IP Library Granted Patent US 10,041,327
Granted Patent B2
US 10,041,327 · App. 14/461,123 · Granted Aug 7, 2018

Diverting systems for use in low temperature well treatment operations

Inventors: Scott G. Nelson (Cypress, TX); D. V. Satyanarayana Gupta (The Woodlands, TX); Anna Jensen (The Woodlands, TX); Dorianne Arlene Castillo (Humble, TX)
Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC
E21B33/138C09K8/44C09K8/508C09K8/516C09K8/5751C09K8/68C09K8/70C09K8/725C09K8/76C09K8/88C09K8/92E21B43/261
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,041,327
App. No.
14/461,123
Granted
Aug 7, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

The flow of a fluid may be diverted from a high permeability zone to a low permeability portion of a subterranean formation by use of particulates comprising a mixture of (i) at least one aliphatic polyester having the general formula of repeating units: where n is an integer between 75 and 10,000 and R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkylaryl, acetyl, heteroatoms, and mixtures thereof; and (ii) at least one compound of the formula: or an anhydride thereof wherein: R 1 is —COO—(R 5 O) y —R 4 or —H; R 2 and R 3 are selected from the group consisting of —H and —COO—(R 5 O) y —R 4 ; provided both R 2 or R 3 are —COO—(R 5 O) y —R 4 when R 1 is —H and further provided only one of R 2 or R 3 is —COO—(R 5 O) y —R 4 when R 1 is —COO—(R 5 O) y —R 4 R 4 is —H or a C 1 -C 6 alkyl group; R 5 is a C 1 -C 6 alkylene group; and each y is 0 to 5.

Claims (71)

1. A method of stimulating a subterranean formation penetrated by a reservoir, the method comprising:

(A) introducing into the reservoir a fluid comprising a mixture of diverter particles comprising:

(i) at least one aliphatic polyester having the general formula of repeating units:

where n is an integer between 75 and 10,000 and R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkylaryl, acetyl, heteroatoms, and mixtures thereof; and

(ii) at least one compound of the formula:

or an anhydride thereof

wherein:

R 1 is —COO—(R 5 O) y —R 4 or —H;

R 2 and R 3 are selected from the group consisting of —H and —COO—(R 5 O) y —R 4 ;

provided both R 2 and R 3 are —COO—(R 5 O) y —R 4 when R 1 is —H and further provided only one of R 2 and R 3 is —COO—(R 5 O) y —R 4 when

R 1 is —COO—(R 5 O) y —R 4

R 4 is —H or a C 1 -C 6 alkyl group;

R 5 is a C 1 -C 6 alkylene group; and

each y is 0 to 5

wherein the diverter particles have a sized particle distribution to block penetration of the fluid into a high permeability zone of the formation; and

(B) diverting the flow of the fluid to a low permeability portion of the formation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aliphatic polyester is poly(lactide).

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aliphatic polyester has a particle size distribution in the range from about 0.1 micron to about 1.0 millimeter.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of (I) and (II) in the fluid is from about 10:90 to about 90:10.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the amount of at the least one compound of formula (III) in the fluid is from about 0.01 to about 3% by weight.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the amount of compound of formula (I) in the fluid is from about 0.01 to about 30 volume percent.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the downhole temperature of the reservoir is between from about 80° F. to about 190° F.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein R 1 is —H and R 3 is —COO—(R 5 O) y —R 4 .

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein y is 0 and R 4 is —H.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein R 1 is —COO—(R 5 O) y —R 4 and R 2 is —H.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein y is 0 and R 4 is —H.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one compound of formula (III) is phthalic anhydride.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one compound of formula (III) is terephthalic anhydride.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one compound of formula (III) is phthalic acid.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one compound of formula (III) is terephthalic acid.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluid is an acidizing fluid.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluid is a hydraulic fracturing fluid.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluid is a wellbore completion fluid.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluid is a fluid loss pill.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the high permeability zone has natural fractures.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subterranean formation is sandstone or carbonate.

22. A method of re-directing a well treatment fluid from a first zone to a second zone of a subterranean formation penetrated by a reservoir during stimulation of the subterranean formation, wherein permeability of the first zone is higher than permeability of the second zone, the method comprising:

(A) pumping into the reservoir a fluid comprising a mixture of particulates comprising:

(i) at least one aliphatic polyester having the general formula of repeating units:

where n is an integer between 75 and 10,000 and R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkylaryl, acetyl, heteroatoms, and mixtures thereof; and

(ii) at least one compound of the formula:

or an anhydride thereof

wherein:

R 1 is —COO—(R 5 O) y —R 4 or —H;

R 2 and R 3 are selected from the group consisting of —H and —COO—(R 5 O) y —R 4 ;

provided both R 2 and R 3 are —COO—(R 5 O) y —R 4 when R 1 is —H and further provided only one of R 2 and R 3 is —COO—(R 5 O) y —R 4 when

R 1 is —COO—(R 5 O) y —R 4

R 4 is —H or a C 1 -C 6 alkyl group;

R 5 is a C 1 -C 6 alkylene group; and

each y is 0 to 5;

(b) forming a filter cake from the particulates of (i) and (ii) on a formation face of the first zone;

(c) increasing flow resistance of the well treatment fluid within the reservoir by forming a pressure drop through the filter cake; and

(d) re-directing flow of the well treatment fluid away from the first zone and into the second zone.

23. A method of stimulating a subterranean formation penetrated by a reservoir, the method comprising:

(a) pumping into the reservoir a fluid comprising a mixture of particulates comprising:

(i) at least one aliphatic polyester having the general formula of repeating units:

where n is an integer between 75 and 10,000 and R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkylaryl, acetyl, heteroatoms, and mixtures thereof; and

(ii) at least one compound of the formula:

or an anhydride thereof

wherein:

R 1 is —COO—(R 5 O) y —R 4 or —H;

R 2 and R 3 are selected from the group consisting of —H and —COO—(R 5 O) y —R 4 ;

provided both R 2 and R 3 are —COO—(R 5 O) y —R 4 when R 1 is —H and further provided only one of R 2 and R 3 is —COO—(R 5 O) y —R 4 when

R 1 is —COO—(R 5 O) y —R 4

R 4 is —H or a C 1 -C 6 alkyl group;

R 5 is a C 1 -C 6 alkylene group; and

each y is 0 to 5;

wherein the fluid is pumped into the reservoir in multiple stages;

(b) forming in a first stage a viscous pill comprising the particulates of (i) and (ii) in a high permeability zone and blocking entry of the well treatment fluid into the high permeability zone;

(c) pumping the well treatment fluid in a second stage into the reservoir and diverting flow of the well treatment fluid of the second stage into a zone of lower permeability than the high permeability zone of step (b); and

(d) successively repeating steps (b) and (c).

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 16, 2022
From: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
To: BAKER HUGHES HOLDINGS LLC
Reel/Frame 059142/0921 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 16, 2018
From: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
To: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
Reel/Frame 045349/0522 →
ENTITY CONVERSION Recorded Oct 4, 2017
From: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
To: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
Reel/Frame 044127/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 23, 2014
From: NELSON, SCOTT G.; GUPTA, D.V. SATYANARAYANA; JENSEN, ANNA; CASTILLO, DORIANNE ARLENE
To: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 034017/0458 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation In Part 13928006 · Jun 26, 2013
Provisional Application 61664640 · Jun 26, 2012
Related Publication 20140352959A1 · Dec 4, 2014
Cited By (3)
US 12,577,450 US 12,612,546 US 12,716,022