Slow settling micro-proppants for far field stimulation
A method of stimulating petroleum production includes introducing a fracturing fluid into a petroleum formation, thereby creating at least one fracture to stimulate the petroleum production. The fracturing fluid is introduced into the petroleum formation at a pressure above the breakdown pressure of the formation. The fracturing fluid includes a plurality of proppants each including a proppant particle and a coating. The coating includes a hydrophobic coating, a cross-linked hydrogel, or both. From 1 to 50 wt. % of the plurality of proppants includes micro proppants having a particle size ranging from 0.5 to 150 μm, and from 50 to 99 wt. % of the plurality of proppants includes macro proppants having a particle size of 100 mesh or greater.
1. A method of stimulating petroleum production comprising:
introducing a fracturing fluid into a petroleum formation, thereby creating at least one fracture to stimulate petroleum production, wherein:
the fracturing fluid comprises a foam that includes foam from 30 volume percent (vol. %) to 90 vol. % gas;
the fracturing fluid is introduced into the petroleum formation at a pressure above the breakdown pressure of the petroleum formation;
the fracturing fluid comprises a plurality of coated proppants each comprising a proppant particle and a coating;
the coating comprises a hydrophobic coating, a cross-linked hydrogel, or both;
from 1 to 50 wt. % of the plurality of proppants comprises micro proppants having a particle size ranging from 0.5 to 150 μm; and
from 50 to 99 wt. % of the plurality of proppants comprises macro proppants having a particle size of 100 mesh and greater.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic coating comprises one or more organosilanes, organosiloxanes, fluoro-organosilanes, fluoro-organosiloxanes, polysiloxanes, organo fluorocarbons, organo perfluorocarbons, long chain hydrocarbons, polyolefins, polyesters, acrylic polymers, or vinyl polymers.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the coating consists of the cross-linked hydrogel.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fracturing fluid further comprises a plurality of degradable particles.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the coating is at least 1 wt. % of the total weight of proppant particles and coating.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the coating has an average thickness of at least 1 μm.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein from 10 wt. % to 50 wt. % of the plurality of proppants comprises micro proppants having a particle size ranging from 0.5 to 150 μm.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least from 30 wt. % to 50 wt. % of the plurality of proppants comprises micro proppants having a particle size ranging from 0.5 to 150 μm.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the coating is applied before introducing the plurality of proppant particles to the rest of the fracturing fluid.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
a first volume of the fracturing fluid is introduced, wherein the first volume is from 5 to 15 vol. % of the fracturing fluid and the first volume comprises proppants from 0.5 μm to 100 μm in diameter, at least 80 wt. % of the proppants in the first volume are less than 50.0 μm in diameter;
then a second volume of the fracturing fluid is introduced, wherein the second volume is from 5 to 70 vol. % of the fracturing fluid and the second volume comprises proppants 0.5 μm to 150 μm in 1-50 wt. % ratio and 50 to 99 wt. % proppants with diameters from 105 μm to 250 μm in diameter; and
then a final volume of the fracturing fluid is introduced, wherein the final volume is 10 to 30 vol. % of the fracturing fluid and the final volume comprises proppants larger than 250 μm in diameter, and at least 80 wt. % of the proppants in the final volume are larger than 250 μm in diameter.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
at least 20 wt. % of the plurality of micro proppants have a diameter less than 20 μm;
at least 50 wt. % of the plurality of micro proppants have a diameter less than 50 μm; and
at least 90 wt. % of the plurality of micro proppants have a diameter less than 100 μm.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fracturing fluid is aqueous.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fracturing fluid comprises a linear fluid, gelled fluid, crosslinked fluid, slickwater fluid, VES fluid, energized or foam fluid, or combinations thereof.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fracturing fluid comprises a CO 2 based super critical fluid, nitrogen based fluid, foam fluid, oil based fluid, oil based foam fluid, or combinations thereof.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gas comprises air, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, or combinations thereof.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of proppants with diameters from 0.5 μm to 150 μm are present in the micro fracturing fluid at a concentration of from 0.25 pounds per gallon (ppg) to 30 ppg.
17. The method of claim 1 :
further comprising introducing gas into the petroleum formation with the fracturing fluid; and
wherein the coating comprises the hydrophobic coating.
18. A method of stimulating petroleum production comprising:
introducing a fracturing fluid into a petroleum formation, thereby creating at least one fracture to stimulate petroleum production, wherein:
the fracturing fluid comprises a foam that includes foam from 30 volume percent (vol. %) to 90 vol. % gas;
the fracturing fluid is introduced into the petroleum formation at a pressure above the breakdown pressure of the petroleum formation;
the fracturing fluid comprises a plurality of proppants each comprising a proppant particle;
from 1 to 50 wt. % of the plurality of proppants comprises micro proppants having a particle size ranging from 0.5 to 150 μm; and
from 50 to 99 wt. % of the plurality of proppants comprises macro proppants having a particle size of 100 mesh and greater; and
coating the proppant particles with a hydrophobic coating in situ by adding a hydrophobic coating agent to the fracturing fluid such that the concentration of the hydrophobic coating agent is from 0.25 to 3 gpt of the fluid, wherein the fracturing fluid comprises a plurality of coated proppants each comprising a proppant particle and a coating and the coating comprises a hydrophobic coating, a cross-linked hydrogel, or both.