Amine-Functionalized Polysaccharides Reduce Proppant Embedment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Proppant embedment during hydraulic fracturing operations leads to decreased fracture conductivity and formation damage, particularly in softer, unconsolidated matrices, resulting in reduced hydrocarbon production, and the formation of fines from proppant particulates further complicates the issue.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating partially oxidized, amine-functionalized polysaccharides, such as dextran, into fracturing fluids or pad fluids to limit proppant embedment and fines production by stabilizing clay formations and maintaining fracture conductivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If proppant particulates are introduced to hold fractures open, then fracture conductivity is maintained, but proppant embedment occurs pushing proppants into the formation matrix and decreasing effective fracture width
Solution Approach 1:
A fracturing fluid comprising an aqueous fluid, proppant particulates, and partially oxidized amine-functionalized polysaccharide is introduced. The polysaccharide acts as an intermediary substance that decreases proppant embedment in the formation matrix while maintaining fracture conductivity. The polysaccharide concentration is specifically controlled at 0.05-25 wt.% to optimize this mediating effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the fracturing fluid by incorporating partially oxidized amine-functionalized polysaccharide. This chemical modification alters the interaction between proppants and the formation matrix, reducing embedment depth to 10%-40% of proppant grain size while preserving the proppant pack's ability to conduct fluids.
2Productivity
If proppant particulates are used to maintain fracture openness, then production is facilitated, but embedment pushes proppants into the matrix decreasing the full effective size available for maintaining fractures
Solution Approach 1:
The partially oxidized amine-functionalized polysaccharide serves as a mediator that reduces the embedment of proppant particulates into the formation matrix. This allows the proppants to maintain their full effective size and quantity available for holding fractures open, thereby improving hydrocarbon production capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The polysaccharide is introduced in advance with the proppant particulates in the fracturing fluid. This preliminary action of coating or interacting with proppants before they contact the formation matrix prevents excessive embedment, preserving the full effective size of proppants for maintaining fracture conductivity and productivity.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional fracturing fluid is used, then fractures are created and proppants are placed, but significant proppant embedment occurs decreasing fracture conductivity
Solution Approach 1:
The conventional fracturing fluid is modified by changing its chemical composition to include partially oxidized amine-functionalized polysaccharide at concentrations of 0.05-25 wt.%. This parameter change in fluid composition reduces proppant embedment and maintains fracture conductivity without complicating the fracturing operation procedure.
4Reliability
If proppant particulates are introduced to hold fractures open, then conductivity is maintained, but embedment creates formation damage decreasing production
Solution Approach 1:
The partially oxidized amine-functionalized polysaccharide acts as a protective intermediary between proppant particulates and the formation matrix. It reduces embedment-induced formation damage while preserving fracture conductivity, thereby eliminating the harmful effects of proppant-matrix interaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potentially harmful interaction between proppants and formation matrix into a beneficial effect. By using polysaccharide-modified fracturing fluid, the proppant embedment is controlled to 10%-40% of grain size, transforming what would be formation damage into a controlled process that maintains conductivity and reduces fines generation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The use of partially oxidized, amine-functionalized polysaccharides significantly reduces proppant embedment and fines formation, maintaining higher fracture conductivity and improving hydrocarbon production by limiting embedment to less than 50% of the proppant grain size and decreasing fines production.
Implementation Method 1
Incorporating partially oxidized, amine-functionalized polysaccharides, such as dextran, into fracturing fluids or pad fluids to limit proppant embedment and fines production by stabilizing clay formations
Data Source
AI summary
Proppant embedment can sometimes be problematic during fracturing operations. A partially oxidized, amine-functionalized polysaccharide comprising a plurality of oxidatively opened monosaccharide units and bearing an amine moiety at one or more sites of oxidative opening may lessen the amount of proppant embedment that occurs. Fracturing methods may comprise providing a fracturing fluid comprising such a partially oxidized, amine-functionalized polysaccharide and a plurality of proppant particulates, introducing the fracturing fluid into a subterranean formation at a hydraulic pressure sufficient to create or extend one or more fractures therein, such that at least a portion of the plurality of proppant particulates become localized in the one or more fractures, and releasing the hydraulic pressure. Upon releasing the hydraulic pressure, embedment of the proppant particulates in a face of the one or more fractures is about 10% to about 40% of a grain size of the proppant particulates.