Swellable Particulate Proppant Pack Permeability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hydraulic fracturing methods face challenges in maintaining fracture openness and enhancing permeability in subterranean formations, leading to reduced oil and gas production due to the closure of fractures and limited proppant pack permeability.
Innovation Solution
Introducing a treatment fluid containing a proppant and a swellable particulate into the subterranean formation, where the swellable particulate swells and then degrades, enhancing the permeability of the proppant pack or matrix to improve fluid flow and maintain fracture openness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If proppant is introduced to maintain fracture openness, then fracture integrity is improved, but proppant pack permeability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces swellable particulate material with porous structure into the fracture along with proppant. This swellable material creates additional pore spaces and channels within the proppant pack, significantly enhancing permeability while the proppant maintains fracture openness and integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines proppant particles with swellable particulate material to form a composite proppant pack. The proppant provides structural support and fracture openness, while the swellable material contributes porous structure and permeability enhancement, creating a synergistic composite system that addresses both fracture integrity and productivity requirements.
2Productivity
If swellable particulate is introduced to enhance permeability, then proppant pack permeability is improved, but fracture closure occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the ability of swellable particulate material to change its physical parameters (volume expansion) in response to fluid contact. This parameter change enhances permeability by creating pore spaces, while the proppant simultaneously maintains the structural framework that prevents fracture closure, resolving the contradiction between permeability enhancement and fracture openness maintenance.
3Reliability
If proppant pack is formed to maintain fracture openness, then fracture integrity is improved, but inter-connected pores are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates swellable particulate material with inherent porous structure into the proppant pack. When this material swells upon contact with formation fluids, it creates and expands inter-connected pore networks within the proppant pack, significantly improving fluid flow pathways while the proppant maintains the overall fracture structure and integrity.
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 permeability of the proppant pack or matrix, allowing for enhanced oil and gas production by creating inter-connected pores and maintaining fracture integrity, thereby improving well productivity.
Implementation Method 1
introducing a treatment fluid containing a proppant and a swellable particulate; swelling the swellable particulate
Implementation Method 2
degrading the swellable particulate in the subterranean formation
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided for treating at least a portion of a subterranean formation. The method includes the steps of: (a) introducing a treatment fluid into the subterranean formation, wherein the treatment fluid comprises a proppant and a swellable particulate; (b) swelling the swellable particulate, wherein the step of swelling is performed prior to, during, or after the step of introducing the treatment fluid; and (c) degrading the swellable particulate in the subterranean formation, wherein the step of degrading is performed after the steps of introducing and swelling.