Injection fluids for stimulating fractured formations
AssigneeChevron U.S.A. Inc.
InventorsDustin L. Walker, Gayani W. Pinnawala, Nabijan Nizamidin, Varadarajan Dwarakanath, Guo-Qing Tang, Dustin J. Lowry, Tetsuo A. Inouye, Taimur Malik
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of the disclosure include compositions and methods that stabilize a injection fluid when exposed to reservoir conditions, reducing formation damage and increasing the amount of hydrocarbon recovered. Specifically, the formulation is a single-phase liquid surfactant package which comprises a surfactant and optionally one or more secondary surfactants. Also provided are methods of using the stabilized injection fluids in stimulation operations.
Claims20
A method for stimulating an unconventional subterranean formation with a fluid, comprising:
- (a) introducing a low particle size injection fluid through a wellbore into the unconventional subterranean formation, the low particle size injection fluid comprising an aqueous-based injection fluid and a single-phase liquid surfactant package comprising an anionic surfactant comprising a C10-C16 disulfonate, wherein the low particle size injection fluid is aqueous stable and has a maximum particle size of less than 0.1 micrometers in diameter in particle size distribution measurements performed at a temperature and salinity of the unconventional subterranean formation;
- (b) allowing the low particle size injection fluid to imbibe into a rock matrix of the unconventional subterranean formation for a period of time;
- and
- (c) producing fluids from the unconventional subterranean formation through the wellbore.
A method for stimulating an unconventional subterranean formation with a fluid, comprising:
- (a) introducing a low particle size injection fluid through a wellbore into the unconventional subterranean formation, the low particle size injection fluid comprising an aqueous-based injection fluid and a single-phase liquid surfactant package comprising a non-ionic surfactant comprising a branched or unbranched a C6-C30:PO(30-40):EO(25-35) surfactant, wherein the low particle size injection fluid is aqueous stable and has a maximum particle size of less than 0.1 micrometers in diameter in particle size distribution measurements performed at a temperature and salinity of the unconventional subterranean formation;
- (b) allowing the low particle size injection fluid to imbibe into a rock matrix of the unconventional subterranean formation for a period of time;
- and
- (c) producing fluids from the unconventional subterranean formation through the wellbore.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.