Method of tracking fluids produced from various zones in subterranean wells

• US 20030196799A1
• Filed: 11/18/2002
• Published: 10/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Philip D., Barton, Johnny A., Weaver, Jimmie D.
• Granted Patent: US 6,725,926 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/250.12
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/805 Coated proppants
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/11 using tracers; using radioactivity
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 507/907 Indicating means, e.g. dye, fluorescing agent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 507/924 with specified propping feature

Abstract

Compositions and methods for determining the source of treatment fluids being produced from a production formation having multiple zones.

Claims

1. A method of treating a subterranean formation having multiple zones penetrated by a well bore comprising:

providing a plurality of treatment compositions comprising a tracking material, wherein the tracking material is selected from the group consisting of water soluble inorganic salts, water soluble organic salts, metals, metal salts of organic acids, phosphorescent pigments, fluorescent pigments, photoluminescent pigments, oil soluble dyes, oil dispersible dyes and oil dispersible pigments, and wherein each treatment composition comprises a different tracking material;

introducing a different treatment composition into each zone in the subterranean formation through a well bore;

flowing fluid back from the subterranean formation whereby at least a portion of at least one of the treatment compositions flows back from the subterranean formation; and

identifying each zone in which the at least one treatment composition was introduced by detecting the tracking compositions in the fluid that flows back from the subterranean formation.

2. A method of treating a subterranean formation having multiple zones penetrated by a well bore according to claim 1, wherein the treatment composition comprises a treatment fluid selected from the group consisting of fracturing fluids, drilling fluids, disposal fluids and injection fluids.

3. A method of treating a subterranean formation having multiple zones penetrated by a well bore according to claim 1, wherein the tracking material comprises a water soluble inorganic or organic metal salt.

4. A method of treating a subterranean formation having multiple zones penetrated by a well bore according to claim 3, wherein the water soluble inorganic or organic metal salt comprises a metal selected from Groups I to VIII of the Periodic Table of the elements and the lanthanum series rare earth metals;

provided that the metal salt is not a component of the treatment compositions; and

provided that the metal salt is compatible with the fluids disposed within the well bore.

5. A method of treating a subterranean formation having multiple zones penetrated by a well bore according to claim 4, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of barium, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, cesium, sodium, potassium, manganese and zinc.

6. A method of treating a subterranean formation having multiple zones penetrated by a well bore according to claim 3, wherein the metal salt is selected from the group consisting of barium bromide, barium iodide, beryllium fluoride, beryllium bromide, beryllium chloride, cadmium bromide, cadmium chloride, cadmium iodide, cadmium nitrate, chromium bromide, chromium chloride, chromium iodide, cesium bromide, cesium chloride, sodium bromide, sodium iodide, sodium nitrate, sodium nitrite, potassium iodide, potassium nitrate, manganese bromide, manganese chloride, zinc bromide, zinc chloride, zinc iodide, sodium monofluoroacetate, sodium trifluoroacetate, sodium 3-fluoropropionate, potassium monofluoroacetate, potassium trifluoroacetate, potassium 3-fluoropropionate.

7. A method of treating a subterranean formation having multiple zones penetrated by a well bore according to claim 1, wherein the treatment composition comprises a particulate material and a tracking material and wherein the tracking material comprises a metal selected from Groups I to VIII of the Periodic Table of the elements and the lanthanum series rare earth metals;

provided that the metal is not a component of the particulate material; and

provided that the metal is compatible with the fluids disposed within the well bore.

8. A method of treating a subterranean formation having multiple zones penetrated by a well bore according to claim 1, wherein the treatment composition comprises a particulate material and a tracking material and wherein the tracking material comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, copper, aluminum, barium, beryllium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, iron, lithium, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, phosphorus, lead, titanium, vanadium, zinc and oxide, phosphate, sulfate, carbonate and salt derivatives thereof.

9. A method of treating a subterranean formation having multiple zones penetrated by a well bore according to claim 8, wherein the tracking material comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of copper, nickel, zinc, cadmium, magnesium and barium.

10. A method of treating a subterranean formation having multiple zones penetrated by a well bore according to claim 8, wherein the tracking material comprises a metal oxide selected from the group consisting of manganese oxide, cuprous oxide, zinc oxide, magnesium oxide, and barium oxide.

11. A method of treating a subterranean formation having multiple zones penetrated by a well bore according to claim 1, wherein the tracking material is selected from the group consisting of metal salts, metal oxides, metal sulfates, metal phosphates and metal salts of organic acids and the metal is selected from the group consisting of chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, technetium, rhenium, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium and lutetium.

12. A method of treating a subterranean formation having multiple zones penetrated by a well bore according to claim 11, wherein the tracking material comprises a metal salt of an organic acid and the organic acid is selected from the group consisting of substituted and unsubstituted alkanoic carboxylic acids, alkenoic carboxylic acids, polyunsaturated aliphatic monocarboxylic acids and aromatic carboxylic acids.

13. A method of treating a subterranean formation having multiple zones penetrated by a well bore according to claim 12, wherein the organic acid comprises an alkanoic carboxylic acid having from 5 to 35 carbon atoms.

14. A method of treating a subterranean formation having multiple zones penetrated by a well bore according to claim 12, wherein the organic acid comprises an alkenoic carboxylic acid having from 5 to 30 carbon atoms.

15. A method of treating a subterranean formation having multiple zones penetrated by a well bore according to claim 12, wherein the organic acid comprises a polyunsaturated aliphatic monocarboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of sorbic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid and eleostearic acid.

16. A method of treating a subterranean formation having multiple zones penetrated by a well bore according to claim 12, wherein the organic acid comprises an aromatic acid selected from the group consisting of benzoic acid, salicylic acid, cinnamic acid and gallic acid.

17. A method of treating a subterranean formation having multiple zones penetrated by a well bore according to claim 1, wherein the tracking material is selected from the group consisting of phosphorescent pigments, fluorescent pigments and photoluminescent pigments and wherein the phosphorescent, fluorescent, and photoluminescent pigments are prepared from materials selected from the group consisting of alkaline earth aluminates activated by rare earth ions, zinc sulfide phosphors, aluminate phosphors, zinc silicate phosphors, zinc sulfide cadmium phosphors, strontium sulfide phosphors, calcium tungstate phosphors and calcium sulfide phosphors.

18. A method of treating a subterranean formation having multiple zones penetrated by a well bore according to claim 1, wherein the treatment composition comprises a particulate composition comprising a particulate material and a tracking material wherein the particulate composition further comprises a material selected from the group consisting of fibrous materials, tackifying agents and deformable beads.

19. A method of treating a subterranean formation having multiple zones penetrated by a well bore according to claim 1, wherein the treatment composition comprises a particulate material and a tracking material and wherein the tracking material is blended with a resin to form a tracking material-resin mixture and the particulate material is coated with the tracking material-resin mixture.

20. A method of treating a subterranean formation having multiple zones penetrated by a well bore according to claim 1, wherein the treatment composition comprises a particulate material and a tracking material and wherein the particulate material is tagged with the tracking material.

21. A method of treating a subterranean formation having multiple zones penetrated by a well bore according to claim 1, wherein the tracking material in the fluid that flows back from the subterranean formation is detected by an inductively-coupled plasma method.

22. A method of propping multiple fractures in a subterranean formation penetrated by a well bore comprising:

placing a proppant composition in each fracture in the subterranean formation, wherein each proppant composition comprises particulate material and a tracking composition, and wherein each proppant composition comprises a different tracking composition;

flowing fluid back from the subterranean formation whereby at least a portion of at least one of the proppant compositions flows back from the subterranean formation; and

identifying each fracture in which the at least one proppant composition was placed by detecting the tracking compositions in the fluid that flows back from the subterranean formation.

23. A method of propping multiple fractures in a subterranean formation penetrated by a well bore according to claim 22, wherein the tracking composition is selected from the group consisting of metals, metal salts of organic acids, phosphorescent pigments, fluorescent pigments, photoluminescent pigments, oil soluble dyes, oil dispersible dyes and oil dispersible pigments.

24. A method of propping multiple fractures in a subterranean formation penetrated by a well bore according to claim 22, wherein the tracking composition comprises a metal selected from Groups I to VIII of the Periodic Table of the elements and the lanthanum series rare earth metals;

provided that the metal is not a component of the particulate material; and

provided that the metal is compatible with the fluids disposed within the well bore.

25. A method of propping multiple fractures in a subterranean formation penetrated by a well bore according to claim 22, wherein the tracking composition comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, copper, aluminum, barium, beryllium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, iron, lithium, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, phosphorus, lead, titanium, vanadium, zinc and oxide, phosphate, sulfate, carbonate and salt derivatives thereof.

26. A method of propping multiple fractures in a subterranean formation penetrated by a well bore according to claim 25, wherein the tracking composition comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of copper, nickel, zinc, cadmium, magnesium and barium.

27. A method of propping multiple fractures in a subterranean formation penetrated by a well bore according to claim 25, wherein the tracking composition comprises a metal oxide selected from the group consisting of manganese oxide, cuprous oxide, zinc oxide, magnesium oxide, and barium oxide.

28. A method of propping multiple fractures in a subterranean formation penetrated by a well bore according to claim 25, wherein the tracking composition is selected from the group consisting metal salts, metal oxides, metal sulfates, metal phosphates and metal salts of organic acids and the metal is selected from the group consisting of chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, technetium, rhenium, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium and lutetium.

29. A method of propping multiple fractures in a subterranean formation penetrated by a well bore according to claim 26, wherein the tracking composition comprises a metal salt of an organic acid and the organic acid is selected from the group consisting of substituted and unsubstituted alkanoic carboxylic acids, alkenoic carboxylic acids, polyunsaturated aliphatic monocarboxylic acids and aromatic carboxylic acids.

30. A method of propping multiple fractures in a subterranean formation penetrated by a well bore according to claim 22, wherein the tracking composition is selected from the group consisting of phosphorescent pigments, fluorescent pigments and photoluminescent pigments and wherein the phosphorescent, fluorescent, and photoluminescent pigments are prepared from materials selected from the group consisting of alkaline earth aluminates activated by rare earth ions, zinc sulfide phosphors, aluminate phosphors, zinc silicate phosphors, zinc sulfide cadmium phosphors, strontium sulfide phosphors, calcium tungstate phosphors and calcium sulfide phosphors.

31. A traceable treatment composition for treating a subterranean formation having multiple zones penetrated by a well bore comprising:

a tracking material, wherein the tracking material is selected from the group consisting of water-soluble inorganic salts, water soluble organic salts, metals, metal salts of organic acids, phosphorescent pigments, fluorescent pigments, photoluminescent pigments, oil soluble dyes, oil dispersible dyes and oil dispersible pigments.

32. A traceable treatment composition according to claim 31 wherein the treatment composition comprises a treatment fluid selected from the group consisting of fracturing fluids, drilling fluids, disposal fluids and injection fluids.

33. A traceable treatment composition according to claim 31 wherein the tracking material comprises a water soluble inorganic or organic metal salt.

34. A traceable treatment composition according to claim 33 wherein the water soluble inorganic or organic metal salt comprises a metal selected from Groups I to VIII of the Periodic Table of the elements and the lanthanum series rare earth metals;

provided that the metal salt is not a component of the treatment compositions; and

provided that the metal salt is compatible with the fluids disposed within the well bore.

35. A traceable treatment composition according to claim 34 wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of barium, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, cesium, sodium, potassium, manganese and zinc.

36. A traceable treatment composition according to claim 33 wherein the metal salt is selected from the group consisting of barium bromide, barium iodide, beryllium fluoride, beryllium bromide, beryllium chloride, cadmium bromide, cadmium chloride, cadmium iodide, cadmium nitrate, chromium bromide, chromium chloride, chromium iodide, cesium bromide, cesium chloride, sodium bromide, sodium iodide, sodium nitrate, sodium nitrite, potassium iodide, potassium nitrate, manganese bromide, manganese chloride, zinc bromide, zinc chloride, zinc iodide, sodium monofluoroacetate, sodium trifluoroacetate, sodium 3-fluoropropionate, potassium monofluoroacetate, potassium trifluoroacetate, potassium 3-fluoropropionate.

37. A traceable treatment composition according to claim 31, wherein the treatment composition is a proppant composition comprising a particulate material and a tracking material and wherein the tracking material comprises a metal selected from Groups I to VIII of the Periodic Table of the elements and the lanthanum series rare earth metals;

provided that the metal is not a component of the particulate material; and

provided that the metal is compatible with the fluids disposed within the well bore.

38. A traceable treatment composition according to claim 31, wherein the treatment composition is a proppant composition comprising a particulate material and a tracking material and wherein the tracking material comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, copper, aluminum, barium, beryllium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, iron, lithium, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, phosphorus, lead, titanium, vanadium, zinc and oxide, phosphate, sulfate, carbonate and salt derivatives thereof.

39. A traceable treatment composition according to claim 38, wherein the tracking material comprises a metal oxide selected from the group consisting of copper, nickel, zinc, magnesium and barium.

40. A traceable treatment composition according to claim 38, wherein the tracking material comprises a metal oxide selected from the group consisting of manganese oxide, cuprous oxide, zinc oxide, magnesium oxide, and barium oxide.

41. A traceable treatment composition according to claim 31, wherein the treatment composition is a proppant composition comprising a particulate material and a tracking material and wherein the tracking material is selected from the group consisting of metal salts, metal oxides, metal sulfates, metal phosphates and metal salts of organic acids and the metal is selected from the group consisting of chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, technetium, rhenium, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium and lutetium.

42. A traceable treatment composition according to claim 41, wherein the tracking material comprises a metal salt of an organic acid and the organic acid is selected from the group consisting of substituted and unsubstituted alkanoic carboxylic acids, alkenoic carboxylic acids, polyunsaturated aliphatic monocarboxylic acids and aromatic carboxylic acids.

43. A traceable treatment composition according to claim 42, wherein the organic acid comprises an alkanoic carboxylic acid having from 5 to 35 carbon atoms.

44. A traceable treatment composition according to claim 42, wherein the organic acid comprises an alkenoic carboxylic acid having from 5 to 30 carbon atoms.

45. A traceable treatment composition according to claim 42, wherein the organic acid comprises a polyunsaturated aliphatic monocarboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of sorbic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid and eleostearic acid.

46. A traceable treatment composition according to claim 42, wherein the organic acid comprises an aromatic acid selected from the group consisting of benzoic acid, salicylic acid, cinnamic acid and gallic acid.

47. A traceable treatment composition according to claim 31, wherein the treatment composition is a proppant composition comprising a particulate material and a tracking material and wherein the tracking material is selected from the group consisting of phosphorescent pigments, fluorescent pigments and photoluminescent pigments and wherein the phosphorescent, fluorescent, and photoluminescent pigments are prepared from materials selected from the group consisting of alkaline earth aluminates activated by rare earth ions, zinc sulfide phosphors, aluminate phosphors, zinc silicate phosphors, zinc sulfide cadmium phosphors, strontium sulfide phosphors, calcium tungstate phosphors and calcium sulfide phosphors.