Methods of stimulating liquid-sensitive subterranean formations

• US 20070151729A1
• Filed: 01/04/2006
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Welton, Thomas, Blauch, Matthew, Hoch, Ottmar
• Granted Patent: US 8,443,890 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/281
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/516 characterised by their form or by the form of their components, e.g. encapsulated material
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/70 characterised by their form or by the form of their components, e.g. foams
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/92 characterised by their form or by the form of their components, e.g. encapsulated material C09K8/70 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/006 Production of coal-bed methane E21B43/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/2605 using gas or liquefied gas

Abstract

A method comprising: providing a stimulation fluid that comprises a stimulating gas and a consolidating agent; and injecting the stimulation fluid into a portion of a liquid-sensitive formation at a pressure sufficient to create or enhance a pathway therein. Suitable consolidating agents include aqueous tackifying agents, curable compositions, and noncurable and nonaqueous consolidating compositions.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a stimulation fluid that comprises a stimulating gas and a consolidating agent; and

injecting the stimulation fluid into a portion of a liquid-sensitive formation at a pressure sufficient to create or enhance a pathway therein.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the liquid-sensitive formation is a coal bed methane formation, a dry coal bed methane formation, a low water content coal bed methane, a shale formation, an ultra-low permeability, a formation that has a tendency to self-prop, a low permeability, or a naturally fractured formation.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the stimulation fluid includes an additional component chosen from the group consisting of:

a diluting agent, a surfactant, a hydrocarbon carrier, and a plurality of proppant particulates.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the stimulation gas is chosen from the group consisting of:

nitrogen, air, carbon dioxide, propane, or ammonia.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the consolidating agent is an aqueous tackifying agent, a curable resin, or a noncurable and nonaqueous consolidating composition.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the aqueous tackifying agent is chosen from the group consisting of:

acrylic acid polymers;

acrylic acid ester polymers;

acrylic acid derivative polymers;

acrylic acid homopolymers;

acrylic acid ester homopolymers;

poly(methyl acrylate);

poly(butyl acrylate);

poly(2-ethylhexyl acrylate);

acrylic acid ester co-polymers;

methacrylic acid derivative polymers;

methacrylic acid homopolymers;

methacrylic acid ester homopolymers;

poly(methyl methacrylate);

poly(butyl methacrylate);

poly(2-ethylhexyl methacryate);

acrylamido-methyl-propane sulfonate polymers;

acrylamido-methyl-propane sulfonate derivative polymers;

acrylamido-methyl-propane sulfonate co-polymers;

acrylic acid/acrylamido-methyl-propane sulfonate co-polymers; and

combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the aqueous tackifying agent is selected from the group consisting of:

benzyl coco di-(hydroxyethyl) quaternary amine, p-T-amyl-phenol condensed with formaldehyde; and

a copolymer comprising from about 80% to about 100% C_1-30 alkylmethacrylate monomers and from about 0% to about 20% hydrophilic monomers.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the curable composition is selected from the group consisting of:

two component epoxy based resins;

novolak resins;

polyepoxide resins;

phenol-aldehyde resins;

urea-aldehyde resins;

urethane resins;

phenolic resins;

furan resins;

furan/furfuryl alcohol resins;

phenolic/latex resins;

phenol formaldehyde resins;

polyester resins and hybrids and copolymers thereof;

polyurethane resins and hybrids and copolymers thereof;

acrylate resins; and

mixtures thereof.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein the curable composition has a viscosity of about 1 cP to about 100 cP.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein the curable composition comprises a solvent chosen from the group consisting of:

butyl lactate;

butylglycidyl ether;

dipropylene glycol methyl ether;

dipropylene glycol dimethyl ether;

dimethyl formamide;

diethyleneglycol methyl ether;

ethyleneglycol butyl ether;

diethyleneglycol butyl ether;

propylene carbonate;

methanol;

butyl alcohol;

d-limonene;

fatty acid methyl esters;

dissolvable solvents;

methanol;

isopropanol;

butanol;

glycol ether solvents;

diethylene glycol methyl ether;

dipropylene glycol methyl ether;

2-butoxy ethanol;

ethers of a C₂ to C₆ dihydric alkanol containing at least one C₁ to C₆ alkyl group;

mono ethers of dihydric alkanols;

methoxypropanol;

butoxyethanol;

hexoxyethanol;

isomers thereof; and

combinations thereof.

11. The method of claim 5 wherein the noncurable and nonaqueous consolidating composition is selected from the group consisting of:

condensation reaction products comprised of commercially available polyacids and a polyamine;

mixtures of C₃₆ dibasic acids containing some trimer and higher oligomers and also small amounts of monomer acids that are reacted with polyamines;

polyacids;

trimer acids;

synthetic acids produced from fatty acids;

maleic anhydride;

acrylic acid;

liquids or solutions of polyesters, polycarbonates, polycarbamates, or natural resins;

silyl-modified polyamides; and

combinations thereof.

12. The method of claim 5 wherein the noncurable and nonaqueous consolidating composition comprises a multifunctional material.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the multifunctional material is chosen from the group consisting of:

aldehydes;

formaldehyde;

dialdehydes;

glutaraldehyde;

hemiacetals;

aldehyde releasing compounds;

diacid halides;

dihalides;

dichlorides;

dibromides;

polyacid anhydrides;

citric acid;

epoxides;

furfuraldehyde;

glutaraldehyde;

aldehyde condensates; and

combinations thereof.

14. The method of claim 5 wherein the noncurable and nonaqueous consolidating composition includes a solvent chosen from the group consisting of:

butylglycidyl ether;

dipropylene glycol methyl ether;

butyl bottom alcohol;

dipropylene glycol dimethyl ether;

diethyleneglycol methyl ether;

ethyleneglycol butyl ether;

methanol;

butyl alcohol;

isopropyl alcohol;

diethyleneglycol butyl ether;

propylene carbonate;

d-limonene;

2-butoxy ethanol;

butyl acetate;

furfuryl acetate;

butyl lactate;

dimethyl sulfoxide;

dimethyl formamide;

fatty acid methyl esters; and

combinations thereof.

15. A method comprising:

providing a stimulation gas;

adding a consolidating agent to the stimulating gas to form a stimulation fluid; and

injecting the stimulation fluid into a liquid-sensitive subterranean formation.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the consolidating agent is added to the stimulation gas on-the-fly as a liquid or mist.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the consolidating agent is an aqueous tackifying agent chosen from the group consisting of:

acrylic acid polymers;

acrylic acid ester polymers;

acrylic acid derivative polymers;

acrylic acid homopolymers;

acrylic acid ester homopolymers;

poly(methyl acrylate);

poly(butyl acrylate);

poly(2-ethylhexyl acrylate);

acrylic acid ester co-polymers;

methacrylic acid derivative polymers;

methacrylic acid homopolymers;

methacrylic acid ester homopolymers;

poly(methyl methacrylate);

poly(butyl methacrylate);

poly(2-ethylhexyl methacryate);

acrylamido-methyl-propane sulfonate polymers;

acrylamido-methyl-propane sulfonate derivative polymers;

acrylamido-methyl-propane sulfonate co-polymers;

acrylic acid/acrylamido-methyl-propane sulfonate co-polymers; and

combinations thereof.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the consolidating agent is a curable composition selected from the group consisting of:

two component epoxy based resins;

novolak resins;

polyepoxide resins;

phenol-aldehyde resins;

urea-aldehyde resins;

urethane resins;

phenolic resins;

furan resins;

furan/furfuryl alcohol resins;

phenolic/latex resins;

phenol formaldehyde resins;

polyester resins and hybrids and copolymers thereof;

polyurethane resins and hybrids and copolymers thereof;

acrylate resins; and

mixtures thereof.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the consolidating agent is a noncurable and nonaqueous consolidating composition selected from the group consisting of:

condensation reaction products comprised of polyacids and a polyamine;

mixtures of C₃₆ dibasic acids comprising some trimer and higher oligomers and monomer acids reacted with polyamines;

polyacids;

trimer acids;

synthetic acids produced from fatty acids;

maleic anhydride;

acrylic acid;

liquids or solutions of polyesters, polycarbonates, polycarbamates, or natural resins;

silyl-modified polyamides; and

combinations thereof.

20. A method of enhancing a pathway in a liquid-sensitive subterranean formation comprising:

providing a stimulation fluid that comprises a stimulating gas and a consolidating agent; and

injecting the stimulation fluid into the formation so as to enhance a pathway therein.