Porous Composite Beads for Sustained Well Treatment Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing well treatment methods face challenges in sustaining the release of hydrocarbon-soluble agents into oilfield fluids, leading to repeated interventions and downtime, which increases production costs and reduces well productivity due to issues like paraffin deposition and emulsification.
Innovation Solution
The development of composites comprising porous particulates and hydrocarbon-soluble well treatment agents, such as wax crystal modifiers, which are slowly released into the well fluids, allowing for continuous supply and reducing the need for frequent interventions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If well treatment agents are introduced into production wells using prior art methods, then the well treatment agent can be introduced into the well, but the release of the well treatment agent into the well over a sustained period of time is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs porous beads as a carrier material to absorb and slowly release well treatment agents. The porous structure provides interconnected void spaces that allow the treatment agent to be retained within the beads and gradually diffuse into the wellbore fluids over an extended period, achieving sustained release without requiring repeated interventions.
Solution Approach 2:
The porous beads act as an intermediary carrier between the well treatment agent and the wellbore fluids. The beads absorb the treatment agent and serve as a reservoir, slowly releasing it into the flowing fluids. This intermediary mechanism ensures continuous presence of the treatment agent throughout the sustained release period.
2Reliability
If repeated treatments are undertaken to ensure continuous presence of well treatment agent, then the requisite level of well treatment agent can be maintained, but lost production revenue due to down time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The porous bead carriers enable continuous release of well treatment agents into the wellbore fluids over an extended period. This continuous action eliminates the need for repeated shutdowns and interventions, maintaining uninterrupted production and preventing loss of production revenue while ensuring the treatment agent remains continuously present.
Solution Approach 2:
The well treatment agent is pre-loaded into the porous beads before introduction into the well. This preliminary loading allows the treatment agent to be released gradually as the beads circulate through the wellbore, ensuring continuous presence without requiring subsequent replenishment interventions that would cause production downtime.
3Quantity of substance
If porosity of the porous particulate is increased to allow absorption of well treatment agent, then the well treatment agent can be absorbed into the interstitial spaces, but the mechanical strength and stability of the particulate may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes porous beads with controlled porosity that balances absorption capacity and mechanical integrity. The porous structure provides sufficient interstitial spaces to absorb and retain well treatment agents while maintaining the structural strength needed to withstand wellbore conditions and circulation stresses without disintegrating.
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 composites effectively retard paraffin crystal formation and maintain fluidity over a range of temperatures, providing a sustained release of well treatment agents, thereby enhancing well productivity and reducing operational costs by minimizing downtime.
Implementation Method 1
The porosity and permeability of the porous particulate is such that the hydrocarbon-soluble well treatment agent may be absorbed into the interstitial spaces of the porous particulate material
Implementation Method 2
the hydrocarbon-soluble well treatment agent may be absorbed into the interstitial spaces of the porous particulate material
Implementation Method 3
the hydrocarbon-soluble well treatment agent is slowly released into the well fluids
Implementation Method 4
the hydrocarbon-soluble well treatment agent is slowly leached out into the well fluid over a period of time
Data Source
AI summary
Composites containing a hydrocarbon-soluble well treatment agent may be supplied to a well using a porous particulate. Such well treatment agents may for example inhibit the formation of paraffins, salts, gas hydrates, asphaltenes and/or other deleterious processes such as emulsification (both water-in-oil and oil-in-water). Further, other well treatment agents include foaming agents, oxygen scavengers, biocides and surfactants as well as other agents wherein slow release into the production well is desired.