METHOD OF USING A SCREEN CONTAINING A COMPOSITE FOR RELEASE OF WELL TREATMENT AGENT INTO A WELL

• US 20170226404A1
• Filed: 02/17/2017
• Published: 08/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Holdings LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Holdings LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Gupta, D.V. Satyanarayana
• Granted Patent: US 10,822,536 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: C01F 7/021 After-treatment of oxides or hydroxides
• CPC Class Codes: C01F 7/30 Preparation of aluminium oxide or hydroxide by thermal decomposition or by hydrolysis or oxidation of aluminium compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C01F 7/36 from organic aluminium salts
• CPC Class Codes: C01F 7/441 by calcination
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/32 Spheres
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/60 Particles characterised by their size
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2006/12 Surface area
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2006/14 Pore volume
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/10 based on aluminium oxide
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 38/0045 by a process involving the formation of a sol or a gel, e.g. sol-gel or precipitation processes
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 38/009 Porous or hollow ceramic granular materials, e.g. microballoons C04B18/027, C04B20/002 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 38/0675 Vegetable refuse; Cellulosic materials, e.g. wood chips, cork, peat, paper
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 38/068 Carbonaceous materials, e.g. coal, carbon, graphite, hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 40/0641 Mechanical separation of ingredients, e.g. accelerator in breakable microcapsules
• CPC Class Codes: C09C 1/407 Aluminium oxides or hydroxides
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2208/32 Anticorrosion additives
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/524 organic depositions, e.g. paraffins or asphaltenes
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/528 inorganic depositions, e.g. sulfates or carbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/536 characterised by their form or by the form of their components, e.g. encapsulated material
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/60 Compositions for stimulating production by acting on the underground formation
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/62 : Compositions for forming crevices or fractures
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/72 : Eroding chemicals, e.g. acids
• 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 37/06 : using chemical means for preventing or limiting , e.g. eliminating, the deposition of paraffins or like substances
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/02 : in situ inhibition of corrosion in boreholes or wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/084 : Screens comprising woven materials, e.g. mesh or cloth
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/088 : Wire screens comprising porous materials E21B43/082; comprising woven materials E21B43/084
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/25 : Methods for stimulating production by vibrating earth formations E21B43/003
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/267 : reinforcing fractures by propping
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/27 : by use of eroding chemicals, e.g. acids

Abstract

The rate of release of a well treatment agent into a well may be controlled by introducing into the well a screen containing a well treatment composite having a well treatment agent and a support for the well treatment agent. The diameter of the substrate is less than the diameter of the opening of the screen of the screen assembly. Over time, the well treatment agent is released from the substrate and passes from the interior of the screen into the well.

Claims

1. A method of continuously releasing over time a well treatment agent into a well or to a subterranean formation penetrated by the well, the method comprising introducing into the well a screen composed of multiple layers having openings and wherein a composite is placed within the area defined by the multiple layers, the composite comprising a well treatment agent and a substrate, wherein the diameter of the openings of the multiple layers is smaller than the diameter of the substrate and further wherein the well treatment agent separates from the substrate over time and is released into the well or the subterranean formation by passing from the at least one of the multiple layers into the well or subterranean formation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the screen is introduced into the well after the subterranean formation has been stimulated.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein after stimulation the well is shut-in and during shut-in the screen is situated in the well.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the well is killed prior to introducing into the well the screen assembly.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the screen is introduced into an open well.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the well treatment agent is released into the well or subterranean formation over a period of time of at least six months.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the well treatment agent is released into well or subterranean formation over a period of time of at least 18 months.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the well treatment agent is selected from the group consisting of scale inhibitors, corrosion inhibitors, paraffin inhibitors, salt formation inhibitors, asphaltene dispersants and mixtures thereof.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount of well treatment agent in the composite is between from about 0.05 to about 5 weight percent.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the composite contains between from about 1 to about 50 weight percent of the well treatment agent.

11. A method of continuously releasing a well treatment agent into a killed well, the method comprising:

(a) introducing into the killed well a screen containing a composite within its interior, the composite comprising a well treatment agent and a substrate, wherein the mesh of the screen is sufficient to restrain flow of the substrate from the interior of the screen into reservoir fluids and further wherein the mesh of the screen is sufficient for the well. treatment agent to flow from the interior of the screen into reservoir fluids; and

(b) releasing into the well the well treatment agent from the substrate of the composite.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the well treatment agent is immobilized on a support.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the well treatment agent is immobilized within a matrix.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the composite in the screen is a compressed shaped article.

15. A method of releasing a well treatment agent into reservoir fluids produced in a well penetrating a subterranean formation, the method comprising introducing into the well a screen assembly having within its interior a well treatment composite comprising a well treatment agent and a substrate wherein the diameter of the opening in a screen of the screen assembly is less than the diameter of the substrate and continuously releasing the well treatment agent from the substrate while the composite is within the interior of the screen assembly and further wherein the composite comprises:

(a) a well treatment agent adsorbed into the interstitial spaces of a calcined porous metal oxide;

(b) a well treatment agent adsorbed onto a water-insoluble adsorbent;

or

(c) a hydrocarbon soluble well treatment agent absorbed into the interstitial spaces of a porous particulate material.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the well treatment composite, when introduced into the well in the screen assembly, is a compressed shaped article.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the composite comprises the well treatment agent and a calcined porous metal oxide wherein the porosity and permeability of the calcined porous metal oxide is such that the well treatment agent is absorbed into the interstitial spaces of the porous metal oxide and further wherein (a) the surface area of the calcined porous metal oxide is between from about 1 m²/g to about 10 m²/g;

(b) the diameter of the calcined porous metal oxide is between from about 0.1 to about 3 mm; and

(c) the pore volume of the calcined porous metal oxide is between from about 0.01 to about 0.10 g/cc.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the porous metal oxide is alumina.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the well treatment agent is immobilized on or within a porous particulate.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the well treatment agent is adsorbed onto a water-insoluble adsorbent.