Foamed fracturing fluids, additives and methods of fracturing subterranean zones

• US 20020092652A1
• Filed: 03/08/2002
• Published: 07/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Chatterji, Jiten, King, Karen L., Crook, Ron
• Granted Patent: US 6,454,008 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/308.5
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 20/023 Chemical treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/00017 Aspects relating to the protection of the environment
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/00146 Sprayable or pumpable mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 22/0026 Salt water, e.g. seawater
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 22/124 Chlorides of ammonium or of the alkali or alkaline earth metals, e.g. calcium chloride
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 22/142 Sulfates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 22/143 Calcium-sulfate
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 22/147 Alkali-metal sulfates; Ammonium sulfate
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/02 Alcohols; Phenols; Ethers
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/14 Peptides; Proteins; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 28/02 containing hydraulic cements other than calcium sulfates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 38/10 by using foaming agents C04B38/02 takes precedenceor by using mechanical means, e.g. adding preformed foam
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 40/0039 Premixtures of ingredients
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/46 containing inorganic binders, e.g. Portland cement
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/473 Density reducing additives, e.g. for obtaining foamed cement compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/685 containing cross-linking agents
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/703 Foams
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/905 Biopolymers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 507/903 Crosslinked resin or polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 507/922 Fracture fluid
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 507/924 : with specified propping feature

Abstract

The present invention provides environmentally safe foamed fracturing fluids, additives for foaming and stabilizing foamed fracturing fluids and methods of fracturing subterranean zones. The foamed fracturing fluids of this invention are basically comprised of water, a gelling agent for forming the water into gelled water and increasing the viscosity thereof, sufficient gas to form a foam, and an effective amount of an additive for foaming and stabilizing the gelled water comprised of hydrolyzed keratin.

Claims

1. An improved foamed fracturing fluid for forming fractures in a subterranean zone comprising:

water;

a gelling agent for forming said water into gelled water and increasing the viscosity thereof,

sufficient gas to form a foam; and

an effective amount of an additive for foaming and stabilizing said gelled water comprised of hydrolyzed keratin.

2. The foamed fracturing fluid of claim 1 wherein said water is selected from the group consisting of fresh water and salt water.

3. The foamed fracturing fluid of claim 1 wherein said gelling agent is selected from the group consisting of galactomannans, cellulose derivatives and biopolymers.

4. The foamed fracturing fluid of claim 1 wherein said gelling agent is a galactomannan selected from the group consisting of guar, hydroxypropylguar and carboxymethylhydroxypropylguar.

5. The foamed fracturing fluid of claim 1 wherein said gelling agent is a cellulose derivative selected from the group consisting of hydroxyethylcellulose, carboxymethylhydroxyethylcellulose and hydroxyethylcellulose grafted with vinyl phosphonic acid.

6. The foamed fracturing fluid of claim 1 wherein said gelling agent is xanthan gum.

7. The foamed fracturing fluid of claim 1 wherein said gelling agent in said foamed fracturing fluid is present in an amount in the range of from about 0.125% to about 0.375% by weight of said water therein.

8. The foamed fracturing fluid of claim 1 wherein said gas is selected from the group of air and nitrogen.

9. The foamed fracturing fluid of claim 1 wherein said gas in said foamed fracturing fluid is present in an amount in the range of from about 20% to about 80% by volume of water therein.

10. The foamed fracturing fluid of claim 1 wherein said hydrolyzed keratin in a 40% by weight aqueous solution is present in said foamed fracturing fluid in an amount in the range of from about 0.2% to about 1.0% by volume of water therein.

11. The foamed fracturing fluid of claim 1 which further comprises a cross-linking agent for cross-linking said gelled water.

12. The foamed fracturing fluid of claim 11 wherein said cross-linking agent is selected from the group consisting of boron compounds and compounds that can supply zirconium IV ions, titanium IV ions, aluminum ions and antimony ions.

13. The foamed fracturing fluid of claim 11 wherein said cross-linking agent in said foamed fracturing fluid is present in an amount in the range of from about 0.001% to about 0.1% by weight of said gelling agent therein.

14. The foamed fracturing fluid of claim 1 which further comprises a foam viscosity and stability increasing additive selected from the group consisting of iodine, hydrogen peroxide, cupric sulfate and zinc bromide.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said water in said foamed fracturing fluid is selected from the group consisting of fresh water and salt water.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said gelling agent in said foamed fracturing fluid is selected from the group consisting of galactomannans, cellulose derivatives and biopolymers.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein said gelling agent in said foamed fracturing fluid is a galactomannan selected from the group consisting of guar, hydroxypropylguar and carboxymethylhydroxypropylguar.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein said gelling agent in said foamed fracturing fluid is a cellulose derivative selected from the group consisting of hydroxyethylcellulose, carboxymethylhydroxyethylcellulose and hydroxyethylcellulose grafted with vinyl phosphonic acid.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein said gelling agent in said foamed fracturing fluid is xanthan gum.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein said gelling agent in said foamed fracturing fluid is present in an amount in the range of from about 0.125% to about 0.375% by weight of said water therein.

22. The method of claim 15 wherein said gas in said foamed fracturing fluid is selected from the group of air and nitrogen.

23. The method of claim 15 wherein said gas in said foamed fracturing fluid is present in an amount in the range of from about 20% to about 80% by volume of water therein.

24. The method of claim 15 wherein said hydrolyzed keratin in a 40% by weight aqueous solution is present in said foamed fracturing fluid in an amount in the range of from about 0.2% to about 1.0% by volume of water therein.

25. The method of claim 15 wherein said foamed fracturing fluid further comprises a cross-linking agent for cross-linking said gelled water.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said cross-linking agent in said foamed fracturing fluid is selected from the group consisting of boron compounds and compounds that can supply zirconium IV ions, titanium IV ions, aluminum ions and antimony ions.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein said cross-linking agent in said foamed fracturing fluid is present in an amount in the range of from about 0.001% to about 0.1% by weight of said gelling agent therein.

28. The method of claim 15 wherein said foamed fracturing fluid further comprises a foam viscosity and stability increasing additive selected from the group consisting of iodine, hydrogen peroxide, cupric sulfate and zinc bromide.

29. The method of claim 15 wherein said foamed fracturing fluid further comprises proppant material.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein said proppant material is selected from the group consisting of resin coated or uncoated sand, sintered bauxite, ceramic materials and glass beads.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein said proppant material in said foamed fracturing fluid is present in an amount in the range of from about 1 to about 10 pounds of proppant material per gallon of said foamed fracturing fluid.

15. A method of fracturing a subterranean zone penetrated by a well bore comprising the steps of:

(a) preparing a foamed fracturing fluid comprised of water, a gelling agent for forming said water into gelled water and thereby increasing the viscosity of said water, sufficient gas to form a foam and an effective amount of an additive for foaming and stabilizing said gelled water comprised of hydrolyzed keratin; and

(b) contacting said subterranean zone with said foamed fracturing fluid under conditions effective to create at least one fracture therein.

32. An additive for foaming and stabilizing a gelled water fracturing fluid containing gas comprising hydrolyzed keratin.

33. The additive of claim 32 which further comprises water present in an amount sufficient to dissolve said hydrolyzed keratin.

34. The additive of claim 33 wherein said water is present in an amount such that the resulting solution contains hydrolyzed keratin in an amount of about 40% by weight of said solution.

35. The additive of claim 34 wherein said solution further comprises one or more freezing and pour point depressants therein.