Terpene Emulsion Fluid for Well Stimulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current well stimulation techniques, such as hydraulic fracturing, often result in fluid invasion that damages subterranean formations and impairs hydrocarbon recovery due to fluid trapping and capillary effects, necessitating the development of more effective additives to enhance crude oil and gas production.
Innovation Solution
The use of emulsions or microemulsions comprising water, a terpene, and a surfactant, with specific ratios and phase inversion temperatures, to selectively displace residual aqueous treatment fluids and increase hydrocarbon production by reducing capillary pressure and fluid trapping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If hydraulic fracturing is used to stimulate low permeability formations, then hydrocarbon recovery is improved, but fluid invasion damages the formation and impairs productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the fracturing fluid by incorporating specific additives (surfactants, polymers, corrosion inhibitors) that modify fluid properties to reduce formation damage while maintaining fracturing effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses chemical additives as intermediaries between the fracturing fluid and formation rock, where these substances mediate the interaction to prevent harmful fluid invasion while allowing beneficial hydrocarbon flow
2Productivity
If chemical additives are incorporated into well-treatment fluids to reduce phase trapping, then crude oil or formation gas production is increased, but the composition complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates composite well-treatment fluids by combining multiple chemical additives (surfactants, polymers, corrosion inhibitors) with base fluids, where each component serves a specific function to collectively enhance productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs multi-functional additives that simultaneously perform multiple tasks: reducing capillary pressure, preventing fluid trapping, and protecting formation integrity, thereby increasing productivity without proportionally increasing complexity
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
These compositions effectively increase the flowback of residual treatment fluids, enhancing the production of both crude oil and natural gas by selectively stimulating displacement based on the terpene's phase inversion temperature and water-to-terpene ratio, thereby improving well productivity.
Implementation Method 1
The incorporation of additives into well-treatment fluids can increase crude oil or formation gas, for example by reducing capillary pressure and/or minimizing capillary end effects
Implementation Method 2
the composition of additives comprises multi-component chemical substances and compositions that contain mutually distributed nanodomains of normally immiscible solvents, such as water and hydrocarbon-based organic solvents, stabilized by surfactants
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and compositions for stimulating of the production of hydrocarbons (e.g., formation crude oil and/or formation gas) from subterranean formations, and methods of selecting a composition for treating an oil or gas well. In some embodiments, the compositions are emulsions or microemulsions, which may include water, a terpene, and a surfactant.