Emulsion Fluid Displacement for Subterranean Formation Stimulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current well stimulation techniques, such as hydraulic fracturing, often result in fluid invasion that damages subterranean formations and impairs hydrocarbon extraction due to trapped fluids and capillary effects, necessitating more effective additives to enhance crude oil and gas production.
Innovation Solution
The use of emulsions or microemulsions comprising water, a terpene, and a surfactant, with specific ratios and phase inversion temperatures, to displace residual aqueous treatment fluids and increase hydrocarbon production by reducing capillary pressure and fluid trapping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If hydraulic fracturing is used to stimulate low permeability formations, then hydrocarbon recovery is improved, but fluid invasion damages the formation and impairs productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the harmful aqueous treatment fluid from the formation through emulsion injection. The emulsion system selectively displaces residual water from pore throats and fractures, taking out the harmful fluid while preserving the formation structure and enabling hydrocarbon flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the treatment fluid by using emulsions with specific water-to-terpene ratios (3:1 to 1:2) and selecting terpenes with appropriate phase inversion temperatures (>43°C for oil displacement, <43°C for gas displacement). These parameter changes enable the fluid to reduce capillary pressure and effectively displace residual aqueous phases without causing formation damage.
2Productivity
If additives are incorporated into well-treatment fluids to reduce phase trapping, then crude oil or formation gas production is increased, but the composition complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite emulsion materials comprising water, terpene, and surfactant in specific ratios. This composite approach combines multiple components with complementary functions: water as the continuous phase, terpene for capillary pressure reduction, and surfactant for interfacial stabilization. The composite material achieves enhanced hydrocarbon production while maintaining a relatively simple and economically viable composition.
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
These compositions effectively increase the flowback of residual fluids, enhancing the production of both crude oil and natural gas by selectively stimulating displacement based on the terpene's phase inversion temperature and water-to-terpene ratio, thereby improving well productivity.
Implementation Method 1
The incorporation of additives into well-treatment fluids can increase crude oil or formation gas, for example by reducing capillary pressure and/or minimizing capillary end effects
Implementation Method 2
The composition of additives comprises multi-component chemical substances and compositions that contain mutually distributed nanodomains of normally immiscible solvents, such as water and hydrocarbon-based organic solvents, stabilized by surfactants
Implementation Method 3
the terpene has a phase inversion temperature greater than 43° C. when displacement of residual aqueous treatment fluid by formation crude oil is preferentially stimulated, or wherein the terpene has a phase inversion temperature less than 43° C. when displacement of residual aqueous treatment fluid by formation gas is preferentially stimulated
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and compositions for stimulating of the production of hydrocarbons (e.g., formation crude oil and/or formation gas) from subterranean formations are provided. In some embodiments, the compositions are emulsions or microemulsions, which may include water, a terpene, and a surfactant. In some embodiments, methods of selecting a composition for treating an oil or gas well are provided.