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Abstract
A new microemulsion additive has been developed that is
effective in remediating damaged wells and is highly effective
in fluid recovery and relative permeability enhancement when
applied in stimulation treatments at dilute concentrations.
The microemulsion is a unique blend of biodegradable
solvent, surfactant, co-solvent and water. The nanometer
sized structures are modeled after Veronoi structures which
when dispersed in the base treating fluid of water or oil permit
a greater ease of entry into a damaged area of the reservoir or
fracture system. The structures maximize surface energy
interaction by expanding to twelve times their individual
surface areas to allow maximum contact efficiency at low
concentrations (.1-.5%). Higher loadings on the order of 2%
can be applied in the removal of water blocks and polymer
damage.
Lab data is shown for the microemulsion in speeding the
cleanup of injected fluids in tight gas cores. Further tests
show that the microemulsion additive results in lower
pressures to displace frac fluids from propped fractures
resulting in lower damage and higher production rates. This
reduced pressure is also evident in pumping operations where
friction is lowered by 10-15% when the microemulsion is
added to gelled fracturing fluids.
Introduction
SPE 86556
SPE 86556
Laboratory Tests
Several laboratory tests were performed to show the
effectiveness of the microemulsion formulation in remediating
damage and promoting well cleanup following stimulation.
Additionally, friction reduction tests have been conducted in
coiled tubing.
Figure
2.
A
Voronoi
bicontinous microemulsion. 3
representation
of
0.045
0.04
From an environmental and personal safety standpoint,
microemulsion systems are naturally occurring, non-synthetic,
non-carcinogenic, non-toxic, non-hazardous (DOT), and
contain no VOCs. They need no special handling permits or
transportation placarding other than a low flash point labels
similar to that used for other ordinary organic solvents. The
mixture itself will not burn. These standards are becoming
more talked about as issues in the upstream oil and gas
industry, but the microemulsion additive systems have
achieved them! These environmental benefits provide the
operator with another level of insulation from RECRA
regulations. These systems provide a myriad of successful
results based on sound and proven scientific principles without
compromising safety, but rather augmenting it!
0.035
0.03
0.025
0.02
0.015
2%KCl+2gpt ME
0.01
0.005
2%KCL
0
0
10
15
TIme (hours)
Figure 3. Gas permeability measured with N2 gas on 1 in
Sandstone cores saturated with 2% KCl and injected with ME.
Fracture Cleanup tests. A series of tests were conducted at an
independent testing laboratory comparing a 35 lb CMHPG +
Zr at 250 F with and without 2 gpt microemulsion. The tests
are run by statically leaking off the gel while closing on a 2
lb/sq ft pack of 20/40 Light Weight Ceramic. 2%KCl is
flowed back through the core and pack to simulate flowing
back the well for 6 hours. Gas is then flowed at simulated
rates of 50 MCFD to 1 MMCFD (Nitrogen gas). This is the
standard test for proppant pack regain.5
SPE 86556
% Regained Perm
250
500
750
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0
10
1000 MCFD
15
20
25
vel(cm/sec)*dens(g/cm3)/visc(cp)
No ME
2gpt ME
42.6
31.5
30.0
27.9
40.4
25.5
1BPM
1.5BPM
20.0
10.0
0.0
w ater
40lb CMHPG
40CMHPG+1gpt
ME
Field Trial A
A coal bed methane (CBM) well in the Four Corners area of
northwestern New Mexico was originally drilled and fracture
stimulated in 1990 and was selected for a field trial using the
miroemulsion technology. This selection occurred as result of
data review which led to a suspicion that the original fracture
stimulation did not clean up properly. This property had gone
through a series of ownership changes and was being
produced at rates of approximately 65 MCFPD and 2 BWPD.
The well was producing from the Fruitland Coal with
perforations at 1172 to 1190, had a porosity of 10%, and was
on a rod pump with 2 3/8 tubing for water removal. The well
was squeeze treated with 30 barrels of 2% calcium chloride
water containing 30 gallons of the Microemulsion and pumped
at 5 barrels per minute. Pump in data was gathered but
nothing of significance was revealed. The well was shut in for
seven days to allow for optimal effects and returned to
production.
The water production increased immediately to 10 barrels per
day and the gas production immediately improved to about 95
MCFPD. The improvements continued until production
reached an average of 155 MCFPD. The fluid recovered
immediately after the Microemulsion treatment was analyzed
and found to contain gel residue believed to be from the
original fracture stimulation and subsequent samples were
found to contain only water. The enhanced production
continued for over a year before data was no longer tracked.
The data gathered after this project and similar projects has
lead to shorter shut in periods, inclusion of the microemulsion
technology into fracture stimulation and additional
remediation treatments with attendant improvements in
production. The sampling and testing of the flow back fluids
has also led to a better understanding of the interfacial
mechanisms occurring between the rock and the fluid.
SPE 86556
10000
1000
100
Remediation Using Microemulsion
10000
10
1000
MCFPM
Ap
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100
BWPM
10
1
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MCFPM
BWPM
Field Trial B
A (second) coal bed methane (CBM) well in the Four Corners
area of northwestern New Mexico was originally drilled and
fracture stimulated in 1991 and was selected for a field trial
using the miroemulsion technology. This selection occurred
as result of data review, and similar to Field Trial A, the well
appeared to have been damaged from the original fracture
stimulation which did not clean up properly. This property
had gone through a series of ownership changes and was being
produced at rates of approximately 35 MCFPD and 2 BWPD.
The well was producing from the Fruitland Coal with
perforations at 1180 to 1198, had a porosity of 10%, and was
on a rod pump with 2 3/8 tubing for water removal. The well
was squeeze treated with 30 barrels of 2% calcium chloride
water containing 30 gallons of the Microemulsion and pumped
at 2 barrels per minute. Pump in data was gathered but
nothing of significance was revealed. The well was shut in for
seven days to allow for optimal effects and returned to
production.
The gas increased immediately to 70 MCFPD while the water
production was unchanged at 2 barrels per day. The
production remained at that level for ten months and fell to 50
MCFPD, whereupon the well was squeeze treated again with
30 barrels of 2% calcium chloride water containing 30 gallons
of the microemulsion. The well was shut in for seven days to
allow for optimal effects and returned to production.
The well responded from the second application with a gas
increase to 75 MCFPD and over the succeeding 60 days
continually improved to 100 MCFPD. The fluid recovered
immediately after the first microemulsion treatment was
analyzed and found to contain some gel residue believed to be
from the original fracture stimulation and subsequent samples
SPE 86556
Csg PSI
MCFPD
8/
22
/2
00
3
BWPD
10
BOPM
Ap
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O
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n01
Tbg PSI
8/
15
/2
00
3
100
8/
8/
20
03
7/
25
/2
00
3
8/
1/
20
03
MCFPM
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
SPE 86556
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank the personnel at CESI Chemical
for their efforts in generating the core data and physical
properties of the microemulsion fluids, especially Todd
Sanner, Frank Kettle, Denise Patterson, Teryl Anderson and
David Philpot. Further thanks are in order to Kathy Abney at
Stim-Lab for the proppant regained conductivity data and to
Matthew Hoffman at Maverick for the friction data. Finally
we acknowledge the help from the many operators who
collected and provided the data following treatments.
References
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