Control of particulate flowback in subterranean wells
AssigneeHalliburton Company
InventorsPhilip D. Nguyen, Jim D. Weaver, David L. Brown
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The addition of a thermoplastic material in intimate mixture with particulates for fracturing, gravel packing or other formation treatments decreases or substantially eliminates the flowback of particulates whether proppants or formation fines while stabilizing the particulate within the formation. Preferred thermoplastic materials include polyolefins, polyamides, polyvinyls and cellulose derivatives in the form of particles, ribbons or flakes.
Claims20
Method of treating a subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore comprising the steps of providing a fluid suspension including a mixture of a particulate material and a thermoplastic material wherein said thermoplastic material is in the form of flakes having a thickness of from about 2.5 to about 250 microns and an average surface area of from about 2 to about 325 square millimeters;
- pumping the fluid suspension including the mixture into the subterranean formation through the wellbore;
- depositing the mixture of particulate and thermoplastic material in the subterranean formation whereby the material interacts with at least a portion of the particulate to retard movement within said formation of said particulate.
Method of treating a subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore comprising the steps of providing a fluid suspension including a mixture of a particulate material and a thermoplastic material which interacts upon heating;
- pumping the fluid suspension including the mixture into the subterranean formation through the wellbore;
- depositing the mixture of particulate and thermoplastic material in the subterranean formation;
- and heating the thermoplastic material upon introduction into the subterranean formation whereby the material interacts with at least a portion of the particulate.
A method of treating a subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore comprising the steps of providing a fluid suspension including a mixture of a particulate material and a thermoplastic material wherein said thermoplastic material is in the form of ribbons having a thickness of from about 2.5 to about 250 microns, a width of from about 0.4 to about 6.5 millimeters and a length of from about 5 to about 50 millimeters;
- pumping the fluid suspension including the mixture into the subterranean formation through the wellbore;
- depositing the mixture of particulate and thermoplastic material in the subterranean formation whereby the material interacts with at least a portion of the particulate to retard movement within said formation of said particulate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.