IP Library Granted Patent US 10,696,891
Granted Patent B2
US 10,696,891 · App. 15/308,687 · Granted Jun 30, 2020

Generating and maintaining conductivity of microfractures in tight formations with inverted microemulsified acid treatment fluids

Inventors: Loan K. Vo. (Houston, TX); Philip D. Nguyen (Houston, TX)
Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
C09K8/64C09K8/74C09K8/80C09K8/805C09K8/82E21B43/25E21B43/26E21B43/267
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,696,891
App. No.
15/308,687
Granted
Jun 30, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods including (a) introducing an invert microemulsified acid (“IMA”) treatment fluid into a subterranean formation at a rate and pressure sufficient to create or enhance a fracture in a first treatment interval therein, wherein the IMA treatment fluid comprises a surfactant, a non-aqueous external phase, and aqueous dispersed phase droplets, and wherein the non-aqueous external phase further comprises micro-proppant particulates and at least a portion of the aqueous dispersed phase droplets further comprise an acid; (b) destabilizing the IMA treatment fluid in the fracture, thereby exposing the acid, wherein the micro-proppant particulates form a proppant pack in the fracture and the acid etches a channel in the fracture and/or adjacent to the fracture.

Claims (41)

1. A method comprising:

(a) introducing an invert microemulsified acid (“IMA”) treatment fluid into a subterranean formation at a rate and pressure sufficient to create or enhance a fracture in a first treatment interval therein,

wherein the subterranean formation has a permeability of about 0.001 milliDarcy or less,

wherein the IMA treatment fluid comprises a surfactant, a non-aqueous external phase, and aqueous dispersed phase droplets, and

wherein the non-aqueous external phase further comprises micro-proppant particulates and at least a portion of the aqueous dispersed phase droplets further comprise an acid;

(b) destabilizing the IMA treatment fluid in the fracture, thereby exposing the acid and the micro-proppant particulates,

wherein the micro-proppant particulates form a proppant pack in the fracture and the acid etches a channel in the fracture and/or adjacent to the fracture after the IMA treatment fluid is destabilized,

wherein the formed proppant pack increases the permeability of the subterranean formation,

wherein the micro-proppant particulates have a size of less than about 80 μm.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising repeating steps (a) through (b) at at least a second treatment interval.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous phase dispersed droplets have an average diameter in the range of from about 1 nm to about 100 nm.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-aqueous external phase further comprises a tackifying agent.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the tackifying agent is at least partially coated onto the micro-proppant particulates.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the IMA treatment fluid further comprises a co-surfactant.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a wellhead with a tubular extending therefrom and into the subterranean formation, and a pump fluidly coupled to the tubular, wherein step (a) comprises introducing the IMA treatment fluid through the tubular.

8. A method comprising:

(a) introducing a pad fluid into a subterranean formation at a rate and pressure sufficient to create or enhance a fracture in a first treatment interval therein,

wherein the subterranean formation has a permeability of about 0.001 milliDarcy or less;

(b) introducing an invert microemulsified acid (“IMA”) treatment fluid into the fracture in the first treatment interval,

wherein the IMA treatment fluid comprises a surfactant, a non-aqueous external phase, and aqueous dispersed phase droplets, and

wherein the non-aqueous external phase further comprises micro-proppant particulates and at least a portion of the aqueous dispersed phase droplets further comprise an acid;

(c) destabilizing the IMA treatment fluid in the fracture, thereby exposing the acid and the micro-proppant particulates,

wherein the micro-proppant particulates form a proppant pack in the at least one fracture and the acid etches channels in the at least one fracture and/or adjacent to the at least one fracture after the IMA treatment fluid is destabilized, wherein the micro-proppant particulates have a size of less than about 60 μm,

wherein the formed proppant pack increases the permeability of the subterranean formation.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising repeating steps (a) through (c) at at least a second treatment interval.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the aqueous phase dispersed droplets have an average diameter in the range of from about 1 nm to about 100 nm.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the non-aqueous external phase further comprises a tackifying agent.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the tackifying agent is at least partially coated onto the micro-proppant particulates.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the IMA treatment fluid further comprises a co-surfactant.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising a wellhead with a tubular extending therefrom and into the subterranean formation, and a pump fluidly coupled to the tubular, wherein step (a) comprises introducing the pad fluid through the tubular, and/or step (b) comprises introducing the IMA treatment fluid through the tubular.

15. A method comprising:

introducing an invert microemulsified acid (“IMA”) treatment fluid into a subterranean formation,

wherein the IMA treatment fluid comprises a surfactant, a non-aqueous external phase, and aqueous dispersed phase droplets, wherein the aqueous phase dispersed droplets have an average diameter in the range of from about 1 nm to about 9 nm,

wherein the non-aqueous external phase further comprise micro-proppant particulates and at least a portion of the aqueous dispersed phase droplets further comprise an acid,

destabilizing the IMA treatment fluid within the subterranean formation, thereby exposing the acid and the micro-proppant particulates,

wherein the micro-proppant particulates form a proppant pack within the subterranean formation and the acid etches channels within the subterranean formation after the IMA treatment fluid is destabilized,

wherein the formed proppant pack increases the permeability of the subterranean formation,

wherein the IMA treatment fluid further comprises the surfactant and a co-surfactant, wherein the micro-proppant particulates have a size of less than about 80 μm.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of the aqueous dispersed phase droplets further comprise a low-molecular weight polymer having a molecular weight in the range of between about 500 daltons to about 50,000 daltons.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the non-aqueous external phase further comprises a tackifying agent.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the tackifying agent is at least partially coated onto the micro-proppant particulates.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2016
From: NGUYEN, PHILIP D.; VO, LOAN K.
To: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 040212/0984 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170152432A1 · Jun 1, 2017