NANOEMULSIONS FOR USE IN SUBTERRANEAN FRACTURING TREATMENTS
Methods for delivering treatment chemicals into a subterranean formation using treatment fluids that include nanoemulsions are provided. In some embodiments, the methods include providing a treatment fluid including an aqueous base fluid and a nanoemulsion including a water-soluble internal phase, a water-soluble external phase, and a surfactant, the nanoemulsion being formed by mechanically-induced shear rupturing; and introducing the treatment fluid into at least a portion of a subterranean formation at or above a pressure sufficient to create or enhance at least one fracture in the subterranean formation.
1 . A method comprising:
providing a treatment fluid comprising an aqueous base fluid and a nanoemulsion comprising a water-soluble internal phase, a water-soluble external phase, and a surfactant; and
introducing the treatment fluid into at least a portion of a subterranean formation at or above a pressure sufficient to create or enhance at least one fracture in the subterranean formation.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the water-soluble internal phase comprises an oil-based fluid and the external phase comprises an aqueous fluid.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the water-soluble internal phase comprises droplets having an average radius of about 100 nm or less as measured using a dynamic light scattering particle analysis technique.
4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the surfactant is present in the nanoemulsion in an amount of about 500 parts per million or less.
5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the surfactant comprises at least one surfactant selected from a nonionic surfactant, an anionic surfactant, a cationic surfactant, an amphoteric surfactant, and any combination thereof.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the surfactant is a demulsifier or breaker.
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the surfactant comprises at least one surfactant selected from an alcohol alkoxy sulfate, an ethoxylated alcohol, and any combination thereof.
8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the surfactant comprises one or more solvents.
9 . The method of claim 1 wherein the subterranean formation comprises an unconventional formation.
10 . The method of claim 1 wherein the subterranean formation comprises shale.
11 . The method of claim 1 wherein the nanoemulsion further comprises at least one treatment additive selected from a salt, an acid, a diverting agent, a fluid loss control additive, a gas, a surface modifying agent, a tackifying agent, a foamer, a corrosion inhibitor, a scale inhibitor, a catalyst, a clay control agent, a biocide, a friction reducer, an antifoam agent, a bridging agent, a flocculant, an H 2 S scavenger, a CO 2 scavenger, an oxygen scavenger, a lubricant, a viscosifier, a breaker, a weighting agent, a relative permeability modifier, a resin, a wetting agent, a coating enhancement agent, a filter cake removal agent, an antifreeze agent, and any combination thereof.
12 . The method of claim 1 wherein the treatment fluid is introduced into the subterranean formation using one or more pumps.
13 . The method of claim 1 wherein the nanoemulsion is formed by shearing at least two immiscible fluids in a blender.
14 . A method comprising:
providing a treatment fluid comprising an aqueous base fluid and a nanoemulsion comprising:
a water-soluble internal non-polar phase,
a water-soluble external polar phase, and
a nonionic surfactant that comprises an alcohol alkoxy sulfate, an ethoxylated alcohol, isopropylidene glycerol, one or more polyols, and water; and
introducing the treatment fluid into at least a portion of a subterranean formation at or above a pressure sufficient to create or enhance at least one fracture in the subterranean formation.
15 . The method of claim 14 wherein the subterranean formation comprises an unconventional formation.
16 . The method of claim 14 wherein the water-soluble non-polar internal phase comprises droplets having an average radius of about 100 nm or less as measured using a dynamic light scattering particle analysis technique.
17 . The method of claim 14 wherein the nonionic surfactant is present in the nanoemulsion in an amount of about 500 parts per million or less.
18 . The method of claim 14 wherein the surfactant is a demulsifier or breaker.
19 . A method comprising:
providing a treatment fluid comprising an aqueous base fluid and a nanoemulsion comprising a water-soluble internal phase, a water-soluble external phase, and a surfactant, wherein the water-soluble internal phase comprises droplets having an average radius of about 100 nm or less as measured using a dynamic light scattering particle analysis technique; and
introducing the treatment fluid into at least a portion of a subterranean formation at or above a pressure sufficient to create or enhance at least one fracture in the subterranean formation.
20 . The method of claim 19 wherein the surfactant is present in the nanoemulsion in an amount of about 500 parts per million or less.