Methods and compositions for treating subterranean formations with swellable lost circulation materials
First Claim
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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 and a first shape,wherein the swellable particles comprise a non-swellable polymer portion that is coextruded adjacent and attached to a swellable polymer portion,wherein the coextrusion is asymmetric,wherein the swellable polymer portion is present in a greater proportion than the non-swellable polymer portion,wherein the swellable particles upon swelling adopt a second shape, andwherein the first and second shape are different due to the swelling of the swellable particle alone, and at least one of the first or second shapes is a cone-shape;
a torus-shape;
a cross-shape;
a lattice-shape;
a star-shape;
a crescent-shape;
a bowtie-shape;
or a spiral-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 the second shape; and
sealing at least a portion of the fluid loss zone.
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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.
95 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of treating a fluid loss zone in a wellbore in a subterranean formation comprising:
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providing swellable particles having an initial unswelled volume and a first shape, wherein the swellable particles comprise a non-swellable polymer portion that is coextruded adjacent and attached to a swellable polymer portion, wherein the coextrusion is asymmetric, wherein the swellable polymer portion is present in a greater proportion than the non-swellable polymer portion, wherein the swellable particles upon swelling adopt a second shape, and wherein the first and second shape are different due to the swelling of the swellable particle alone, and at least one of the first or second shapes is a cone-shape;
a torus-shape;
a cross-shape;
a lattice-shape;
a star-shape;
a crescent-shape;
a bowtie-shape;
or a spiral-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 the second shape; and sealing at least a portion of the fluid loss zone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of treating a fluid loss zone in a wellbore in a subterranean formation comprising:
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providing a hollow, flexible member having multiple ends, wherein one end is a closed end; 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 and a first shape; 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 hollow, flexible member and the swellable particle to take a second shape so as to form an encased swelled fluid loss particle, and wherein the first and second shape are different due to the swelling of the swellable particle alone, and at least one of the first or second shapes is a cone-shape;
a torus-shape;
a cross-shape;
a lattice-shape;
a star-shape;
a crescent-shape;
a bowtie-shape;
or a spiral-shape; andsealing at least a portion of the fluid loss zone with the encased swelled fluid loss particle. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification