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US 10,308,862 B2Granted
Compositions and methods for enhanced fracture cleanup using redox treatment
AssigneeSaudi Arabian Oil Company
InventorsAyman R. Al-Nakhli, Hazim H. Abass, Ahmad S. Al-Otaibi
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Abstract
A cleanup fluid for reducing a viscosity of a residual viscous material in fractures of a hydrocarbon-bearing formation. The cleanup fluid includes an exothermic reaction component operable to generate heat, where the heat is operable to reduce a viscosity of the residual viscous material to create a reduced viscosity material, the reduced viscosity material operable to flow from the fractures.
Claims18
A method for use of a cleanup fluid in a wellbore disposed in a reservoir, the method comprising the steps of:
- preparing an exothermic reaction component operable to generate heat, and the exothermic reaction component comprising at least one component selected from the group consisting of:
- urea;
- sodium hypochlorite;
- ammonium chloride;
- ammonium bromide;
- ammonium nitrate;
- ammonium sulfate;
- ammonium carbonate;
- ammonium hydroxide;
- sodium nitrite;
- potassium nitrite;
- and mixtures thereof,
- where the cleanup fluid comprises only liquid components in solution prepared to be fluidly compatible with a viscous fluid component,
- where the cleanup fluid does not include viscosifying components at concentrations that generate foam or introduce foam into the wellbore;
- injecting the exothermic reaction component into the wellbore;
- allowing the exothermic reaction component to react in situ to produce heat and nitrogen gas, the heat and nitrogen gas operable to increase temperature and pressure in situ, to create a reduced viscosity material;
- and
- squeezing the exothermic reaction component into the reservoir by injecting a foamed material comprising a foamed brine solution into the wellbore after the step of injecting the exothermic reaction component into the wellbore, the foamed brine solution prepared from a non-foamed brine to reduce a pressure gradient of the non-foamed brine.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.