Subterranean stimulation operations utilizing degradable pre-coated particulates

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10876045-B2
Application number	US-201515760214-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2015
Priority date	Nov 16, 2015
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

Degradable particulates may allow for temporary redirection or occlusion of a fluid within a subterranean formation. However, many types of degradable particulates can be problematic for large-scale use, such as during subterranean treatment operations. Methods for treating a subterranean formation using degradable particulates may comprise: providing pre-coated particulates comprising a latently dissolvable core and a transient coating surrounding the latently dissolvable core, the latently dissolvable core and the transient coating comprising different materials; and introducing a treatment fluid comprising a carrier fluid and a plurality of the pre-coated particulates into a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation in conjunction with a stimulation operation, a material comprising the latently dissolvable core being soluble in the carrier fluid or a formation fluid present within the subterranean formation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
providing pre-coated particulates comprising a dissolvable core and a coating surrounding the dissolvable core, the dissolvable core and the coating comprising different materials,
wherein the coating comprises an oil soluble material, wherein the coating comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a lipid, a wax, a degradable polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(vinylidene chloride), poly(cyclopentadiene), shellac, methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, and any combination thereof, an enteric coating, and any combination thereof;

introducing the pre-coated particulates into a carrier fluid thereby forming a treatment fluid; and
introducing the treatment fluid into a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation;
wherein the coating dissolves in the wellbore thereby exposing a surface of the dissolvable core,
wherein the coating dissolves in the wellbore in about 1 hour to about 3 hours after introduction to the subterranean formation; and
wherein the treatment fluid is introduced into the wellbore in conjunction with a stimulation operation, and a material comprising the dissolvable core is soluble in the carrier fluid or a formation fluid present within the subterranean formation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the pre-coated particulates divert a fluid during the stimulation operation from a first location of the subterranean formation to a second location of the subterranean formation.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the pre-coated particulates divert a fracturing fluid or an acidizing fluid.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the treatment fluid comprising the plurality of the pre-coated particulates is introduced into the wellbore before the fracturing fluid or the acidizing fluid.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of the pre-coated particulates are present in the fracturing fluid or the acidizing fluid.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carrier fluid comprises an aqueous fluid and the dissolvable core comprises a water-soluble salt.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the dissolvable core comprises rock salt.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carrier fluid comprises an aqueous fluid and the dissolvable core comprises a sugar.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises a material that degrades, dissolves, melts or any combination thereof in the wellbore.

10. A method comprising:
providing a plurality of pre-coated particulates, wherein each of the pre-coated particulates comprises a dissolvable core and a coating surrounding the dissolvable core;
introducing the plurality of pre-coated particulates into a treatment fluid comprising an aqueous carrier fluid;
wherein the dissolvable core comprises a material that is soluble in the aqueous carrier fluid and differs from the coating,
wherein the coating comprises an oil soluble material, wherein the coating comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a lipid, a wax, a degradable polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(vinylidene chloride), poly(cyclopentadiene), shellac, methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, and any combination thereof, an enteric coating, and any combination thereof;

introducing the treatment fluid into a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation;
dissolving at least a portion of the coating material in the wellbore thereby exposing a surface of the dissolvable core, wherein the coating dissolves in the wellbore in about 1 hour to about 3 hours after introduction to the subterranean formation; and
diverting a fluid with at least a portion of the pre-coated particulates from a first location of the subterranean formation to a second location of the subterranean formation.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the coating comprises a substance that degrades, dissolves, melts or any combination thereof in the wellbore.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
dissolving the dissolvable core after the fluid has been diverted.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the aqueous carrier fluid dissolves the dissolvable core.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein a formation fluid present within the subterranean formation dissolves the dissolvable core.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the dissolvable core comprises a water-soluble salt.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the dissolvable core comprises rock salt.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the dissolvable core comprises a sugar.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Holtsclaw Jeremy A
• Eoff Larry Steven
• Schultheiss Nathan Carl

Classifications

• E21B43/26

  by forming crevices or fractures · CPC title

• C09K8/88

  macromolecular compounds · CPC title

• C09K8/92 Primary

  characterised by their form or by the form of their components, e.g. encapsulated material (C09K8/70 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C09K8/905

  Biopolymers · CPC title

• C09K8/885

  obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds · CPC title