Method of tracking fluids produced from various zones in subterranean wells
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsPhilip D. Nguyen, Jimmie D. Weaver, Johnny A. Barton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Compositions and methods for determining the source of treatment fluids being produced from a production formation having multiple zones by introducing a treatment composition having a tracking material into a zone in the subterranean formation, and detecting the tracking material in treatment composition that flows back from the subterranean formation.
Claims29
A method of treating a subterranean formation having multiple zones penetrated by a well bore comprising:
- providing a plurality of treatment compositions comprising a tracking material, wherein the tracking material is substantially non-radioactive and is selected from the group consisting of water soluble inorganic salts, water soluble organic salts, metals, metal salts of organic acids, metal oxides, metal sulfates, metal phosphates, metal carbonates, metal salts, phosphorescent pigments, fluorescent pigments, photoluminescent pigments, oil soluble dyes, oil dispersible dyes and oil dispersible pigments;
- introducing a first treatment composition and a second treatment composition selected from the plurality of treatment compositions into respective ones of the multiple zones in the subterranean formation wherein the first treatment composition comprises a different tracking material than the second treatment composition;
- flowing fluid back from the subterranean formation and collecting at least a portion of any of the first and second treatment compositions that flows flow back from the subterranean formation;
- and
- detecting the tracking material in any collected portions of the first and second treatment compositions.
A method of treating a subterranean formation having multiple zones penetrated by a well bore comprising:
- providing a plurality of treatment compositions comprising a tracking material, wherein the tracking material comprises a metal salt of an organic acid and the organic acid is selected from the group consisting of substituted and unsubstituted alkanoic carboxylic acids, alkenoic carboxylic acids, polyunsaturated aliphatic monocarboxylic acids and aromatic carboxylic acids;
- introducing a first treatment composition and a second treatment composition selected from the plurality of treatment compositions into respective ones of the multiple zones in the subterranean formation, wherein the first treatment composition comprises a different tracking material than the second treatment composition;
- flowing fluid back from the subterranean formation and collecting at least a portion of any of the first and second treatment compositions that flow back from the subterranean formation;
- and
- detecting the tracking material in any collected portions of the first and second treatment compositions.
A method of determining the source of particulate material returning from a subterranean formation having multiple fractures penetrated by a well bore comprising:
- placing a proppant composition and a second proppant composition selected from a plurality of proppant compositions in respective fractures in the subterranean formation, wherein each of the plurality of proppant compositions comprises particulate material associated with a tracking composition, wherein the tracking composition comprises a substantially non-radioactive tracking material, and wherein the tracking composition associated with the particulate material of the first proppant composition comprises a different tracking material than the tracking composition associated with the particulate material of the second proppant composition;
- flowing fluid back from the subterranean formation and collecting at least a portion of any particulate material that flows back from the subterranean formation;
- and
- determining the source of particulate material that flows back from the subterranean formation by detecting the tracking composition associated with the particulate material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.