Process for the consolidation of a geological formation by a substance polymerizable at the temperature and pressure of the formation
AssigneeInstitut Francais du Petrole
InventorsClaude Gadelle, Jean Lesage
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Abstract
The invention relates to a process making it possible to consolidate a geological formation without significantly reducing its permeabiity. A liquid mixture (5) is injected into the formation (1) traversed by a well (2) and then at least one gas is injected through the formation under appropriate conditions. More specifically, the liquid mixture contains a polymerizable substance, preferably a melamine-formaldehyde resin, and at least one catalyst having a Lewis acid character and it substantially polymerizes at the temperature and pressure of the formation, while bonding the unconsolidated elements. Application to the consolidation of a geological formation containing sand.
Claims16
A process for consolidating a permeable geological formation without significantly reducing the permeability thereof, comprising:
- injecting a polymerizable liquid mixture into the formation, said mixture containing an aqueous resin solution and at least one Lewis acid catalyst;
- polymerizing said mixture at substantially the temperature and the pressure of the formation, into a solid substance bonding unconsolidated elements of the formation;
- injecting at least one gas into said formation at least during the period of polymerization of said mixture, said gas being substantially chemically inert towards deposit and injected fluids under the operating conditions of the process, said injecting substantially maintaining the permeability of the formation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.