Latent Curing Agent Compatible with Low pH Frac Fluids

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016108306-A1
Application number	US-201314888438-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 20, 2013
Priority date	Sep 20, 2013
Publication date	Apr 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of treating a subterranean formation including providing a treatment fluid comprising a hardenable acid curable resin and a hydrolysable strong acid ester. The treatment fluid is combined with a diluent fluid and is introduced into a subterranean formation. Upon the hydrolyzing of the ester in the formation and the contacting of unconsolidated proppants, the treatment method produces consolidated proppants.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of treating a wellbore in a subterranean formation comprising:
providing a first fluid comprising a hardenable acid curable resin and a hydrolysable strong acid ester, wherein said ester upon hydrolyzing yields an acid with a pK a at or below about 3; providing a diluent fluid; placing a first stream comprising the first fluid and the diluent fluid into a zone in the subterranean formation, said zone comprising unconsolidated particulates; hydrolyzing at least a portion of said ester in said formation; and forming consolidated particulates upon the contacting of the unconsolidated particles with the reaction product of the hardenable acid curable resin and hydrolysable strong acid ester upon hydrolyzing in the formation.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the hardenable acid curable resin comprises melamine resins with secondary amino groups.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the melamine resins comprise at least one resin selected from the group consisting of phenolic; furan; aldehyde; novolac;
epoxy; and combinations thereof.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the hardenable acid curable resin comprises a furan resin.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrolysable strong acid ester comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of methyl tosylate and homologous series; methyl methane sulfonate and homologous series; methyl trichloroacetate and homologous series; methyl trifluroacetate and homologous series; dimethyl methylphosphonate and homologous series; and any combination thereof.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the hydrolysable strong acid ester comprises a tosylated ester.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first stream further comprises a catalyst.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the catalyst comprises at least one member selected from organic amine bases; inorganic bases; and mixtures thereof.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the organic amine base is selected from the following group consisting of pyridine; isoquinoline; quinoline; N,N dimethylcyclohexylamine; tributylamine; tripropylamie; N-ethylmorpholine; dimethylaniline; and mixtures thereof.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the inorganic base is selected from the following group consisting of potassium hydroxide; sodium hydroxide; ammonium hydroxide; and mixtures thereof.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first stream further comprises a silane coupling agent.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the silane coupling agent comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of N-2-(aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane; 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane; n-beta-(aminoethyl)-gamma-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane; and combinations thereof.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first stream further comprises a surfactant for facilitating the contacting of the unconsolidated particulates with the reaction product.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the surfactant comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of an ethoxylated nonyl phenol phosphate ester; mixtures of one or more cationic surfactants; a C 12 -C 22 alkyl phosphonate surfactant; a mixture of one or more non-ionic surfactants; an alkyl phosphonate surfactant; and mixtures thereof.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the zone comprises proppant particulates forming a proppant pack in a fracture.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the proppant is sand.

17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the forming comprises reacting the hardenable acid curable resin, hydrolysable strong acid ester, and water in the formation, thereby forming a reaction product.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising curing the reaction product to the unconsolidated particulates.

19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrolysable strong acid ester produces a fluid with a pH of about 3.0 or less upon being hydrolyzed by water in the formation.

20 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrolysable strong acid ester is encapsulated in a hydrolysable material.

21 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the diluent fluid comprises a non-aqueous base fluid.

22 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the hardenable acid curable resin and the hydrolysable strong acid ester is soluble in the diluent fluid.

23 . A method comprising:
placing a first stream comprising a hardenable acid curing resin and a hydrolysable strong acid ester into a wellbore in a subterranean formation, said formation comprising unconsolidated particulates, wherein said ester upon hydrolyzing yields an acid with a pK a at or below about 3; and forming consolidated particulates upon the contacting of the unconsolidated particles with the reaction product of the hardenable acid curing resin, hydrolysable strong acid ester, and water in the formation.

24 . A method comprising:
providing a wellbore in a subterranean formation; providing a first fluid comprising a hardenable acid curing resin and a hydrolysable strong acid ester, wherein said ester upon hydrolyzing yields an acid with a pK a at or below about 3; providing proppant particulates; coating the proppant particulates with the first fluid; providing a second stream comprising a diluent fluid; creating at least one fracture in said subterranean formation; placing a first stream comprising the coated proppant particulates and the second stream into the subterranean formation and into at least one fracture therein; wherein the proppant particulates form a proppant pack in the at least one fracture; and forming consolidated proppant particulates upon the curing of the coated proppant particulates in the proppant pack upon hydrolyzing of at least a portion of said strong acid ester.

25 . A well treatment system comprising:
a well treatment apparatus configured to:
place a first stream comprising a hardenable acid curing resin and a hydrolysable strong acid ester into a wellbore in a subterranean formation, said formation comprising unconsolidated particulates, wherein said ester upon hydrolyzing yields an acid with a pK a at or below about 3; and
form consolidated particulates upon the contacting of the unconsolidated particles with the reaction product of the hardenable acid curing resin, hydrolysable strong acid ester, and water in the formation.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Weaver Jim D
• Nguyen Philip D
• Singh Dipti

Classifications

• C09K8/565

  Oil-based compositions · CPC title

• C09K8/82

  Oil-based compositions (C09K8/64 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C09K8/90

  of natural origin, e.g. polysaccharides, cellulose · CPC title

• C09K8/64

  Oil-based compositions · CPC title

• C09K8/887

  containing cross-linking agents · CPC title