Patent ID: 7798222
Filing Date: 2010-09-21
Classification: E21B

Abstract:
1. A method of treating an unconsolidated zone proximate to a wellbore that is at least 500 feet below ground level so that at least a portion of the unconsolidated zone is converted to a consolidated zone having sufficient porosity to allow subterranean fluids to flow therethrough, wherein the method comprising: (a) flowing a well treatment medium downwardly through a wellbore to a desired depth of at least 500 feet below ground level, wherein the well treatment medium comprises a bonding agent wherein the bonding agent accounts for at least about ten percent of the total weight of the well treatment fluid and the well treatment medium further comprises an expandable fluid wherein the expandable fluid accounts for at least about ten percent of the total weight of the well treatment fluid, wherein the expandable fluid has a first density at the desired depth; (b) expanding the expandable fluid to a second density at the desired depth, wherein the second density is at least about 10 percent less than said first density; and wherein the expanding of expandable fluid converts at least a portion of the expandable fluid from a liquid and/or supercritical state to a gaseous state; and (c) curing the bonding agent wherein the expandable fluid is allowed to move through the unconsolidated zone creating flow passages through the unconsolidated zone that remain after the bonding agent has hardened and the expandable fluid has departed from the unconsolidated zone and the unconsolidated zone has been converted to a consolidated zone.