Methods for hindering settling of proppant aggregates in subterranean operations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9260650-B2
Application number	US-201213597545-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2012
Priority date	Aug 29, 2012
Publication date	Feb 16, 2016
Grant date	Feb 16, 2016

Abstract

Methods of fracturing a subterranean formation comprising introducing a fracturing fluid into the subterranean formation at a pressure sufficient to create or enhance at least one fracture therein. And providing proppant aggregates themselves comprising proppant particles coated with a binding fluid and having foamed particulates adhered thereto that are suspended in gelled treatment fluid and placed into at least a portion of the fracture so as to form a proppant pack therein.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of fracturing a subterranean formation comprising:
introducing a fracturing fluid into the subterranean formation at a pressure sufficient to create or enhance at least one fracture therein;
providing proppant aggregates comprising proppant particulates coated with a binding fluid and having foamed particles adhered to the surface of the proppant particulates by the binding fluid; and
placing the proppant aggregates suspended in a gelled treatment fluid into at least a portion of the fracture so as to form a proppant pack therein.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the fracturing fluid is selected from the group consisting of aqueous gels, viscoelastic surfactant gels, oil gels, foamed gels, emulsions, and any combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the proppant particulates are selected from the group consisting of sand, bauxite, ceramic materials, glass materials, polymer materials, polytetrafluoroethylene materials, nut shell pieces, cured resinous particulates comprising nut shell pieces, seed shell pieces, cured resinous particulates comprising seed shell pieces, fruit pit pieces, cured resinous particulates comprising fruit pit pieces, wood, composite particulates, lightweight particulates, microsphere plastic beads, ceramic microspheres, glass microspheres, manmade fibers, cement, fly ash, carbon black powder, and combinations thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the binding fluid is selected from the group consisting of a non-aqueous tackifying agent, an aqueous tackifying agent, a silyl-modified polyamide, a zeta-potential modifying agent, a silicon-based resin, a curable resin composition, a binder, and any combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the foam particles are selected from the group consisting of foamed polystyrene, foamed polyethylene, foamed polypropylene, foamed polyurethane, foamed polyvinyl alcohol, foamed isocyanate-based polymer, foamed poly(lactic acid), foamed poly(lactic acid)/starch and any combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the foam particles are degradable.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the gelled treatment fluid is selected from the group consisting of aqueous gels, viscoelastic surfactant gels, oil gels, foamed gels, emulsions, and any combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein within the gelled treatment fluid are solids-free gel bodies comprising a swellable polymer selected from the group consisting of a cross-linked polyacrylamide, a crosslinked poly(meth)acrylate, a cross-linked polyacrylate, a cross-linked copolymer of acrylamide and acrylate monomer, a starch grafted with acrylonitrile and acrylate, a cross-linked polymer of two or more of allylsulfonates, 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid, 3-allyloxy-2-hydroxy-1-propanesulfonic acid, acrylamide, an acrylic acid monomer, a non-soluble acrylic polymer, and any combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the gel bodies comprise a salt selected from the group consisting of a salt of carboxyalkyl starch, a salt of carboxymethyl starch, a salt of carboxymethyl cellulose, a salt of cross-linked carboxyalkyl polysaccharide, a starch grafted with acrylonitrile and acrylate monomers, and any combination thereof.

10. A method of fracturing a subterranean formation comprising:
introducing a fracturing fluid into the subterranean formation at a pressure sufficient to create or enhance at least one fracture therein;
providing proppant particulates coated with a binding fluid to create coated proppant;
providing foamed particles;
suspending the coated proppant and the foamed particles in a gelled treatment fluid;
allowing the foamed particles to interact with the coated proppant in the gelled treatment fluid such that the foamed particles adhered to the surface of the proppant particulates by the binding fluid and create proppant aggregates; and
placing the proppant aggregates into at least a portion of the fracture so as to form a proppant pack therein.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the fracturing fluid is selected from the group consisting of aqueous gels, viscoelastic surfactant gels, oil gels, foamed gels, emulsions, and any combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the proppant particulates are selected from the group consisting of sand, bauxite, ceramic materials, glass materials, polymer materials, polytetrafluoroethylene materials, nut shell pieces, cured resinous particulates comprising nut shell pieces, seed shell pieces, cured resinous particulates comprising seed shell pieces, fruit pit pieces, cured resinous particulates comprising fruit pit pieces, wood, composite particulates, lightweight particulates, microsphere plastic beads, ceramic microspheres, glass microspheres, manmade fibers, cement, fly ash, carbon black powder, and combinations thereof.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the binding fluid is selected from the group consisting of a non-aqueous tackifying agent, an aqueous tackifying agent, a silyl-modified polyamide, a zeta-potential modifying agent, a silicon-based resin, a curable resin composition, a binder, and any combination thereof.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the foam particles are selected from the group consisting of foamed polystyrene, foamed polyurethane, foamed polyvinyl alcohol, foamed isocyanate-based polymer, foamed poly(lactic acid), and any combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the foam particles are degradable.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the gelled treatment fluid is selected from the group consisting of aqueous gels, viscoelastic surfactant gels, oil gels, foamed gels, emulsions, and any combination thereof.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein within the gelled treatment fluid are solids-free gel bodies comprising a swellable polymer selected from the group consisting of a cross-linked polyacrylamide, a crosslinked poly(meth)acrylate, a cross-linked polyacrylate, a cross-linked copolymer of acrylamide and acrylate monomer, a starch grafted with acrylonitrile and acrylate, a cross-linked polymer of two or more of allylsulfonates, 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid, 3-allyloxy-2-hydroxy-1-propanesulfonic acid, acrylamide, an acrylic acid monomer, a non-soluble acrylic polymer, and any combination thereof.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the gel bodies comprise a salt selected from the group consisting of a salt of carboxyalkyl starch, a salt of carboxymethyl starch, a salt of carboxymethyl cellulose, a salt of cross-linked carboxyalkyl polysaccharide, a starch grafted with acrylonitrile and acrylate monomers, and any combination thereof.

Assignees

• Nguyen Philip D
• Tang Tingji
• Weaver Jimmie D
• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Nguyen Philip D
• Tang Tingji
• Weaver Jimmie D

Classifications

• C09K8/805

  Coated proppants · CPC title

• C09K8/62 Primary

  Compositions for forming crevices or fractures · CPC title

• C09K8/703

  Foams · CPC title

• E21B43/267

  reinforcing fractures by propping · CPC title