Gas diverter for well and reservoir stimulation
First Claim
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1. A method of influencing behavior of a subterranean formation, comprising:
- (a) injecting a pressurized fluid comprising a gas into at least two injection wells to pressurize pre-existing fractures of the subterranean formation adjacent to the at least two injection wells, the at least two injection wells being spatially proximate to a target well of the subterranean formation, and increase a pressure of the at least two injection wells; and
(b) maintaining, for a suitable injected fluid dwell time, the pressurized fluid in the pressurized pre-existing fractures while a carrier liquid is introduced into the target well to induce hydraulic fracturing in the target well,wherein the target well and the injection wells are not all collinear, andwherein the pressurized fluid is maintained at an injection pressure below a fracture gradient of the subterranean formation during the duration of steps (a) and (b), and wherein the carrier liquid is injected into the target well at a sufficient pressure above the fracture gradient to fracture the subterranean formation.
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Abstract
The disclosure provides fracturing methods having advantage over current fracturing methods. The disclosed fracturing methods can change the fracture gradient of the downhole subterranean formation. For example, one or more of the fracture gradients of the low and high stress zones of the downhole subterranean formation can be changed. Furthermore, in relation to current practices, the methods can decrease the extent and/or degree of fracturing within low stress downhole formations and increase the degree of fracturing within high stress formations.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method of influencing behavior of a subterranean formation, comprising:
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(a) injecting a pressurized fluid comprising a gas into at least two injection wells to pressurize pre-existing fractures of the subterranean formation adjacent to the at least two injection wells, the at least two injection wells being spatially proximate to a target well of the subterranean formation, and increase a pressure of the at least two injection wells; and (b) maintaining, for a suitable injected fluid dwell time, the pressurized fluid in the pressurized pre-existing fractures while a carrier liquid is introduced into the target well to induce hydraulic fracturing in the target well, wherein the target well and the injection wells are not all collinear, and wherein the pressurized fluid is maintained at an injection pressure below a fracture gradient of the subterranean formation during the duration of steps (a) and (b), and wherein the carrier liquid is injected into the target well at a sufficient pressure above the fracture gradient to fracture the subterranean formation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of influencing behavior of a subterranean formation, comprising:
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(a) injecting a pressurized fluid comprising a gas into an injection well to pressurize pre-existing fractures of the subterranean formation adjacent to the injection well, the injection well being spatially proximate to a target well of the subterranean formation, and increase a pressure of the injection well; and (b) maintaining, for a suitable injected fluid dwell time, the pressurized fluid in the pressurized pre-existing fractures while a carrier liquid is introduced into the target well to induce fracturing in the target well, wherein the pressurized fluid is maintained at an injection pressure below a fracture gradient of the subterranean formation during the duration of steps (a) and (b), and wherein the carrier liquid is injected into the target well at a sufficient pressure above the fracture gradient to fracture the subterranean formation. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of influencing behavior of a subterranean formation, comprising:
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(a) injecting a pressurized fluid comprising a gas into at least one injection well to pressurize pre-existing fractures of the subterranean formation adjacent to at least one injection well, the at least one injection well being spatially proximate to a target well of the subterranean formation, and increase a pressure of the at least one injection well; and (b) after starting step (a), introducing a carrier liquid into the target well to induce fracturing in the target well, wherein the pressurized fluid is maintained at an injection pressure below a fracture gradient of the subterranean formation during the duration of steps (a) and (b) to inhibit hydraulic fracturing of the pressurized pre-existing fractures adjacent to the at least one injection well by the carrier liquid in the target well, wherein the carrier liquid is injected into the target well at a sufficient pressure above the fracture gradient to fracture the subterranean formation. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification