Linear Gelled Fluids for Particulate Suspension
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional subterranean treatment fluids require careful control of conditions like pH for effective gelling, leading to increased expense and complexity, and often leave undesirable residues that impact permeability, necessitating costly remedial operations.
Innovation Solution
Development of linear gelled fluids comprising an aqueous base fluid, particulates, and a linear particulate transport enhancing additive, which exhibit enhanced particulate transport capabilities without the need for external crosslinking agents, reducing pipe friction and residue formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If conventional gelling agents with crosslinking agents are used to increase viscosity for particulate transport, then particulate suspension capability is improved, but pH control complexity and residue formation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes crosslinking agents from the gelling system, extracting the problematic component that required pH control. The linear gelling agents work without crosslinking, eliminating the need for pH control while maintaining particulate suspension capability through linear polymer chains that entangle and trap particulates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs linear gelling agents that are biodegradable and leave minimal residue, replacing the persistent crosslinked gels. These linear polymers perform their function of suspending particulates during the treatment process and then naturally degrade, avoiding long-term formation damage and reducing the need for remedial operations.
2Stability of the object's composition
If conventional gelling agents with crosslinking agents are used to increase viscosity for particulate transport, then particulate suspension capability is improved, but residue formation and formation damage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs linear gelling agents that are biodegradable and leave minimal residue, replacing the persistent crosslinked gels. These linear polymers perform their function of suspending particulates during the treatment process and then naturally degrade, avoiding long-term formation damage and reducing the need for remedial operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of residue formation into a benefit by using linear polymers that naturally biodegrade. What would traditionally be a harmful persistent residue becomes a temporary suspending medium that safely breaks down, improving formation permeability after treatment.
3Productivity
If treatment fluid viscosity is reduced for fluid recovery, then fluid retrieval is improved, but particulate transport capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a dynamic viscosity system where the linear gelling agents provide high viscosity during the treatment phase for effective particulate transport, then naturally break down to reduce viscosity for efficient fluid recovery. This time-dependent viscosity change is achieved through the degradation of linear polymer chains rather than chemical crosslinking.
Solution Approach 2:
The treatment process uses periodic action with linear gelling agents that provide enhanced particulate transport capability during injection and placement, then naturally degrade over time to allow for fluid recovery. This periodic transition from high to low viscosity state enables both particulate transport and fluid retrieval without compromising either function.
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 linear gelled fluids demonstrate improved particulate suspension and transport properties, extending particulate settling time by up to 300% compared to standard linear guar gels, reducing residue and enhancing conductivity and permeability in subterranean formations.
Implementation Method 1
a linear gelled fluid that comprises an aqueous base fluid, a plurality of particulates, and a linear particulate transport enhancing additive
Implementation Method 2
Development of linear gelled fluids comprising an aqueous base fluid, particulates, and a linear particulate transport enhancing additive, which exhibit enhanced particulate transport capabilities without the need for external crosslinking agents, reducing pipe friction and residue formation
Implementation Method 3
The linear gelled fluids demonstrate improved particulate suspension and transport properties, extending particulate settling time by up to 300% compared to standard linear guar gels, reducing residue and enhancing conductivity and permeability in subterranean formations
Data Source
AI summary
Subterranean treatment fluids that exhibit enhanced particulate transport or suspension capabilities, and associated methods of use in certain subterranean treatments are provided. In one embodiment, the methods comprise: providing a linear gelled fluid that comprises an aqueous base fluid, a plurality of particulates, and a linear particulate transport enhancing additive, the linear gelled fluid having a certain yield stress, crossover frequency, and/or particulate settling time; introducing the linear gelled fluid into the subterranean formation; and using the linear gelled fluid to create or enhance at least one fracture in at least a portion of the subterranean formation.