SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR THE TREATMENT OF OIL AND/OR GAS WELLS WITH A POLYMERIC MATERIAL

• US 20150247392A1
• Filed: 02/27/2015
• Published: 09/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flotek Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Eclipse IOR Services, LLC (Flotek Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Portwood, J. Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 9,890,624 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/50 Compositions for plastering borehole walls, i.e. compositions for temporary consolidation of borehole walls compositions for consolidating loose sand or the like around wells C09K8/56
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/518 Foams
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/588 characterised by the use of specific polymers polymeric surfactants C09K8/584
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/594 Compositions used in combination with injected gas , e.g. CO2 orcarbonated gasC09K8/592 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/16 Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons

Abstract

Systems and methods for the treatment of oil and/or gas wells are generally provided. In some embodiments, a reservoir comprising oil and/or gas may contain regions that differ in permeability to the drive fluid used to displace the oil and/or gas. The higher permeability region(s) may limit oil and/or gas recovery from lower permeability regions. A method of enhancing oil and/or gas recovery in such a reservoir may comprise injecting a fluid comprising a microemulsion into the reservoir prior to obstructing one or more region (e.g., higher permeability regions) of the reservoir. The use of a microemulsion prior to obstructing one or more region of the reservoir may enhance the barrier properties of the resulting obstruction. In some embodiments, injecting a fluid comprising a microemulsion into the reservoir may also increase the overall production of the oil and/or gas well lacking the microemulsion treatment.

Claims

14. A method, comprising:

treating a well with a first fluid comprising a microemulsion, wherein a fluid is present in the well before the treatment with the first fluid, and wherein the viscosity of the fluid present in the well is reduced following treatment with the first fluid; and

treating the well with a second fluid comprising a polymeric material.

15. The method as in claim 14, wherein the treatment with the first fluid occurs immediately before the treatment with the second fluid.

16. The method as in claim 14, wherein the polymeric material comprises an ionic polymer.

17. The method as in claim 14, wherein the microemulsion comprises a terpene.

18. The method as in claim 14, wherein the well is further treated with water.

19. The method as in any claim 14, further comprising treating the well with a third fluid following treatment with the second fluid.

20. The method as in claim 19, wherein the third fluid comprises an emulsion or microemulsion.

21. The method as in claim 14, wherein the viscosity is between about 0.85 times and about 1.15, or about 0.9 times and about 1.10 times, or between about 0.95 times and about 1.05 times, or between about 0.97 times and about 1.03 times, or between about 0.98 times and about 1.02 times, or between about 0.99 times and about 1.01 times, the viscosity of the fluid present in the well following treatment with the first fluid.

22. The method as in claim 14, wherein treating the well with the first fluid comprises injecting the first fluid into the well.

23. The method as in claim 14, wherein treating the well with the second fluid comprises injecting the second fluid into the well.

31-1. The method as in claim 31, wherein the emulsion or microemulsion comprises between about 0 wt % and about 50 wt %, or between about 0.1 wt % and about 50 wt %, or between about 1 wt % and about 50 wt %, or between about 5 wt % and about 40 wt %, or between about 5 wt % and 35 wt % of the freezing point depression agent versus the total emulsion or microemulsion composition.