Use of expandable self-removing filler material in fracturing operations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9309454-B2
Application number	US-201213554627-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 20, 2012
Priority date	Jul 20, 2012
Publication date	Apr 12, 2016
Grant date	Apr 12, 2016

Abstract

A method using a propping fluid comprising a first carrier fluid and a plurality of propping agents and a spacer fluid comprising a second carrier fluid and an expandable filler material. The method introduces the propping fluid into a fracture in a subterranean formation and introduces the spacer fluid into the fracture. Then the expandable filler material is exposed to an expanding agent that causes the expandable filler material to expand and press against the adjacent propping agents.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
a) providing a propping fluid comprising a first carrier fluid, a thermal set resin, and a plurality of propping agents;
b) providing a spacer fluid comprising a second carrier fluid and a first expandable filler material, wherein the first expandable filler material is boric oxide and is present in the range of about 0.001% to about 50% by weight of the spacer fluid;
c) introducing the propping fluid into a fracture in a subterranean formation;
d) introducing the spacer fluid into the fracture by introducing the spacer fluid into the subterranean formation at a location higher in the fracture relative to the propping fluid in the fracture;
e) exposing the first expandable filler material to an expanding agent that causes the first expandable filler material to expand and press against adjacent propping agents;
f) allowing the first expandable filler material to degrade, wherein the first expandable filler material generates heat as it degrades, thereby aiding in curing the thermal set resin in the propping fluid and further degrading the first expandable filler material; and
g) removing at least 85% of the degraded first expandable filler material from the subterranean formation to achieve a high porosity fracture having a conductivity of greater than about 40%.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising repeating steps c) and d) one or more times before step f).

3. The method of claim 1 wherein steps c) and d) are performed together such that the propping fluid and spacer fluid are combined into a single treatment fluid comprising propping agents and expandable filler material.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the propping fluid further comprises an adhesive.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the propping agent is selected from the group consisting of: a proppant, a solids-laden gel body, and a combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spacer fluid further comprises a second expandable filler material, the second expandable filler material selected from the group consisting of: poly(acrylamide), poly(lactide), poly(glycolide), protein, chitin, cellulose, dextran, poly(ε-caprolactone), poly(hydroxybutyrate), poly(anhydride), aliphatic polycarbonate, poly(orthoester), poly(amino acid), poly(ethylene oxide), polyphosphazene, any derivative thereof, and any combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spacer fluid further comprises a second expandable filler material, the second expandable filler material selected from the group consisting of: natural rubber, acrylate butadiene rubber, polyacrylate rubber, isoprene rubber, chloroprene rubber, butyl rubber, brominated butyl rubber, chlorinated butyl rubber, chlorinated polyethylene, neoprene rubber, styrene butadiene copolymer rubber, sulphonated polyethylene, ethylene acrylate rubber, epichlorohydrin ethylene oxide copolymer, ethylene-propylene rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer rubber, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, fluorosilicone rubbers, silicone rubbers, fluoro rubbers, poly 2,2,1-bicyclo heptene, alkylstyrene, crosslinked substituted vinyl acrylate copolymers, diatomaceous earth, and any combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spacer fluid further comprises an additive selected from the group consisting of: surfactant, viscosifier, breaker, consolidating agent, consolidating accelerator, and any combination thereof.

9. A method comprising:
a) introducing a fracturing fluid in a subterranean formation at a pressure sufficient to create or enhance at least a portion of a fracture;
b) providing a spacer fluid comprising a second carrier fluid, a thermal set resin, and a first expandable filler material, wherein the expandable filler material is boric oxide and is present in the range of about 0.001% to about 50% by weight of the spacer fluid;
c) introducing a propping fluid comprising a first carrier fluid and a plurality of propping agents into the fracture;
d) introducing the spacer fluid into the fracture by introducing the spacer fluid into the subterranean formation at a location higher in the fracture relative to the propping fluid in the fracture;
e) exposing the first expandable filler material to an expanding agent that causes the first expandable filler material to expand and press against adjacent propping agents;
f) allowing the first expandable filler material to degrade, wherein the first expandable filler material generates heat as it degrades, thereby aiding in curing the thermal set resin in the propping fluid and further degrading the first expandable filler material; and
g) removing at least 85% of the degraded first expandable filler material from the subterranean formation to achieve a high porosity fracture having a conductivity of greater than about 40%.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising repeating steps c) and d) one or more times before step f).

11. The method of claim 9 wherein steps c) and d) are performed together such that the propping fluid and spacer fluid are combined into a single treatment fluid comprising propping agents and expandable filler material.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the propping agent is selected from the group consisting of: a proppant, a solids-laden gel body, and a combination thereof.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the spacer fluid further comprises a second expandable filler material, the second expandable filler material selected from the group consisting of: poly(acrylamide), poly(lactide), poly(glycolide), protein, chitin, cellulose, dextran, poly(ε-caprolactone), poly(hydroxybutyrate), poly(anhydride), aliphatic polycarbonate, poly(orthoester), poly(amino acid), poly(ethylene oxide), polyphosphazene, any derivative thereof, and any combination thereof.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the spacer fluid further comprises a second expandable filler material, the second expandable filler material selected from the group consisting of: natural rubber, acrylate butadiene rubber, polyacrylate rubber, isoprene rubber, chloroprene rubber, butyl rubber, brominated butyl rubber, chlorinated butyl rubber, chlorinated polyethylene, neoprene rubber, styrene butadiene copolymer rubber, sulphonated polyethylene, ethylene acrylate rubber, epichlorohydrin ethylene oxide copolymer, ethylene-propylene rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer rubber, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, fluorosilicone rubbers, silicone rubbers, fluoro rubbers, poly 2,2,1-bicyclo heptene, alkylstyrene, crosslinked substituted vinyl acrylate copolymers, diatomaceous earth, and any combination thereof.

15. he method of claim 9 , wherein the spacer fluid further comprises an additive selected from the group consisting of: surfactant, viscosifier, breaker, consolidating agent, consolidating accelerator, and any combination thereof.

Assignees

• Smith Jonathan Paul
• Worley Jonathan
• Allison Dave B
• Kleinwolterink Kembe Dane
• Nguyen Philip D
• Tang Tingji
• Weaver Jimmie D
• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Smith Jonathan Paul
• Worley Jonathan
• Allison Dave B
• Kleinwolterink Kembe Dane
• Nguyen Philip D
• Tang Tingji
• Weaver Jimmie D

Classifications

• C09K8/80

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

• E21B43/267

  reinforcing fractures by propping · CPC title

• C09K8/62 Primary

  Compositions for forming crevices or fractures · CPC title