Method for the Enhancement of Injection Activities and Stimulation of Oil and Gas Production

• US 20160341018A1
• Filed: 06/13/2016
• Published: 11/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GeoDynamics, Incorporated (Oil States International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: GeoDynamics, Incorporated (Oil States International Incorporated)
• Inventors: BELL, Matthew Robert George, WESSON, Davis S., CLARK, Nathan Garret, HARDESTY, John Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 9,644,460 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 37/00 Methods or apparatus for cleaning boreholes or wells E21B21/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/117 Shaped-charge perforators E21B43/118 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/248 using explosives
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/26 by forming crevices or fractures
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/263 using explosives
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 1/032 characterised by the material of the liner
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 3/08 with cavities in the charge, e.g. hollow-charge blasting cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: F42D 1/06 Relative timing of multiple charges F42D1/043 and F42D1/055 take precedence

Abstract

By removing material of low permeability from within and around a perforation tunnel and creating at least one fracture at the tip of a perforation tunnel, injection parameters and effects such as outflow rate and, in the case of multiple perforation tunnels benefiting from such cleanup, distribution of injected fluids along a wellbore are enhanced. Following detonation of a charge carrier, a second explosive event is triggered within a freshly made tunnel, thereby substantially eliminating a crushed zone and improving the geometry and quality (and length) of the tunnel. In addition, this action creates substantially debris-free tunnels and relieves the residual stress cage, resulting in perforation tunnels that are highly conducive to injection under fracturing conditions for disposal and stimulation purposes, and that promote even coverage of injected fluids across the perforated interval.

Claims

1. A method for perforating a well and for the enhancement of injection activities and stimulation of oil or gas production in an underground formation, the method comprising the steps of:

a) loading a reactive liner shaped charge within a charge carrier, the reactive liner shaped charge having a reactive liner comprising at least three components selected from metals and oxides of metals;

b) positioning the charge carrier down a wellbore adjacent to the underground formation, the underground formation including interbedded conglomerates, sandstones, and shales; and

c) detonating the reactive liner shaped charge to cause a first explosive event creating a perforation tunnel in the underground formation, the perforation tunnel having a surrounding crush zone of formation material surrounding the perforation tunnel;

d) triggering a second explosive event as a result of the first explosive event, the second explosive event created by exothermic intermetallic interaction between reactive liner components, the second explosive event clearing the crush zone of the perforation tunnel to produce a clear tunnel depth having an improved permeability over the tunnel depth with crush zone in place; and

e) injecting a fluid into the wellbore to fracture the underground formation;

whereby the method reduces a fluid pressure required to initiate the step of fracturing of the underground formation as compared to using a charge without a reactive liner.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the perforation includes a fracture at a tip of the perforation, and further comprising stimulating the formation by forcing injected fluid out of the perforation tunnel through the fracture at the tip of the perforation tunnel into the underground formation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a depth of the clear tunnel is substantially equal to the total depth of penetration of the perforation tunnel.

4. The method of claim 1, whereby the step of injecting fluids is at an increased fluid injection rate as compared to using a charge without a reactive liner.

5. The method of claim 1, whereby a distribution of injected fluids across the underground formation is improved as compared to using a charge without a reactive liner.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of injecting comprises injecting a fluid selected from the group consisting of brines, acids, bases, gels, emulsions, enzymes, chemical breakers, and polymers.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of loading includes loading a reactive liner shaped charge comprising at least three metal liner components selected from Al, Ce, Li, Mg, Mo, Ni, Nb, Pb, Pd, Ta, Ti, Zn, and Zr.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of loading further comprises loading a reactive liner shaped charge including a reactive liner component selected from the Group IV elements.

9. A method for perforating a well for the enhancement of injection activities and stimulation of oil or gas production in an underground formation, said method comprising the steps of:

a) loading a plurality of reactive liner shaped charges within a charge carrier, each of the plurality of reactive shaped charges including a reactive liner;

b) positioning the charge carrier down a wellbore adjacent to the underground formation, wherein the underground formation includes interbedded conglomerates, sandstones, and shales; and

c) detonating each of the plurality of reactive liner shaped charges, each step of detonating creating a first explosive event in each of the plurality of reactive liner shaped charges, each first explosive event creating a perforation tunnel in the underground formation, and wherein the detonating triggers a second explosive event in each of the plurality of reactive liner shaped charges, the second explosive event clearing each perforation tunnel of debris and creating at least one fracture at the tip of at least one perforation tunnel;

whereby the method reduces a fluid pressure required to initiate an hydraulic fracture relative to methods using charges without a reactive liner.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the reactive liner comprises a metal selected from Al, Ce, Li, Mg, Mo, Ni, Nb, Pb, Pd, Ta, Ti, Zn, or Zr.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the reactive liner further comprises a non-metal of Group IV.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the perforation includes a fracture at a tip of the perforation, and further comprising stimulating the formation by forcing injected fluid out of the perforation tunnel through the fracture at the tip of the perforation tunnel into the underground formation.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the second explosive event clears the crush zone of the perforation tunnel to produce a clear tunnel depth having an improved permeability over the tunnel depth with crush zone in place, a depth of the clear tunnel substantially equal to the total depth of penetration of the perforation tunnel.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising a step of injecting fluids after the step of detonating;

whereby the step of injecting fluids is at an increased fluid injection rate as compared to a method using a charge without a reactive liner.

15. The method of claim 14, whereby a distribution of injected fluids across the underground formation is improved as compared to using a charge without a reactive liner.

16. A method for perforating a well and minimizing near wellbore pressure losses during injection and stimulation of oil or gas production in an underground formation, said method comprising the steps of:

a) loading a reactive liner shaped charge within a charge carrier, the reactive liner shaped charge having a reactive liner, the reactive liner comprising metals;

b) positioning the charge carrier down a wellbore adjacent to the underground formation, the formation including interbedded conglomerates, sandstones, and shales, or carbonates; and

c) detonating the reactive liner shaped charge to create a first explosive event, the first explosive event creating a perforation tunnel in the underground formation;

d) triggering a second explosive event by the first explosive event, wherein the second explosive event is created by exothermic reaction interaction between metals of the reactive liner or between a metal of the liner and a component of the underground formation, the second explosive event inducing at least one fracture at the tip of at least one perforation tunnel;

wherein the detonating of the reactive liner shaped charges minimizes near wellbore pressure losses during fluid injection, relative to methods using a charge without a reactive liner.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the metals are selected from Al, Ce, Li, Mg, Mo, Ni, Nb, Pb, Pd, Ta, Ti, Zn, or Zr.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the reactive liner further comprises a non-metal of Group IV.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the perforation includes a fracture at a tip of the perforation, and further comprising stimulating the formation by forcing injected fluid out of the perforation tunnel through the fracture at the tip of the perforation tunnel into the underground formation.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the second explosive event clears the crush zone of the perforation tunnel to produce a clear tunnel depth having an improved permeability over the tunnel depth with crush zone in place, a depth of the clear tunnel substantially equal to the total depth of penetration of the perforation tunnel.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising a step of injecting fluids after the step of detonating;

whereby the step of injecting fluids is at an increased fluid injection rate as compared to a method using a charge without a reactive liner.

22. The method of claim 21, whereby a distribution of injected fluids across the underground formation is improved as compared to using a charge without a reactive liner.

23. A method for perforating a well for the enhancement of injection activities and stimulation of oil or gas production in an underground formation, said method comprising the steps of:

a) loading a reactive liner shaped charge within a charge carrier, the reactive liner shaped charge having a reactive liner, the reactive liner comprised of metals;

b) positioning the charge carrier down a wellbore adjacent to the underground formation, the formation including interbedded conglomerates, sandstones, and shales;

c) detonating the reactive shaped charge to create a first explosive event, the first explosive event creating a perforation tunnel in the underground formation;

d) triggering a second explosive event by the first explosive event, wherein the second explosive event is caused by exothermic reaction between metals of the reactive liner, or by reaction between a molten metal of the liner with a component of the underground formation, the second explosive event producing at least one fracture at the tip of the perforation tunnel;

whereby the method reduces the pressure required to initiate an hydraulic fracture, relative to a method using a charges without a reactive liner.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the metals are selected from Al, Ce, Li, Mg, Mo, Ni, Nb, Pb, Pd, Ta, Ti, Zn, or Zr.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the reactive liner further comprises a non-metal of Group IV.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the wellbore has a reduction of near-wellbore pressure loss of 75%, as compared to a method using charges without a reactive liner.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the perforation includes a fracture at a tip of the perforation, and further comprising stimulating the formation by forcing injected fluid out of the perforation tunnel through the fracture at the tip of the perforation tunnel into the underground formation.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the second explosive event creates a clear tunnel of a depth substantially equal to the total depth of penetration of the perforation tunnel.

29. The method of claim 23, further comprising a step of injecting fluids after the second explosive event, whereby the step of injecting fluids is at an increased fluid injection rate as compared to a method using a charge without a reactive liner.

30. The method of claim 29, whereby a distribution of injected fluids across the underground formation is improved as compared to using a charge without a reactive liner.