Removing cured resins from subterranean formations and completions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016160610-A1
Application number	US-201314907727-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 30, 2013
Priority date	Aug 30, 2013
Publication date	Jun 9, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods are provided for chemically removing cured resin product from subterranean formations in case of inappropriate consolidation, plugging of screens or tubing, and equipment damage. A chemical solvent is introduced to a wellbore where a resin has cured. The resin is contacted with the chemical solvent until the resin at least partially dissolves. The dissolved resin is then removed from the wellbore. The disclosed method may also be used to remove consolidated packs consisting of cured resin and particulate materials.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
introducing a chemical solvent into a wellbore penetrating a portion of a subterranean formation wherein a resin has been at least partially cured; wherein the chemical solvent is selected from the group consisting of γ-butyrolactone, dibasic esters, ketones, tetra hydro furan, 2-butoxy ethanol, butylglycidyl ether, dipropylene glycol methyl ether, dipropylene glycol dimethyl ether, dimethyl sulfoxide, dimethyl formamide, diethyleneglycol methyl ether, diethylene glycol dimethyl ether, ethyleneglycol butyl ether, diethyleneglycol butyl ether, butylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, ethylene carbonate, methanol, butyl alcohol, d-limonene, fatty acid methyl ester, caprolactone, γ-valerolactone, δ-decalactone, cyclohexylpyrrolidone, β-propiolactone, 3-oxetanone, any combination thereof, and any derivative thereof; contacting the resin with the chemical solvent to at least partially dissolve the resin; and circulating a fluid in the wellbore to remove the resin from the wellbore.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the chemical solvent comprises γ-butyrolactone.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the resin comprises a two-component epoxy resin.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the resin is contacted with the chemical solvent for at least 30 minutes.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the chemical solvent is introduced into the wellbore using a carrier fluid, wherein the chemical solvent is present in the carrier fluid in a range of about 0.5% to about 99%.

6 . A method comprising:
introducing a chemical solvent into a wellbore penetrating a consolidated portion of a subterranean formation that has been at least partially consolidated with a resin; wherein the chemical solvent is selected from the group consisting of γ-butyrolactone, dibasic esters, ketones, tetra hydro furan, 2-butoxy ethanol, butylglycidyl ether, dipropylene glycol methyl ether, dipropylene glycol dimethyl ether, dimethyl sulfoxide, dimethyl formamide, diethyleneglycol methyl ether, diethylene glycol dimethyl ether, ethyleneglycol butyl ether, diethyleneglycol butyl ether, butylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, ethylene carbonate, methanol, butyl alcohol, d-limonene, fatty acid methyl ester, caprolactone, γ-valerolactone, δ-decalactone, cyclohexylpyrrolidone, β-propiolactone, 3-oxetanone, any combination thereof, and any derivative thereof; contacting the consolidated portion of the subterranean formation with the chemical solvent to at least partially unconsolidate the consolidated portion of the subterranean formation.

7 . The method of claim 6 wherein the chemical solvent comprises γ-butyrolactone.

8 . The method of claim 6 wherein the resin comprises a two-component epoxy resin.

9 . The method of claim 6 wherein the formation is contacted with the chemical solvent for at least 30 minutes.

10 . The method of claim 6 wherein the chemical solvent is introduced into the wellbore using a carrier fluid, wherein the chemical solvent is present in the carrier fluid in a range of about 0.5% to about 99%.

11 . A method comprising:
introducing a resin into a subterranean formation; at least partially curing the resin to produce a cured resin; introducing a chemical solvent into the subterranean formation; contacting at least a portion of the cured resin with the chemical solvent to at least partially dissolve at least a portion the cured resin; and using a circulated fluid to remove the dissolved resin from the subterranean formation.

12 . The method of claim 11 that further comprises isolating a zone of the subterranean formation with the cured resin prior to introducing the chemical solvent into the subterranean formation.

13 . The method of claim 12 that further comprises treating a zone of the subterranean formation that has been isolated by the cured resin.

14 . The method of claim 11 wherein the chemical solvent comprises γ-butyrolactone.

15 . The method of claim 11 wherein the chemical solvent is selected from the group consisting of dibasic esters, ketones, tetra hydro furan, 2-butoxy ethanol, butylglycidyl ether, dipropylene glycol methyl ether, dipropylene glycol dimethyl ether, dimethyl sulfoxide, dimethyl formamide, diethyleneglycol methyl ether, diethylene glycol dimethyl ether, ethyleneglycol butyl ether, diethyleneglycol butyl ether, butylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, ethylene carbonate, methanol, butyl alcohol, d-limonene, fatty acid methyl ester, caprolactone, γ-valerolactone, δ-decalactone, cyclohexylpyrrolidone, β-propiolactone, 3-oxetanone, any combination thereof, and any derivative thereof.

16 . The method of claim 11 wherein the resin comprises a two-component epoxy resin.

17 . The method of claim 11 wherein the formation is contacted with the chemical solvent for at least 30 minutes.

18 . The method of claim 11 wherein the chemical solvent is introduced into the subterranean formation using a carrier fluid, wherein the chemical solvent is present in the carrier fluid in a range of about 0.5% to about 99%.

19 . The method of claim 11 wherein the portion of the resin contacted with the chemical solvent is attached to or resides within downhole equipment.

20 . The method of claim 19 wherein the downhole equipment is selected from the group consisting of screens and tubing.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Belakshe Ravikant S
• Agrawal Amit Chandrakant
• Prakash Chetan
• Songire Sumit Ramesh
• Pathak Amar Deep

Classifications

• E21B37/08 Primary

  cleaning in situ of down-hole filters, screens, {e.g. casing perforations,} or gravel packs (E21B37/06 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B33/138

  Plastering the borehole wall; Injecting into the formation · CPC title

• C09K8/524

  organic depositions, e.g. paraffins or asphaltenes · CPC title

• E21B37/06 Primary

  using chemical means for preventing or limiting {, e.g. eliminating,} the deposition of paraffins or like substances · CPC title

• C09K8/508

  macromolecular compounds {(C09K8/512 takes precedence)} · CPC title