Saudi Arabian Oil Company

King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals

Saudi Arabia

Aramco Services Company

Ali Abdullah Al-Taq

Zuhair AlYousif

Subhash Chandrabose Ayirala

Muhammad Majid Almajid

Zuhair Al-Yousif

Hamoud Alqahtani

Hisham A Nasr-El-Din

Ayman Raja Al-Nakhli

Hazim Hussein Abass

Zuhair AlYousef

Abdullah Abbas Alrustum

Tariq Abdulsattar Almubarak

Mohammed Khaldi

Habeeb H Haji

Sajjad A Aldarweesh

Murtada S Al-jawad

Zuhair Alyousef

Jaffar A Saleem

Shaikh Asrof Ali

Othman Alswaie

Ayman R Nakhli

Tawtiq A Al-Shafai

Tawfiq A Al-Shafai

Zadson De Franco

Jaffar Abdulla Saleem

Daune Bevan Ragbir

Zadson De Almeida Franco

Hisham A Harold Vance Department Of Petroleum Engineering Nasr-El-Din

A method of enhancing recovery of hydrocarbons from a formation includes providing a carbonated fluid, reacting a first salt solution with a second salt solution to provide heat, displacing carbon dioxide from the carbonated fluid, sweeping the formation with the displaced carbon dioxide, mixing the displaced carbon dioxide with at least a portion of the hydrocarbons in the vertical regions, thereby producing a mixture, and producing the mixture via a production well in the formation, thereby enhancing recovery of the hydrocarbons from the formation. A system for controlling the release of carbon dioxide from carbonated water and enhancing oil recovery from a hydrocarbon bearing formation includes an injection system in fluid communication with an injection well that is in fluid communication with a production well via a hydraulic connection.

Enhanced oil recovery using carbonated water and two salt solutions

Methods of cleanup for hydraulic fracturing operations using a polymeric thickening agent may include use of exothermically reactive salts. For example, a method of cleanup may include use of a first fluid including a first exothermically reactive salt and a second fluid including a second exothermically reactive salt. Upon introduction into a subterranean reservoir, exothermically reactive salts may undergo an exothermic reaction to generate heat, and such heat generated from the exothermic reaction may break a polymeric thickening agent and decrease viscosity thereof.

In-reservoir cleanup operations through exothermic reaction following a fracturing operation

A method for sealing a high permeability region in a reservoir is provided. The method includes injecting a gel precursor solution into a high permeability region in a reservoir, injecting a sodium nitrite solution proximate to the high permeability region, and injecting an ammonium chloride solution proximate to the high permeability region. The ammonium chloride solution and the sodium nitrite solution are mixed proximate to the high permeability region. The ammonium chloride solution and the sodium nitrite solution are allowed to react, increasing the temperature of the reservoir proximate to the high permeability region. The gel precursor solution is allowed to react to form a solid gel in the high permeability region.

Gel formation from reaction heating

Enhanced hydrocarbon recovery methods may include use of carbonated aqueous fluids. Methods for enhanced hydrocarbon recovery may include: introducing a carbonated aqueous fluid into a subterranean reservoir, the carbonated aqueous fluid including carbon dioxide; introducing a first salt solution and a second salt solution into the subterranean reservoir after introducing the carbonated aqueous fluid; contacting the first salt solution with the second salt solution in the subterranean reservoir under conditions where the first salt and the second salt undergo an exothermic reaction; and heating the carbonated aqueous fluid with heat produced via the exothermic reaction; wherein at least a portion of the carbon dioxide is released from the carbonated aqueous fluid upon heating and migrates from a lower portion to an upper portion of the subterranean reservoir, and a decarbonated saline solution is generated from the carbonated aqueous fluid from which the carbon dioxide is released.

In-reservoir carbon dioxide release for enhanced hydrocarbon recovery

An acid mixture includes hydrochloric acid, a monoamine corrosion inhibitor, and at least one of a diamine corrosion inhibitor and an acid additive. A method for inhibiting corrosion in an acid treatment operation includes introducing an acid mixture comprising hydrochloric acid and a monoamine corrosion inhibitor into at least one of a subterranean formation and subterranean wellbore. The method also includes maintaining the amount of the monoamine corrosion inhibitor in the acid mixture in the subterranean formation and/or the subterranean wellbore in a range of 10 ppm to 400 ppm for the duration of the acid treatment operation. The corrosion rate of steel parts of an acidic fluid circulation system in the acid mixture may be within an acceptable corrosion rate in a temperature range of 20&#xb0; C. to 135&#xb0; C.

Corrosion inhibiting acid mixture containing monoamine / diamine and method of inhibiting corrosion in acid treatment

Some examples of an emulsion system for treating deep water blockage can be prepared by emulsifying a first aqueous phase in a first organic phase to prepare a first emulsion. A second aqueous phase can be emulsified in a second organic phase to prepare a second emulsion. The first emulsion and the second emulsion can be flowed into a subterranean formation. The first aqueous phase and the second aqueous phase, when mixed, can react to release nitrogen and heat.

Emulsion system utilizing nitrogen and heat to treat deep water blockage

A method of remediation of a water-bearing formation is disclosed. A first solution containing a nitrogen-containing compound and a second solution containing a nitrite-containing compound are introduced into the water-bearing formation. The two solutions intermix within the formation such that a foam is generated within the formation.

Method for improving aquifer remediation using in-situ generated nitrogen foam

A method for treating a hydrocarbon-containing formation includes injecting an aqueous solution that contains an alkali nitrite, an ammonium halide, and a foaming agent into the formation, injecting supercritical carbon dioxide into the formation, allowing a portion of the carbon dioxide to dissolve in the aqueous solutions, causing the alkali nitrite and ammonium halide to react and generate nitrogen gas, and allowing a foam to form by the interaction of the nitrogen gas with the foaming agent.

Method for modifying well injection profile and enhanced oil recovery

A method for improving oil recovery within a subterranean formation that includes forming a barrier within the formation to isolate at least a portion of a first region from a proximate second region. The barrier is formed by introducing a first solution including an ammonium containing compound and a second solution including a nitrite containing compound into the formation. The first solution, the second solution, or both, further include a foaming agent. The compounds react to generate nitrogen gas in the presence of the foaming agent to generate a foam within a first region. The foam provides the barrier. Water is introduced into the formation. The barrier diverts the water away from the first region and into the second region. The water operates to displace at least a portion of a hydrocarbon present in the second region and discharge the hydrocarbon from the formation.

Methods for improving oil recovery within a subterranean formation

A method for treating a subterranean formation with a foamed acid system is disclosed. The method includes introducing a treatment fluid into the formation. The treatment fluid includes a first solution and a second solution. The first solution includes an ammonium containing compound and an acid. The second solution includes a nitrite containing compound. One or both of the solutions further include a foaming agent. The solutions are mixed within the formation to generate a nitrogen gas. The method further includes, allowing the compounds to generate nitrogen in the presence of the foaming agent to form a foam and generate the foamed acid system within the formation. The acid present in the foamed acid system reacts with soluble substances in the subterranean formation to increase permeability of the subterranean formation and enable enhanced production of reservoir fluids.

Methods for treating a subterranean formation with a foamed acid system

A method for treating a subterranean formation with a foamed system is disclosed. The method includes introducing a fracturing fluid into the formation. The fracturing fluid includes a first solution and a second solution. The first solution includes an ammonium containing compound. The second solution includes a nitrite containing compound. One or both of the solutions further include a foaming agent. The solutions are mixed within the formation to generate a nitrogen gas. The method further includes, allowing the compounds to generate nitrogen in the presence of the foaming agent to form a foam and generate the foamed system within the formation. Generation of the foamed system produces sufficient pressure from volumetric expansion to generate fractures in the formation. The fractures are held open with a proppant provided with the fracturing fluid to create a conductive path for production of fluids from the formation to the wellbore.

Compositions for treating a subterranean formation with a foamed system and corresponding methods

Provided is a method and composition for the in-situ generation of synthetic sweet spots in tight-gas formations. The composition can include nitrogen generating compounds, which upon activation, react to generate heat and nitrogen gas. The method of using the composition includes injecting the composition into a tight-gas formation such that upon activation, heat and nitrogen gas are generated. Upon the generation of nitrogen gas and heat within the formation, microfractures are produced within the formation and the hydrostatic pressure within the reservoir is reduced to less than the reservoir fluid pressure, such that the rate of production of hydrocarbons from the formation is increased.

Tight gas stimulation by in-situ nitrogen generation

A method for treating an open-hole horizontal water injection well in a tight reservoir rock formation to remove undesirable materials such as formation-damaging polymers and chemical residues from pipe dope from the formation surface and adjacent formation pores prior to an acidizing treatment includes maintaining the drilling fluid pressure on the injection zone to induce flowback of formation fluid which is produced at the wellhead located at the earth's surface, where it is monitored for a reduction in the undesirable materials. In the event that the formation pressure is insufficient to produce formation fluid flowback, a nitrogen-lift is introduced at a predetermined location in the adjacent vertical well that will reduce the drilling fluid pressure to induce production of formation fluid at the wellhead.

Inducing flowback of damaging mud-induced materials and debris to improve acid stimulation of long horizontal injection wells in tight carbonate formations

A method of preventing phase separation of a viscoelastic surfactant fluid or diverting agent due to ferric ions during matrix acidizing of an oil well which involves the injection of both citric acid and acetic acid which prevents the separation of the viscoelastic diverting agent/acid with ferric ions which avoids damage to well productivity and/or injectivity.

VDA/acid system for matrix acid stimulation

A method and composition for protecting cement surfaces in a well bore treatment zone from the destructive effects of acid mud and other acidization processes commonly used to stimulate hydrocarbon production from the formation, includes contacting the cement with an aqueous acid mixture of HAc and HF in a mutual solvent for a sufficient period of time to form a protective deposit or precipitate layer that is resistant to the acidization composition. In a preferred embodiment, the aqueous acid mixture includes corrosion inhibitors and inhibitor aids, and a preflush with an ammonium chloride solution in a mutual solvent is used to prepare the cement surfaces in the treatment zone.

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Qatif, Saudi Arabia

Ali Abdullah Al-Taq