CA2148968A1 - Application of microspheres to in situ separation of water and oil - Google Patents

Application of microspheres to in situ separation of water and oil

Info

Publication number
CA2148968A1
CA2148968A1 CA002148968A CA2148968A CA2148968A1 CA 2148968 A1 CA2148968 A1 CA 2148968A1 CA 002148968 A CA002148968 A CA 002148968A CA 2148968 A CA2148968 A CA 2148968A CA 2148968 A1 CA2148968 A1 CA 2148968A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
cement
oil
water
formation
barrier
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA002148968A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
George B. Gleadall
Douglas K. Harms
Jay C. Crooks
Dale Crooks
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to CA002148968A priority Critical patent/CA2148968A1/en
Publication of CA2148968A1 publication Critical patent/CA2148968A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • EFIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21BEARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B33/00Sealing or packing boreholes or wells
    • E21B33/10Sealing or packing boreholes or wells in the borehole
    • E21B33/13Methods or devices for cementing, for plugging holes, crevices or the like
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C04CEMENTS; CONCRETE; ARTIFICIAL STONE; CERAMICS; REFRACTORIES
    • C04BLIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE; CERAMICS; REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE
    • C04B14/00Use of inorganic materials as fillers, e.g. pigments, for mortars, concrete or artificial stone; Treatment of inorganic materials specially adapted to enhance their filling properties in mortars, concrete or artificial stone
    • C04B14/02Granular materials, e.g. microballoons
    • C04B14/04Silica-rich materials; Silicates
    • C04B14/22Glass ; Devitrified glass
    • C04B14/24Glass ; Devitrified glass porous, e.g. foamed glass
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C04CEMENTS; CONCRETE; ARTIFICIAL STONE; CERAMICS; REFRACTORIES
    • C04BLIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE; CERAMICS; REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE
    • C04B18/00Use of agglomerated or waste materials or refuse as fillers for mortars, concrete or artificial stone; Treatment of agglomerated or waste materials or refuse, specially adapted to enhance their filling properties in mortars, concrete or artificial stone
    • C04B18/04Waste materials; Refuse
    • C04B18/06Combustion residues, e.g. purification products of smoke, fumes or exhaust gases
    • C04B18/08Flue dust, i.e. fly ash
    • C04B18/082Cenospheres
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C04CEMENTS; CONCRETE; ARTIFICIAL STONE; CERAMICS; REFRACTORIES
    • C04BLIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE; CERAMICS; REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE
    • C04B20/00Use of materials as fillers for mortars, concrete or artificial stone according to more than one of groups C04B14/00 - C04B18/00 and characterised by shape or grain distribution; Treatment of materials according to more than one of the groups C04B14/00 - C04B18/00 specially adapted to enhance their filling properties in mortars, concrete or artificial stone; Expanding or defibrillating materials
    • C04B20/0016Granular materials, e.g. microballoons
    • C04B20/002Hollow or porous granular materials
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C04CEMENTS; CONCRETE; ARTIFICIAL STONE; CERAMICS; REFRACTORIES
    • C04BLIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE; CERAMICS; REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE
    • C04B28/00Compositions of mortars, concrete or artificial stone, containing inorganic binders or the reaction product of an inorganic and an organic binder, e.g. polycarboxylate cements
    • C04B28/02Compositions of mortars, concrete or artificial stone, containing inorganic binders or the reaction product of an inorganic and an organic binder, e.g. polycarboxylate cements containing hydraulic cements other than calcium sulfates
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C04CEMENTS; CONCRETE; ARTIFICIAL STONE; CERAMICS; REFRACTORIES
    • C04BLIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE; CERAMICS; REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE
    • C04B28/00Compositions of mortars, concrete or artificial stone, containing inorganic binders or the reaction product of an inorganic and an organic binder, e.g. polycarboxylate cements
    • C04B28/02Compositions of mortars, concrete or artificial stone, containing inorganic binders or the reaction product of an inorganic and an organic binder, e.g. polycarboxylate cements containing hydraulic cements other than calcium sulfates
    • C04B28/04Portland cements
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C09DYES; PAINTS; POLISHES; NATURAL RESINS; ADHESIVES; COMPOSITIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • C09KMATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
    • C09K8/00Compositions for drilling of boreholes or wells; Compositions for treating boreholes or wells, e.g. for completion or for remedial operations
    • C09K8/42Compositions for cementing, e.g. for cementing casings into boreholes; Compositions for plugging, e.g. for killing wells
    • C09K8/46Compositions for cementing, e.g. for cementing casings into boreholes; Compositions for plugging, e.g. for killing wells containing inorganic binders, e.g. Portland cement
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C09DYES; PAINTS; POLISHES; NATURAL RESINS; ADHESIVES; COMPOSITIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • C09KMATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
    • C09K8/00Compositions for drilling of boreholes or wells; Compositions for treating boreholes or wells, e.g. for completion or for remedial operations
    • C09K8/42Compositions for cementing, e.g. for cementing casings into boreholes; Compositions for plugging, e.g. for killing wells
    • C09K8/46Compositions for cementing, e.g. for cementing casings into boreholes; Compositions for plugging, e.g. for killing wells containing inorganic binders, e.g. Portland cement
    • C09K8/467Compositions for cementing, e.g. for cementing casings into boreholes; Compositions for plugging, e.g. for killing wells containing inorganic binders, e.g. Portland cement containing additives for specific purposes
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C09DYES; PAINTS; POLISHES; NATURAL RESINS; ADHESIVES; COMPOSITIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • C09KMATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
    • C09K8/00Compositions for drilling of boreholes or wells; Compositions for treating boreholes or wells, e.g. for completion or for remedial operations
    • C09K8/42Compositions for cementing, e.g. for cementing casings into boreholes; Compositions for plugging, e.g. for killing wells
    • C09K8/46Compositions for cementing, e.g. for cementing casings into boreholes; Compositions for plugging, e.g. for killing wells containing inorganic binders, e.g. Portland cement
    • C09K8/467Compositions for cementing, e.g. for cementing casings into boreholes; Compositions for plugging, e.g. for killing wells containing inorganic binders, e.g. Portland cement containing additives for specific purposes
    • C09K8/473Density reducing additives, e.g. for obtaining foamed cement compositions
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C04CEMENTS; CONCRETE; ARTIFICIAL STONE; CERAMICS; REFRACTORIES
    • C04BLIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE; CERAMICS; REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE
    • C04B2103/00Function or property of ingredients for mortars, concrete or artificial stone
    • C04B2103/46Water-loss or fluid-loss reducers, hygroscopic or hydrophilic agents, water retention agents

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Ceramic Engineering (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Geology (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
  • Soil Conditioners And Soil-Stabilizing Materials (AREA)
  • Consolidation Of Soil By Introduction Of Solidifying Substances Into Soil (AREA)
  • Revetment (AREA)

Abstract

To combat the problem of water infiltration into an oil reservoir, a technique of injecting a fluid into the reservoir to cause separation between the oil and water is now available. This fluid will have a specific gravity matched to the conditions of the reservoir so as to float on the water and sink in the oil. In this way, it can be assured that the fluid will form a separation barrier between the water and oil.

This invention contains two procedures, one to create a hard barrier and the other to create a soft barrier.

Once the barrier is in place, it is possible to resume profitable production of the well yet again.

Description

~ / L/ g C~

DETAILED DESCRIPTION:

The eventual demise of an oil reservoir is the limit at which the oil/water coming out from the well is uneconomlcal to separate. This point is known as the Water Cut Off Limit (WCO%) as a perce~lt of total flow from the well.

The problem is the intrusion of the ground water into the oil reservoir leaving it to mix with the oil. The problem is compounded by the natural welling process known as Coning. These two problems give rise to a shortened life of the well due to water infiltration into the reservoir.

Techniques to separate the oil from the water once it has arrived on surface are presently utilized to allow the companies to raise the WCO%, but this is more of a "band aid" solution to the problem.

The ultimate solution to the problem is the separation of the two fluids while still in the hole and the spending the energy to only pump the revenue generating 21~8968 oil from the reservoir.

There have been two techniques invented to cause this in situ separation. The hard barrier consist of ultra light density cement created through the addition of low density microspheres that meet the required strength criteria. The concept behind the hard barrier is to form a impermeable boundary between the oil and water. This happens in the water/oil interface zone. Through the creation of the barrier, the underlying water must then travel around the ends of the hard barrier and then travel to the pump. This additional time required will afford the company the time to make a recovery that would be higher than would otherwise be possible with the traditional technique.

Simply stated, for this process to be economically viable, the revenue gained from the additional oil must exceed the cost of the ultra light density cement that was pumped into the hole to create the hard barrier.

Since water in the reservoirs have specific gravities in the range of 1.0 to 1.1 and oil ranges from 0.8 to 0.85, there is a window of opportunity to inject cement with a density of 0.85 to 1Ø Through the addition of microspheres, it is extremely easy to control the exact density so as to guarantee the correct barrier creation and location.

Once the correct density is created, it can then be pumped into location with pressures that will not damage the formation or the integrity of the microspheres.
Once the cement is set, the well may be operated normally but for a longer period due to the reduction of the water penetration.

The additives used in the application are the LBG. Ltd Additives Series. These microspheres meet certain conditions required by the oil industry and thus make most practical use.

The addition of the LBG Additives HS60 and LD38 proved to ~e the most effective in ~ 21 18968 controlling the density and ultimate pumping pressures. The cement used was right angle set industrial oil cement.

Once mixed, the cement is pumped into the reservoir and allowed to settle and set. The setting time should be far greater than the set time since one must allow the cement time to migrate to the correct location with in the reservoir.

Once the cement is set, production can begin on the well. The cement need not have high strength characteristics since most of its strength will come from the bond with the surrounding formation. This mi niml7m strength is determined from the characteristics of the formation's rock, the pressures at depth and the density target range for the cement.

The largest single limiting factor found was the porosity and opening size of the formation. The larger the porosity the better the penetration of the cement in terms of speed of displacement and settling. As the porosity is reduced, the performance of the system becomes hampered. An important factor in the determination of the correct LBG Ltd. Additive series is the size range of the particles. These must be smaller than the porosity so as to allow the microspheres entrance into the reservoir. With the reduced porosity, it is harder for the cement to form the barrier away from the well. As the porosity is reduced, the time allowed for cement barrier to take must also be increased. From experience, this extra time comes from a trade off between the cost of waiting and a higher recovery of oil from the reservoir.

Tests have been carried out to show the strengths of ultra light density cements.
From these tests it is known that the cement will provide adequate strength to the formation so as to form a separation barrier between the oil and water.

A test cement was created having a density of 0.92 g/cc which had strengths of 2.5 Mæa in 24 hours. This cement did float in water. In this test, the LBG LD38 additive was used in a 50:50 cement to additive miy~ure. Further reductions are possible, but the need for them are case to case The process can then be repeated once the well has water out again. Given an appropriate settling time, the injection of more cement will allow the recovery of even more oil with in the reservoir. This repetition can be repeated until such time as the returns are less than the expenses.

Claims (4)

1) Through the addition of light weight microspheres, those supplied by LBG Ltd. allow for the reduction of cement densities the point where is may float on water and sink in oil. This typically is in the range of 0.8 to 1.1 g/cc.
2) Through high pressure injection, the cement can be forced into the formation and allowed to settle out into the correct position. From here, once set up, the cement will form a hard barrier that will severely retard the initial Coning that occurs in a well. This will afford the company to pump more oil than would otherwise have been attainable.
3) The majority of the strength of the cement will come from the interaction of the cement with the formation and as such the only real strength required is the strength required to bond the cement to the formation.
4) Selection of the additive series must include several factors, such as density, working pressure, chemical inertness and particle size.
These four factors together will ensure the correct cement being injected into the formation.
CA002148968A 1995-05-09 1995-05-09 Application of microspheres to in situ separation of water and oil Abandoned CA2148968A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA002148968A CA2148968A1 (en) 1995-05-09 1995-05-09 Application of microspheres to in situ separation of water and oil

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA002148968A CA2148968A1 (en) 1995-05-09 1995-05-09 Application of microspheres to in situ separation of water and oil

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2148968A1 true CA2148968A1 (en) 1996-11-10

Family

ID=4155808

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA002148968A Abandoned CA2148968A1 (en) 1995-05-09 1995-05-09 Application of microspheres to in situ separation of water and oil

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA2148968A1 (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2020248310A1 (en) * 2019-06-14 2020-12-17 西南石油大学 Polymer monodisperse nano-microsphere for deep profile control, and preparation method for polymer monodisperse nano-microsphere

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2020248310A1 (en) * 2019-06-14 2020-12-17 西南石油大学 Polymer monodisperse nano-microsphere for deep profile control, and preparation method for polymer monodisperse nano-microsphere
US11225597B2 (en) 2019-06-14 2022-01-18 Southwest Petroleum University Polymer-monodispersed nano-microspheres for deep profile control and flooding, and preparation method thereof

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
FZDE Discontinued