SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR THE TREATMENT OF OIL AND/OR GAS WELLS WITH AN OBSTRUCTION MATERIAL

• US 20150247393A1
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• 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 9,890,625 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/00 Compositions for drilling of boreholes or wells; Compositions for treating boreholes or wells, e.g. for completion or for remedial operations
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/164 Injecting CO2 or carbonated water in combination with organic material C09K8/594

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

1. A method, comprising:

treating a well with a first fluid comprising a microemulsion before treating the well with a second fluid comprising an obstruction material.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the treatment with the first fluid occurs immediately before the treatment with the second fluid.

3. A method as in claim 11, wherein the polymer is an ionic polymer.

4. A method as in claim 1, wherein the microemulsion comprises a terpene.

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein the well comprises a reservoir comprising a first region having a higher permeability than a second region.

6. A method as in claim 1, comprising treating the well with a drive fluid one or more times.

10. A method as in claim 1, wherein treating the well with the first fluid comprises injecting the first fluid into the well.

11. A method as in claim 1, wherein the obstruction material is a polymer.

12. A method as in claim 1, wherein the obstruction material is a foam.

13. A method as in claim 12, wherein the foam comprises an emulsion or a microemulsion.

7. A method as in claim 7, wherein the treatment with the drive fluid occurs before the treatment with the first fluid.

8. A method as in claim 7, wherein the drive fluid comprises carbon dioxide.

9. A method as in claim 7, wherein the drive fluid comprises water.