Degradable Tracer Compositions for Reservoir Gas Flow Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Simultaneous surveillance of gas production from hydrocarbon reservoirs is challenging, particularly after acidizing or fracturing, due to the high costs and signal overlap with other chemicals, and conventional tools like production logging tools (PLT) can be costly and disruptive.

Innovation Solution

Introduce a tracer composition comprising a degradable polymer and a detectable component, such as a fluorescent dye and metal oxide, into the reservoir, allowing for the hydrolysis of the polymer to yield a degraded tracer that can be detected at a second location, facilitating gas flow tracing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional monitoring tools are used for gas production surveillance, then monitoring capability is achieved, but cost increases and signal overlap with other chemicals occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemonitoring capabilityVSAvoidsignal overlap

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs fluorescent dyes that emit light at specific wavelengths when excited, creating unique spectral signatures for different tracer compositions. This allows differentiation of multiple tracers simultaneously injected into the reservoir, eliminating signal overlap while maintaining monitoring capability through optical detection methods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

Solution Approach 2:

The tracer composition combines degradable polymers with fluorescent dyes and other additives to create a composite material that provides both the desired monitoring capabilities and unique detection profiles. The composite nature allows simultaneous achievement of multiple functions: tracing gas flow, providing distinctive signals, and degrading over time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If production logging tools (PLT) are used for gas production monitoring, then monitoring capability is achieved, but operational disruption increases and cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemonitoring capabilityVSAvoidoperational disruption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The tracer composition performs self-monitoring by being injected once and then passively tracking gas flow through the reservoir without requiring additional intervention. The fluorescent tracers naturally follow the gas flow paths and can be detected at production wells, eliminating the need for repeated PLT operations and associated disruptions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The tracer composition is injected in advance during well stimulation operations, allowing continuous passive monitoring of gas flow throughout the reservoir. This preliminary injection eliminates the need for subsequent disruptive PLT operations, as the tracers continuously provide flow information as gas naturally migrates through the reservoir.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If degradable polymer is used in tracer composition, then detection precision is improved through unique profiles, but polymer stability deteriorates during storage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetection precisionVSAvoidpolymer stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes changes in polymer molecular weight and degradation products over time as detectable parameters. As the degradable polymer breaks down, its molecular weight decreases and produces characteristic degradation products that can be detected and quantified, providing precise measurement of tracer concentration and age while maintaining compositional stability during storage through careful formulation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 method provides cost-effective and customizable gas flow tracing in hydrocarbon reservoirs, suitable for multiple stimulation stages, with unique detection profiles and minimal disruption.

Implementation Method 1

contacting the tracer composition with the reservoir to hydrolyze the degradable polymer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydrolysis: Hydrolysis

Implementation Method 2

The detectable component includes a fluorescent dye

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluorescence: Fluorescence

Data Source

PatentUS12552983B2Tracer compositions

Publication Date: 2026.02.17 SAUDI ARABIAN OIL CO

AI summary

A method for tracing gas flow in a hydrocarbon reservoir with compositions including a degradable polymer and a detectable component. An exemplary method includes introducing a tracer composition at a first location in the reservoir, contacting the tracer composition with the reservoir to hydrolyze the degradable polymer, and detecting a degraded tracer composition including the hydrolyzed polymer and the detectable component in a gas sample collected at a second location in the reservoir.