Compositions and methods for use of proppant surface chemistry to improve proppant consolidation and flowback control
Methods of hydraulically fracturing a subterranean formation to improve the production rates and ultimate recovery by contacting unconsolidated resin-coated proppant particulates residing in a propped fracture with a reactive crosslinker in order to form a consolidated proppant pack. Methods for using proppant surface chemistry in water injection wells to consolidate the resin-coated proppant particulates in a gravel packed or frac packed region of a wellbore.
1. A method of hydraulic fracturing of a subterranean formation, the method comprising:
introducing a plurality of unconsolidated resin-coated proppant particulates into a fracture in the formation;
introducing into the fracture a reactive crosslinker, wherein the resin-coated proppant particulates and the reactive crosslinker are introduced into the formation via suspension in a fracturing fluid;
contacting the plurality of unconsolidated resin-coated proppant particulates with the reactive crosslinker in the fracture to initiate a reaction between the reactive crosslinker and a resin coating of the resin-coated proppant particulates; and
consolidating at least a portion of the plurality of resin-coated proppant particulates when the plurality of resin-coated proppant particulates are contacted with the reactive crosslinker;
wherein the reactive crosslinker is a fluid that is dispersed throughout the fracturing fluid as an emulsion.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the proppant particulates are selected from the group consisting of a lightweight ceramic proppant, an intermediate strength ceramic proppant, a high strength ceramic proppant, a natural frac sand, a porous ceramic proppant and glass beads.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the resin coating comprises an amine-cured novolac resin coating.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the amine-cured novolac resin comprises a hexamine-cured novolac resin.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the resin coating comprises residual active amine groups.
6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the fracturing fluid has a viscosity of about 0.01 cP to about 10,000 cP at a temperature of about 25° C.
7. The method of claim 2 , wherein the reactive crosslinker comprises a water dispersible liquid epoxy resin.
8. The method of claim 2 , wherein the reactive crosslinker comprises a water dispersible solid epoxy resin.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fracturing fluid comprises about 0.025 wt % to about 8 wt % reactive crosslinker.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the fracturing fluid further comprises about 10 wt % to about 50 wt % hexamine-cured novolac resin coated proppant particles.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the resin-coated proppant particulates comprise about 1 wt % to about 8 wt % resin.
12. The method of claim 2 , wherein the consolidation of at least a portion of the resin-coated proppant particulates takes place at a temperature of less than 200° F.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the consolidating at least a portion of the plurality of resin-coated proppant particulates forms a proppant pack having an Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) of about 10 psi to about 500 psi.
14. The method of claim 2 , wherein the reactive crosslinker comprises one or more propane, 2,2-bis[p-(2,3-epoxypropoxy)phenyl]-, polymers.
15. A method of consolidating a proppant composition in an annular region of a wellbore, the method comprising:
introducing a plurality of unconsolidated resin-coated proppant particulates and a reactive crosslinker into the annular region of the wellbore forming a gravel pack, wherein the resin-coated proppant particulates and the reactive crosslinker are introduced into the annular region of the wellbore via suspension in a fracturing fluid;
contacting the plurality of unconsolidated resin-coated proppant particulates with the reactive crosslinker in the annular region of the wellbore to initiate a reaction between the reactive crosslinker and a resin coating of the resin-coated proppant particulates; and
consolidating at least a portion of the plurality of resin-coated proppant particulates when the plurality of the resin-coated proppant particulates are contacted with the reactive crosslinker;
wherein the consolidation of the plurality of the resin-coated proppant particulates takes place at a temperature of less than 200° F. and closure stress of less than 50 psi; and
wherein the reactive crosslinker is a fluid that is dispersed throughout the fracturing fluid as an emulsion.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the gravel pack is placed in a water injection well.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the proppant particulates are selected from the group consisting of a lightweight ceramic proppant, an intermediate strength ceramic proppant, a high strength ceramic proppant, a natural frac sand, a porous ceramic proppant and glass beads.
18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the resin coating comprises an amine-cured novolac resin coating.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the amine-cured novolac resin comprises a hexamine-cured novolac resin.
20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the resin coating comprises residual active amine groups.
21. The method of claim 15 , wherein the fracturing fluid has a viscosity of about 0.01 cP to about 10,000 cP at a temperature of about 25° C.
22. The method of claim 15 , wherein the reactive crosslinker comprises a water dispersible liquid epoxy resin.
23. The method of claim 15 , wherein the reactive crosslinker comprises a water dispersible solid epoxy resin.
24. The method of claim 15 , wherein the fracturing fluid comprises about 0.025 wt % to about 8 wt % reactive crosslinker.
25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the fracturing fluid further comprises about 10 wt % to about 50 wt % hexamine-cured novolac resin coated proppant particles.
26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the resin-coated proppant particulates comprise about 1 wt % to about 8 wt % resin.
27. The method of claim 15 , wherein the consolidating at least a portion of the plurality of resin-coated proppant particulates forms a consolidated gravel pack having an Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) of about 10 psi to about 500 psi.
28. The method of claim 15 , wherein the reactive crosslinker comprises one or more propane, 2,2-bis[p-(2,3-epoxypropoxy)phenyl]-,polymers.
29. A method of hydraulic fracturing of a subterranean formation, the method comprising:
coating a plurality of unconsolidated proppant particulates with resin, such that active sites remain on a surface of the proppant particulates;
suspending the unconsolidated resin-coated proppant particulates and a reactive crosslinker in a fracturing fluid therein;
contacting a subterranean formation with the fracturing fluid so as to create or enhance one or more fractures in the subterranean formation;
depositing the plurality of unconsolidated resin-coated proppant particulates in at least one or more of the fractures;
breaking the fracturing fluid;
contacting the plurality of unconsolidated resin-coated proppant particulates with the reactive crosslinker in the at least one or more fractures to initiate a reaction between the reactive crosslinker and a resin coating of the resin-coated proppant particulates; and
consolidating at least a portion of the plurality of resin-coated proppant particulates;
wherein the reactive crosslinker is a fluid that is dispersed throughout the fracturing fluid as an emulsion.
30. The method of claim 12 , wherein the proppant particulates are selected from the group consisting of a lightweight ceramic proppant, an intermediate strength ceramic proppant, a high strength ceramic proppant, a natural frac sand, a porous ceramic proppant, glass beads and other ceramic body proppants.
31. The method of claim 12 , wherein the resin coating comprises an amine-cured novolac resin coating.
32. The method of claim 31 , wherein the amine-cured novolac resin comprises a hexamine-cured novolac resin.
33. The method of claim 31 , wherein the resin coating comprises residual active amine groups.
34. The method of claim 12 , wherein the resin coating comprises an epoxy resin coating.
35. The method of claim 12 , wherein the reactive crosslinker comprises a water dispersible liquid epoxy resin.
36. The method of claim 12 , wherein the reactive crosslinker comprises a water dispersible solid epoxy resin.
37. The method of claim 29 , wherein the fracturing fluid comprises about 0.025 wt % to about 8 wt % reactive crosslinker.
38. The method of claim 37 , wherein the fracturing fluid further comprises about 10 wt % to about 50 wt % hexamine-cured novolac resin coated proppant particles.
39. The method of claim 38 , wherein the resin-coated proppant particulates comprise about 1 wt % to about 8 wt % resin.
40. The method of claim 29 , wherein the consolidation of at least a portion of the resin-coated proppant particulates takes place at a temperature of less than 200° F.
41. The method of claim 29 , wherein the consolidating at least a portion of the plurality of resin-coated proppant particulates forms a proppant pack having an Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) of about 10 psi to about 500 psi.
42. The method of claim 29 , wherein the reactive crosslinker comprises one or more propane, 2,2-bis[p-(2,3-epoxypropoxy)phenyl]-,polymers.