Strong Acid Precursor for Deep Subterranean Penetration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional acidizing systems for subterranean formations face challenges in achieving deep penetration due to acid spending before it can effectively react with the formation, leading to incomplete treatment and reduced permeability enhancement.
Innovation Solution
A composition and method involving a strong acid precursor that generates and releases a strong acid in situ within the subterranean formation, allowing for deeper penetration and more uniform acid placement, using a base fluid and strong acid precursors that can be catalyzed to produce acids like HCl, HI, or HBr, which can acidize formations and degrade biopolymers or filter cakes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If conventional strong acid is introduced directly into the formation, then acidizing treatment can be performed, but the acid is spent before it can deeply penetrate into the subterranean formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a precursor compound into the formation before the actual acidizing treatment. This precursor is then converted in-situ to generate strong acid at the desired location and time, allowing the acid to penetrate deeper into the formation before reacting. The preliminary placement of the precursor enables subsequent deep penetration without premature acid spending.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a precursor compound as an intermediary substance that transports the potential for acid generation without immediately releasing the active acid. This intermediary approach allows the treatment fluid to reach deeper formation zones before converting to active acid, thereby resolving the contradiction between penetration depth and acid effectiveness.
2Productivity
If strong acid concentration is increased to improve treatment effectiveness, then acidizing capability is enhanced, but corrosion and handling hazards increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful aspects of concentrated strong acid by using a precursor compound instead. The precursor can be handled and transported with reduced safety concerns compared to concentrated strong acid, while still providing the necessary acidizing capability through in-situ conversion. This separation of handling safety from treatment effectiveness resolves the contradiction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical parameter of the acid from a pre-formed strong acid to a precursor compound that converts to strong acid in-situ. This parameter change allows for higher effective acid concentration at the treatment zone while maintaining safer handling characteristics during transport and injection, thereby resolving the contradiction between productivity and safety.
3Productivity
If acid reaction rate with formation materials is increased to improve treatment speed, then penetration depth is reduced, but treatment completeness is improved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent places the acid precursor in advance at the desired treatment location, allowing it to be converted to active acid after penetration. This preliminary action separates the penetration phase from the reaction phase, enabling deep penetration first, followed by complete treatment at the target zone, thereby resolving the contradiction between treatment speed and penetration depth.
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 in-situ generation of strong acid enables deeper penetration and more uniform treatment, improving permeability, reducing the risk of acid spending, and minimizing corrosion and handling hazards, while allowing for more concentrated acid use and effective removal of deposits and damage in subterranean formations.
Implementation Method 1
a strong acid precursor that generates and releases a strong acid in situ within the subterranean formation
Implementation Method 2
introducing a catalytic acid or a catalytic acid precursor into the wellbore and contacting at least a portion of the treatment fluid with the catalytic acid or the catalytic acid precursor
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and compositions involving a strong acid precursor that generates and/or releases a strong acid for use in a subterranean formation. In some embodiments, the methods include providing a treatment fluid comprising a base fluid and a strong acid precursor and introducing the treatment fluid in a wellbore penetrating at least a portion of a subterranean formation.