Hydrocarbon-based fracturing fluid compositions, methods of preparation and methods of use
AssigneeCalfrac Well Services Ltd.
InventorsTimothy Tyler Leshchyshyn, Peter William Beaton, Thomas Michael Coolen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention describes improved fracturing compositions, methods of preparing fracturing compositions and methods of use. Importantly, the subject invention overcomes problems in the use of mists as an effective fracturing composition particularly having regard to the ability of a mist to transport an effective volume of proppant into a formation. As a result, the subject technologies provide an effective economic solution to using high ratio gas fracturing compositions that can be produced in a continuous (i.e. non-batch) process without the attendant capital and operating costs of current pure gas fracturing equipment.
Claims17
A method of fracturing a formation within a well comprising the steps of:
- a) preparing a liquid component at surface in a blender, the liquid component including:
- i) a viscosified liquid hydrocarbon component having an initial viscosity sufficient to temporarily support proppant admixed within the viscosified liquid hydrocarbon component;
- and,
- ii) a breaker for relaxing the viscosity of the viscosified liquid hydrocarbon component within a pre-determined period wherein the concentration of breaker within the viscosified liquid hydrocarbon component is sufficient to relax the viscosity of the liquid hydrocarbon component to less than 10 cP at 170 sec−1 at 293K within 30 minutes;
- b) mixing the proppant into the liquid component in the blender;
- c) introducing the proppant/liquid component into a high pressure pump and increasing the pressure to well pressure;
- d) mixing a gas component at high pressure with the proppant/liquid component under high turbulence conditions;
- and,
- e) pumping the combined gas and fluid from step d) at well pressure and at a high rate and down the well, wherein the combined gas and fluid is 3-25 vol % liquid component and 75-97 vol % gas component exclusive of the proppant.
A method of fracturing a formation within a well comprising the steps of:
- a) preparing a liquid component at surface in a blender, the liquid component including:
- i) a viscosified liquid hydrocarbon component having an initial viscosity sufficient to temporarily support proppant admixed within the viscosified liquid hydrocarbon component;
- and,
- ii) a breaker for relaxing the viscosity of the viscosified liquid hydrocarbon component within a pre-determined period wherein the concentration of breaker within the viscosified liquid hydrocarbon component is sufficient to relax the viscosity of the liquid hydrocarbon component to less than 10 cP at 170 sec−1 at 293K within 30 minutes;
- b) mixing the proppant into the liquid component in the blender;
- c) introducing the proppant/liquid component into a high pressure pump and increasing the pressure to well pressure;
- d) mixing a gas component at high pressure with the proppant/liquid component under high turbulence conditions;
- and
- e) pumping the combined gas and fluid from step d) at a high rate down the well;
- wherein the mass of proppant mixed in step b) is 0.25-5.0 times the mass of the liquid component.
A method of fracturing a formation within a well comprising the steps of:
- a) preparing a liquid component at surface in a blender, the liquid component including:
- i) a viscosified liquid hydrocarbon component including less than 0.1 vol % non-foaming surfactant and having an initial viscosity sufficient to temporarily support proppant admixed within the viscosified liquid hydrocarbon component;
- and,
- ii) a breaker for relaxing the viscosity of the viscosified liquid hydrocarbon component within a pre-determined period wherein the concentration of breaker within the viscosified liquid hydrocarbon component is sufficient to relax the viscosity of the liquid hydrocarbon component to less than 10 cP at 170 sec−1 at 293K within 30 minutes;
- b) mixing the proppant into the liquid component in the blender;
- c) introducing the proppant/liquid component into a high pressure pump and increasing the pressure to well pressure;
- d) mixing a gas component at high pressure with the proppant/liquid component under high turbulence conditions;
- and
- e) pumping the combined gas and fluid from step d) at a high rate down the well.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.