Spearhead Acid Fracking Method Reducing Water and Time
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The oil and gas industry faces challenges in reducing water usage and minimizing equipment time during hydraulic fracturing operations, particularly in enhancing well productivity and reducing stimulation time.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the simultaneous insertion of a plug, a perforating tool, and a spearhead acid into the wellbore, followed by perforation and allowing the acid to contact the perforated area, thereby optimizing acid diversion across perforations and reducing the need for subsequent acid injection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If conventional hydraulic fracturing operations are performed with separate acid injection and perforation steps, then adequate formation stimulation is achieved, but water consumption and equipment time are excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the acid injection operation with the perforation operation into a single integrated step. The spearhead acid is injected simultaneously with or immediately before the perforating tool reaches the target depth, eliminating the need for separate acid injection and perforation steps. This merging of operations reduces water consumption and equipment time while maintaining adequate formation stimulation through the coordinated delivery of acid and perforation at the same location and time
2Loss of time
If multiple separate operations are performed during stimulation (perforation, acid injection, fracturing), then thorough formation treatment is achieved, but equipment time and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by injecting the spearhead acid into the formation before or simultaneously with the perforation operation. This preliminary acid placement prepares the formation in advance, creating favorable conditions for the subsequent perforation and fracturing steps. By performing the acid injection beforehand, the patent eliminates the need for separate post-perforation acid treatments, thereby reducing overall stimulation time and operational complexity
3Productivity
If conventional acidizing procedures are used with separate injection and perforation steps, then formation permeability is restored, but operational efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent ensures continuity of useful action by maintaining an uninterrupted sequence of operations where acid injection, perforation, and fracturing occur in a continuous, coordinated manner. The spearhead acid is delivered continuously to the formation as the perforating tool progresses, ensuring that the formation remains under acid treatment throughout the perforation process. This continuous action maintains formation permeability restoration while significantly improving operational efficiency by eliminating idle time between separate operations
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 significantly reduces water consumption and equipment time per stage, potentially saving up to $1,000,000 in time and over 750,000 gallons of water per well, while maintaining well productivity and corrosion protection.
Implementation Method 1
Acidizing is achieved by pumping acid, predominantly hydrochloric acid, into the well to dissolve typically limestone, dolomite and calcite cement between the acid insoluble sediment grains of the reservoir rocks
Implementation Method 2
fracture acidizing involves pumping acid into the well at a very high pressure, physically fracturing the reservoir rock and etching the permeability inhibitive sediments. This type of acid treatment forms channels or fractures through which the hydrocarbons can flow
Data Source
AI summary
Methods for the fracking or stimulation of a hydrocarbon-bearing formation are provided in multiple embodiments. According to one method, it comprises the steps of: providing a wellbore having a casing; inserting a plug in the wellbore at a predetermined location; inserting a perforating tool and an acidic composition into the wellbore; wherein the acidic composition includes a corrosion inhibiting composition comprising at least two compounds selected from: Group A-I, and wherein at least two compounds are selected from different groups of the Groups A-I.