Dilatance technologies

The extraction intensification of hydrocarbons and

redevelopment oil and
gas deposits through use
Ing.
dilatance effect at geological formations

Veritas de terra orta est

DILATANSGEOSERVIS

Eng.. Eduard Costache Dulfu

GENERAL MANAGER

The dilatance technology is a unique generator of both economic and strategic advantages, which, in combination with an efficient
management, can provide a positive effect on the increase of competitiveness for any company in oil and gas industry using this technology.

Company
Name:

DILATANSGEOSERVIS

Head office:

BUCHAREST - ROMANIA

Team:

Oleksandr Ostrovskiy President

Physicist, leading specialist in dilatance,
Academician of Engineering Academy of Ukraine

Eduard Costache Dulfu General Manager

Engineer - Specialist in economic engineering promotion a new
technologies with a high implementation degree with 20 years
experience in leading positions

Evgeny Mukhin Technical Director

Candidate of Technical Sciences, having more than 22-year

experience to research in dilatance phenomenon and apply
the technology

Yuri Voitenko - Head of R&D Department

Doctor of Technical Sciences, having more than 20-year experience to
research in dilatance phenomenon and apply the technology

NECESSITY
It is worth noting that despite the constantly growing of volumes of
production of oil, natural gas and other mineral resources, the production
process is becoming more and more complicated due to emerging technical
difficulties.
It can be explained by both subjective factors (for instance, market situation),
and a number of objective factors exploration of low-yield hard-to-reach
deposits located at large depths, low extraction coefficient, problems of climatic
and ecological nature, technological problems of extraction of problematic
underground fluids, deterioration of well bottom zones, etc.
To all of this, add, the productivity of oil and gas wells in the process of
operation it is constantly in reducing (approximately by 10% annually)

PURPOSE
The technology has the role of intensification of the oil and gas
extraction process using the method of directed change of properties of
geological materials based on the effect of dilatance/decompaction at geological
formations initiated by a non-uniformly distributed impulsive load.
The capabilities of this technology is rather diverse and not limited to
the sphere of oil-and-gas industry: it can be applied for the intensification of
main and auxiliary processes in various branches of industry and construction
like: underground waters; intensification of processes of construction for large
underground storage facilities in rock-salt structures; increasing of damping
capacity for injection wells; increasing of productivity for wells in systems of
underground melting of elemental sulfur; increasing of efficiency for drilling and
explosive operations of rock ripping in opencast mines, profiled destruction for
reinforced concrete structures, degassing of coal measures.
There are proposals of using such technologies for prevention of rock
bursts, instantaneous coal and gas releases, forced rockslides and for other
applications.

HISTORICAL REFERENCE
The technology has been developed by a group of Ukrainian scientists headed by
Academician Doctor AV Mikhalyuk (1934-2012), based on the research performed by the
division of borehole technologies of the Department of geodynamics from the Institute of
geology and geophysics of the National Academy of Sciences from Ukraine and the branch
research and development department of the Ministry of Oil Industry from the USSR on the
economic aspects of using explosive technologies in the process of oil and gas production
and industrial construction.

The first industrial tests of dilatance technologies at well torpedoing began in

1977, however, their wide-scale application began only from 1982.
In 1991 the results of the research of the dilatance technology were declassified.
Dilatance Technology is a technology intensive scientific, the development and
subsequent approvals was lasted for more than 40 years.

THE DILATANCE IN GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS

When a geological formation is subject to a dynamic stress in its mass, non-uniformly distributed,
resulting an effect of dilatance / decompaction that starts to occur only 3...5% of the ultimate stress
value, causing irreversible changes of density, porosity. strength and permeability of the formation.
According to the calculations, in case of dynamic loads of explosive origin, the area of effective
change of properties of formations caused by dilatance processes spreads to a distance 812
times larger than in case of static loads of the same intensity and covers a 1000...2000 times larger
volume. The degree of dilatance/decompaction of formations depends on the value of rock and pore
pressure, which impede the spreading of the dilatance effect

Simple models of dilatance in rock formations

Dilatance/decompaction
of
rock
formations has the nature of increasing
micro- and macro-defects of their
structure as a result of increase of
sliding pads and fracture with non-zero
opening, which can be considered as an
artificial porosity of formation.
It is important to note that unlike the
processes of destruction the increase of
porosity of dilatance nature is rather
even throughout the whole volume of
deformation,
resulting
in
uniform
changing of geological and technical
properties of the formation.

DILATANCE TECHNOLOGY

In fact - the technology is based on a specially prepared and performed explosion effect, that generates a nonuniformly load, distributed in the rock mass, resulting in a dilatation effect, leading to irreversible changes in the
density, porosity, resistance and permeability to the reservoir formations.
The dilatance technology, from the theoretical point a view it is very complex, but simple in the practical application.
Layout of dilatance treatment of the well bottom zone of an oil and gas-producing well.

1 - Pipe casing
2 - Torpedo (three point charges)
3 - Zone of macro destructions
4 - Zone of dilatance decompaction
5 - Producing formation
6 - Internal boundary of zone 4
7 - External boundary of zone 4
8 - Micropore
9 - Compacted bed

in the area near the wellbore, after explosion (calculated and

guided) on the radius of 15m creates a porous network and
stable interconnected micro-cracks forming a enormous "
exposure area" leading to a very high efficiency

Block schematic diagram of the development of oil and gas

well torpedoing technology
Determination of physical,
mechanical, and porous
characteristics based on the
analysis of the core

Determination of amplitude and

time parameters of explosive
waves

Determination of capacity of
the given formation for
dilatance

Calculating the size of the zone of dilatance and

possible increase in porosity and permeability

Selecting the type of

explosives
Determination of macrodeconsolidation of the rock mass

Required increase in
productivity of the well

Selecting the range of

ignition

Calculating quantity of charges and amount

of explosive material in each charge
Selecting the devices to control
deceleration

ASSEMBLING
THE TORPEDO

DYNAMIC DEVICE - TORPEDO

The dilatance effect is caused by an explosion produced by a dynamic device - torpedo.

1. Cable for which the device

is lowered into the well,
contains the power and
conductive elements;
2. Tie devices which are fixed
power
cable
elements
(metallic);
3. Housing apparatus (metal
thickness 0.5 mm);
4. Charges of TNT weighing
up to 5 kg each (set of
standard pieces);
5. Metal element (usually pipe),
which provides clearance
between the simultaneous
detonation
of
charges
eliminates both charges;
6. Standard detonating cord
(is wound on the tube 5),
which
provides
a
predetermined time delay of
the detonation of the
second charge;
7. Weighting (usually cast
iron).

Dynamic device torpedo - components

T
O
R
P
E
D
O
T
Y
P
E
S

EXPERIENCE OF SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL COOPERATION

In 1998-2010 had been performed technical and scientific agreements of
cooperation and Implementation of the dilatance technology:

1998 - 2013
2000 - 2003
2004

2005 - 2010

2007 - 2010

Xian Institute of oil Industry (China)

US Department of Energy (Agreement N2 1588)
Protocol of the Coordination council of the development
of production capacities of the Khanty-Mansiysk
Autonomous Region in the sphere of industrial use of the
dilatance technology (N212-07-2004)
Contract with OJSC "Gazprom"
(Russia, Agreement No. 1325)
Contract with OJSC "Gazpromneft"
(Russia, Agreement No. 19731).

Were performed more than 100 industrial applications, all with positive results

Results of implementation of the dilatance technology

Item

Number of
wells

Location of activities

Well output
Q0
Qf

Qf/Q0

Oil production

{>Nr.<0}

Mamontovskoe deposit (Russia) well 587

20,2

39,4

1,95

Mamontovskoe deposit (Russia) well 612

15,0

52,5

3,5

Mamontovskoe deposit (Russia) well 688

Velyka Lukva deposit (Ukraine)

7,2

40,2

5,58

0,5

2,1

1,5 2,0
4,2

4
5

Jan Cheng deposit (China)

Teapot Dome deposit (USA)

Zcmnt de petrol Mamontovskoye (Rusia) sonda nr. 688

Quest deposit (USA)

Zcmnt de petrol "Velika Lukva" (Ukraina)

Zcmnt de petrol "Yang Chang" (China)

Zcmnt de petrol "Teapot Dome" (SUA)

Zcmnt de petrol "Quest" (SUA)

Zcmnt de petrol "W.R. Knuckles Heirs" (SUA)

Zcmnt de petrol Sukhodolovskoye (Ukraina)

10

Zcmnt de gaze Talalaevskoye (Ukrain)

11

Zcmnt de gaze Sukhodolovskoye (Ukraina)

12

Zcmnt de gaze Urengoyskoye (Rusia)

13
14
15
16

Zcmnt de gaze "Velika Lukva" (Ukraina)

Zcmnt de gaze Yablunovskoye (Ukraina)

17
18
19

Zcmnt de gaze Yamburg (SRL Yamburggasdobycha)

Zcmnt de gaze Yamburg (SRL Yamburggasdobycha)
Zcmnt de gaze "Walling Creek" (SUA)

20

Zcmnt de gaz Talalaevskoye (Ukraina)

21
22

OGPD "Akhtyrkaheftegaz" (Ukraina)

ntreprindere de producie - "Astrakhangazprom" (Rusia)

23

ntreprindere de producie "Granitas" (Lituania)

Zcmnt de petrol Mamontovskoye (Rusia) sonda N587

Zcmnt de petrol Mamonovskoye (Rusia) sonda nr. 612

4
5

Productivitate sonde
Nr. de sonde

PRODUCIE PETROL

W.R. Knuckles Heirs deposit (USA)

Sukhodolovskoe deposit (Ukraine)

10

Priobskoe deposit (Russia) well 13169

3
1

Q0

Qf

Qf

20,2

15,0

1,5

3.24

2,16

7,2

1,9

6.84

3,6

3
1

0,5

1,5

1
1

39,4

Q0

52,5

40,2

2,1

4,1

1,95

3,5

5,58

1,5-2,0
4,2

11.69

2,85

0,78

2,2

2,82

6.2

26.4

4.26

11,4

28,7

4.26

1,7

6,0

4.26

3.24

2,16

1,9

4,1

0,78

1,7

0,1

2,0

20,0

1,8

29,5

16,39

Zcmnt de gaze Chutovskoye (Ukraine)

16

Zcmnt de gaze "Lokachi" (Ukraina)

1
1

3...5

1
1
1

2,1

11

Priobskoe deposit (Russia) well 19593

12

Priobskoe deposit (Russia) well 14897

13

Sukhodolovskoe deposit (Ukraine)

15

Urengoiskoe deposit (Russia)

16

Chutovskoe deposit (Ukraine)

17

PRODUCIA DE GAZE NATURALE

Natural gas production

Talalaevskoe deposit (Ukraine)

14

18
24
25

1
LOCAIE

Lokachi deposit (Ukraine)

ntreprindere comunal Ternopol (Ukraina)

Kiev (Ukraina)

25,0

1,7

82,0

PRODUCIA DE AP SUBTERAN

Yamburg gas and condensate deposit (LLC Yamburggazdobycha)

21

Yamburg gas and condensate deposit (LLC Yamburggazdobycha)

22

Walling Creek deposit (USA)

20

0,25

ntreprindere "Neman" (Byelorussia)

ntreprindere de stat "Astrakhangazprom" (Rusia)

ntreprindere de producie Yavorovskoye "Sera "(Ukraina)

31

PromNllproekt, unitate militar 5703, Zheltiye Vody (Ukraina)

32

Birou de proiectare echipament mecanic

14,71

14,71
2,0

2,0

20,0

1,8

29,5

16,39

16

32,0

2,0

7,0

1,8

14

1,6

3,1

1,4 - 1,8
12,5

5,9
1,9
3,1

2
2

EXTRACIE PRIN DIZOLVARE MINEREU DE URANIU

3,2 6,7
5,0 9,0

82,0

20,5

1,4 1,8

50,0

12,5

0,86

3,44

3...5

TOPIRE SUBTERAN SULF

5

CONSTRUCIA DE DEPOZITE SUBTERANE CUPOLE DE SARE UNDERGROUND STORAGE FACILITIES

30

2,82

0,1

6.51

3,6

2,85

20,5

50,0

20

28
29

25,0

32,0

2
2

Yablunovskoe deposit (Ukraine)

27

2,2

PRODUCIA DE GAZE CONDENSATE

Velyka Lukva deposit (Ukraine)

26

11.69

SONDE DE PRESIUNE

Trustul "Tomskmelioratsiya" (Rusia)

ntreprindere de producie "Turkmenselkhozvodoprovod" (Turkmenistan)

19

6.84

2,1

6,6

5,0

2,8

1,75

5,9

1,9

6.51

3,1

53,0

2.46

27,9

9,0

3,2 6,7
5.0 9,0
1,4 - 3,8

de 2,7 ori cretere a productivitii sondei

23

Droppleman deposit (USA)

24

Richard Querreveld deposit (USA)

7,0

60,0

8,60

25

Asher Land deposit (USA)

14,0

37,0

2,64

26

Thelka Coal deposit (USA)

0,19

0,333

1,75

FORARE DE GURI VERTICALE N FORMAIUNILE ROCIFERE

21,5

de 3...4 ori cretere a vitezei de forare

2,78

Gas condensate production

27

Talalaevskoe deposit (Ukraine)

7,0

Injection wells

28

Oil and gas production dpt. Akhtyrkaneftegaz (Ukraine)

3,2 6,7

29

Production enterprise Astrakhangazprom (Russia)

5,0 9,0

Extraction of underground waters

30

Production enterprise Granitas (Lithuania)

20

0,25

0,86

3,44

31

Trust Tomskmelioratsiya (Russia)

6,6

32

Production enterprise Turkmenselkhozvodoprovod(Turkmenistan)

1,8

5,0

2,78

33

Ternopol PUVKH (Ukraine)

14

1,6

2,8

1,75

34

Kiev (Ukraine)

3,1

27,9

9,0

35

Integrated works Neman (Byelorussia)

3,2 6,7

36

State Enterprise Astrakhangazprom (Russia)

5,0 9,0

1,4 3,8

Construction of underground deposits in salt beds

Undergound smelting of sulfur

37

Yavorovsk Production Enterprise Sera (Ukraine)

Leaching of uranium ores

38

PromNIIproekt, unit 5703, Zheltiye Vody (Ukraine)

Increase of well output by 2,7 times

Drilling of vertical boreholes in rock formations

39

Construction Bureau of mechanical equipment

Increase of drilling speed by 34 times

COMPETING TECHNOLOGIES
For the processes of intensification for extraction of underground fluids it was granted a big
attention from the beginning and has been addressed in several ways like:
1. Control of reservoir pressure (mainly by means of injecting additional fluids into the
reservoir formation);
2. Reduction of fluid viscosity (steam and gas treatment, inter-bedding combustion);
3. Increase of permeability of borehole environment by mechanical, physical, chemical or
combined treatment.
The latter approach has become the most widespread in the sphere of oil and gas production. It includes various
technologies of hydraulic fracturing of formations (stationary and pulse), use of powder pressure generators,
pulse-cyclic (ultrasound, electric discharge, implosive) treatment of well bottom zones, thermal chemical treatment
of formations, acid treatment, use of surface active agents, solvents and paraffin, torpedoing by demolition
torpedoes and many other methods. It is easy to note that all of the aforesaid technologies are aimed at restoring
the mechanical and hydrodynamic properties of well bottom zones, as they allow restore (at least partially) their
operational characteristics in approximate short time and relatively minimal expenses.
It is easy to note that most of the approaches are aimed at creating a system of microscopic cracks with high
conductivity in the well bottom zone. However, as the experience of practical application of these technologies
shows, only the hydraulic fracturing of formations ensure a sufficiently deep treatment of well bottom zone with
significant increase of well productivity.

hydraulic fracture vs dilatance technology

criteria
1. Cost

hydraulic fracture

dilatance technology

Significant increase of treatment cost depending on the

depth of the well (increase of formation pressure):cost of The cost does not depend on the depth
treatment at the depth of 1 km approximately 400 and inclination of the well and it is much
thousand USD, while at 4 km the cost increases up to lower
800 1400 thousand euro.

2. Duration of the positive The duration of positive effect in most of the treated A significant positive effect is usually
effect
wells is up to 3-6 months not exceeding one year
preserved for 2 years and longer

3. Well speed treatment

The duration of the well treatment is limited

to performing the round-trip operation of
Treatment of the wells takes several days or several
running a the dilatance torpedo into the
weeks in the most complicated cases, also offen the
well, with takes not more than one day. No
time for decommissioning of the well is not taken into
required additional engineering tools, only
account
a geophysical lifting device and explosion
testing station LPS-5)

Fundamental nature of unpredictability of the results is

compensated by the use of generalized criteria
(correlation statistical analysis) of well selection for
4. Predictability of the results
determining the degree of intensification of productivity
of treatment
depending on industrial and technological parameters.
The results strongly depend on the rheology of the
fracturing liquid and the hydraulic fracturing mode.

5. Value of the positive effect

The dilatance technology allows predicting

the estimated treatment result at the stage
of preliminary treatment of the well. Based
on the experience of practical application of
the dilatance technology, the approved
treatment never ended with a negative
result.

The average increase of oil wells

The average increase of productivity oil wells is
productivity is 2-3 times, increase of gas
approximately 3.7 times
wells productivity is 3-7 times and more

hydraulic fracture vs dilatance technology

criteria

6. Environmental impact

7. Geological impact

8. Development of new
underground storage

hydraulic fracture

dilatance technology

No kind of polluting chemicals substances are

injected into the underground formations.
After applying dilatance technology is need a
smaller number of wells. Decreases in the
total number of wells, result in a decreased
stress load on the oil and gas field and lower
Require large areas of land allocation.
risk of industrial accidents which may cause
imposition of significant ecological penalties
The volume of rock subjected expansion
phenomenon is totally stable and only
Pumping massive water for hydraulic fracturing can lead to physical and mechanical characteristics are
local deformation of the earth's crust which can lead to the changed.
anthropogenic movement of formations. Most serious The amount of explosives detonated in
consequences are landslides and even seismic activity.
underground (not more than 10kg) is far
below the limit possible initiation of geological
processes

Significant ecological and social expenditures due to

pollution of groundwater canvas, because it is necessity of
utilization of pumped water pressure and hydrocarbonbased fracturing fluids

Not applicable

In the process of development

of new
deposits the number of oil and gas wells can
be significantly reduced, resulting in the
decrease of the initially planned level of
investments,
time
required
for
the
development and the subsequent operational
expenditures.

hydraulic fracture vs dilatance technology

criteria

hydraulic fracture

dilatance technology

9. Increase of the extraction

coefficient

In the majority of treated wells the productivity is higher

compared to the maximum value prior to the hydraulic
fracturing treatment. The degree of increase of productivity
is higher at smaller values of productivity prior to the
hydraulic fracturing

Depending on the type of geological material

in oil or gas deposit, the use of the dilatance
technology results in the increase of the
deposit extraction coefficient by 3...10%

10. Type of the extracted

hydrocarbons

Extraction of methane from coal beds

(Coal Bed Methane) is admitted to be inefficient. The
natural watering is supplemented by the additional large
volume of added water.

The dilatance technology is efficiency for all

types of extracted fluids.
The minimum increase of productivity of
methane wells is up to 1,-2 times.

11. Quality of the extracted

product

Dilatance torpedoing leads to changing of the

phase composition of the extracted fluid. In
the initial period of operation of wells lasting
The natural water content is supplemented by the approximately 1,5 ...2 years, the content of oil
additional volume of added water with chemicals
in the extracted water-oil product is
significantly Increased, in specific periods of
observation the volume of increase is up to
100%

12. Sphere of application

The sphere of application of the hydraulic fracturing method

The sphere of application of the dilatance
covers practically all types of productive formations and
technology is identical
types of wells

ADVANTAGES
Dilatance technology is the most effective technology in the sphere of Intensifying of the underground
fluid extraction and far exceeds all existing technologies as far as effectiveness and duration positive
effect.

Productivity increase:
oil wells
gas wells
water wells

2-5 times
7 times and more;
5 times;

Average duration of the effect

The average duration of the effect of conservation is 3 years, significantly longer compared
the technology of hydraulic fracturing and other intensification technologies.

Low cost of implementation.

The difatance technology is probably the only available technology capable of increasing the

coefficient of extraction of underground fluids from oil and gas deposits by 3-10%. It is especially
useful for exhausted and "freeze" deposits and wells.

The Dilatance technology is the most safe intensification method from ecological point of view,

due to its low environmental impact and absence of any polluting agents. Moreover, the use of
difatance technology allows achieving the estimated production capacity with a reduced number
of operational wells, resulting in lower environmental impact on the exploited deposits.

ADVANTAGES
Uniquely

short term of on-site activities of 1-3 days, after that the well can be operated in
normal production mode.

The

dilatance technology is the only method of intensification of underground fluids

extraction allowing the prediction with +/-10% accuracy of the value of the expected positive
effect after the treatment at the stage of well survey.

Increases oil content of the fluid extract.

Increases

the wells productivity located within a radius of 400 500 m around the well

torpedoed.

As

the rock-volume changes, porosity can increase up to 60% and permeability increases
200% or more, as a result of the micro-fracturing or cracking.

DISADVANTAGES
High dependence on the accuracy of preliminary data provided by the beneficiary;

The need for laborious calculations, simulations, assessments necessary for modeling and
optimization the explosive effect of the torpedo and to ensure a positive result 100% guaranteed.
This time takes about 30 days;
Because the wells have a unique character the module mathematical and laboratory research
must be done separately for each well .

Bucharest Romania
eduard@dilatans.com