System and method for facilitating subterranean hydrocarbon extraction utilizing electrochemical reactions with metals

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017284180-A1
Application number	US-201515508776-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 4, 2015
Priority date	Sep 5, 2014
Publication date	Oct 5, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and systems for facilitating extraction of subterranean hydrocarbons from a geologic structure. The present methods include causing corrosion of a base metal within a geologic structure to produce a gaseous product to increase pressure and form fractures in the geologic structure. Some embodiments of the present methods include injecting a fluid composition comprising the base metal into a wellbore (e.g., into a geologic structure via the wellbore).

First claim

1 . A method to facilitate extraction of subterranean hydrocarbons from a geologic structure, the method comprising:
injecting a first fluid composition comprising a base metal and proppant particles into a first wellbore that extends into the geologic structure, the base metal particles having a first density and the proppant particles having a second density, wherein a ratio of the second density to the first density is equal to or less than 5; wherein corrosion of the base metal in the wellbore results in electrochemical oxidation of the base metal and electrochemical reduction of a reducible species that generates a gaseous product, thereby increasing the subterranean pressure in at least a portion of the wellbore; and wherein the base metal corrodes in the wellbore at a rate sufficient to produce a gaseous product that induces fractures within the geologic structure, and at least some of the induced fractures are kept open by the proppant particles thereby facilitating egress of hydrocarbons from the geologic structure.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the second density to the first density is equal to or less than 2.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the second density to the first density is equal to or less than 1.2.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the second density to the first density is equal to or less than 1.1.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the second density to the first density is equal to or less than 1.02.

6 . A method to facilitate extraction of subterranean hydrocarbons from a geologic structure, the method comprising:
injecting a first fluid composition comprising a base metal into a first wellbore that extends into the geologic structure; wherein corrosion of the base metal in the wellbore results in electrochemical oxidation of the base metal and electrochemical reduction of a reducible species that generates a gaseous product and a metal oxide product; wherein the gaseous product increases the subterranean pressure, thereby inducing fractures within the geologic structure; and, wherein induced fractures are kept open by the metal oxide product, thereby facilitating hydrocarbon egress from the geologic structure.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the metal oxide product comprises less than 40% fines under 2,000 to 14,000 psi closure pressure, and acts as a fracture proppant after it is formed within the wellbore.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the metal oxide product comprises less than 30% fines under 2,000 to 14,000 psi closure pressure, and acts as a fracture proppant after it is formed within the wellbore.

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the metal oxide product comprises less than 10% fines under 2,000 to 14,000 psi closure pressure, and acts as a fracture proppant after it is formed within the wellbore.

10 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the metal oxide product has a conductivity range from 100 millidarcies per foot for a 14,000 psi closure stress to 40,000 millidarcies per foot for 2,000 psi closure stress.

11 . A method to facilitate extraction of subterranean hydrocarbons from a geologic structure by sequentially injecting alternate stages of fracturing fluid compositions from a wellhead into a wellbore, the method comprising:
injecting a first fluid composition comprising base metal particles into the wellbore for a first predetermined time period; injecting a second fluid composition comprising an activating additive into the wellbore for a second predetermined time period; wherein the first fluid and second fluid are injected in sequence to produce an electrochemical reaction at a distance from the wellhead; wherein the activating additive activates a corrosion process resulting in electrochemical oxidation of the base metal and electrochemical reduction of a reducible species; and, wherein the electrochemical reaction between the base metal and a reducible species that generates a gaseous product and a metal oxide product.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
injecting a third fluid composition comprising a deactivating additive for a third predetermined time period, wherein the deactivating additive deactivates the corrosion process.

13 . The method of claim 11 , where the distance from the wellhead is within a predetermined range.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the predetermined distance range from the wellhead is determined by the first predetermined time period, the second predetermined time period, or both.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the first predetermined time period and the second predetermined time period are each between 10 seconds and thirty minutes.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the first predetermined time period and the second predetermined time period are each between 50 seconds and 500 seconds.

17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the electrochemical reaction rate is adjusted by altering the injection rate of the first fluid composition, the second fluid composition, or both.

18 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising injecting fluids comprising proppants that differ in at least one of: density, size, concentration, and a combination thereof.

19 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising alternating injection of fluids with proppant and fluids without proppant.

20 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the base metal particles are encapsulated by an encapsulating material, and the second fluid composition comprises an activating additive that dissolves the encapsulating material.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the base metal particles are encapsulated by a surfactant, polymer, sulfate, carboxylate, ester, other less reactive metals, other metals that react at a different pH or in response to other stimuli, or a combinations thereof.

22 . The method of any of claims 11 - 21 , wherein the base metal corrodes in the wellbore at a rate that is low enough to produce a gaseous product that provides local sustained pressure substantially without inducing fractures in the geologic structures.

23 . The method of any of claims 1 - 21 , wherein the base metal comprises one or more of:
alkaline metals, alkaline earth metals, transition metals and metalloids.

24 . The method of any of claims 1 - 21 , wherein the base metal comprises one or more of:
aluminum, magnesium, sodium, calcium, zinc, indium, lead, manganese, chromium, iron, cadmium, cobalt, nickel, tin, lead, boron, silicon, and combinations thereof.

25 . The method of any of claims 1 - 21 , wherein the base metal comprises one or more of:
aluminum, magnesium, or a combination thereof.

26 . The method of any of claim 1 - 21 , wherein the base metal is configured in a physical form having a particles with an aggregate transverse dimension of between 1 and 100 microns.

27 . The method of any of claims 1 - 21 , wherein at least a portion of the base metal comprises a physical form of one or more of: a powder, particles, and flakes.

28 . The method of any of claims 1 - 21 , wherein the first fluid composition further comprises a surface passivating additive.

29 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the surface passivating additive is configured to degrade over time.

30 . The method of claim 29 , wherein the surface passivating additive comprises a

Assignees

• Switzer Elise
• Friesen Cody
• Lorzel Heath
• Univ Arizona State

Inventors

• Switzer Elise
• Friesen Cody
• Lorzel Heath

Classifications

• E21B43/267

  reinforcing fractures by propping · CPC title

• C09K8/80

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

• C09K8/92

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

• C09K8/70

  characterised by their form or by the form of their components, e.g. foams · CPC title

• E21B43/26 Primary

  by forming crevices or fractures · CPC title