Super-cooled Water Injection for Tight Formation Fracturing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Hydraulic fracturing in tight, hard rock formations often requires high breakdown pressures that exceed the limits of tubulars and pumping systems, making it difficult to fracture and produce hydrocarbons effectively.
Innovation Solution
The method involves super-cooling water using liquid nitrogen to create a thermal shock in the hydrocarbon formation, reducing the in-situ stress and breakdown pressure by injecting cooled fluids, such as water or carbon dioxide, into the wellbore to facilitate fracture creation with reduced pressure requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If high hydraulic pressure is used to fracture tight, hard rock formations, then fracture creation is achieved, but the pressure exceeds the rating of tubulars making it impossible to fracture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter of the fracturing fluid by super-cooling it to between -4°F to -30°F using liquid nitrogen. This temperature change creates thermal shock in the formation, which reduces the in-situ stress and breakdown pressure, allowing fracture creation without exceeding tubular pressure ratings.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the phase transition of liquid nitrogen (from liquid to gas) as a heat exchanging medium to super-cool the fracturing fluid. The liquid nitrogen absorbs heat from the water, causing the water to reach super-cooled temperatures, and the nitrogen transitions from liquid to gaseous state in the process.
2Productivity
If thermal shock is applied to reduce breakdown pressure, then fracturing effectiveness increases, but additional cooling equipment and infrastructure are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses liquid nitrogen as an intermediary heat exchanging medium to transfer thermal energy from the fracturing fluid. The liquid nitrogen absorbs heat from the water through heat exchange surfaces, super-cooling the water without requiring direct contact between the cooling medium and the fracturing fluid, thus simplifying the system design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical compression or high-pressure cooling systems with a thermal exchange system using liquid nitrogen. Instead of using mechanical means to achieve low temperatures, the system uses the natural phase transition and heat absorption properties of liquid nitrogen to cool the fracturing fluid.
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 approach effectively lowers the breakdown pressure needed for fracturing, allowing for the successful treatment of high-pressure, hard rock formations while being cost-effective and easy to install, as it delivers super-cooled fluids that reduce the stress on tubulars and pumping systems.
Implementation Method 1
super-cooling water to a temperature between −4° F. to −30° F. using liquid nitrogen having a temperature in a range of −100° F. to −200° F. as a heat exchanging medium
Implementation Method 2
injecting a cold liquid into the hot, hydrocarbon formation to create a thermal shock in the reservoir which helps lessen the in-situ stress of the reservoir and decrease the breakdown pressure
Data Source
AI summary
A method of fracturing subsurface formation includes super-cooling water to a temperature between −4° F. to −30° F. using liquid nitrogen having a temperature in a range of −100° F. to −200° F., pumping the water down a wellbore to create fractures in the subsurface formation, and pumping fracturing fluid containing a proppant down the wellbore after pumping the water down the wellbore.