Fracturing fluids and methods of treating hydrocarbon formations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016289549-A1
Application number	US-201615084833-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 30, 2016
Priority date	Mar 30, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of fracturing a subterranean formation penetrated by a well comprises: forming a fracturing composition comprising a carrier fluid; and a superabsorbent polymer component comprising one or more of the following: a first composite of a proppant and a first superabsorbent polymer in an unhydrated form, the first superabsorbent polymer being at least partially embedded in a void area of the proppant; a coated superabsorbent polymer; a superabsorbent material having a three-dimensional network; or a second composite of a second superabsorbent polymer and a slow-release breaker; and pumping the hydraulic fracturing composition into the subterranean formation to create or enlarge a fracture.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of fracturing a subterranean formation penetrated by a well, the method comprising:
forming a fracturing composition comprising
a carrier fluid,
a proppant,
a superabsorbent polymer,
a breaker effective to break the superabsorbent polymer at a temperature greater than about 250° F. in the absence of any activators,
an encapsulated activator comprising an activator encapsulated within an encapsulant, the activator being effective to activate the breaker so that the breaker or a derivative thereof breaks the superabsorbent at a temperature less than about 200° F.;
pumping the hydraulic fracturing composition into the subterranean formation to create or enlarge a fracture; allowing the activator to diffuse out of the encapsulant; and breaking the superabsorbent polymer.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subterranean formation has an environmental temperature of less than about 200° F.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the breaker is sodium bromate.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the fracturing composition comprises about 1 pound to about 10 pounds of the breaker per one thousand gallons of the fracturing composition.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the activator comprises one or more of the following: sorbic acid; a ferrous salt; a copper (I) salt; or erythorbic acid or its salt.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the fracturing composition comprises about 1 pound to about 4 pounds of the encapsulated activator per one thousand gallons of the fracturing fluid.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the fracturing composition comprises a composite of the superabsorbent polymer and the proppant.

8 . A method of fracturing a subterranean formation penetrated by a well, the method comprising:
injecting into the subterranean formation a first fracturing composition comprising
a first carrier fluid,
a proppant,
a superabsorbent polymer, and
one of a breaker and an activator for the breaker;
injecting a second fracturing composition into the subterranean formation, the second fracturing composition comprising
a second carrier fluid, and
the breaker or the activator not included in the first fracturing composition; and
breaking the superabsorbent polymer after injecting the second fracturing composition at a temperature of less than about 200° F.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the breaker is sodium bromate.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the first or second fracturing composition comprises about 1 pound to about 10 pounds of the breaker per one thousand gallons of the first or second fracturing composition.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the activator comprises one or more of the following: sorbic acid; a ferrous salt; a copper (I) salt; or erythorbic acid or its salt.

12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the first or second fracturing composition comprises about 1 pound to about 4 pounds of the activator per one thousand gallons of the first or second fracturing fluid.

13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the first fracturing composition comprises a composite of the superabsorbent polymer and the proppant.

14 . A method of fracturing a subterranean formation penetrated by a well, the method comprising:
injecting into the subterranean formation a first fracturing composition comprising
a first carrier fluid,
a proppant, and
a superabsorbent polymer,
the first fracturing composition being free of breakers for the superabsorbent polymer;
injecting a second fracturing composition into the subterranean formation, the second fracturing composition comprising
a second carrier fluid, and
a breaker effective to break the superabsorbent polymer at a temperature of less than about 200° F.; and
breaking the superabsorbent polymer after injecting the second fracturing composition.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the breaker is one or more of the following: a peroxide; a persulfate; a perphosphate; a perborate; a percarbonate; a persilicate; an oxyacid of a halogen; an oxyanion of halogen; a peracid; or a derivative thereof.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the breaker is one or more of the following: sodium persulfate; ammonium persulfate; or potassium persulfate.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the first fracturing composition comprises a composite of the superabsorbent polymer and the proppant.

Assignees

• Nelson Scott Gregory
• Sun Hong
• Zhou Jia
• Li Leiming
• Wang Xiaolan
• Qu Qi
• Baker Hughes Inc

Inventors

• Nelson Scott Gregory
• Sun Hong
• Zhou Jia
• Li Leiming
• Wang Xiaolan
• Qu Qi

Classifications

• C09K8/887

  containing cross-linking agents · CPC title

• C09K8/68

  containing organic compounds · CPC title

• C09K8/80

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

• C09K8/035

  Organic additives · CPC title

• C09K8/62

  Compositions for forming crevices or fractures · CPC title