 6
Figure 6
Application of thermo-responsive polymers in oil and gas extraction.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Schematic diagram of physical blockage and chemical inhibition of SD-SEAL [78].
Figure 8
Figure 8
Schematic diagram of the viscosity enhancement mechanism of thermo-responsive SiO2 [90].
Figure 9
Figure 9
Response mechanism of thermo-responsive emulsified viscosity reducers [105].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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