A SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FACILITATING SUBTERRANEAN HYDROCARBON EXTRACTION UTILIZING ELECTROCHEMICAL REACTIONS WITH METALS

• US 20160333254A1
• Filed: 01/05/2015
• Published: 11/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arizona Board of Regents (University of Arizona)
• Original Assignee: Arizona Board of Regents (University of Arizona)
• Inventors: RUGOLO, Jason, FRIESEN, Cody
• Granted Patent: US 10,457,853 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/62 Compositions for forming crevices or fractures
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/80 Compositions for reinforcing fractures, e.g. compositions of proppants used to keep the fractures open
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/2605 using gas or liquefied gas
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/267 reinforcing fractures by propping

Abstract

Methods and systems for facilitating extraction of subterranean hydrocarbons from a geologic structure. The present methods include causing corrosion of a base metal within a geologic structure to produce a gaseous product to increase pressure and form fractures in the geologic structure. Some embodiments of the present methods include injecting a fluid composition comprising the base metal into a wellbore (e.g., into a geologic structure via the wellbore).

Claims

1. A method to facilitate extraction of subterranean hydrocarbons from a geologic structure, the method comprising:

injecting a first fluid composition comprising a base metal into a first wellbore that extends into the geologic structure;

wherein corrosion of the base metal in the wellbore results in electrochemical oxidation of the base metal and electrochemical reduction of a reducible species that generates a gaseous product, thereby increasing the subterranean pressure in at least a portion of the wellbore.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the base metal corrodes in the wellbore at a rate sufficient to produce a gaseous product that induces fractures within the geologic structure.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the base metal corrodes in the wellbore at a rate that is low enough to produce a gaseous product that provides local sustained pressure substantially without inducing fractures in the geologic structures.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the base metal comprises one or more of:

alkaline metals, alkaline earth metals, transition metals and metalloids.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the base metal comprises one or more of:

aluminum, magnesium, sodium, calcium, zinc, indium, lead, manganese, chromium, iron, cadmium, cobalt, nickel, tin, lead, boron, silicon and combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the base metal comprises one or more of:

aluminum, magnesium, or a combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the base metal is configured in a physical form having a particles with an aggregate transverse dimension of between 1 and 100 microns.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the base metal comprises a physical form of one or more of:

a powder, particles, and flakes.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first fluid composition further comprises a surface passivating additive.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the surface passivating additive is configured to degrade over time.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the surface passivating additive comprises an anion.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the surface passivating additive includes one or more of:

a sulfate, a phosphate, a nitrite, a chromate, a phosphonate, and a molybdate.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

injecting a second fluid composition comprising an activating additive into the wellbore;

wherein the activating additive activates a corrosion process resulting in electrochemical oxidation of the base metal and electrochemical reduction of a reducible species;

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the activating additive comprises one or more of:

an acid, an acid precursor, a halide ion, and a combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the activating additive decreases the pH proximal to the base metal.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the activating additive decreases a hydrogen overvoltage of the base metal.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the activating additive disrupts a passive oxide film of the base metal.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first fluid composition, a second fluid composition, and a third deactivating composition comprises a proppant.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the reducible species comprises water and the gaseous product comprises hydrogen gas.

20. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

injecting a third fluid composition comprising a deactivating additive into a wellbore;

wherein the deactivating additive deactivates the corrosion process such that the rate of electrochemical oxidation of the base metal and electrochemical reduction of a reducible species is decreased.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the deactivating additive comprises one or more of:

a water, an acid, an acid precursor, a base, a base precursor, an anion, an amine, an amine ester, an organoamine, a nitrite, a borate, a phosphate, a phosphate ester, a dispersant, and any combination thereof.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the deactivating additive increases the pH proximal to the base metal.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the deactivating additive increases a hydrogen overvoltage of the base metal.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the deactivating additive increases the pH in proximity to the base metal.

25. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

substantially sealing a portion of the wellbore after injection of the second fluid composition to restrict the sealed portion of the subterranean volume and thereby maximize a pressure gradient resulting from generation of the gaseous product.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein a branching bore extends from the first wellbore into the geologic structure.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

selectively providing the first fluid composition comprising a base metal into the branching bore; and

injecting the second fluid composition comprising an activating additive into the branching bore.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maximizing local pressure gradients within the geologic structure by selectively positioning the first fluid composition in a localized manner within the wellbore, within a branching bore, within a natural subterranean discontinuity (fissures, pores, fractures, joint, faults), proximal to natural deposits of ore (vein, seam pockets), proximal to natural deposits of minerals, or combinations thereof.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

maximizing local pressure gradients within the geologic structure by selectively positioning the second fluid composition in a localized manner within the wellbore, within a branching bore, within a natural subterranean discontinuity (fissures, pores, fractures, joint, faults), proximal to natural deposits of ore (vein, seam pockets), proximal to natural deposits of minerals, or combinations thereof.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the geologic structure comprises one or more of:

a shale formation, a siltstone formation, a sandstone formation, and a conglomerate formation.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein the subterranean hydrocarbons comprise one or more of:

natural gas, natural gas liquids, kerogen, coal seam gas, tight gas, shale gas, tight oil, shale oil, coal bed methane, gas hydrates.

32. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

extracting the first fluid composition from the wellbore.

33. A method comprising:

extracting a hydrocarbon from a wellbore in fluid communication with a plurality of fractures formed by a gaseous product of electrochemical reduction of a reducible species due to electrochemical oxidation of a base metal.

34. The method of claim 33, where the hydrocarbon is pressurized by a gaseous product of electrochemical reduction of a reducible species due to electrochemical oxidation of a base metal.