Filter cake removal compositions and related wellbore methods
Compositions and methods for removing a filter cake from a wellbore may use a breaker that comprises an ester-based acid precursor and a lactone. A treatment fluid may contain an aqueous fluid and the breaker. A method may include introducing the treatment fluid into the wellbore, contacting the filter cake in the wellbore with the treatment fluid, and removing at least a portion of the filter cake.
1 . A method comprising:
introducing a treatment fluid into a wellbore having a filter cake therein, the treatment fluid comprising an aqueous fluid and a breaker that comprises an ester-based acid precursor and a lactone, wherein a volume of the ester-based acid precursor per 1 kg of lactone is about 2 L to about 20 L, wherein the lactone is an organic heterocyclic compound that consist of a cyclic carboxylic ester and one or more heteroatoms replacing carbon atoms in a ring of the cyclic carboxylic ester;
contacting the filter cake with the treatment fluid; and
removing at least a portion of the filter cake.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a rate of hydrolysis for the ester-based acid precursor is increased by at least about 5 times the rate of hydrolysis for the ester-based acid precursor observed in an absence of the lactone at a temperature in which the treatment fluid contacts the filter cake.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the volume of the ester-based acid precursor per 1 kg of lactone is about 5 L to about 20 L.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the contacting occurs at a temperature of about 15° C. to about 120° C.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the contacting occurs at a temperature of is about 15° C. to about 35° C.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: adding the lactone to a mixture that includes the aqueous fluid and ester-based acid precursor to produce the treatment fluid while the treatment fluid is being introduced into the wellbore.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the lactone is present in an amount of from about 0.005 kg/L to about 0.2 kg/L based on a total volume of the treatment fluid.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the lactone is present in an amount of from about 0.005 kg/L to about 0.1 kg/L based on a total volume of the treatment fluid.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the lactone comprises gluconolactone, glucoheptonic lactone, α-acetolactone, β-propiolactone, γ-butyrolactone, δ-valerolactone, ε-caprolactone, γ-decalactone, δ-decalactone, γ-dodecalactone, γ-octalactone, γ-nonalactone, γ-undecalactone, ellagic acid, flavogallonic acid dilactone, tergallic acid dilactone, valoneic acid dilactone, ethylene brassylate, or any combination thereof.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ester-based acid precursor comprises lactide, glyceryl diacetate, glyceryl triacetate, ethylene glycol monoformate, monoethylene glycol diformate, diethylene glycol diformate, glyceryl monoformate, glyceryl diformate, glyceryl triformate, triethylene glycol diformate, a ester of pentaerythritol, methyl lactate, ethyl lactate, propyl lactate, butyl lactate, pelylactic acid, or any combination thereof.
11 . A system for performing the method of claim 1 , the system comprising: a tubular disposed in the wellbore; and a pump configured to pump the treatment fluid into the wellbore through the tubular.
12 . A method comprising:
introducing a treatment fluid into a wellbore having a filter cake therein, the treatment fluid comprising an aqueous fluid and a breaker that comprises an ester-based acid precursor and a lactone, wherein the lactone is an organic heterocyclic compound that consist of a cyclic carboxylic ester and one or more heteroatoms replacing carbon atoms in a ring of the cyclic carboxylic ester,
wherein a volume of the ester-based acid precursor per 1 kg of lactone is about 5 L to about 20 L, and
wherein the lactone is present in an amount of from about 0.005 kg/L to about 0.15 kg/L based on a total volume of the treatment fluid;
contacting the filter cake with the treatment fluid; and
removing at least a portion of the filter cake.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein a rate of hydrolysis for the ester-based acid precursor is increased by at least about 5 times the rate of hydrolysis for the ester-based acid precursor observed in an absence of the lactone.
14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the contacting occurs at a temperature of about 15° C. to about 120° C.