Optimization of a Visco-Elastic Surfactant (VES) Fracturing Fluid for 
Application in High-Permeability Formations

Sullivan, Philip; Gadiyar, Bala; Morales, Raúl G. E.; Holicek, Robert; Sorrells, Danny; Lee, Vivian; Fischer, D. A.

doi:10.2523/98338-ms

Cited by 14 publications

(10 citation statements)

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“…The base fluid is 4% bv VES with 13.0 ppg CaCl 2 /CaBr 2 brine and 1 gptg internal breaker. If the leak-off tests were under the same testing conditions as in SPE 98338, which 12 inch long cores, lower temperature and higher VES concentrations were applied 11 , the leak-off coefficients in Figure 5 would be much lower.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fluid-Loss Control Improves Performance of Viscoelastic Surfactant Fluids

Huang

Crews

2007

All Days

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fax 01-972-952-9435. AbstractViscoelastic surfactant (VES) fluids have been widely used as gravel-packing, frac-packing and fracturing fluids for more than a decade because the fluids exhibit excellent rheological properties and maintain low formation damage characteristics compared with crosslinked-polymer fluids. Due to its nonwall-building property, VES fluid has much higher fluid leakoff into the reservoir matrix than wall-building polymer fluid. For frac-packing this has limited VES use to reservoirs with permeability of less than 1000 md and, in most cases, less than 250 md. Excessive fluid leak-off also significantly increases the cost of treatment. This paper will introduce new technology for controlling the fluid loss of VES fluids to about 300ºF. New fluid loss control agents have been developed that, through chemisorption and surface charge attraction, associate with VES micelles to produce a pseudo-filtercake of viscous VES fluid that significantly reduces the rate of fluid loss. Use of this technology will reduce the VES fluid volume required for a given treatment by up to two-thirds and extends the permeability range of VES fluids to about 2000 md. The fluid loss control agents are slowly water-soluble particles that are used at relatively low concentrations. The particles will be dissolved and/or flowed back with the producing fluid. The rate of the pseudo-filtercake clean-up is enhanced by use of internal VES breakers. The results of rheology, leak-off, and core flow tests will be presented for the VES fluid systems at temperatures 150°F and 250°F.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fluid-Loss Control Improves Performance of Viscoelastic Surfactant Fluids

Huang

Crews

2007

All Days

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“…Recently, new perspectives derived from successful laboratory studies and successful field application of viscoelastic surfactants (VES) have come to light. Surveying the papers published during the past two years we may conclude that practical application of VES in hydraulic fracturing as component of fluids 13,14 , foams 15-18 and diverting system 19 became almost universal in low permeability porous and fractured reservoir. They have been widely used in matrixacid treatments 19,20 and acid fracturing in unconventional gas production 21 for stimulation of deep gas wells.…”

Section: Spe 106005mentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of Viscoelastic Surfactants as Mobility-Control Agents in Low-Tension Surfactant Floods

et al. 2007

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fax 01-972-952-9435. AbstractSince the recent trend of oil price opened new vistas in IOR/EOR scenario, the laboratory study looked at different new type of super (S) and viscoelastic (S v ) surfactants that provide both IFT lowering and mobility control. The paper is basically focusing on evaluation of viscoelastic surfactants as mobility controlling agents used as pre-flush, co-surfactant and post-buffer media. The experimental work is extended to their effects on bulk phase and interfacial rheological properties, surface and interfacial tension, phase behavior, wettability, flow properties in porous media and displacement efficiency using various injection protocol. Beside determination of mobility, mobility ratio, normal and differential displacement curves, the solution structure was analyzed by transmission and backscattering photon correlation spectroscopy.Measurements and core studies confirmed that the viscoelastic surfactants might be used to replace traditional mobility controlling agents (polymers) over a wide temperature and pressure range. Their sensitivity to shear rate and other degrading effects is much less than found for high molecular weight synthetic and biopolymers. Thus, the viscoelastic surfactants may offer an excellent opportunity for mobility control in various enhanced oil recovery techniques independent of injection protocol. Their positive influence on recovery efficiently can be explained by mobility control, front stabilization (buffering) and profile correction. The viscoelastic surfactants may also improve the "microscopic displacement efficiency", which is not widely recognized as a significant part of the displacement mechanism, and hence the recovery efficiency. General conclusion of the laboratory studies is that viscoelastic surfactants may open new vistas in chemical flooding.

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“…There have been multiple evolutions of the VES technology such as making it more environmental friendly, extensions for applications with higher bottomhole static temperatures, as well as tailoring it to specific application requirements. 3,4 The unique rheological behavior of the solids-free VES fluid is derived from the dynamic nature of the 3D network of worm-like micelles. 2 These micelles form through the aggregation of surfactant molecules in which the hydrophobic tails orient towards the interior of the micelles, away from polar media (water).…”

Section: Viscoelastic Surfactant Based Fracturing Fluidsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Case Study: Application of a Viscoelastic Surfactant-Based CO2 Compatible Fracturing Fluid in the Frontier Formation, Big Horn Basin, Wyoming

Bustos¹,

Heiken²,

Stewart³

et al. 2007

Proceedings of Rocky Mountain Oil &Amp; Gas Technology Symposium

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fax 01-972-952-9435.Abstract CO2 based fluids are commonly used to fracture stimulate formations with low reservoir pressure as well as formations that are more sensitive to water treatments (high capillary pressure, swelling clays etc). In particular, the Frontier Formation located in Bighorn Basin, Wyoming, has seen a variety of stimulation fluids used over the past years with varying degrees of success. When dealing with water sensitive formations, a common practice has been to use oilbased fluids. However, fluids of this nature can have detrimental effects on gas zones with low reservoir pressure and this might be the reason for erratic well performance of previously treated Frontier completions. It has also been determined that oil-based fluids can alter the reservoir wettability and hence cause formation damage. With this in mind and considering the environmental and economical benefits of using a water-based fracturing fluid, a novel viscoelastic surfactant based, CO2-compatible, high foam quality (>60%) fluid was proposed as the main fracturing fluid. This paper will discuss the first application of this visco-elastic based fluid on wells in Park County, Wyoming. This paper will discuss stimulation with the new fluid and how pin-point pressure measurement enabled the operator to make informed decisions to define fracturing/completion strategy. We also present the additional benefits of incorporating existing dipole sonic tool information to calibrate "in-situ" stress, Young's Modulus and Poisson's ratio. Finally, a production history match is conducted on wells treated with the new fluid.

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Optimization of a Visco-Elastic Surfactant (VES) Fracturing Fluid for Application in High-Permeability Formations

Cited by 14 publications

References 0 publications

Fluid-Loss Control Improves Performance of Viscoelastic Surfactant Fluids

Fluid-Loss Control Improves Performance of Viscoelastic Surfactant Fluids

Application of Viscoelastic Surfactants as Mobility-Control Agents in Low-Tension Surfactant Floods

Case Study: Application of a Viscoelastic Surfactant-Based CO2 Compatible Fracturing Fluid in the Frontier Formation, Big Horn Basin, Wyoming

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