This paper describes laboratory studies and field results of a Zeta Potential Altering System (ZPAS) used in hydraulic fracturing treatments. Laboratory and field results show ZPAS minimizes proppant flow back, controls fines migration, enhances fluid load recovery, and inhibits calcium carbonate scale formation. This system, based on an inner salt, modifies the zeta potential of particles such as frac sand and formation substrate, changing the charge towards neutral values and therefore enhancing particle agglomeration. A variety of oil and gas formations can be treated by incorporating the new chemical additive into stimulation fluids. The chemical additive can be applied on the fly using several fluid systems to deliver the product. It is capable of treating proppants such as white and brown sand as well as ceramic proppants in any mesh size allowing flexibility in treatment design. A multi-well comparison of fractured wells, treated with ZPAS and of offset wells without the chemical, has been made in the Des Moines Granite Wash formation of the Texas Panhandle. In this study, results show wells treated with ZPAS had no significant proppant flowback compared to non-treated wells. In one case, a significant difference in production was observed from the ZPAS treated well compared to the untreated well. IntroductionProppant flowback following hydraulic fracturing treatments has been an issue in several regions for the oil and gas industry 1-3 . Proppant flowback is related to the conditions of the field, formation stresses, and the fracture treatment itself. Stimulating a formation with a hydraulic fracture creates a conductive path from the wellbore by placing proppant into the formation extending the effective wellbore radius. If proppant placed during a fracture treatment flows back, the resulting problems can range from sanding off a submersible pump to erosion damage of down hole and surface equipment. Cleaning up produced sand is an added cost to operations and there is the additional cost due to lost production which can not be recovered until the end of the life of that well. The cost associated with cleaning out the proppant flowback ranges in price depending on the type of clean up required, therefore it is necessary for operators to prevent the flowback of proppant whenever possible. Several different methods have been proposed and evaluated over the years.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.