Synthesis and characterization of comb-shaped copolymer as a filtration reducer and comparison with counterparts

A comb-shaped copolymer of 2-acrylamide-2-methyl propane sulfonic acid (AMPS), allyl polyoxyethylene ether (APEG), N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (NVP) and sodium styrene sulfonate (SSS) was synthesized by free-radical polymerization. The structure of the comb-shaped copolymer was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and its molecular weight was determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). FTIR measurements and environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) analysis were used to characterize the working mechanism of different filtrate loss reducers. Thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC) results showed that thermal degradation of the copolymer was significant only after 295.24 °C. The comb-shaped copolymer helped reduce filtration, while maintaining the rheological properties of the drilling fluid at high temperature and high salinity conditions as long PEG chains sterically stabilized colloids by protruding into the suspension. The filtration control of the comb-shaped copolymer was comparable to that of the sulfonated phenolic resin (SMP) mixture and outperformed AM/AMPS/NVP/SSS (NS-1) and polymeric product PAC in terms of high-temperature resistance and rheological advantages. The morphology of the comb-shaped copolymer was found with a compact 3-D film structure due to the intramolecular and intermolecular association by hydrogen bonding in the side chains. Small curly debris at high temperature and salinity remained capable of filtration control. The NS-1 had a lower temperature resistance, as large areas of flaky films thermally degraded into a small chain structure at 180 °C. Only separated filiform and coarse lines were found in PAC with a linear structure that makes the drilling fluid more viscous. Compact and structured films were formed with the SMP mixture at high temperature and salinity.