Schlumberger Technology Corporation

The Dow Chemical Company

Kevin W. England

Jerald J. Hinkel

Ramchandra M. Reddy

J. Ernest Brown

Jerald J Hinkel

Kevin W England

J Ernest Brown

Curtis L Boney

Dean Michael Willberg

Richard Donald Hutchins

Gregory Kubala

Matthew J Miller

William J Settineri

Gregory Sutton

Ramchandra M Reddy

John G Charles

Bradley P Malone

Markus Pagels

Ernest Brown

A method for determining characteristics of a mesoporous material using a desiccation or hydration test is disclosed. The test may involve using a test fluid and exposing sample of a core to a controlled environment, then weighing the samples. The samples may be core samples, comminuted samples, or cuttings. Utilizing the determined characteristics, properties of the mesoporous material, such as porosities, absolute permeabilities and relative permeabilities may be determined.

Characterization methods

A method for determining wettability of a solid, such as a reservoir rock material includes disaggregating the material, for example by grinding and placing the disaggregated material on the surface of the fluid. The wettability is analyzed based on whether a portion of the material floats on or sinks into the fluid. The method is well suited for heterogeneous solid materials that have mixed wetting characteristics and/or have varying surface types. The fluid can be evaluated as a potential treatment fluid or a component thereof that can be used for treating the rock formation. For example, the potential treatment fluid can include a surfactant or an oxidizing agent. A simple observation can be made whether substantially all of the material placed on the surface of the fluid sinks into the fluid, or the portions of floating and sinking material can be weighed.

Wettability analysis of disaggregated material

A method for determining a characteristic of an underground formation with a fluid is described. The method includes providing a sample material of the underground formation; measuring the permeability and the porosity of the sample material; performing a drainage test on the sample material using the fluid; estimating the threshold pressure of the sample material from the drainage test, the permeability and the porosity measurements; and determining the receding contact angle of the fluid on the sample material from the threshold pressure. The sample material can be disaggregated material.

Method to characterize underground formation

A method of treating a subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore to mitigate the production of unwanted fluids from the wellbore is carried out by forming a treatment fluid containing at least one of an oil-wetting or water-repelling surfactant and a carrier fluid. The treatment fluid is then introduced into the wellbore. The treatment or treatments may be performed remedially or prophylacticaly. The treatment may include the completion and production of zones containing the undesirable fluid(s) and the deliberate formation of cones therein.

Methods for manipulation of the flow of fluids in subterranean formations

A method of treating a subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore to mitigate the production of unwanted air from the wellbore is carried out by forming a treatment fluid containing a water-wetting surfactant and a carrier fluid. The treatment fluid is then introduced into the wellbore. The treatment or treatments may be performed remedially or prophylacticaly. The treatment may include the completion and production of zones containing the undesirable air and the deliberate formation of cones therein.

Methods for manipulation of air flow into aquifers

Improved aqueous fracturing fluids are disclosed that are particularly useful as well stimulation fluids to fracture tight (i.e., low permeability) subterranean formations. Gas wells treated with these fracturing fluids have rapid cleanup and enhanced well production. The fluids contain small but sufficient amounts of certain amine oxides to aid in the removal of the fracturing fluid from the formation. By facilitating the removal of fluid from the invaded zones, the amount of damage to the fracture faces in the formation is thereby minimized. The amine oxides correspond to the formula I, wherein Ris an aliphatic group of from 6 to about 20 carbon atoms, and wherein Rand Rare each independently alkyl of from 1 to about 4 carbon atoms. The amine oxides in which Ris an alkyl group are preferred, and those in which Ris an alkyl group of from 8 to 10 carbon atoms and Rand Rare each methyl or ethyl groups are most preferred.

Fracturing fluid and method of use

A well treatment fluid composition that comprises a carrier fluid and an amphoteric surfactant, and optionally a viscosifying agent and proppant, is well suited for use in fracturing coal beds to stimulate methane production. The composition preferably is a foam that comprises a gas such as nitrogen or air. Preferably, the surfactant has the formulaR&#x2014;NH&#x2014;(CH)&#x2014;C(O)OXwherein R is a saturated or unsaturated alkyl group having from 6-20 carbon atoms, n is from 2-6, and X is hydrogen or a salt forming cation.

Foaming agents for use in coal seam reservoirs

Improved aqueous fracturing fluids are disclosed that are particularly useful as well stimulation fluids to fracture tight (i.e., low permeability) subterranean formations. Gas wells treated with these fracturing fluids have rapid cleanup and enhanced well production. The fluids contain small but sufficient amounts of certain amine oxides to aid in the removal of the fracturing fluid from the formation. By facilitating the removal of fluid from the invaded zones, the amount of damage to the fracture faces in the formation is thereby minimized. The amine oxides correspond to the formula I, wherein R is an aliphatic group of from 6 to about 20 carbon atoms, and wherein R and R are each independently alkyl of from 1 to about 4 carbon atoms. The amine oxides in which R is an alkyl group are preferred, and those in which R is an alkyl group of from 8 to 10 carbon atoms and R and R are each methyl or ethyl groups are most preferred

Methods are provided for increasing the production of hydrocarbons from shaly formations that contain adsorbed condensed hydrocarbon gases by treating such formations with dewatering compositions comprising surfactants that cause the surfaces of the formation to be or to remain oil-wet. The methods may be used in stimulation (acidizing or acid fracturing or hydraulic fracturing), remediation or workover, and in enhancing flow from natural fractures or from unstimulated formations.

Methods for dewatering shaly subterranean formations

The present Invention relates to hydrocarbon well stimulation, and more particularly to methods and compositions to remove (or more generally to transfer) fluid introduced into the subsurface. For instance, preferred methods involve creating then exploiting a capillary pressure gradient at the fracture face to induce fluid flow from the fracture into the formation thereby increasing effective fracture length, and then improving fracture conductivity.

Method and apparatus for deliberate fluid removal by capillary imbibition

The present Invention relates to method to stimulate the production of hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation. In particular, the present Invention discloses and claims methods to enhance the removal of fracturing fluid from a fracture deliberately created in the formation, thereby increasing effective fracture length, and thereby increasing hydrocarbon production. The methods of the present Invention involve breaker schedules opposite conventional teaching&mdash;i.e., according to the Invention, the breakers are staged such that the fluid near the fracture tip breaks first creating a viscosity gradient which causes the fluid resident in the tip to move towards the wellbore where it is more easily removed. Preferred embodiments of the Invention involve the use of gas to foam the fluid in the early pumping stages to induce a density gradient, as well as the use of fibrous material in the latter pumping stages to stabilize the proppant pack as the energized fluid in the near-tip squeezes through the near wellbore region.

Fluids and techniques for maximizing fracture fluid clean-up

The present Invention relates to hydrocarbon well stimulation, and more particularly to methods and compositions to remove (or more generally to transfer) fluid introduced into a subsurface fracture, in which the methods involve creating then exploiting chemical potential gradients at the fracture face to induce fluid flow from the fracture into the formation; the methods and compositions involve creating, or relying upon an intrisic or previously created, a selectively permeable membrane that is permeable to water but that does not allow solutes to pass through.

Enhancing fluid removal from fractures deliberately introduced into the

A tertiary amine/persulfate breaker system is disclosed which effects complete breaks of polysaccharide based water-gels or fluids in the ambient temperature range. Induction time may be controlled over wide permissible limits. The invention claims improved compositions and methods, particularly advantageously applied to the treatment and stimulation of shallow oil and gas wells (formation temperatures from about 50.degree. to 125.degree. F.).

Breaker system for high viscosity fluids

A sulfur trioxide-containing fluid, e.g., sulfur trioxide gas, is contacted with the surfaces of equipment in contact with crude oil or natural gas to retard the deposition of paraffins from the crude oil or natural gas and/or to react with the paraffins already deposited on the equipment surfaces to produce a water-dispersible material which is removed with an aqueous liquid.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Jerald J Hinkel