Texaco Inc.

Texaco Chemical Company

Billy W Surles

Robert H Friedman

Philip D Fader

Carlos W Pardo

Howard L McKinzie

Kevin Rush Bowlin

Mark D Looney

Patrick D Ellis

Noel J Shotts

Rogert H Friedman

An improved method to detect water influx using video monitoring of a cased wellbore is disclosed. A wireline well tool having a video camera and a light source is lowered into a selected borehole interval where water influx is suspected. The borehole fluid over the selected interval is displaced and replaced with either a water transparent mixture containing a viscosifying agent, a coloring agent and/or sufficient salt to increase mixture density; or a transparent water insoluble solvent. By use of either of these displacement fluids, the quality of video monitoring over the selected borehole interval for water influx, is enhanced.

Water influx identification

This invention relates to methods of treating subterranean formations. An impermeable plug is formed in a section of a cased and perforated borehole by transmitting from the surface a fluid resin comprising a polymerizable polymer and subsequently transmitting from the surface an acid catalyst which causes flash setting of the polymerizable polymer.

Methods for treating underground formations

A polymerizable resin composition useful in downhole applications in a subterranean well is disclosed as including a furfuryl alcohol oligomer resin and a polymerization catalyst. The catalyst should be a C,to C,alkyl benzene sulfonic acid and preferably is a dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid. The polymerizable resin composition may also include an organic diluent selected from C,to C,alkyl esters, C,to C,alkyl alcohols; halogenated aromatics and mixtures thereof. Preferably the organic diluent is a C,to C,alkyl acetate and more preferably the organic diluent is butyl acetate. The polymerizable resin composition may include super-slurper polymers such as copolymers of starch and acrylamides or starch and acrylates. Solid particles may also be included in the polymerizable resin composition. In one embodiment in which the solid particles are sand a consolidated mass of sand particles forms, the consolidated mass having a compressive strength that is at least 50% greater than a similar consolidated mass made using p-toluene sulfonic acid as the polymerization catalyst. At least partial polymerization of the resin occurs at a temperature from about 15&deg; C. (60 F.&deg;) to about 260&deg; C. (500 F.&deg;).

Combination catalyst/coupling agent for furan resin

A method for consolidating unconsolidated mineral particles in a subterranean petroleum formation penetrated by a well in fluid communication with at least a portion of the formation, including:

Method to increase sand grain coating coverage

A resin composition useful in well completion and remedial methods having improved flexibility upon setting or curing is disclosed. The resin composition includes a polymerizable resin, an oil soluble acid catalyst capable of causing polymerization of the resin at formation temperatures, and 10 to 70% by volume rubber. The rubber may be in the form of ground rubber or an aqueous dispersion or emulsion. Also disclosed are methods for the use of the resin composition in well completion and remediation.

Formulation for creating a pliable resin plug

An improved method for acidizing an oil bearing formation in the presence of water bearing zones having high permeability is described. An aqueous fluid is pumped into the formation preceding the injection of stimulation material. This fluid contains hydroxyethylcellulose, a fluorescent dye and an organic acid anhydride, which during hydrolysis reduces the pH and the viscosity of the solution making it retrievable without damage to the formation.

Method for acidizing formation having high permeability water zones

Disclosed is an improvement in a method for treating wells penetrating subsurface formations and in fluid communication with at least a portion of the subsurface formation for the purpose of sand consolidation, water exclusion, or well plugging, employing a treating fluid comprising acid catalyzed polymerizable resin, a hydrolyzable ester and an acid catalyst, which improvement provides greater control of set time and greater safety, which comprises replacing from a small percent up to the entire amount of hydrolyzable ester with an acetate derivative of the polymerizable resin, and optionally replacing a small percent up to the entire amount of the polymerizable resin with the acetate derivative. In the preferred embodiment furfuryl acetate replaces part to all of the hydrolyzable ester and, optionally, a percentage of the furfuryl alcohol.

Formation treating method

Disclosed is an improvement in a method for propping a fracture adjacent a wellbore formed by injecting in said fracture a carrier fluid containing proppant coated with a curable resin which improvement comprises: a) using proppant coated with a resin fluid containing a polymerizable oligomer of furfuryl alcohol resin, a catalyst comprising an oil soluble, slightly water soluble organic acid and an ester of a weak organic acid to consume water produced by the polymerization of resin; b) using as a carrier an aqueous saline fluid comprising water which is 70% to 100% saturated with sodium chloride, c) suspending said resin-coated proppant in the carrier fluid, forming a fluid mixture of resin-coated proppant and carrier fluid; and injecting said mixture into said fracture, wherein the timing of the addition of the catalyst can be varied.

Chemically inert resin coated proppant system for control of proppant

Methods are disclosed for treating porous media such as subsurface storage tanks or excavations therefore to form primary or secondary permeability barriers. A treatment fluid comprising a polymerizable monomer, a diluent therefor, and a strong acid catalyst mixed with steam is injected into a volume to be treated and contacted with the interior surface thereof. Contact is maintained for a duration sufficient to cause polymerization to occur forming an impermeable barrier in or on the interior surface of the treated volume.

Method for treating porous media

Disclosed is an improvement in a prepacked well screen assembly which includes coating the granular material in the filter medium with a resin system including an oligomer of furfuryl alcohol, a catalyst including an oil soluble, slightly water soluble organic acid, and an ester of a weak organic acid to consume water produced by the polymerization of the resin.

Prepacked screen

An improved method for preventing iron precipitation from a spent oil well acidizing solution is disclosed. The acidizing solution is preceded into the tubular goods and formation by the injection of an iron sensitive, acid insensitive acidified surfactant solution.

Method for acidizing oil producing formations

A method for fluid control or plugging of a well by injecting a mixture of an acid polymerizable resin, a polar organic diluent, and an acid catalyst, and later injecting an acidic fluid to quick-set a portion of the resin and hold it in place while the pre-mixed catalyst sets the resin. In an alternate sand consolidation embodiment, a fluid slug is injected between the resin and acidic fluid injections to create permeability in the resin saturated area of the formation prior to final set of the resin.

Quick-set formation treating methods

Disclosed are methods for treating wells to form a permeable barrier around the well for consolidating unconsolidated mineral particles such as sand in a subterranean petroleum formation penetrated by a well, or for forming an impermeable barrier for fluid entry control, or for plugging the well for abandonment. A fluid containing a polymerizable resin such as furfuryl alcohol, a polar organic diluent such as butyl acetate and a mixture of oil soluble acid catalysts including one low pK and one high pK acid to cause polymerization of the resin at formation temperatures is prepared. The preferred low pK acid is toluene sulfonic acid and the preferred high pK acid is oxalic acid. The two acids and total acid concentration are selected to cause the polymerization reaction to be essentially complete in from 0.75 to 4.0 hours and preferably 1.0-2.0 hours at the formation temperature. This fluid is injected into the formation to saturate at least a portion of the formation adjacent to the well. In one embodiment, to form a permeable treated zone for sand control, an aqueous fluid comprising water which is from 70 to 100% saturated with inorganic salts including sodium chloride is injected into the same portion of the formation contacted by the resin containing fluid. The injected resin-containing fluid is allowed to remain in the formations for at least four hours to accomplish at least partial polymerization of the resin, forming a permeable or impermeable mass around the wellbore.

Formation treating methods

Disclosed are methods for treating wells to form a permeable barrier around the well for consolidating unconsolidated mineral particles such as sand in a subterranean petroleum formation penetrated by a well, or for forming an impermeable barrier for fluid entry control, or for plugging the well for abandonment. A fluid containing a polymerizable resin such as furfuryl alcohol oligomer or monomer, a polar organic diluent such as butyl acetate a dense solvent having density greater than the resin density, and an oil soluble acid catalyst to cause polymerization of the resin at formation temperatures is prepared. The dense solvent is bromobutane, bromobenzene, furfural, tetrachloroethane, tetrachloroethylene, tetrabromoethane, 1,2,4 trichlorobenzene and 1,2,3 tribromopropane or mixtures thereof. The amount of dense solvent is selected to ensure that the treating fluid density is greater than the density of the formation fluid, preferably at least 10 greater than the density of the formation fluid.

Disclosed are methods for treating wells to form a permeable barrier around the well for consolidating unconsolidated mineral particles such as sand in a subterranean petroleum formation penetrated by a well, or for forming an impermeable barrier for fluid entry control, or for plugging the well for abandonment. A fluid containing a polymerizable resin such as furfuryl alcohol, a polar organic diluent such as butyl acetate and an oil soluble acid catalyst to cause polymerization of the resin at formation temperatures is prepared. The acid should have a pK in the range of 0.4 to 6.0. The acid and acid concentration are selected to cause the polymerization reaction to be essentially complete in from 0.75 to 4.0 hours and preferably 1.0-2.0 hours at the formation temperature. Usually the selected acid concentration will be in the range of from 0.2 to 5.0 percent. This fluid is injected into the formation to saturate at least a portion of the formation adjacent to the well. In one embodiment, when it is desired to form a permeable treated zone for sand control, an aqueous fluid comprising water which is from 70 to 100% saturated with inorganic salts including sodium chloride is injected into the same portion of the formation contacted by the resin containing fluid. The injected resin-containing fluid is allowed to remain in the formations for at least four hours to accomplish at least partial polymerization of the resin, forming a permeable or impermeable mass around the wellbore.

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Houston, TX, United States of America

Billy W Surles