Capsules containing micro-proppant and a substance to produce micro-seismic events

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10378345-B2
Application number	US-201515534975-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 3, 2015
Priority date	Feb 3, 2015
Publication date	Aug 13, 2019
Grant date	Aug 13, 2019

Abstract

A method of mapping micro-fractures of a fracture network comprising: introducing a capsule or coated capsule or containment into the fracture network, where in the capsules or containment comprise an explosive substance and a plurality of micro-proppant; allowing initiation of the explosive substance of some or all of the plurality of the capsules to occur, wherein initiation of the explosive substance causes detonation of the explosive substance, and wherein the detonation produces one or more micro-seismic events; and causing or allowing at least a portion of the micro-proppant to enter one or more of the micro-fractures.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of mapping micro-fractures of a fracture network comprising:
introducing a capsule into the fracture network, wherein the capsule comprises an explosive substance, a core, a coating, an intermediate layer, and a plurality of micro-proppant; wherein the intermediate layer is positioned between the core and the micro-proppant or the core and the coating; wherein the intermediate layer comprises an initiator for initiating the explosive substance; wherein the intiator comprises a water-sensitive explosive material that reacts with water to initiate the explosive substance;
allowing initiation of the explosive substance to occur, wherein initiation of the explosive substance causes detonation of the explosive substance, and wherein the detonation produces one or more micro-seismic events; and
causing or allowing at least a portion of the micro-proppant to enter one or more of the micro-fractures.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of introducing is performed simultaneously with or after the creation of the fracture network.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the capsule is introduced into the fracture network via a treatment fluid.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the treatment fluid further comprises additional micro-proppant or small proppant.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the explosive substance is a primary explosive, a secondary explosive, or other substance that releases energy in the form of a pressure wave when initiated.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the explosive substance is selected from lead azide, lead styphnate, silver azide, silver fulminate, pentaerythritol tetranitrate “PETN”, and sodium azide.

7. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the other substance is selected from the group consisting of energetic salts, energetic binders or plasticizers, micro silica materials, thermobaric mixtures, thermite mixtures, and combinations thereof in any proportion.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the micro-proppant have a particle size smaller than 149 micrometers.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the micro-proppant have a density in the range of about 0.2 to about 5 grams per cubic centimeter and combinations thereof.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the micro-proppant are attached to or adhered to the core via chemical attraction or a binder material or a tackifying agent.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the explosive substance forms a matrix of the capsules, wherein the micro-proppant are dispersed uniformly or non-uniformly throughout the matrix.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the coating is selected from a degradable polymer, cellulose acetate phthalate, cellulose acetate, cellulose butyrate, cellulose acetate butyrate, or poly-isobutyl methacrylate.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the explosive substance is initiated from a chemical reaction with water; from an initiator; from the closure pressure exerted on the capsules from primary fractures or the micro-fractures of the fracture network; or from friction or pressure from some of the micro-proppant crushing under a closure stress from the primary or micro-fractures.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein one or more micro-seismic events are used to map at least the micro-fractures of the fracture network.

15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the detonation of the explosive substance forces some of the micro-proppant into the micro-fractures.

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein larger proppant is placed into primary fractures of the fracture network.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein at least the larger proppant forms a proppant pack within the primary fractures.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the proppant pack is consolidated by the use of a curable resin system or consolidating agent.

19. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the capsule is introduced into the fracture network using one or more pumps.

20. A method of mapping micro-fractures of a fracture network comprising:
introducing a coated capsule into the fracture network, wherein the coated capsule comprises an explosive substance, a core, an intermediate layer, and a plurality of micro-proppant; wherein the intermediate layer is positioned between the core and the micro-proppant or the core and the coating; wherein the intermediate layer comprises an initiator for initiating the explosive substance; wherein the initiator comprises a water-sensitive explosive material that reacts with water to initiate the explosive substance;
allowing initiation of the explosive substance to occur, wherein initiation of the explosive substance causes detonation of the explosive substance, and wherein the detonation produces one or more micro-seismic events; and
causing or allowing at least a portion of the micro-proppant to enter one or more of the micro-fractures.

21. A method of mapping micro-fractures of a fracture network comprising:
introducing a containment of an explosive substance, a core, a coating, an intermediate layer; and a plurality of micro-proppant into the fracture network; wherein the intermediate layer is positioned between the core and the micro-proppant or the core and the coating; wherein the intermediate layer comprises an initiator for initiating the explosive substance; wherein the initiator comprises a water-sensitive explosive material that reacts with water to initiate the explosive substance;
allowing initiation of the explosive substance to occur, wherein initiation of the explosive substance causes detonation of the explosive substance, and wherein the detonation produces one or more micro-seismic events; and
causing or allowing at least a portion of the micro-proppant to enter one or more of the micro-fractures.

22. A capsule for mapping micro-fractures of a fracture network comprising:
an explosive substance;
a core;
a coating;
a plurality of micro-proppant; and
an intermediate layer positioned between the core and the micro-proppant or the core and the coating; wherein the intermediate layer comprises an initiator for initiating the explosive substance; and wherein the initiator comprises a water-sensitive explosive material that reacts with water to initiate the explosive substance.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Hall Lee J
• Nguyen Phillip D

Classifications

• C09K8/80 Primary

  Compositions for reinforcing fractures, e.g. compositions of proppants used to keep the fractures open · CPC title

• F42D3/06

  for seismic purposes · CPC title

• G01V1/288

  Event detection in seismic signals, e.g. microseismics (G01V1/36 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01V1/104

  using explosive charges (G01V1/157 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B49/00 Primary

  Testing the nature of borehole walls; Formation testing; Methods or apparatus for obtaining samples of soil or well fluids, specially adapted to earth drilling or wells · CPC title