Method of recycling fracturing fluids using a self-degrading foaming composition

• US 20060260815A1
• Filed: 04/06/2006
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rhodia Operations (Solvac SA)
• Original Assignee: Rhodia Incorporated
• Inventors: Colaco, Allwyn, Dahanayake, Manilal S., Kesavan, Subramanian
• Granted Patent: US 7,404,442 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/308.600
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/602 containing surfactants
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/703 Foams
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/90 of natural origin, e.g. polysaccharides, cellulose
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/94 Foams
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/26 by forming crevices or fractures

Abstract

A method of fracturing a subterranean zone penetrated by a well bore by preparing a foamed fracturing fluid containing a self-degrading foaming composition comprised of a mixture of anionic surfactant and nonionic surfactant. The fracturing fluid containing a self-degrading foaming composition forms a substantially less stable foam when the foamed fracturing fluid is recovered during reclaim.

Claims

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

(a) injecting a fracturing fluid into a subterranean zone, said fracturing fluid comprising an aqueous solution, a gelling agent, and a self-degrading foaming composition whereby said self-degrading foaming composition comprises a mixture of anionic surfactant and nonionic surfactant;

(b) adding a sufficient amount of gas to said subterranean zone to foam said fracturing fluid and form a foamed fracturing fluid;

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

(d) forming a substantially less stable foam when said foamed fracturing fluid is recovered after fracturing.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said gelling agent comprises a polysaccharide selected from the group consisting of gum arabic, gum ghatti, gum karaya, tamarind gum, tragacanth gum, guar gum, locust beam gum, carboxymethylguar, hydroxypropylguar, carboxymethylhydroxypropylguar, and mixtures thereof.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the polysaccharide comprises hydroxypropylguar.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the anionic surfactant comprises disodium lauramide monoethanol amine sulfosuccinamate.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the anionic surfactant is present in an amount of about 0.05 to about 2 percent of the liquid component by volume.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the nonionic surfactant is an ethoxylated fatty acid ester of polyethylene glycol.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the nonionic surfactant is present in an amount of about 0.05 to about 2 percent of the liquid component by volume.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of adding a proppant to the fracturing fluid before adding said gas.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said foamed fracturing fluid has substantially reduced foam quality after aging about 24 hours at temperatures from about room temperature to about 140°

F.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said gas in said foamed fracturing fluid is selected from the group consisting of air, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and combinations thereof.

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

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said aqueous solution is selected from the group consisting of fresh water, salt water, produced water, and combinations thereof.

13. A self-degrading foaming composition comprising a mixture of anionic surfactants selected from the group consisting of dodecylbenzenesulfonate, alpha olefin sulfonate, diphenyloxide disulfonate, alkyl naphthalene sulfonate, sulfosuccinate, sulfosuccinamate, naphthalene-formaldehyde condensate, alkyl sulfoester, alkyl sulfoamide, and mixtures thereof;

and a nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of fatty acid esters, glycerol esters, ethoxylated fatty acids esters of glycol, ethoxylated fatty acid esters of polyethylene glycol and sorbitan esters;

wherein the self-degrading composition has a substantially reduced foam stability after aging.

14. The composition of claim 13 wherein the anionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of formula (I), (II), (III), (IV) and combinations thereof:

15. The composition of claim 13 wherein said fracturing fluid comprises a crosslinker.

16. The composition of claim 15 wherein said crosslinker is a boron containing compound.

17. The composition of claim 15 wherein said crosslinker is selected from the group consisting of boric acid, borax, boron containing ores, colemanite, and ulexite.

18. The composition of claim 13 wherein said crosslinker is a zirconium or titanium based metallic crosslinker.

19. The composition of claim 13 further comprising cationic surfactants, zwitterionic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, or mixtures thereof.

20. A foamed fracturing composition comprising:

(a) a self-degrading foaming composition having substantially reduced foam stability after aging, said self-degrading foaming comprising (1) a mixture of anionic surfactants wherein at least one of said anionic surfactants has the general formula;

wherein R₁ is selected from a group consisting of alkyl, aryl, alkaryl, alkylarylalkyl, arylalkyl, alkylamidoalkyl and alkylaminoalkyl, wherein the alkyl group has about 10 to about 18 carbon atoms, and the aryl group represents a phenyl, diphenyl, diphenylether, or naphthalene moiety; and

R₂ is selected from a group consisting of hydrogen, —

CH₂CH₂OH, alkyl, aryl, alkaryl, alkylarylalkyl, arylalkyl, alkylamidoalkyl and alkylaminoalkyl, wherein the alkyl group has about 10 to about 18 carbon atoms, wherein the aryl group represents a phenyl, diphenyl, diphenylether, or naphthalene moiety; and

(2) at least one nonionic surfactant having the general formula;

R₃C(O)O—

(CH₂CH₂O)_pR₄

 

wherein, R₃ is hydrocarbon chain containing about 10 to about 22 carbon atoms, R₄ is a hydrogen or a hydrocarbon chain containing about 1 to about 20 carbon atoms, and p is from about 1 to about 20

(b) an aqueous solution;

(c) a gelling agent; and

(d) a gas.