Tacky Consolidate Fluid for Subterranean Particulate Flowback Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
In subterranean formations, particulate migration during treatments like hydraulic fracturing and gravel packing leads to clogging and equipment damage, as not all proppant or gravel remains effectively trapped, causing flowback and migration issues.
Innovation Solution
A tacky consolidate treatment fluid comprising a resin, a tackifying compound, and a silane coupling agent is used to consolidate unconsolidated particulates, forming a cohesive mass that retains tackiness to control migration and minimize flowback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If proppant or gravel is placed in fractures or well bore annulus to prevent formation closure or control particulate migration, then conductivity channels are formed or formation stability is improved, but particulate flowback and migration occur causing clogging and equipment damage
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical-chemical parameters of the treatment fluid by incorporating resins and tackifying compounds that modify the fluid's adhesive properties. This allows the fluid to bind particulates together and to the formation, preventing flowback while maintaining formation stability. The chemical composition parameters are specifically adjusted to achieve optimal tackiness and binding strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite treatment fluids that combine multiple components: resins, tackifying compounds, and carrier fluids. This composite approach creates a multi-functional system where each component contributes specific properties - resins provide structural binding, tackifying compounds enhance adhesion, and carrier fluids facilitate delivery. The composite material prevents particulate migration while maintaining formation conductivity.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If resin is used to consolidate particulates and prevent flowback, then particulate migration is controlled, but resin may coat equipment and cause operational issues
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies resin and tackifying compounds selectively to specific locations - primarily to the particulates themselves and the formation interface - rather than uniformly throughout the entire treatment system. This localized application ensures that binding occurs where needed (at the particulate-formation interface) while minimizing resin exposure to equipment surfaces, thereby reducing unwanted coating.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier fluid acts as an intermediary that delivers the resin and tackifying compounds to the target location (particulates and formation interface) without allowing the resin to directly contact equipment surfaces. The carrier fluid controls the placement and distribution of the binding agents, mediating between the resin and the equipment to prevent harmful coating while achieving the desired consolidation effect.
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 effectively reduces proppant flowback and fines migration, providing cohesive strength and minimizing equipment coating issues while allowing for tailored cohesion strength, thus maintaining a stable and productive subterranean formation.
Implementation Method 1
A gravel pack is defined as a volume of particulate materials (such as sand) placed into a well bore to at least partially reduce the migration of unconsolidated formation particulates into the well bore
Implementation Method 2
providing a tacky-consolidate treatment fluid comprising a tackifying compound, a curable resin, and a silane coupling agent
Data Source
AI summary
Methods useful in treating subterranean formations to control particulate migration with a tacky-consolidate treatment fluid comprising a resin and a tackifying compound. One method comprises the steps of providing a portion of a subterranean formation comprising unconsolidated particulates; providing a tacky-consolidate treatment fluid comprising a tackifying compound, a curable resin, and a silane coupling agent; and placing the tacky-consolidate treatment fluid in the subterranean formation so as to form a tacky consolidate that comprises at least a portion of the unconsolidated particulates.