Reducible Materials for Proppant Pack Conductivity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional particulate materials used in wellbore fracturing operations are costly and inefficient in forming effective flow channels within proppant packs, leading to suboptimal wellbore productivity.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the sequential injection of a pad fluid, a first slurry fluid with a reducible material and particulate clusters, and a spacer fluid into a wellbore to form a particulate-laden proppant pack (PLPP) with a mosaic structure, enhancing conductivity by creating channels through the degradation of reducible materials and particulate clustering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional particulate materials are used to form proppant packs, then the fracture structure is maintained, but the cost of wellbore servicing operations increases and channel formation is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the particulate material by using reducible materials that transform under downhole conditions. The reducible material undergoes parameter changes (degradation into smaller particles) to create channel space, replacing the need for expensive conventional materials while maintaining fracture structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The reducible material undergoes a phase transition or chemical transformation under downhole conditions, changing from an intact state to a degraded state with smaller particles. This phase change creates void space for fluid channels while maintaining the overall proppant pack structure.
2Quantity of substance
If conventional particulate materials are used, then proppant packs are formed, but channel formation through the pack is limited and productivity is suboptimal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic behavior to the proppant pack by using reducible materials that change over time. The material dynamically transforms from an intact state to a degraded state, creating channels as it breaks down, thereby enhancing productivity while maintaining pack volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The reducible material performs a self-service function by automatically degrading under downhole conditions to create its own channel network. This self-transformation eliminates the need for additional channel-forming mechanisms or materials, improving productivity intrinsically.
3Productivity
If reducible materials are used to enhance channel formation, then productivity increases, but the complexity of the treatment process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the channel-forming function from complex multi-component systems and incorporates it directly into the proppant material itself. By taking out the need for separate channel-forming mechanisms and embedding the reducible property in the particulate material, the process becomes simpler while maintaining enhanced productivity.
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 method increases the volume and fracture flow capacity of proppant packs by 5-100% and 25-200% respectively, improving wellbore productivity by maintaining open fractures and facilitating fluid flow.
Implementation Method 1
allowing the fluids to break and the reducible materials to degrade
Data Source
AI summary
A method of servicing a wellbore in a subterranean formation comprising placing in the wellbore and/or subterranean formation a pad fluid and forming a fracture in the subterranean formation. Next, a first slurry fluid may be placed into the fracture in the subterranean formation. The first slurry fluid may comprise a reducible material and a first particulate material. Next, a second slurry fluid and a spacer fluid may be placed into the fracture in the subterranean formation in an alternating sequence. The second slurry fluid may comprise a second particulate material. Then, the fracture is allowed to close and the fluids are allowed to break. Finally, the reducible materials degrade, to form a particulate-laden proppant pack (PLPP).