High solids content methods and slurries
A composition and method are disclosed. The composition includes a carrier fluid and a solids mixture combined to form a slurry, wherein the solids mixture comprises a plurality of volume-averaged particle size distribution (PSD) modes, wherein a first PSD mode comprises solids having a volume-average median size at least three times larger than the volume-average median size of a second PSD mode such that a packed volume fraction of the solids mixture exceeds 0.75, and wherein the solids mixture comprises a degradable material and includes a reactive solid. The method includes circulating the slurry through a wellbore to form a pack in a fracture and/or a screen-wellbore annulus; degrading the degradable material to increase porosity and permeability of the pack; and producing a reservoir fluid through the permeable pack.
1. A method, comprising:
combining a carrier fluid and a solids mixture to form a flowable slurry, wherein the solids mixture comprises a plurality of volume-averaged particle size distribution (PSD) modes, wherein a first PSD mode comprises solids having a volume-average median size at least three times larger than the volume-average median size of a second PSD mode such that a packed volume fraction (PVF) of the solids mixture exceeds 0.75, and wherein the solids mixture comprises a degradable material and includes a reactive solid;
circulating the slurry through a wellbore to form an accumulation of the solids mixture having a PVF exceeding 0.75 in one or both of a fracture in a formation and an annulus between a screen and the wellbore;
degrading the degradable material in the accumulation to increase porosity and permeability of the accumulation; and
producing a reservoir fluid from the formation through the increased porosity accumulation.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the accumulation is a pack.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carrier fluid is a low viscosity fluid free of viscosifier or comprising viscosifier in an amount less than 2.4 g of viscosifier per liter of carrier fluid (20 lb/1000 gal).
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the slurry is stable and has a high particulate loading comprising at least 3.6 kg of the solids mixture per liter of the carrier fluid (30 lb/gal).
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the carrier fluid is a low viscosity fluid free of viscosifier or comprising viscosifier in an amount less than 2.4 g of viscosifier per liter of carrier fluid (20 lb/1000 gal).
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the slurry is stable and has a high particulate loading comprising at least 3.6 kg of the solids mixture per liter of the carrier fluid (30 lb/gal).
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first PSD mode comprises gravel and the second PSD mode comprises alumina trihydrate particles.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the degradable material is soluble in basic fluids.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the reactive solids comprise base or base precursor.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the base or base precursor is sparingly soluble or encapsulated.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the base is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal and ammonium hydroxides, organic amines, urea, substituted urea and combinations thereof.
12. The method of claim 6 , wherein the degradable material is selected from the group consisting of amphoteric oxides, esters, coated acids and combinations thereof.
13. The method of claim 6 , wherein the degradable material is soluble in acidic fluids.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the degradable material is selected from the group consisting of oxides and hydroxides of aluminum, zinc, tin, lead, boron, silicon and iron; carbonates, sulfates, oxides and hydroxides of calcium, magnesium and barium; and combinations thereof.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the reactive solids comprise an acid or acid precursor.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the acid or acid precursor is sparingly soluble or encapsulated.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the acid precursor is selected from the group consisting of hydrolyzable esters, acid anhydrides, acid sulfonates, acid halides and combinations thereof.
18. The method of claim 6 , wherein the second PSD mode comprises an encapsulated water- or oil-soluble solid.
19. The method of claim 6 , wherein the second PSD mode comprises a water-soluble solid and the carrier fluid comprises a saturated aqueous solution of the water-soluble solid.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the soluble material comprises salt and the carrier fluid comprises brine.
21. The method of claim 6 , wherein the second PSD mode comprises a water-soluble solid, and the carrier fluid comprises an invert oil emulsion wherein the water-soluble solid is dispersed in an oil phase.
22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first PSD mode comprises gravel and the second PSD mode comprises alumina trihydrate particles, and wherein the degradation comprises changing a pH in the pack to solubilize the alumina trihydrate particles.
23. The method of claim 1 , wherein the degradable material is soluble in basic fluids and the degradation comprises increasing a pH in the pack to dissolve the degradable material.
24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the degradable material is selected from the group consisting of amphoteric oxides, esters, coated acids and combinations thereof.
25. The method of claim 23 , wherein the reactive solids comprise base or base precursor.
26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the base or base precursor is sparingly soluble or encapsulated.
27. The method of claim 25 , wherein the base is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal and ammonium hydroxides, organic amines, urea, substituted urea and combinations thereof.
28. The method of claim 23 , comprising contacting the accumulation with a basic aqueous solution.
29. The method of claim 1 , wherein the degradable material is soluble in acidic fluids and the degradation comprises decreasing a pH in the accumulation to dissolve the degradable material.
30. The method of claim 29 , wherein the degradable material is selected from the group consisting of oxides and hydroxides of aluminum, zinc, tin, lead, boron, silicon and iron; carbonates, sulfates, oxides and hydroxides of calcium, magnesium and barium; and combinations thereof.
31. The method of claim 29 , wherein the reactive solids comprise an acid or acid precursor.
32. The method of claim 31 , wherein the acid or acid precursor is sparingly soluble or encapsulated.
33. The method of claim 31 , wherein the acid precursor is selected from the group consisting of hydrolyzable esters, acid anhydrides, acid sulfonates, acid halides and combinations thereof.
34. The method of claim 29 , comprising contacting the accumulation with an acidic aqueous solution.
35. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second PSD mode comprises an encapsulated water- or oil-soluble solid, and the degradation comprises de-encapsulating the soluble solid.
36. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second PSD mode comprises a water-soluble solid and the carrier fluid comprises a saturated aqueous solution of the water-soluble solid, and the degradation comprises contacting the accumulation with an undersaturated aqueous medium.
37. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second PSD mode comprises a water-soluble solid, and the carrier fluid comprises an invert oil emulsion wherein the water-soluble solid is dispersed in an oil phase, and the degradation comprises breaking the emulsion to dissolve the water-soluble solid in an aqueous medium.
38. The method of claim 37 , comprising contacting the accumulation with a de-emulsifier to break the emulsion.
39. The method of claim 37 , comprising contacting the accumulation with a pH control agent to break the emulsion.
40. The method of claim 39 , wherein the pH control agent is selected from the group consisting of monoesters, polyesters, weak acids, weak bases, urea, urea derivatives and combinations thereof.
41. The method of claim 1 , wherein the degraded material comprises a soluble material.
42. The method of claim 41 , wherein the carrier fluid is saturated with respect to the soluble material.
43. The method of claim 42 , wherein the soluble material comprises salt and the carrier fluid comprises brine.