Non-radioactive tracers to evaluate fracturing procedures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10655445-B2
Application number	US-201715831081-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 4, 2017
Priority date	Dec 4, 2017
Publication date	May 19, 2020
Grant date	May 19, 2020

Abstract

A method for evaluating induced fractures in a wellbore includes obtaining a first set of data in a wellbore using a downhole logging tool. A first proppant is pumped into the wellbore, after the first set of data is captured. The first proppant includes a first tracer that is not radioactive. A second proppant is also pumped into the wellbore, after the first proppant is pumped into the wellbore. The second proppant includes a second tracer that is not radioactive, and the second tracer is different than the first tracer. A second set of data is obtained in the wellbore using the downhole tool after the first and second proppants are pumped into the wellbore. The first and second sets of data are compared.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for evaluating induced fractures in a wellbore, comprising:
obtaining a first set of data in a wellbore using a downhole logging tool, wherein the downhole logging tool comprises a pulsed neutron logging tool;
pumping a first proppant into the wellbore, after the first set of data is captured, wherein the first proppant comprises a first tracer that is not radioactive, wherein the first tracer includes an element selected from the group consisting of gadolinium, boron, and samarium;
pumping a second proppant into the wellbore, after the first proppant is pumped into the wellbore, wherein the second proppant comprises a second tracer that is not radioactive, wherein the second tracer includes a different element selected from the group consisting of gadolinium, boron, and samarium and wherein the second tracer is different than the first tracer;
obtaining a second set of data in the wellbore using the downhole tool after the first and second proppants are pumped into the wellbore; and
comparing the first and second sets of data, wherein comparing the first and second sets of data comprises comparing detector count rate changes between the first and second sets of data in an early time window after neutron bursts, wherein the early time window is from about 35 μs to about 150 μs, and further comprising:
determining, based on the comparison of the detector count rate changes, that one of the first and second tracers comprises boron and is present in first formation fractures when the detector count rate decreases proximate to a first set of perforations adjacent to the first formation fractures.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first set of data, the second set of data, the comparison of the first and second sets of data, or a combination thereof comprise:
borehole sigma data,
formation sigma data,
ratio data of count rate changes in different time windows after the neutron bursts,
elemental yield data of the first tracer, the second tracer, or both, or
a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, based on the comparison of the first and second sets of data, that the first proppant is present in formation fractures proximate to a first set of perforations in the wellbore, and the second proppant is present in formation fractures proximate to a second set of perforations in the wellbore when an elemental yield of the first tracer increases proximate the first set of perforations, the elemental yield of the second tracer increases proximate the second set of perforations, or both.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, based on the comparison of the detector count rate changes, that the other of the first and second tracers comprises gadolinium or samarium and is present in second formation fractures when the detector count rate increases proximate a second set of perforations adjacent to the second formation fractures.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing the first and second sets of data comprises comparing detector count rate changes between the first and second sets of data in a late time window after neutron bursts, wherein the late time window is from about 200 μs to about 1,000 μs.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising pumping a third proppant into the wellbore, wherein the third proppant comprises a third tracer that is not radioactive, wherein the third tracer includes a third element selected from the group consisting of gadolinium, boron, and samarium, and wherein the third tracer is different from the first and second tracers.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, based on the comparison of the first and second sets of data, that the first proppant is present in formation fractures proximate to a first set of perforations in the wellbore, and the second proppant is present in the formation fractures proximate to a second set of perforations in the wellbore when:
proximate to the first set of perforations: a borehole sigma increased, a formation sigma increased, a detector count rate in the early time window increased, the detector count rate in a late time window decreased, an elemental yield of the first tracer increased, or a combination thereof, wherein the late time window is from about 200 μs to about 1,000 μs; and
proximate to the second set of perforations: the borehole sigma increased, the formation sigma increased, the detector count rate in the early time window decreased, the detector count rate in the late time window decreased, or a combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first proppant comprises a first plurality of particles, the second proppant comprises a second plurality of particles, and the average size of the first plurality of particles is different from the average size of the second plurality of particles.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first proppant comprises a lead-in portion, and the second proppant comprises a tail-in portion.

10. A method for evaluating induced fractures in a wellbore, comprising:
obtaining a first set of data in a wellbore using a downhole logging tool, wherein the downhole logging tool comprises a pulsed neutron logging tool;
pumping a first proppant into the wellbore, after the first set of data is captured, wherein the first proppant comprises a first tracer that is not radioactive, wherein the first tracer includes an element selected from the group consisting of gadolinium, boron, and samarium;
pumping a second proppant into the wellbore, after the first proppant is pumped into the wellbore, wherein the second proppant comprises a second tracer that is not radioactive, wherein the second tracer includes a different element selected from the group consisting of gadolinium, boron, and samarium and wherein the second tracer is different than the first tracer;
obtaining a second set of data in the wellbore using the downhole tool after the first and second proppants are pumped into the wellbore; and
comparing the first and second sets of data, wherein comparing the first and second sets of data comprises computing a ratio of a detector count rate change in an early time window after neutron bursts relative to the detector count rate change in a late time window after the neutron bursts, wherein the early time window is from about 35 μs to about 150 μs and the late time window is from about 200 μs to about 1,000 μs.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the ratio is positive in the presence of boron, and negative in the presence of gadolinium or samarium.

Assignees

• Carbo Ceramics Inc

Inventors

• Zhang Jeremy
• Smith Jr Harry D

Classifications

• G01V5/102

  the neutron source being of the pulsed type · CPC title

• G01V5/108

  the neutron source being of the pulsed type · CPC title

• E21B43/267 Primary

  reinforcing fractures by propping · CPC title

• E21B43/26 Primary

  by forming crevices or fractures · CPC title

• E21B47/1015

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic