Hydrocarbon Fracturing Fluid Proppant Transport and Phase Transition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fracturing fluids for subterranean formations face challenges such as high water usage, environmental pollution, and inefficient proppant transport, particularly in areas with water scarcity and high temperatures, due to the limitations of existing carrier fluids like water and hydrocarbons.
Innovation Solution
A non-aqueous fracturing fluid comprising 1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene and linear or branched hydrofluorocarbons with specific thermodynamic properties, allowing for low toxicity, easy phase transition, and efficient proppant transport, while being easily separable and recyclable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If water-based fracturing fluid is used, then proppant transport efficiency is improved, but environmental pollution and water consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of the carrier fluid from water-based to hydrocarbon-based (specifically n-pentane, n-hexane, or n-heptane). This parameter change eliminates water consumption and environmental pollution associated with water-based fluids while maintaining effective proppant transport through the hydrocarbon carrier's ability to flow at reservoir temperatures and pressures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a disposable hydrocarbon carrier fluid that is injected into the formation and then allowed to evaporate or be recovered along with the produced hydrocarbons. This approach eliminates the need for expensive and time-consuming fluid cleanup operations required by water-based systems, as the hydrocarbon carrier simply mixes with and is recovered with the natural gas or oil production.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If hydrocarbon-based fracturing fluid is used, then environmental impact is reduced, but proppant transport efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent selects specific hydrocarbons (n-pentane, n-hexane, n-heptane) whose physical parameters (viscosity, density, boiling point) are optimized for proppant transport. These hydrocarbons maintain liquid state at injection conditions, provide adequate viscosity for suspending and transporting proppants, and then evaporate or are easily recovered at reservoir conditions, thereby achieving both environmental benefits and operational efficiency.
3Quantity of substance
If water is used as carrier fluid, then fluid availability is improved, but fluid removal complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a hydrocarbon carrier fluid that is disposable in the sense that it is injected into the formation and then allowed to evaporate or be recovered along with the produced hydrocarbons. This eliminates the complex and expensive fluid removal operations required by water-based systems, as no separate cleanup or disposal infrastructure is needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The hydrocarbon carrier fluid performs its own removal function by evaporating in the formation or by mixing with and being recovered along with the natural gas or oil production. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for separate fluid removal systems and operations that are required when using water-based fracturing fluids.
4Productivity
If conventional water-based fracturing is used, then fracture creation is achieved, but formation plugging occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameter from water-based to hydrocarbon-based carrier fluid. This parameter change prevents formation plugging because hydrocarbons do not cause the same clay swelling or mineral precipitation issues that water does, while still achieving effective fracture creation and proppant placement.
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 proposed fracturing fluid achieves proppant transport efficiency comparable to or better than water-based fluids across a wide temperature range, with reduced environmental impact and improved handling and storage characteristics.
Implementation Method 1
a critical temperature sufficiently low or a critical pressure sufficiently high for a substantial portion of such injected fluid to be converted to a gas upon a release of the pressure applied to the liquid during injection
Implementation Method 2
the fracturing fluid is injected at high pressure, and in this case a high pressure pumping equipment is necessary. Such solid particles, also known as propping agents or 'proppants', are dispersed into the fracturing carrier fluid and then transported down to the fractures during the high pressure pumping operation
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The present invention relates to a fracturing carrier fluid for fracturing a subterranean formation, said fracturing carrier fluid comprising at least one linear or branched hydrofluorocarbon compound having a boiling point, at a pressure of 1 atmosphere, of between 0°C and 65°C. The invention also relates to a fracturing fluid comprising said fracturing carrier fluid and proppants. The invention further relates to a method for fracturing a subterranean formation using said fracturing fluid.