The modification of electrical and mechanical properties of a low-density polyethylene (LDPE) filled with copper particles, having an average diameter of 40 μηι, has been analyzed. A drastic decrease of the electrical resistivity of the composites is observed, about 14 orders of magnitude when 40 volume percent of copper is added. The mechanical properties of the composites are poor. Accelerated thermal tests were carried out and they did not reveal significant polymer thermal degradation in the presence of the copper particles. Melt mixing is by far superior to diy blending for sample preparation due to a much better homogenization of particles within the polymer matrix. An on-going work focuses on improvement of the mechanical properties by using coupling agents.
The development activities of CABGOC Block 0 pose various challenges to completion design. Multiple types of reservoirs are encountered, while it is also critical ensuring field development remains economic. Completion standardization has been an important tool to maximize operational efficiency and reduce costs of installation. Nonetheless, given the variety of reservoir types found in the area of operation, few completion types are required to solve most of the cases. Despite of having successfully implemented completion standards in several types of reservoirs, there was a gap on the type of completion to efficiently drain multilayered fine particle reservoirs with sanding tendencies. These field characteristics make standard completion techniques difficult to deploy, therefore a novel conformable sand screen solution was selected for a field trial. This paper describes the plan, preparation, execution, and the results of the conformable sand screen deployment in CABGOC's N'Singa field. Furthermore, it demonstrates how effective the conformable sand control technology can be established for a multi zone open hole type of reservoir. Integral zonal isolation and flow control of various zones provided flexibility in production management for a four well campaign. The Shape Memory Polymer (SMP) conformable sand screen technology was key to produce sand free from the fine particle sands in this marginal field in Cabinda Province offshore Angola. Unlike the conventional sand control technique, the conformable sand management system selected for this field trial leverages a unique SMP material that expands downhole in the presence of an activation fluid and conforms to the borehole wall. Compatibility and expansion tests were conducted in the planning stage to validate screen conformance with selected completion fluids. Tests were also used to define deployment procedures and optimal fluids management practices for the completion operation. Installation was successful on all four wells as per plan. All equipment and fluids were managed and operated efficiently with flawless execution. The wells were brought to production and the results confirmed the effectiveness of the technology in terms of sand retention, and completion efficiency during production. The project was concluded with significant reduction in rig time, personnel requirement, fluid management, and pumping operations. This allowed for selective production of reservoir that would not have been possible with standard techniques. Additionally, the obtained results facilitated the decision to implement conformable sand screens as standard completion design for other fields in the reservoir with similar challenges as those observed in N'Singa.
Degradable polymeric balls are becoming popular in well completions especially for hydraulic fracturing applications. Commercial degradable polymeric frac balls, however, are not suitable for high-temperature plug-and-perf applications due to the low glass transition (Tg) temperature of the base polymer. At the application temperature above Tg these commercial degradable polymeric frac balls become too soft and their mechanical integrity is compromised. This paper describes the application of a new degradable polymer composite frac ball made from a thermosetting polymer with (Tg) >500°F for use in hydraulic fracturing applications. This degradable polymer composite is good for a temperature envelope of 200°F to 350°F and differential pressures up to 10,000 psi for fracturing applications. Multiple Pressure and impact tests were performed on the frac balls made from this material to demonstrate that the material had mechanical properties that would withstand the application requirements. Differential pressure tests were conducted on two types of ball seats at different temperatures. Frac balls were tested for plug-and-perf application on ball seats with a conical engagement.
An innovative sand control technology is being developed that has the capability to totally conform to the wellbore and apply a positive stress on the formation face. This positive stress helps stabilize the formation, thereby preventing formation resorting. It is a shape memory polymer with the capability to change geometric shapes by heating above the glass transition temperature (Tg) or by chemically shifting its Tg. This shape memory polymeric material is molded to an initial geometric shape. The material is then heated and compacted to a smaller volume for run-in hole (RIH) geometry. As any shape memory polymer, it can recover its original shape if heated close to its Tg, or by chemically shifting its Tg to a new lower temperature that of its original Tg. This paper will present the results of additives added to completion fluids, giving the final fluid composition the ability to activate the polymer to its original shape, and simultaneously clean up the filter cake left by the drilling fluid before the polymer reaches the wellbore. The additives are delayed so the filter cake retains fluid loss properties during activation, but breaks shortly after the polymer reaches the gauge-hole there by allowing for production at maximum flow rates.
Commercially available polymeric frac balls and other downhole tools made with polyglycolic acid (PGA), a thermoplastic, have severe application limitations owing to their low Tg of approximately 104°F as well as high cost. A thermoset polymer composite made from cyanate ester resin has been developed that exhibits hot-water degradability as well as excellent mechanical properties. This polymer composite demonstrates excellent potential for use in structural components of downhole tools for intervention-less operations. A degradable composite with cyanate ester resin with a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 536°F was prepared by adding inorganic fillers and glass fibers. A new process was developed to prepare a bulk molding compound from this composite that enabled fabrication of parts via compression molding. Molded parts were tested for their mechanical properties and for their degradability in water and brines. The composite with one quarter inch chopped glass fiber has a compressive strength of 41.88 ksi, tensile strength of 15.83 ksi, tensile modulus of 3.62 Msi and an elongation-at-break of 0.48%. Composite degradation occurs at 200°F and above, with a higher rate of degradation observed as the temperature increases.
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