Expandable proppant

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016102243-A1
Application number	US-201414513860-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 14, 2014
Priority date	Oct 14, 2014
Publication date	Apr 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of treating a subterranean formation includes injecting an expandable proppant fluid into a wellbore, wherein the expandable proppant fluid comprises an expandable material; introducing the expandable proppant fluid into the subterranean formation through the wellbore; and increasing the diameter of the expandable material in the expandable proppant fluid from a first diameter to a second diameter after introduction into the subterranean formation.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A method of treating a subterranean formation comprising:
injecting an expandable proppant fluid into a wellbore, wherein the expandable proppant fluid comprises an expandable material; introducing the expandable proppant fluid into the subterranean formation through the wellbore; and increasing the diameter of the expandable material in the expandable proppant fluid from a first diameter to a second diameter after introduction into the subterranean formation, wherein the wellbore comprises a casing including a plurality of perforations having a diameter smaller than the second diameter of the expandable material.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising fracturing the subterranean formation prior to injecting the expandable material.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein introducing the expandable proppant fluid comprises pumping the expandable proppant fluid, wherein the pump is sized for the expandable material having the first diameter.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the increasing the diameter of the expandable material comprises heating the expandable material.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein heating the expandable material comprises utilizing the heat of the subterranean formation to increase the temperature of the expandable material.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the increasing the diameter of the expandable material comprises further comprises contacting an additive with the expandable material.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the contacting the additive comprises introducing the additive into the subterranean formation to mix with the expandable proppant fluid.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the increasing the diameter comprises activating a catalyst within the expandable proppant fluid.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the increasing the diameter is performed about 30 minutes after injecting the expandable proppant.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of perforations is about 5.5 times larger than the first diameter of the expandable material.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the introducing the expandable proppant fluid further comprises introducing the expandable proppant fluid past a pinch point in the subterranean formation before increasing the diameter of the expandable material.

12 . A fluid for use in hydraulic fracturing, comprising:
a carrier fluid; and a proppant material comprising expandable particles whose diameter may increase from a first diameter to a second diameter.

13 . The fluid of claim 12 , wherein the expandable particles have a second volume related to the second diameter, the second volume at least 200% of a first volume, the first volume related to the first diameter.

14 . The fluid of claim 12 , wherein the expandable particles diameter increases in response to an increase in the temperature of the carrier fluid.

15 . The fluid of claim 14 , wherein the increased temperature of the carrier fluid is from a subterranean formation.

16 . The fluid of claim 12 , wherein the expandable particles diameter increases in response to a chemical reaction.

17 . The fluid of claim 12 , wherein the expandable particles diameter increases in response to contact with an activating agent.

18 . The fluid of claim 12 , wherein the first diameter of the expandable particles is within 5% of the second diameter of the expandable particles.

19 . The fluid of claim 12 , wherein the expandable particles are present in the carrier fluid in an amount of about 30% to 50% by weight of the carrier fluid.

20 . The fluid of claim 12 , wherein the fluid comprises about 6 lb m of proppant per gal expandable carrier fluid.

Assignees

• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Abasiattai Ini

Classifications

• C09K8/80 Primary

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

• E21B43/267

  reinforcing fractures by propping · CPC title