New Fluid Technology Improves Performance and Provides a Method To TreatHigh-Pressure and Deepwater Wells (2006)

New Fluid Technology Improves Performance and Provides a Method To Treat High-Pressure and Deepwater Wells James B. Crews; James B. Crews Baker Oil Tools Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Tianping Huang; Tianping Huang Pinnacle Technologies Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar William Russell Wood William Russell Wood Baker Oil Tools Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Paper presented at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, San Antonio, Texas, USA, September 2006. Paper Number: SPE-103118-MS https://doi.org/10.2118/103118-MS Published: September 24 2006 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Get Permissions Search Site Citation Crews, James B., Huang, Tianping, and William Russell Wood. "New Fluid Technology Improves Performance and Provides a Method To Treat High-Pressure and Deepwater Wells." Paper presented at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, San Antonio, Texas, USA, September 2006. doi: https://doi.org/10.2118/103118-MS Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex Search nav search search input Search input auto suggest search filter All ContentAll ProceedingsSociety of Petroleum Engineers (SPE)SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition Search Advanced Search AbstractFor a number of years, visco-elastic surfactant (VES) fluids have been used for a variety of stimulation treatment applications, including hydraulic fracturing, acid diverting, and gravel packing. VES fluid systems typically offer higher retained permeability and conductivity of the formation sand and proppant pack than polymeric systems. However, preliminary cost, a 200ºF temperature limit, excessive leak-off, and no internal breaker mechanism for dry gas applications have limited VES use.New VES fluid technology has been developed that substantially improves product performance and cost effectiveness. The temperature range has been extended to 300ºF by using newly developed VES stabilizer technology. The system works with high-density brines up to 14.4 ppg. Internal breakers have been developed that permit controlled viscosity break from ambient to 300ºF. Laboratory tests have determined that an internally broken fluid rapidly achieves >90% returned permeability and conductivity of the formation sand and proppant pack without the presence or need for contacting hydrocarbons. Fluid loss control technology has been developed that reduces VES fluid leak-off similar to wall-building fluids, but without filtercake damage.This paper discusses the development of the new VES system chemistry and its properties. The paper also addresses the merits of a viscous fluid that can work in a variety of base fluids for high-pressure applications such as managing surface treating pressure or for gas hydrate inhibition in deep gas or deepwater environments. Breaker technology discussion addresses the ability to ensure and enhance VES fluid viscosity breaking. Fluid loss control technology effective to at least 2000 md is presented. This paper also presents rheological, return permeability and conductivity, fluid loss control, treating pressure, and financial results.IntroductionVES fluid systems have been used for gravel-pack completions since the mid 1980's and for frac-packs since the mid 1990's 1,2. These fluid systems have been mainly applied to completions requiring treatment fluids that are relatively low-damaging to the reservoir. The viscosity developed by visco-elastic surfactants (VES) is created by the unique arrangement of the surfactants into elongated or worm-like micelle structures 3. A select type and amount of counterion in the mix water is typically required for elongated micelle structures to form and retain their stability. These structures are typically sensitive to counterion concentration and fluid temperature. Type and amount of common counterions used are 4% potassium chloride, 3% ammonium chloride, 1.5% magnesium chloride, and 30 to 70 pptg sodium salicylate. The temperature stability for VES fluids used for frac-packs has increased to about 200ºF. Since the viscosity of VES fluids is due to the arrangement of low molecular weight surfactants and not due to high molecular weight polymers like guar and hydroxypropyl guar, VES fluids are non-wall-building fluids (they do not form a filtercake on the formation face). Therefore, they readily leak into the reservoir matrix. The amount of leak-off is much higher than polymeric systems and is fluid viscosity-dependent. In times past, no internal breaker has been used within VES fluids. That is, no breaker is added to the VES fluid to go wherever the VES fluid goes. Instead, the VES fluid has been considered to break by reservoir conditions. The two primary external conditions have been:contact with reservoir hydrocarbons; andcontact and dilution with reservoir brine 3.However, relying on external or reservoir conditions to break down the leaked-off VES fluid to achieve quick and complete treatment fluid flowback has been a point of contention and is questionable, especially for dry gas reserviors. Internal breaker technology for VES fluids has not existed until recently4. Additionally, conventional counterions that work within a low and narrow concentration range for VES viscosity yield and temperature stability have limited the range in salinity and density of VES fluids to only light brines. Keywords: drilling fluid chemistry, drilling fluid selection and formulation, sand control, drilling fluids and materials, frac and pack, drilling fluid property, proppant, Brine, viscosity, Upstream Oil & Gas Subjects: Pressure Management, Drilling Fluids and Materials, Hydraulic Fracturing, Well control, Drilling fluid selection and formulation (chemistry, properties), Drilling fluid management & disposal, Frac and pack, Fracturing materials (fluids, proppant), Sand Control, Completion Operations This content is only available via PDF. 2006. Society of Petroleum Engineers You can access this article if you purchase or spend a download.