Method for Increasing the Fluid Productivity of a Hydraulically Fractured Well

Abstract

A method for increasing the fluid productivity of a hydraulically fractured well and reducing the production of particulate proppant plugging during production of fluids from a hydraulic fracture in a subterranean formation penetrated from an earth surface by a well by the use of smart memory particles and dissolvable proppant particles in the fracturing fluid.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority, under 35 U.S.C. §119(e), of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 066,272, filed Feb. 19, 2008, incorporated herein by this reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to a method for increasing the fluid productivity of a hydraulically fractured well and reducing the production of particulate proppant during production of fluids from a hydraulic fracture in a subterranean formation penetrated from an earth surface by a well.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]In the production of fluids from subterranean formations, it is found that fracturing the formation in many instances leads to increased productivity from wells penetrating the formation. Fracturing is used to form fractures in formations penetrated by a cased well where perforations are positioned in a zone of interest and thereafter a fracturing fluid is injected at sufficient pressure to cause fractures in the formation which p...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]The present invention comprises a method for reducing the production of particulate proppants and fracture plugging during production of fluids from a hydraulic fracture in a subterranean formation penetrated from an earth surface by a well and increasing the fluid productivity of the well, the method comprising: injecting a fluid comprising material such as shape memory alloy (SMA) proppants and super elastic proppants having an expansion temperature below a temperature of the subterranean formation and dissolvable proppant particulates into the fracture through the well; maintaining the SMA proppant in the fracture for a time sufficient for the SMA proppants to reach at least the expansion temperature; and, producing fluids from the fracture through the well and dissolving at least a major portion of the dissolvable proppant particulates.

Problems solved by technology

Frequently these problems may continue after an initial period.

If particulates are allowed to flow into the wellbore they can fill the wellbore to the level of the fractures resulting in production reduction or loss.

These materials in the produced fluids if produced to the surface may result in shortening the life of production equipment and the like.

The positioning of the smart memory alloy proppants in the fractures as disclosed above may result in retaining proppants and other particulates in the fracture but in so doing may also result in reducing the flow rates through the fracture or blocking the fracture by the accumulation of proppant and fine formation particles at the sieves.