Partially Degradable Particulates for Time-Released Gas-Well Tracers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current tracer technologies for monitoring gas production in subterranean formations after acidizing and fracturing jobs are expensive, provide inaccurate signals due to overlap with reservoir chemicals, and rely on toxic fluorinated or deuterated molecules, making unambiguous detection difficult.
Innovation Solution
Introduce a polymer composite particle with a degradable and non-degradable portion, where the tracer is encapsulated in the non-degradable portion, which is released upon degradation of the degradable portion by moisture at downhole conditions, allowing accurate monitoring of gas production by detecting the non-degradable portion in produced gas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If chemical gas tracers are used to monitor gas production, then tracer detection capability is improved, but the cost increases and environmental friendliness deteriorates due to use of fluorinated or deuterated molecules
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a polymer capsule that degrades over time to release the tracer, replacing the need for persistent toxic fluorinated or deuterated molecules. The capsule is designed to break down into harmless components while delivering the tracer function, making it both cost-effective and environmentally friendly.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs a composite structure consisting of a polymer capsule containing the tracer molecule. This composite design allows the tracer to be delivered in a controlled manner while the polymer matrix provides biodegradability, resolving the contradiction between detection capability and environmental impact.
2Measurement precision
If chemical gas tracers are used to monitor gas production, then tracer detection capability is improved, but the cost increases due to expensive fluorinated or deuterated molecules
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive fluorinated or deuterated tracer molecules with a cost-effective polymer capsule system. The capsule can be manufactured at lower cost and is designed to be consumed (degrade) after delivering its tracer function, significantly reducing overall system cost while maintaining detection capability.
3Productivity
If tracers are present in produced gas in trace amounts, then gas production monitoring is achieved, but unambiguous detection and analysis become difficult due to signal overlap with existing reservoir chemicals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs optical tracers that emit or absorb light at specific wavelengths, creating a detectable signal that distinguishes them from natural reservoir chemicals. This optical signature allows unambiguous detection even at trace concentrations, resolving the signal overlap problem.
4Duration of action of moving object
If polymer composite particles are introduced into stimulation fluid and injected into subterranean formation, then time-released tracer delivery is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the tracer delivery system into two functional segments: a degradable polymer matrix that provides time-controlled release, and an embedded tracer core that delivers the active ingredient. This segmentation enables complex time-release functionality while keeping each component relatively simple in design.
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
Provides cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and accurate monitoring of gas production by correlating the presence of the non-degradable portion with the treatment zone, offering time-released tracers that remain in fractures for weeks to months.
Implementation Method 1
the polymer composite particle is exposed to moisture at a downhole temperature, wherein the moisture degrades the degradable portion of the polymer composite particle
Data Source
AI summary
A method for monitoring gas production in a subterranean formation includes introducing a polymer composite particle having a degradable portion and a non-degradable portion including a tracer into a stimulation fluid and injecting the stimulation fluid into the subterranean formation to a treatment stage of a treatment zone. The treatment stage has at least one opening that the polymer composite particle may flow into and remain inside. The polymer composite particle may be exposed to moisture at a downhole temperature while inside the at least one opening. The moisture may degrade the degradable portion of the polymer composite particle, thereby releasing the non-degradable portion including the tracer. Produced gas that includes the non-degradable portion including the tracer may be recovered from the subterranean formation and the tracer may be correlated to the treatment stage of the treatment zone of the subterranean formation.