US20140166293A1 - Method for extending a network of existing fractures - Google Patents

Method for extending a network of existing fractures Download PDF

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Publication number
US20140166293A1
US20140166293A1 US14/236,013 US201214236013A US2014166293A1 US 20140166293 A1 US20140166293 A1 US 20140166293A1 US 201214236013 A US201214236013 A US 201214236013A US 2014166293 A1 US2014166293 A1 US 2014166293A1
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fluid
volume
pressure
confined
pressurized
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Abandoned
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US14/236,013
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English (en)
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Jean-François Leon
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TotalEnergies SE
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Total SE
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Priority to US14/236,013 priority Critical patent/US20140166293A1/en
Assigned to TOTAL SA reassignment TOTAL SA ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: LEON, JEAN-FRANCOIS
Publication of US20140166293A1 publication Critical patent/US20140166293A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
    • E21B43/25—Methods for stimulating production
    • E21B43/26—Methods for stimulating production by forming crevices or fractures

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to method for fracturing of rocks in geological formations.
  • Reservoirs are typically porous sandstones, lime stones or dolomite rocks, but also include “unconventional reservoirs” such as shale rock or coal beds.
  • Rock fracturing enables the production of natural gas and oil from rock formations deep below the earth's surface (generally, deeper than 1,000 m).
  • the “pulse” techniques do not allow an accurate control of the created fractures and the extent of the created fractures is limited by the energy contained in the pulse used. Even in case of a plurality of pulses, the small energy of each pulse limits the ability to create long fractures.
  • the “hydraulics fracturing” techniques need important pumping means at the surface to increase and maintain for several hours the pressure in the borehole so that the pressure exceeds the pressure of the failure of the rock. Moreover, the control of the pressure may be difficult in such techniques. Finally, the use of proppant (including a lot of chemical additives) is considered as polluting. The use of proppant also induces a number of constraints such as a control of a constant flux pump rate (flow velocity), of the pH of the carrier fluid and of various other rheological factors. For instance, the use of industrial water is, in practice, mandatory to validate these constraints.
  • the invention relates to a method for extending a network of existing fractures in a subterranean formation, comprising:
  • the release of second fluid exerts pressures in the existing fractures exceeding a fracturing threshold of the subterranean formation.
  • the first and second fluid can be the same fluid. They may also be different fluids with specific characteristics (such as density, viscosity, etc.).
  • the compressible fluid typically is a gas such as nitrogen.
  • the release of the second fluid creates a pulse: a wave of excessive pressure/compression propagates in the fluids contained in the confined volume and then exerts pressure on the existing fractures.
  • the pumping equipment at the surface may be smaller than the pumping equipment for standard hydraulic fracturing as an intermediate volume acts as a buffer and may accumulate the forces/pressures and release them in a fraction of a second.
  • the fracturing method may enable the extension of a multidirectional fracture network from an existing initial fracture network. This extension may be done in such a way that the curvature radius of fractures reorientation toward the preferential fracture plane can be controlled.
  • the method may provide pulses with large energy.
  • the release may also be controlled by parameters in a group of comprising at least:
  • each pulse may be adapted to fracture all fractures connected with the wellbore.
  • the maximum pressure and the duration/rise time of each pulse may be set so that the fracturing direction for each pulse remains as close as possible to the existing fracture orientation.
  • time between two consecutive releases may be adjusted so that fractures do not close back.
  • reorientation toward the preferential fracture plane may occur. It may be controlled by the amplitude and rise time of the pressure pulses, as well as the subsequent quick falloff at the end of each pulse. This control can be further enhanced by the use of high viscosity fluid.
  • the proposed method is less polluting than the standard hydraulic fracturing.
  • the method may further comprise:
  • the confined pressure may be the pressure of the pressurized volume or any pressure below the pressure of the pressurized volume.
  • the extraction may be realized through a pumping process.
  • the third fluid may be either the first fluid or the second fluid or a different fluid from the first and second fluids.
  • the confined pressure may be below the predetermined pressure.
  • the steps (i.e. /a/ and /b/ or /a/, /b/ and /c/) of the method may be executed a plurality of times.
  • the repetition may induce an incremental effect with better results than a single powerful pulse.
  • the first fluid and second fluid may be a same fluid.
  • the second fluid may have a higher viscosity than a viscosity of the first fluid.
  • Viscosity is a physical measure of the resistance of a fluid which is being deformed by, for instance, shear stress or tensile stress.
  • This difference in the fluid viscosity may facilitate the control of the fracturing.
  • the high viscosity fluid (the second fluid) may be pushed by a less viscous fluid (the first fluid).
  • the first fluid may be less viscous, it may be easy to pump it from the surface into the borehole and may minimize the energy dissipation during the pumping phase.
  • the efficiency of the fracturing may be improved as the fluid may maintain the fracture open during a long time.
  • the second fluid may have a higher density than a density of the first fluid. Moreover the duration of a pulse is adapted to mitigate fingering instability formed at an interface between the first fluid and second fluid.
  • a fingering instability may be also known as Rayleigh-Taylor instability. It is an instability of an interface between two fluids of different densities, which occurs when the lighter fluid is pushing the heavier fluid.
  • solid particles may be added with the first fluid or the second fluid.
  • These solid particles may help the fractures to remain open after the pulse.
  • the predetermined pressure may be below the fracturing threshold.
  • the pressure in the pressurized volume may be reduced and pumping means at the surface may be downsized.
  • the invention also relates to a device for extending existing fractures comprising:
  • the device may further comprise:
  • FIG. 1 a is a schematic overview of a borehole comprising a device for extending existing fractures in a specific embodiment
  • FIG. 1 b shows an example of a pumping step of the invention according to a given embodiment
  • FIG. 1 c shows an example of an extracting step of the invention according to a given embodiment
  • FIG. 1 d shows an example of a releasing step of the invention according to a given embodiment
  • FIGS. 2 a to 2 d details the principle of fingering instability
  • FIG. 3 is a second schematic overview of a borehole comprising a device for extending existing fractures in another specific embodiment.
  • FIG. 1 a is a schematic overview of a borehole comprising a device for extending existing fractures in a specific embodiment
  • FIG. 1 a a borehole has been drilled in a subterranean formation 100 .
  • Fractures 101 exist in this subterranean formation.
  • a casing 102 has been installed and is connected to the fracture 101 , for instance, thru perforations (not represented). Perforations are made for instance with explosives to blast holes in the casing and cement sheet
  • a first volume 111 referenced as the pressurized volume, is defined by a cylinder delimited with the side of the casing 102 , a first plug/disk 103 installed inside the casing (this first plug/disk 103 may be in the wellhead at the very top of the well or an additional plug in the wellbore) and an upper packer 104 .
  • a second volume 112 referenced as the confined volume is defined by a cylinder delimited with the side of the casing 102 , the upper packer 104 and bridge plug 105 similar to a lower packer.
  • a first tubing 106 is installed in the casing 102 , passes through the first plug 103 and has an end in the pressurized volume 111 .
  • This first tubing may be used to inject a fluid into the pressurized volume 111 .
  • pumping equipment may be installed at the surface near the borehole.
  • a valve 107 is installed in the tubing 106 and may be commanded from the surface or by automatic means to avoid any flowing of fluid back in the tubing.
  • a second tubing 108 is also inserted in the casing 102 to allow communication of fluids between the pressurized volume 111 and the confined volume 112 .
  • the second tubing and the first tubing may be part of the same tubing.
  • the second tubing may be mechanically connected to the first tubing so that the removal of the first tubing implies the removal of the second tubing.
  • This second tubing may be used to release a fluid from the pressurized volume 111 into the confined volume 112 .
  • a valve 109 is installed in the second tubing 108 and may be commanded from the surface or by automatic means to avoid any flowing of fluid back in the tubing.
  • a third tubing 110 is also inserted in the casing 102 to allow communication of fluid between the confined volume 112 and the surface.
  • This third tubing may be used to extract a fluid from the confined volume 112 in order to reduce the pressure in this volume 112 .
  • a valve 113 is installed in the third tubing 110 and may be commanded from the surface or by automatic means to avoid any flowing of fluid back in the tubing.
  • This third tubing and the extraction step is, most of the time, optional.
  • FIG. 1 b shows an example of a pumping step of the invention according to a given embodiment.
  • valve 107 is opened while the others valves are closed (i.e. 109 and 113 ). Then, pumping equipment at the surface of the borehole injects a fluid 114 into the pressurized volume 111 .
  • This injection increases the volume of fluids in the pressurized volume and then compresses compressible fluid 115 (above the first fluid 114 ) in this volume 111 .
  • the compressible fluid 115 may be gas (air, nitrogen or other gas). Therefore the pressure in the pressurized volume increases.
  • the pressurized volume may also contain, prior to the pumping step, a viscous fluid 116 (represented below the injected fluid in the FIG. 1 b ) which is more viscous than the injected fluid 114 . It stays at the bottom of the pressurized volume 111 as its density is higher than the density of the injected fluid 114 .
  • the confined volume may also be filled, prior to the pumping step, with the viscous fluid 116 .
  • An additional tubing (not represented in this figure) may be used to inject the viscous fluid 116 in one of the volumes ( 111 , 112 ) if the viscous fluid 116 is depleted.
  • the viscous fluid 116 may be replaced with a “normal” fluid such as the injected fluid 114 .
  • FIG. 1 c shows an example of an extracting step of the invention according to a given embodiment. This step may be optional.
  • valve 113 is opened while the others valves are closed (i.e. 109 and 107 ). This step aims at reducing the pressure of the confined volume 112 prior to the release step.
  • valve 113 it is possible to open the valve 113 : if the pressure in the confined volume 112 is higher than the hydrostatic pressure of the fluid 116 in the tubing 110 , a portion of the viscous fluid 116 is extracted through this tubing 110 in the surface direction.
  • valve 113 it is possible to open the valve 113 and to ease the extraction with pumping means at the surface.
  • the pumping means may create a depression in the tubing 110 and then extract a portion of the fluid 116 in the confined volume.
  • FIG. 1 d shows an example of a releasing step of the invention according to a given embodiment.
  • valve 109 is opened while the others valves are closed (i.e. 113 and 107 ).
  • a viscous fluid 116 is released from the pressurized volume into the confined volume.
  • the valve 109 may be fully opened in fractions of second, a wave of excessive-pressure is transmitted in the fluid of the confined volume and then transmitted to the existing fractures 101 of the subterranean formation 100 .
  • These pulses exceed the fracturing pressure (or fracturing threshold) of the rock and further propagates existing fractures in the formation.
  • the interface between the viscous fluid and the injected fluid is, in this embodiment, in the pressurized volume. Nevertheless, it is possible to set this interface in the confined volume. In such situation, the release fluid is the normal fluid and not the viscous fluid as described above.
  • FIGS. 2 a to 2 d details the principle of fingering instability.
  • the fingering instability is also known as the Rayleigh-Taylor instability, or RT instability. This instability is an instability of an interface between two fluids of different densities, which occurs when the lighter fluid is pushing the heavier fluid.
  • FIG. 2 a details an interface between two fluids 201 and 202 , the fluid 201 being lighter fluid and the fluid 202 being the heavier fluid.
  • the interface between these two fluids is plane and no force is applied on the fluid 201 to push the fluid 202 .
  • FIG. 3 is a second schematic overview of a borehole comprising a device for extending existing fractures in another specific embodiment.
  • This embodiment does not provide any tubing for extracting fluid from the confined volume 112 .
  • a borehole has been drilled in a subterranean formation 100 .
  • Fractures 101 exist in this subterranean formation.
  • a casing 102 has been installed and is connected to the fracture 101 , for instance, thru perforations (not represented) in order to ease the fracturing process.
  • a first volume 111 referenced as the pressurized volume, is defined by a cylinder delimited with the side of the casing 102 , a plug/disk 103 installed inside the casing (this first plug/disk 103 may be the wellhead at the very top of the well or an additional plug in wellbore) and an upper packer 104 .
  • a second volume 112 referenced as the confined volume is defined by a cylinder delimited with the side of the casing 102 , the upper packer 104 and bridge plug 105 similar to a lower packer.
  • a tubing 301 is installed in the casing 102 , has an end in the confined volume 112 .
  • This tubing 301 has been pre-perforated in a section 300 inside the pressurized volume 111 adapted to let the fluid inside the tubing flowing in the pressurized volume (and vice-et-versa).
  • This tubing may be used to inject a fluid into the pressurized volume 111 or in the confined volume 112 .
  • pumping equipment may be installed at the surface near the borehole.
  • a valve 107 is installed in the tubing 301 , above the perforated section 300 and may be commanded from the surface or by automatic means to avoid any flowing of fluid back in the tubing.
  • the lower end of the tubing 301 also allows communication of fluids between the pressurized volume 111 and the confined volume 112 .
  • the lower end of the tubing 106 may be used to release a fluid from the pressurized volume 111 into the confined volume 112 .
  • a valve 109 is installed in the lower end of the tubing 301 and may be commanded from the surface or by automatic means to avoid any flowing of fluid back in the tubing.
  • the valve 109 is closed and the valve 107 is opened so that the fluid passes through the perforations of the perforated section 300 from the tubing 301 into the pressurized zone.
  • the valve 107 is closed and the valve 109 is opened so that the fluid passes through the perforations of the perforated section 300 from the pressurized volume into the confined volume.
  • the device of the invention has been described with three distinct tubings but other embodiment is possible.
  • a similar device may be realized with one single tubing and a plurality of valves:
  • the pumping step may be realized when the first and third valves are opened and the second valve is closed.
  • the extraction step may be realized when the first and second valves are opened and the third valve is closed.
  • the releasing step may be realized when the third and second valves are opened and the first valve is closed.

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  • Geology (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
  • Consolidation Of Soil By Introduction Of Solidifying Substances Into Soil (AREA)
  • Processing Of Solid Wastes (AREA)
  • Fats And Perfumes (AREA)
  • Drilling And Exploitation, And Mining Machines And Methods (AREA)
US14/236,013 2011-08-04 2012-07-26 Method for extending a network of existing fractures Abandoned US20140166293A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US14/236,013 US20140166293A1 (en) 2011-08-04 2012-07-26 Method for extending a network of existing fractures

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US201161515058P 2011-08-04 2011-08-04
PCT/EP2012/064720 WO2013017529A2 (fr) 2011-08-04 2012-07-26 Procédé d'extension d'un réseau de fractures existantes
US14/236,013 US20140166293A1 (en) 2011-08-04 2012-07-26 Method for extending a network of existing fractures

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US20140166293A1 true US20140166293A1 (en) 2014-06-19

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US14/236,013 Abandoned US20140166293A1 (en) 2011-08-04 2012-07-26 Method for extending a network of existing fractures

Country Status (7)

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US (1) US20140166293A1 (fr)
EP (1) EP2739820A2 (fr)
CN (1) CN103797213A (fr)
AU (1) AU2012292170A1 (fr)
CA (1) CA2843786A1 (fr)
RU (1) RU2014108143A (fr)
WO (1) WO2013017529A2 (fr)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
AU2014248433B2 (en) * 2013-04-05 2017-11-30 Baker Hughes, A Ge Company, Llc Method of increasing fracture network complexity and conductivity
CN106593528B (zh) * 2017-01-22 2019-03-05 成都理工大学 隧洞大变形的气压致裂高应力阻断方法

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2716454A (en) * 1952-04-18 1955-08-30 Exxon Research Engineering Co Fracturing formations selectively
US5411098A (en) * 1993-11-09 1995-05-02 Atlantic Richfield Company Method of stimulating gas-producing wells
US5617921A (en) * 1995-09-29 1997-04-08 Atlantic Richfield Company Over-pressured well fracturing with surface reservoir and actuator system

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5271465A (en) * 1992-04-27 1993-12-21 Atlantic Richfield Company Over-pressured well fracturing method
RU2418158C2 (ru) * 2006-02-16 2011-05-10 ШЕВРОН Ю. Эс. Эй. ИНК. Способ извлечения керобитумов из подземной сланцевой формации и способ разрыва подземной сланцевой формации

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2716454A (en) * 1952-04-18 1955-08-30 Exxon Research Engineering Co Fracturing formations selectively
US5411098A (en) * 1993-11-09 1995-05-02 Atlantic Richfield Company Method of stimulating gas-producing wells
US5617921A (en) * 1995-09-29 1997-04-08 Atlantic Richfield Company Over-pressured well fracturing with surface reservoir and actuator system

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WO2013017529A9 (fr) 2013-05-16
CA2843786A1 (fr) 2013-02-07
WO2013017529A3 (fr) 2013-07-04
CN103797213A (zh) 2014-05-14
EP2739820A2 (fr) 2014-06-11
AU2012292170A1 (en) 2014-02-20
RU2014108143A (ru) 2015-09-10
WO2013017529A2 (fr) 2013-02-07

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Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:LEON, JEAN-FRANCOIS;REEL/FRAME:032332/0044

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