Fracturing Fluid Ultrafine Bubbles Proppant Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
The efficiency of hydrocarbon production methods is hindered by the need for high viscosity fracturing fluids to transport proppants, which increases equipment costs, and the risk of microbial contamination and reduced desulfurization efficiency due to anaerobic bacteria in low-viscosity fluids.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating ultrafine bubbles with diameters less than 100 μm into the fracturing fluid, which can be made of gases like oxygen, nitrogen, or ozone, to reduce viscosity and enhance fluidity, while preventing microbial contamination and improving desulfurization efficiency by using hydrogen or ozone in the desulfurization step.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the viscosity of the fracturing fluid is increased to improve proppant transport efficiency, then the proppant transport efficiency is improved, but the pressure required for press-fitting increases and equipment cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the fracturing fluid by incorporating ultrafine bubbles (0.1-10 μm) to modify the fluid's rheological properties. This allows the fluid to maintain sufficient viscosity for proppant transport while reducing the overall pressure requirement through the unique properties of ultrafine bubble-containing fluids, which exhibit lower yield stress and improved flow characteristics at low shear rates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite fracturing fluid system by combining base fluid with ultrafine bubbles and proppants. The ultrafine bubbles act as a dispersing agent and modify the fluid's mechanical properties, enabling effective proppant suspension and transport at lower pressures compared to conventional single-phase fluids.
2Ease of operation
If the viscosity of the fracturing fluid is reduced to improve fluidity, then the fluidity is improved, but the pressure for transporting proppant becomes insufficient and proppant transport efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the fluid's rheological parameters by introducing ultrafine bubbles, which change the relationship between shear stress and shear rate. The fluid exhibits shear-thinning behavior with a lowered yield stress, allowing it to flow easily at low shear rates while maintaining sufficient viscosity and proppant carrying capacity at higher shear rates during transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the pneumatic properties of ultrafine bubbles within the hydraulic fracturing fluid system. The bubbles provide gas-liquid two-phase flow characteristics that improve fluidity and reduce viscosity effects, while the liquid phase continues to provide the necessary viscosity for proppant transport, creating a synergistic effect.
3Reliability
If oxygen is mixed into the fracturing fluid to suppress anaerobic bacteria, then microbial contamination is suppressed, but the complexity of fluid preparation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of oxygen in the fracturing fluid from dissolved gas to ultrafine bubble form. This provides a more stable and controllable method of oxygen delivery that suppresses anaerobic bacteria without requiring complex chemical additives or multiple processing steps. The ultrafine bubbles remain suspended and release oxygen gradually throughout the fracturing process.
4Productivity
If hydrogen is used for desulfurization to remove sulfur from hydrocarbon, then desulfurization efficiency is improved, but the risk of microbial contamination and safety issues increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the delivery method of hydrogen from bulk gas to ultrafine bubbles. This provides a controlled, distributed interface between hydrogen and the hydrocarbon-sulfur mixture, improving mass transfer efficiency and desulfurization performance while reducing the concentration of hydrogen in any single location, thereby lowering safety risks and microbial contamination potential.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies pneumatic principles by using ultrafine bubbles to deliver hydrogen to the desulfurization reaction zone. The bubble dispersion system provides intimate mixing and large surface area contact between hydrogen and sulfur compounds, enhancing reaction efficiency while maintaining better control over hydrogen consumption and reducing safety hazards associated with high-concentration hydrogen handling.
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 reduces the pressure required for fracturing, lowers equipment costs, maintains fracture permeability, prevents pipe clogging, and enhances desulfurization efficiency by improving catalyst contact with hydrocarbons.
Implementation Method 1
In the fracturing fluid, ultrafine bubbles having a size (diameter) of less than 100 μm are caused to coexist
Implementation Method 2
In the mined hydrocarbon, in a pretreatment stage or a treatment stage, ultrafine bubbles having a size (diameter) or less than 100 μm are preferably caused to coexist
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a hydrocarbon production method and a hydrocarbon production apparatus that, in a mining process, can transport proppant efficiently even if the viscosity is low and can prevent microbial contamination, and, in a desulfurization process, can improve the efficiency of desulfurization. This hydrocarbon production method comprises a hydrocarbon well mining step in which hydraulic fracture fluid is used to break up bedrock by hydraulic pressure and mine the hydrocarbon embedded in the interior of the bedrock, and a desulfurization step in which sulfur contained in the hydrocarbon mined in the mining step is removed, wherein: the hydraulic fracture fluid contains a base fluid, a proppant that supports a fracture 110, and a thickener; and air bubbles less than 100 μm in size (diameter) under normal pressure are caused to be jointly present in the hydraulic fracture fluid.