Encapsulated Explosive Pellet for Hydraulic Fracture Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hydraulic fracture monitoring (HFM) techniques face limitations in resolution and quality due to the lack of precise methods to enhance data accuracy, particularly in observing the geometry and extent of fractures during hydrocarbon extraction processes.
Innovation Solution
The use of encapsulated explosive pellets, which are designed to be detonated downhole, enhances HFM by generating acoustic energies that improve data quality, while the encapsulant ensures safety during handling and deployment by transforming the pellet's form factor to match conventional launchers and dissolving or eroding at specific downhole conditions to release the explosive material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If explosive pellets are used to enhance HFM data accuracy, then measurement precision is improved, but safety risks increase due to potential unintended detonation
Solution Approach 1:
The explosive system is segmented into two separate components: the explosive pellet and the encapsulant. The encapsulant acts as a protective shell that segments the hazardous explosive material from the environment during handling and deployment, eliminating unintended detonation risks while preserving measurement precision benefits when the encapsulant is removed downhole.
Solution Approach 2:
The encapsulant serves as an intermediary substance between the explosive pellet and the external environment. It mediates the contradiction by providing physical protection during surface operations and transport, then being removed downhole to allow the explosive pellet to function for enhanced HFM monitoring.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the encapsulant is designed to be removed downhole, then safety during handling is improved, but device complexity increases due to the encapsulation and removal mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The encapsulant is designed with specific physical-chemical parameters that change under downhole conditions (temperature, pressure, chemical environment). These parameter changes cause the encapsulant to dissolve, erode, or degrade automatically, providing the removal function without complex mechanical mechanisms. The simplicity of this approach minimizes device complexity while maintaining handling safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The encapsulant is designed to self-remove through dissolution or erosion when exposed to downhole conditions, without requiring external activation or complex removal mechanisms. This self-service approach reduces device complexity while ensuring safety during surface handling and deployment.
3Ease of operation
If the encapsulant transforms the pellet form factor to match ball sealers, then ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The encapsulant is designed to transform the explosive pellet into a universal form factor that matches conventional ball sealer dimensions. This allows the same launcher infrastructure to be used for both ball sealers and explosive pellets, improving ease of operation. The encapsulant acts as an adaptive layer that provides the necessary dimensional tolerance, reducing the manufacturing precision requirements for the explosive pellet itself.
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
This approach increases the accuracy of HFM data by introducing controlled explosive events within fractures, providing enhanced monitoring capabilities and safety features for handling and deployment of the explosive pellets.
Implementation Method 1
an encapsulant to encapsulate the explosive pellet to inhibit unintended detonation of the explosive material. The encapsulant is adapted to be at least partially removed from the explosive pellet in response to the explosive pellet being communicated into the well
Implementation Method 2
an explosive material that is adapted to be detonated downhole in the well
Implementation Method 3
enhances HFM by generating acoustic energies that improve data quality
Implementation Method 4
dissolving or eroding at specific downhole conditions to release the explosive material
Implementation Method 5
dissolving or eroding at specific downhole conditions to release the explosive material
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus usable with a well includes an explosive pellet that is adapted to be communicated into the well via a fluid and includes an explosive material that is adapted to be detonated downhole in the well. The apparatus further includes an encapsulant to encapsulate the explosive pellet to inhibit unintended detonation of the explosive material. The encapsulant is adapted to be at least partially removed from the explosive pellet in response to the explosive pellet being communicated into the well.