Hydraulic Fracturing Fluid with Organic Phase Surfactants
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hydraulic fracturing fluids fail to effectively cover the shale surface, protect it from dispersing, and enhance wettability, leading to suboptimal oil and gas flow rates due to insufficient fracture extension and high water production.
Innovation Solution
A hydraulic fracturing fluid composition comprising a homogeneous non-aqueous organic phase mixture of GTL synthetic paraffins or low toxicity mineral oils combined with surfactants, which disperses in the aqueous phase to form a direct emulsion, adsorbing into shale fractures and improving wettability and fracture quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional aqueous hydraulic fracturing fluids are used, then the fluid can be pumped at high pressure to create fractures, but the fluid fails to cover the shale surface, protect it from dispersing, and enhance wettability
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a composite fluid system combining aqueous phase with organic solvents (GTL synthetic paraffins or mineral oils) and surfactants. This composite composition enables the fluid to simultaneously achieve high-pressure pumping capability, shale surface coverage, dispersion protection, and wettability enhancement that conventional aqueous fluids cannot provide alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the chemical composition parameters of the fracturing fluid by incorporating organic solvents and surfactants in specific concentrations. These parameter changes transform the fluid's interaction with shale from poor coverage and high dispersivity to effective surface protection and enhanced oil-wettability, directly addressing the reliability-productivity contradiction.
2Productivity
If known hydraulic fracturing fluids are used, then fractures can be created, but the fractures do not extend radially far enough to access high percentage of oil and gas in the reservoir
Solution Approach 1:
The invention modifies the chemical parameters of the fracturing fluid by adding organic solvents and surfactants, which change the fluid's ability to interact with shale. This enables fractures to extend farther radially while maintaining quality, as the fluid effectively protects shale from dispersing and generates longer, more productive fracture networks.
3Adaptability or versatility
If aqueous hydraulic fracturing fluids are used, then the fluid composition is simple and inexpensive, but the fluid does not significantly change the wettability of the shale surface
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a composite fluid system combining aqueous phase with organic solvents and surfactants. This composite composition provides significant wettability modification capability while maintaining reasonable formulation complexity, as the surfactants specifically target the shale surface to enhance oil-wettability without requiring overly complex fluid systems.
4Productivity
If diesel is used in hydraulic fracturing operations, then the fluid provides good fracturing performance, but it contaminates the aquifer with toxic BTEX compounds
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces persistent toxic contaminants (BTEX compounds from diesel) with biodegradable organic solvents (GTL synthetic paraffins or mineral oils). These alternative fluids provide the necessary fracturing performance but degrade more rapidly and with fewer harmful byproducts, reducing long-term environmental contamination of aquifers.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the potential harm of using hydrocarbon-based fluids (toxicity) into a benefit by selecting specifically biodegradable hydrocarbons (GTL synthetic paraffins or mineral oils) that provide effective fracturing performance while minimizing toxic contamination. The surfactants further enhance this by improving fluid distribution and reducing the need for high concentrations of base fluid.
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 solution enhances oil flow rates by reducing shale dispersion, improving fracture length and quality, and maintaining the surfactants in the organic phase to maximize effectiveness, thereby increasing crude oil production while minimizing water production.
Implementation Method 1
the homogeneous non-aqueous organic phase mixture disperses in the aqueous fracturing fluid (i.e. forms a direct emulsion)
Implementation Method 2
the polar 'head' or 'heads' extend out into the external aqueous phase
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a hydraulic fracturing fluid composition comprising a homogeneous non-aqueous organic phase mixture which mixture comprises a base fluid and one or more surfactants.