A Novel Approach for Enhancing Proppant Consolidation: Laboratory Testing and Field Applications

Abstract

TX 75083-3836, U.S.A., fax 01-972-952-9435. AbstractCurable resins have been used to coat onto proppant for controlling proppant flowback after hydraulic fracturing treatments as well as in screenless, frac pack completions. As more wells are drilled into deeper reservoirs, severe conditions including high temperatures and high production flow rates impose more constraint requirements on the use of curable resin systems. This paper presents the results of an extensive study, both laboratory and field testing, of a new liquid resin coating system that is particularly useful in controlling proppant flowback in high-temperature, high-flow rate wells. Additives included in the liquid resin system eliminate fracturing fluid interference and permit good consolidation properties to be achieved without any formation closure stress.Results of this work demonstrate the difficulty in designing fracturing treatments such that the curing of resin does not occur too fast relative to fracture treatment time and the time for formation closure to achieve good consolidation, but fast enough to prevent flowback upon fluid recovery operations. The useful window for resin-coated proppants has been greatly expanded by the incorporation of simple chemical additives into the resin that react with fracturing fluids, rendering them noninterfering to the consolidation process. These additives permit resin-coated proppant to achieve good consolidation properties without closure stress.This study provides new answers as to why resinprecoated proppant (RCP) consolidations sometimes fail in the field. Operators can use the information presented to help them select the appropriate curable resin systems for their applications where consolidations are expected to withstand production conditions of high temperatures, high flow rates, and stress loading.

Review and Perspectives of Coated Proppant Technology

“…Curable coated proppant refers to a layer of solid thermosetting resin on the proppant substrate (quartz sand, ceramic, glass spheres); this proppant is injected into formation fractures. Under formation temperature, in situ stress, and activator, the resins are softened and then bonded and solidified, forming a network structure. ,, Curable proppant can effectively prevent proppant flowback and inhibit the flowback of fine particles, , and the commonly used resin types are epoxy resin and phenolic resin.…”

“…Under formation temperature, in situ stress, and activator, the resins are softened and then bonded and solidified, forming a network structure. 6,58,59 Curable proppant can effectively prevent proppant flowback and inhibit the flowback of fine particles, 60,61 and the commonly used resin types are epoxy resin and phenolic resin.…”

Case Study of Multiple-Hydraulic-Fracture Completion in a Subsea Horizontal Well, Campos Basin

“…Logistics and concern about premature screenouts associated with the amount of resin-coated proppants used in the main treatment (100%, 50%, or only tail in) lead to the decision to use other proppantfl owback agents, supplied by service companies involved in this project. Thus, a liquid resin-coated system (Nguyen et al 2002) and deformable proppants (Stephenson et al 2002) were used and added in all proppant stages.…”