Propellant Fracturing for Tight Shale Fluid Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hydraulic fracturing operations in tight shale formations are economically impractical due to high costs and time constraints, and chemical treatment fluids often fail to adequately penetrate the formation, limiting the effectiveness of fracture enhancement.
Innovation Solution
The use of propellants to generate pressure and introduce chemical treatment fluids into subterranean formations, creating fractures and increasing porosity, combined with smaller volumes of fracturing fluids and proppants, allows for more efficient fracture extension and maintenance without the need for extensive pumping equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hydraulic fracturing operations use large amounts of water and proppant at high rates and pressures, then fractures can be created and maintained in the formation, but the operational cost and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential function of fracture creation from the conventional hydraulic fracturing process by using propellant charges to generate fractures without requiring large volumes of water and proppant. The propellant-based system isolates and eliminates the need for extensive pumping equipment and infrastructure while maintaining the core function of creating conductive channels in the formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical hydraulic fracturing system (pumps, water injection, proppant delivery) with a chemical/energetic system using propellant charges. The propellant generates gas pressure and shock waves to create fractures, substituting the traditional mechanical water injection method with a more efficient energetic approach that reduces equipment complexity and operational time.
2Reliability
If chemical treatment fluids are used to etch and erode the formation to aid in fracturing, then fracture enhancement is improved, but the fluid placement is restricted to a limited distance from the wellbore in tight shale formations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by using propellant charges to create fractures and open pathways in the formation before introducing chemical treatment fluids. The propellant-generated fractures provide immediate conductive channels that allow treatment fluids to penetrate deeper into the formation than would be possible through natural diffusion alone, enabling the chemicals to reach distant zones before the fractures close.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses propellant-generated fractures as an intermediary mechanism to bridge the gap between the wellbore and distant formation zones. These fractures serve as temporary conduits that transport chemical treatment fluids deep into the formation, overcoming the limitation of tight shale formations that would otherwise restrict fluid migration to only the immediate wellbore vicinity.
3Force
If extensive pumping equipment and infrastructure are used to supply large quantities of water and proppants, then sufficient energy is provided to form fractures, but the device complexity and operational cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the complex mechanical pumping infrastructure with a simpler system using propellant charges. The propellant generates the necessary force and energy through chemical combustion, creating gas pressure and shock waves that form fractures without requiring external pumping equipment, water supply infrastructure, or proppant delivery systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The propellant-based system is self-service in that the propellant charge itself generates all the energy and force needed for fracture creation. The system does not require external power sources, pumping equipment, or supporting infrastructure - the propellant contains and releases its own energy internally, eliminating the need for complex external equipment.
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 method reduces operational costs and time by generating multiple fractures with propellant-based fracturing, enhancing fluid conductivity and production, and allowing for deeper penetration of treatment fluids, thereby improving wellbore production efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
detonating the propellant to generate one or more fractures in the subterranean formation
Implementation Method 2
chemical treatment fluids that can etch and erode the formation to aid in fracturing
Data Source
AI summary
Energy created by a propellant can form a fracture in a subterranean formation. For example, a treatment fluid can be introduced into a subterranean formation. A propellant can be positioned in the subterranean formation. The propellant can be detonated to generate a fracture in the subterranean formation for receiving at least part of the treatment fluid. The treatment fluid may include an acid, a hydrolysable in-situ acid generator, a chelating agent, a hydrolysable in-situ chelating agent generator, or mixtures thereof.