METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR TREATING SUBTERRANEAN FORMATIONS WITH SWELLABLE LOST CIRCULATION MATERIALS

• US 20140231086A1
• Filed: 02/19/2013
• Published: 08/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Jamison, Dale E., Murphy, Robert J., Miller, Matthew L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,284,798 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/292
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/003 Means for stopping loss of drilling fluid plastering the borehole wall E21B33/138

Abstract

Methods of treating a fluid loss zone in a wellbore in a subterranean formation including providing swellable particles having an initial unswelled volume, wherein the swellable particles upon swelling adopt a specific shape; introducing the swellable particles into the wellbore in the subterranean formation; and swelling the swellable particles so as to adopt a swelled volume beyond the initial unswelled volume; and sealing at least a portion of the fluid loss zone.

Claims

1. A method of treating a fluid loss zone in a wellbore in a subterranean formation comprising:

providing swellable particles having an initial unswelled volume,

wherein the swellable particles upon swelling adopt a specific shape;

introducing the swellable particles into the wellbore in the subterranean formation; and

swelling the swellable particles so as to adopt a swelled volume beyond the initial unswelled volume; and

sealing at least a portion of the fluid loss zone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein particulates are introduced into the wellbore and interact with the swellable particles upon swelling to perform the step of sealing at least a portion of the fluid loss zone.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial unswelled volume of the swellable particles is capable of increasing by up to about 400% to adopt the swelled volume.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial unswelled volume of the swellable particles is less than about 15 mm in diameter.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the shape adopted by the swellable particles upon swelling is selected from the group consisting of spherical-shaped;

cubic-shaped;

rod-shaped;

rectangle-shaped;

cone-shaped;

ellipse-shaped;

cylinder-shaped;

polygon-shaped;

pyramid-shaped;

torus-shaped;

cross-shaped;

lattice-shaped;

star-shaped;

crescent-shaped;

bowtie-shaped;

semicircle-shaped;

spiral-shaped; and

any combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the swellable particles are formed from the group consisting of a swellable polymer;

a salt of swellable polymeric material; and

any combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the swellable particles are formed from the coextrusion of at least two of a swellable polymer;

a salt of swellable polymeric material; and

a non-swellable polymer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the swellable material is water-swellable;

oil-swellable;

or a combination thereof.

9. A method of treating a fluid loss zone in a wellbore in a subterranean formation comprising:

providing a hollow, flexible member having at multiple ends and a shape;

providing a swellable particle having an initial unswelled volume;

placing the swellable particle into a first portion of the hollow, flexible member, while leaving a second portion empty;

collapsing the second portion of the hollow, flexible member around the swellable particle so as to form a collapsed swellable particle having a volume approximately equivalent to the initial unswelled volume of the swellable material;

introducing the collapsed swellable particle into the wellbore in the subterranean formation; and

swelling the swellable particle so as to adopt a swelled volume beyond the initial unswelled volume,

wherein the swelling of the swellable particle causes the swellable particle take the shape of the hollow, flexible member so as to form an encased swelled fluid loss particle; and

sealing at least a portion of the fluid loss zone.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one of the multiple ends of the hollow, flexible member is a closed end and the step of placing the swellable material into a first portion of the hollow, flexible member comprises placing the swellable particle so as to substantially abut the closed end.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the shape of the hollow, flexible member has an approximate center portion and the step of placing the swellable material into a first portion of the hollow, flexible member comprises placing the swellable particle substantially in the center portion.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein particulates are introduced into the wellbore and interact with the encased swelled fluid loss material to perform the step of sealing at least a portion of the fluid loss zone.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the initial unswelled volume of the swellable particle is capable of increasing by up to about 400% to adopt the swelled volume.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the hollow, flexible member is comprised of a material having a tensile strength of at least 10 MPa.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the hollow, flexible member is comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of silk;

rayon;

a nylon;

cellulose;

a polyvinyl material;

a polyolefin material;

a linen;

a polypropylene;

a permeable plastic material;

any derivatives thereof; and

any combinations thereof.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the initial unswelled volume of the swellable particle is less than about 15 mm in diameter.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein the hollow, flexible member further comprises an adhesion agent.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the adhesion agent is selected from the group consisting of a hook and loop fastener;

a loop;

a pin;

a clip;

a wire;

a magnet;

a hook;

a tether;

a sticky coating;

a textured fabric; and

any combinations thereof.

19. The method of claim 9, wherein the shape adopted by the swellable material upon swelling is selected from the group consisting of spherical-shaped;

cubic-shaped;

rod-shaped;

rectangle-shaped;

cone-shaped;

ellipse-shaped;

cylinder-shaped;

polygon-shaped;

pyramid-shaped;

torus-shaped;

cross-shaped;

lattice-shaped;

star-shaped;

crescent-shaped;

bowtie-shaped;

semicircle-shaped;

spiral-shaped; and

any combination thereof.

20. The method of claim 9, wherein the swellable particles are formed from the group consisting of a swellable polymer;

a salt of swellable polymeric material; and

any combination thereof.