Control of particulate flowback in subterranean wells
AssigneeSchlumberger Technolgy Corporation
InventorsRoger J. Card, Paul R. Howard, Jean-Pierre Feraud, Vernon G. Constien
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The addition of fibrous mixtures in intimate mixtures with particulates for fracturing and gravel packing decreases or eliminates the undesirable flowback of proppant or formation fines while stabilizing the sand pack and lowering the demand for high polymer loadings in the placement fluids. Fibers are useful for forming a porous pack in the subterranean formation. In some cases, channels or fingers of void spaces with reduced concentrations of proppant may be introduced into the proppant pack.
Claims32
A method for fracturing a subterranean formation comprising
- providing a viscous fluid in the subterranean formation under pressure sufficient to fracture the formation, and fracturing the formation;
- the viscous fluid comprising an intimate mixture of a viscous liquid, proppant, and a fibrous material only during a portion of the fracturing.
A method for fracturing a subterranean formation comprising
- providing a viscous fluid in the subterranean formation under pressure sufficient to fracture the formation, and fracturing the formation;
- the viscous fluid comprising an intimate mixture of a viscous liquid, proppant, and platelets only during a portion of the fracturing.
A method for fracturing a subterranean formation comprising
- providing a viscous fluid not containing proppant in a subterranean formation under pressure sufficient to fracture the formation, and fracturing the formation;
- providing a viscous liquid containing proppant in the subterranean formation under pressure sufficient to fracture the formation, and extending the fracture;
- and
- providing an intimate mixture of a viscous liquid, proppant, and a fibrous material only as a tail-in.
A method for fracturing a subterranean formation comprising
- providing a viscous fluid not containing proppant in a subterranean formation under pressure sufficient to fracture the formation, and fracturing the formation;
- providing a viscous liquid containing proppant in the subterranean formation under pressure sufficient to fracture the formation, and extending the fracture;
- and
- providing an intimate mixture of a viscous liquid, proppant, and platelets only as a tail-in.
A system for fracturing a subterranean formation in stages comprising
- a viscous liquid proppant containing stage at pressure sufficient to fracture the formation;
- and
- a viscous fluid stage, as a tail-in, comprising an intimate mixture of a viscous liquid, proppant, and a fibrous material suspended therein.
A system for fracturing a subterranean formation in stages comprising
- a viscous fluid stage, not containing proppant, at pressure sufficient to fracture the formation;
- a viscous liquid proppant containing stage at pressure sufficient to fracture the formation;
- and
- a viscous fluid stage, as a tail-in, comprising an intimate mixture of a viscous liquid, proppant, and a fibrous material suspended therein.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.