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US 12,552,982 B2Granted
Treatment of subterranean formations
AssigneeInnospec Limited
InventorsIan Malcolm McRobbie, William Trenholme
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of treating a subterranean formation by contacting the formation with the following (a) ammonium bicarbonate; (b) an oxidizing agent selected from a perchlorate or a nitrite or combinations thereof; and (c) an acid (AA).
Claims21
A method of treating a subterranean formation to generate gas within the formation so as to undertake a ‘Huff and Puff’ operation or reduce proppant settling, the method comprising:
- (A) undertaking a ‘Huff and Puff’ operation which comprises a first step (i) of placing gas generating chemicals within a wellbore of a subterranean formation and reacting the gas generating chemicals, wherein the gas generating chemicals comprise
- (a) ammonium bicarbonate;
- (b) an oxidizing agent selected from a perchlorate or a nitrite or combinations thereof;
- and
- (c) an acid (AA);
- and a second ‘shut-in’ step (ii) wherein the well is sealed;
- wherein the subterranean formation comprises shale, sandstone, limestone, or mixtures thereof;
- or
- (B) reducing proppant settling which comprises a step of contacting a subterranean formation with the following:
- (a) ammonium bicarbonate;
- (b) an oxidizing agent selected from a perchlorate or a nitrite or combinations thereof;
- and
- (c) an acid (AA);
- wherein said ammonium bicarbonate and said oxidizing agent are contacted so that they react and nitrogen and carbon dioxide are generated in the formation;
- and a step of introducing a proppant and/or a microproppant into the formation;
- wherein the subterranean formation comprises shale, sandstone, limestone, or mixtures thereof.
13 more elements
A method of treating a subterranean formation to generate gas within the formation so as to undertake a ‘Huff and Puff’ operation or reduce proppant settling, the method comprising:
- (A) undertaking a ‘Huff and Puff’ operation which comprises a first step (i) of placing gas generating chemicals within a wellbore of a subterranean formation and reacting the gas generating chemicals, wherein the gas generating chemicals comprise
- (a) ammonium bicarbonate;
- (b) an oxidizing agent which is a nitrite;
- and
- (c) an acid (AA);
- and a second ‘shut-in’ step (ii) wherein the well is sealed;
- wherein the subterranean formation comprises shale, sandstone, limestone, or mixtures thereof;
- wherein a ratio (A) defined as the number of moles of ammonium bicarbonate divided by the number of moles of nitrite contacted with the formation and/or reacted in the formation is in the range 0.1 to 2.0;
- and
- wherein said ammonium bicarbonate and said oxidizing agent are contacted so they react and nitrogen and carbon dioxide are generated in the formation;
- or
- (B) reducing proppant settling which comprises a step of contacting a subterranean formation with the following:
- (a) ammonium bicarbonate;
- (b) an oxidizing agent which is a nitrite;
- and
- (c) an acid (AA);
- and a step of introducing a proppant and/or a microproppant into the formation;
- wherein the subterranean formation comprises shale, sandstone, limestone, or mixtures thereof;
- wherein a ratio (A) defined as the number of moles of ammonium bicarbonate divided by the number of moles of nitrite contacted with the formation and/or reacted in the formation is in the range 0.1 to 2.0;
- and
- wherein said ammonium bicarbonate and said oxidizing agent are contacted so they react and nitrogen and carbon dioxide are generated in the formation.
18 more elements
A method of treating a subterranean formation to generate gas within the formation, the method comprising:
- (A) undertaking a ‘Huff and Puff’ operation which comprises a first step (i) of placing gas generating chemicals within a wellbore of a subterranean formation and reacting them and a second ‘shut-in’ step (ii) wherein the well is sealed;
- or
- (B) reducing proppant settling which comprises a step of introducing a proppant and/or a microproppant into a subterranean formation;
- the method comprising contacting the formation with the following:
- (a) ammonium bicarbonate;
- (b) an oxidizing agent which is a nitrite;
- and
- (c) an acid (AA);
- wherein said ammonium bicarbonate and said oxidizing agent are contacted so that they react and nitrogen and carbon dioxide are generated in the formation;
- wherein the generated gas provides conditions for undertaking said ‘Huff and Puff’ operation or reducing proppant settling;
- and
- wherein the subterranean formation comprises shale, sandstone, limestone, or mixtures thereof.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.