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WO1992014032A1 - Procede et compositions de fracturation de formations souterraines - Google Patents

Procede et compositions de fracturation de formations souterraines Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1992014032A1
WO1992014032A1 PCT/US1992/000717 US9200717W WO9214032A1 WO 1992014032 A1 WO1992014032 A1 WO 1992014032A1 US 9200717 W US9200717 W US 9200717W WO 9214032 A1 WO9214032 A1 WO 9214032A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
fluid
fracture treatment
finely ground
peanut hulls
treatment fluid
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/US1992/000717
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English (en)
Inventor
Gabriel T. Forrest
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Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of WO1992014032A1 publication Critical patent/WO1992014032A1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
    • E21B43/25—Methods for stimulating production
    • E21B43/26—Methods for stimulating production by forming crevices or fractures
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C09—DYES; PAINTS; POLISHES; NATURAL RESINS; ADHESIVES; COMPOSITIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • C09K—MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
    • C09K8/00—Compositions for drilling of boreholes or wells; Compositions for treating boreholes or wells, e.g. for completion or for remedial operations
    • C09K8/60—Compositions for stimulating production by acting on the underground formation
    • C09K8/62—Compositions for forming crevices or fractures

Definitions

  • the invention relates to: a process for fracturing a subterranean formation, such as an oil and/or gas producing formation; a fluid loss additive for fracture treatment fluids used to fracture subterranean formations penetrated by a well bore,- and a fracture treatment fluid, used to fracture a subterranean formation.
  • Hydraulic fracturing of subterranean formations is a highly developed process, used primarily to increase the permeability of a portion of a geologic formation surrounding a well bore. The process may be applied to new wells to increase productivity in the wells, or to old wells to increase or restore their productivity. Hydraulic fracturing processes are also applicable to injection wells used in secondary recovery or fluid disposal operations.
  • a fracture treatment fluid such as a thickened fluid such as an aqueous gel, emulsion, foamed fluid, gelled alcohol, or an oil based fluid
  • the fracture treatment fluid increases the fracturing effect and typically also supports proppant material which is deposited in the fractures created by the fracturing process.
  • a fluid loss additive material is included with the fracture treatment fluid, or fracturing fluid, to further enhance the results of the process.
  • a common fluid loss additive is silica flour.
  • Many other natural and synthetic solid materials have been utilized as fluid loss additives in fracturing processes, such as a mixture of clays and starches with a broad range of particle sizes.
  • a hydrocarbon phase in percents ranging from 0.5 to 5% by volume of the fracturing fluid is added to the fracture treatment fluid.
  • This method concentrates the hydrocarbon within a filter cake which is formed, as will be hereinafter described in greater detail, lowering the relative permeability to water through the filter cake, resulting in a lower leakoff rate or water to the formation.
  • the mechanism for fluid loss control with a solid additive is the filtration of particles onto the porous rock surface of the formation in the form of a filter cake. The longer the fluid loss additive and fracturing fluid are pumped into the well bore and into the formation, the thicker the filter cake becomes which results in a lowering of the leakoff rate.
  • Controlling leakoff during hydraulic fracturing is desirable in order to create greater fracture volume and to minimize damage to the surrounding formation. Additionally, it is desirable to reduce the initial spurt, or initial leakoff, before the filter cake is established.
  • a detailed description of the hydraulic fracturing process including a description of conventional aqueous gels or emulsions used as fracture treatment fluid, is set forth in U.S. Patent No. 4,470,915, issued September 11, 1984, to Michael W. Conway.
  • a gel filter pad comprising fluid loss additive and concentrated gel material forms on the surfaces of the well bore and the fracture is created by the process.
  • this gel filter pad or gel filter cake, is subsequently removed by back flow or fluid from the formation (except in the case of injection wells) , but in actual practice, it is usually necessary to follow the treatment with gel breaking and/or gel filter pad removal steps. These steps often only recover a small fraction of the potential conductivity of the fracture and productivity of the well.
  • the conductivity of the fracture is generally the flow capacity through the proppant material in the fracture which permits the hydrocarbons from the formation to flow into the well bore.
  • a fluid loss additive for fracture treatment fluid, a hydraulic fracturing process, and a fracture treatment fluid which: is less expensive than conventional fluid loss control additives, hydraulic fracturing processes, and fracture treatment fluids; controls leakoff of fracturing fluid to permeable formations, and in particular decreases spurting, or initial leakoff; and recovers a substantial portion of the potential conductivity of the fracture and the productivity of the well by backflow of fluid from the formation, or flowback of fracturing fluid filtrate, by degradation of the filter cake by the backflow, or flowback.
  • the present invention includes the steps of: utilizing as a fluid loss additive finely ground peanut hulls, wherein 10% or more of the finely ground peanut hulls is in the particle size range of less than 20 standard sieve mesh and greater than 500 standard sieve mesh; and adding the finely ground peanut hulls to the fracture treatment fluid in an amount within the range of from 5 to 100 pounds per 1000 gallons of fracture treatment fluid.
  • the finely ground peanut hulls may be added to the fracture treatment fluid in an amount within the range of 10 to 30 pounds per 1000 gallons of fracture treatment fluid.
  • the present invention includes: finely ground peanut hulls, wherein 10% or more of the finely ground peanut hulls is in the particle size range of less than 20 standard sieve mesh and greater than 500 standard sieve mesh; and the finely ground peanut hulls are added to the fracture treatment fluid in an amount within the range of from 5 to 100 pounds per 1000 gallons of fracture treatment fluid.
  • An additional feature of the invention is that the finely ground peanut hulls may be added to the fracture treatment fluid in an amount within the range of 10 to 30 pounds per 1000 gallons of fracture treatment fluid.
  • the present invention includes: an aqueous gel or emulsion; and a fluid loss additive material which is finely ground peanut hulls, wherein 10% or more of the finely ground peanut hulls is in the particle size range of less than 20 standard sieve mesh and greater than 500 standard sieve mesh: the finely ground peanut hulls being added to the aqueous gel or emulsion in an amount within the range of from 5 to 100 pounds per 1000 gallons of aqueous gel or emulsion.
  • the finely ground peanut hulls may be added to the aqueous gel or emulsion in an amount within the range of 10 to 30 pounds per 1000 gallons of aqueous gel or emulsion.
  • the present invention includes an oil based fluid; and a fluid loss additive material which is finely ground peanut hulls, wherein 10% or more of the finely ground peanut hulls in the particle size range of less than 20 standard sieve mesh and greater than 500 standard sieve mesh; the finely ground peanut hulls being added to the oil based fluid in an amount within the range of from 5 to 100 pounds per 1000 gallons of oil based fluid.
  • the hydraulic fracturing process, fluid loss additive, and fracture treatment fluid of the present invention when compared with previously proposed prior art fluid loss additives, fracture treatment fluids, and hydraulic fracturing processes, have the advantage of: being less expensive to use; controlling leakoff of the fracturing fluid to permeable formation, including in particular, decreasing spurting, or initial leakoff; and recovering a major portion of the potential conductivity of the fracture and the productivity of the well by the fluid loss additive degrading with flowback of fracturing fluid filtrate, or backflow of fluid from the formation.
  • FIG. 1 is a chart illustrating a fluid leakoff test comparing fluid leakoff of a fracture treatment fluid with, and without, the fluid loss additive of the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is a chart illustrating the ability of the fluid loss additive, in accordance with the present invention, being capable of being removed by backflow of fluid from the formation;
  • FIG. 3 is a chart illustrating the ability of the fluid loss additive of the present invention to be removed off the face of a rock surface when filter cake would normally impair conductivity of the fracture.
  • the fluid loss additive of the present invention for fracture treatment fluids used for fracturing subterranean formations penetrated by a well bore is preferably the soft portion of a legume -- peanut hulls.
  • Raw, unground peanut hulls are finely ground and are added to a convention fracture treatment fluid, as will hereinafter be described in greater detail.
  • the raw peanut hulls are fully ground into a powder, or powder like consistency.
  • the raw peanut hulls are ground, in any convention manner, to a particle size range of less than 20 standard sieve mesh and greater than 500 standard sieve mesh. When raw peanut hulls are ground into the foregoing particle size range, a layer of natural lignin is exposed.
  • a natural layer of lignin is exposed which lowers the water solubility of the fluid loss additive such that it slowly swells, As will be hereinafter described in greater detail, this controlled swelling action aids in minimizing leakoff as the fluid loss additive is deposited within the filter cake and further allows the fluid loss additive, of finely ground peanut hulls, to clean up upon flowing back the treated well.
  • the fluid loss additive of the present invention is comprised of finely ground peanut hulls in the foregoing described particle size range, and at least 10% or more of the finely ground peanut hulls fall within the foregoing particle size range. It is believed that use of some finely ground peanut hulls of a size less than 500 standard sieve mesh will not detract from the effectiveness of the fluid loss additive of the present invention; however, cost considerations in grinding peanut hulls to that size, at the present time, suggest the preferred lower end of the particle size range, for the majority of the ground peanut hulls, being greater than 500 standard sieve mesh.
  • This fluid loss additive of the present invention should be added to the fracture treatment fluid in an amount within the range of from 5 to 100 pounds per 1000 gallons of fracture treatment fluid.
  • the fluid loss additive, or finely ground peanut hulls of the present invention are added to the fracture treatment fluid in an amount within the range of 10 to 50 pounds per 1000 gallons of fracture treatment fluid. Adding the finely ground peanut hulls to the fracture treatment fluid in an amount within the range of 10 to 30 pounds per 1000 gallons of treating fluid has been found to be effective and adequate.
  • the fluid loss additive may be added to the fracture treatment fluid in any conventional manner, as by: mixing the fluid loss additive with the fracture treatment fluid in any suitable mixer device; combining and compacting the fluid loss additive with a soluble binder into pellets which can then be added to, or mixed with, the fracture treatment fluid; or combining the fluid loss additive with any suitable liquid, which can then be added to, or mixed with, the fracture treatment fluid.
  • the fluid loss additive of the present invention will work with any presently known, conventional fracture treatment fluid, such as aqueous gel or emulsion type fracture treatment fluids, such as those described in U.S. Patent No. 4,470,915 or as described in U.S. Patent No. 4,848,467, issued July 18, 1989, to Lisa A. Cantu, et al.
  • aqueous gel can be produced by gelling agents recited in those patents, or any other conventional gelling agents.
  • the aqueous fluid used to solvate the gelling agent may be water or a water-alcohol solution.
  • Conventional gelled alcohol fracture treatment fluids, as well as emulsion type f acture treatment fluids may be used in connection with the fracturing process of the present invention, in connection with the fracture treatment fluid of the present invention, or in the fracture treatment fluid of the present invention.
  • conventional oil based fracture treatment fluids may also be utilized.
  • Oil based fracture treatment fluids also include conventional oil- containing fracture treatment fluids. Accordingly, use of the term of "fracture treatment fluid" throughout this specification and claims is intended to encompass all of the foregoing types of fracture treatment fluids.
  • the process of the present invention for fracturing a subterranean formation penetrated by a well bore wherein a fracture treatment fluid is pumped down the well bore and into the formation, at formation fracturing pressure includes the steps of: utilizing as a fluid loss additive the finely ground peanut hulls, as previously described; and adding the finely ground peanut hulls to the fracture treatment fluid in an amount within the range of from 5 to 100 pounds per 1000 gallons of fracture treatment fluid.
  • the fracture treatment fluid of the present invention used to fracture a subterranean formation penetrated by a well bore, the fracture treatment fluid being pumped down the well bore and into the formation, preferably comprises an aqueous gel, emulsion, or oil based fluid; and a fluid loss additive material which is finely ground peanut hulls within the foregoing described particle size range; the finely ground peanut hulls being added to the aqueous gel, emulsion, or oil based fluid in an amount with the range of from 5 to 100 pounds per 1000 gallons of aqueous gel, emulsion, or oil based fluid.
  • the fluid loss additive material may be added to the aqueous gel, emulsion, or oil based fluid in any manner as previously described.
  • the equipment used for the evaluation of the fluid leakoff included a high pressure Baroid test cell modified to accept 1 inch long by 1 inch diameter core plugs.
  • the core plugs are cut and saturated in 2% potassium chloride (KCL) , a standard salt added to 95% of fracture treatment fluids.
  • KCL potassium chloride
  • the core plugs were then mounted in the core holder and placed in the test cell containing the test fracture treatment fluid.
  • the fracture treatment fluid comprised 35 pounds of guar and 1.2 pounds of borate, a salt or ester of boric acid.
  • Borates which could be utilized are sodium tetraborate, boric acid, organic esters of borate, or boric acid and sodium tetraborate, or mixtures thereof.
  • the fluid was heated to a temperature of 125° to simulate a cool down temperature of a treated formation.
  • the pressure was increased to 1000 psi differential to simulate the typical difference between a treating pressure and the bottom-hole pressure in a fracturing treatment.
  • the bottom valve of the cell was opened and the volume versus time was measured. In the chart of FIG.
  • the volume is plotted versus the square root of time for the foregoing described fluid with, and without, the fluid loss additive (Fluid loss additive) of the present invention, 50 pounds of finely ground peanut hulls (GPH) being utilized in one of the illustrated tests.
  • the fluid shows an initial spurt, while the filter cake is established, in a medium to high permeability formation [7-10 millidarcies (md) 3.
  • the spurt in the example illustrated in FIG. 1 was calculated to be .02 GAL/FT 2 .
  • the leakoff was controlled by the permeability of the formed filter cake.
  • Leakoff in this mode is characterized by the term leakoff efficient (Cw) in FT/MIN "2 . In this example the Cw was 00.20 FT/MIN "2 .
  • KCL potassium chloride
  • a core of near 280 md was chosen to maximize fluid, or polymer, and fluid loss additive invasion of the formation.
  • the fracture treatment fluid and fluid loss additive cleaned up rapidly to 225 md or nearly 80% of the initial permeability, after flowing 2% KCL back through the formation, or core.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates and experiment wherein a 75 md core was treated with 7% KCL followed by application of KLEAROIL®.
  • the permeability to the oil was established at 60 md.
  • the oil permeability was near 40 md.
  • the oil permeability returned to 60-70 md which was 100% of the available oil permeability.
  • the test was repeated in this sequence by reinjecting -fluids containing the fluid loss additive of the present invention (GPH) at a higher level and with different polymers, namely Xanthan gum (XG) and polyanioniccellulose (PAC) .
  • GPH fluid loss additive of the present invention
  • XG Xanthan gum
  • PAC polyanioniccellulose
  • fluid loss additive used in a particular fracturing treatment will depend on factors such as formation type, permeability, and temperature; however, adequate amount of fluid loss additive, as previously described, must be used so that it becomes an integral part of the filter cake to provide leakoff control and cleanup.

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  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Geology (AREA)
  • Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Solid-Sorbent Or Filter-Aiding Compositions (AREA)

Abstract

Un réducteur de filtrat pour un fluide de traitement par fracturation, un fluide de traitement par fracturation et un procédé de fracturation d'une formation souterraine utilisent des coques d'arachide finement broyées, dont 10 % ou plus présentent une dimension granulométrique inférieure à des mailles de tamis de dimension standard 20 et supérieure à des mailles de tamis de dimension standard 500.
PCT/US1992/000717 1991-01-30 1992-01-28 Procede et compositions de fracturation de formations souterraines Ceased WO1992014032A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US64777191A 1991-01-30 1991-01-30
US647,771 1991-01-30

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1992014032A1 true WO1992014032A1 (fr) 1992-08-20

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Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2873250A (en) * 1953-12-28 1959-02-10 Pan American Petroleum Corp Composition for plugging highly permeable formations
US3364995A (en) * 1966-02-14 1968-01-23 Dow Chemical Co Hydraulic fracturing fluid-bearing earth formations
US4076944A (en) * 1974-11-29 1978-02-28 Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. 3β,14β-Dihydroxy-14,17-seco-D-bisnorandrostan-17-oic acid derivatives
US4353509A (en) * 1981-04-28 1982-10-12 Bostian Jr Clarence L Method of preparation of fibers and fibers obtained therefrom
US5087611A (en) * 1990-06-12 1992-02-11 Forrest Gabriel T Method of drilling with fluid comprising peanut hulls ground to a powder

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2873250A (en) * 1953-12-28 1959-02-10 Pan American Petroleum Corp Composition for plugging highly permeable formations
US3364995A (en) * 1966-02-14 1968-01-23 Dow Chemical Co Hydraulic fracturing fluid-bearing earth formations
US4076944A (en) * 1974-11-29 1978-02-28 Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. 3β,14β-Dihydroxy-14,17-seco-D-bisnorandrostan-17-oic acid derivatives
US4353509A (en) * 1981-04-28 1982-10-12 Bostian Jr Clarence L Method of preparation of fibers and fibers obtained therefrom
US5087611A (en) * 1990-06-12 1992-02-11 Forrest Gabriel T Method of drilling with fluid comprising peanut hulls ground to a powder

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