Atlantic Richfield Company

Vastar Resources, Inc.

Carl T Montgomery

Thomas K Perkins

Walter C Riese

Paul A Fletcher

Gangerico G Ramos

Yih-Min Jan

Larry J Gipson

Xiaowei Weng

Larry P Gipson

Lawrence G Griffin

A method for forming a fracture in a viscous oil subterranean formation wherein a data-fracturing operation is carried out to first determine the &ldquo;leak-off&rdquo; rate for the formation and then the formation is fractured with a slurry wherein the liquid from the slurry will leak into the formation at the predetermined leak-off rate to thereby provide fractures of a desired length necessary in sand control or the like. In accordance with the present invention, the formation is treated before both the data-fracturing operation and the subsequent fracturing operation with a treatment fluid (e.g. diesel) which will interact with the viscous oil to reduce its viscosity so that the fracturing fluid can readily leak into the formation.

Method for forming a fracture in a viscous oil, subterranean formation

A gas hydrate formation is treated by horizontally fracturing the formation, placing electrically conductive proppant particles in the fracture, and passing an electric current through the proppant particles in the fracture to generate sufficient heat to release gas from the hydrate. The method has particular application in shallow gas-bearing formations underlying or within the permafrost.

Method of treating subterranean gas hydrate formations

A method for fracturing a horizontal well at a plurality of locations along the length of the horizontal portion of the well by plugging previously fractured downstream fracture zones with a mixture of a proppant and a slump-inhibiting material.

Fracturing method for horizontal wells

A method for stimulating a wellbore penetrating a solid carbonaceous subterranean formation by positioning a hydrajet in an uncased portion of the wellbore penetrating the formation; perforating the formation with the hydrajet; and producing carbonaceous fluids and particulates from the formation through the wellbore and, thereby, forming a cavity in the formation surrounding the wellbore.

Method for stimulating a wellbore penetrating a solid carbonaceous

A method for fracturing a plurality of different subterranean production zones which are spaced along a wellbore wherein flow is established into a first or lower zone while a removable sleeve blocks flow into the other upper zones. The first zone is fractured and the sleeve is then notched, preforated, or repositioned to establish flow into a second zone while flow is now blocked into the lower, fractured zone. The second zone is fractured and this procedure is repeated until all of the desired zones have been fractured after the sleeve is retrieved to the surface.

Method for fracturing different zones from a single wellbore

According to the present invention, the production of petroleum from a petroleum-bearing subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore is accomplished by (a) fracturing the subterranean formation and injecting a conductive proppant into the fracture, the conductive proppant comprising particles which are at least partially coated with a heat hardenable, conductive resin to create a fluidly and electrically conductive fracture in the formation; (b) passing an electrical current into the formation through the wellbore to heat the formation and harden the conductive resin thereby at least partially aggregating the particles and retaining the particles in the fracture and heating the fracture and the subterranean formation in the vicinity of the fracture.

Method for increasing the production of petroleum from a subterranean

A method for determining the minimum length for a fracture in a fluid-producing formation to control the production of sand therefrom wherein a plurality of critical drawdown pressures are calculated from known formation data which correspond to a plurality of different, estimated respective fracture lengths. Once the critical drawdown pressures for the reservoir are correlated with their corresponding fracture lengths, a critical drawdown curve for that particular reservoir is established. Additional sets of curves are generated from known data which when overlaid with the critical drawdown pressure curve allows a minimum length of fracture to be selected which will produce the formation at a given rate at a prescribed drawdown pressure without producing any substantial amounts of sand from the formation.

Method for fracturing a formation to control sand production

An improved method for stimulating coal degasification wells comprising the injection of a foam into a coal seam which contains natural or induced fractures. Thereafter, high pressure gas is injected into the coal seam and suddenly released to cause disintegration of coal surrounding the borehole.

Cavity induced stimulation of coal degasification wells using foam

A system and method for matrix stimulation field monitoring providing real time control, optimization and post job evaluation of matrix treatments is disclosed herein. Using calculated or measured bottom hole pressures or coil tubing reflective pressures, the system and method predicts pre-treatment damage or skin from a step rate test, then shows the evolution of skin removal versus treating fluid volume in real time. The method and system provides real time information about diverter use, treatment height, damage radius and other important well parameters.

Method for real time process control of well stimulation

An improved method for stimulating coal degasification wells comprising the use of a coal comminuting solvent to weaken the cleat structure of a coal seam immediately prior to use of high pressure gas in a gas cavitation process. A solvent such as ammonia is injected into the coal seam and allowed to dissolve materials from the cleat structure for a period of time sufficient to weaken that structure. Thereafter, high pressure gas is injected into the coal seam and suddenly released to cause disintegration of coal surrounding the borehole.

Cavity induced stimulation of coal degasification wells using solvents

A cavity induced stimulation method for improving the initial production of fluids, e.g. methane, from a coal seam. A well is drilled and completed into the seam. A tubing string is run into the hole and liquid CO.sub.2 is pumped down tubing while a backpressure is maintained on the well annulus. Pumping is stopped and the pressure is allowed to build until it reaches a desired elevated pressure (e.g. 1500 to 2000 psia). The pressure is then quickly released. The sudden release of pressure plus other factors cause the coal to fail and fragment into particles. The particles are removed to form a cavity in the seam. The above steps may be repeated until the desired cavitation is achieved.

Growing community of inventors

Plano, TX, United States of America

Carl T Montgomery