spe-165174
TRANSCRIPT
SPE 165174Effectively Controlling Proppant Flowback to Maximize
Well Production: Lessons Learned from ArgentinaP. D. Nguyen, J.C. Bonapace, G.F. Kruse, Halliburton
L. Solis and D. Daparo, CAPSA
Major Basins in Argentina
OIL GAS
BPD Mscf/D
Neuquina Basin 215,000 2,200
Golfo San Jorge (GSJ) Basin 254,000 500
Austral Basin 26,000 1,000
Solids Flowback Issues
• Increased Operating Expense• Downhole and surface equipment failure (ESP,
screens, chokes, etc.)• Disposal of material• Increased workover operations
• Reduced Production• Fill across screens or perforations• Loss of fracture conductivityconductivity
Resin Pre-coated Proppant (RCP) vs. Liquid Curable Resin (LCR)
RCP• Pre-coated• Curable or pre-cured• Requires temperature
and closure stress• Availability of proppant
LCR• On-the-fly coating• 100% curable• All temperatures• Closure stress not required• All proppant types or sizes
Heat to melt Apply closure
Resin Pre-Coated Proppant
Viscous Flow to Contact Point
LCR-Coated Proppant
Conductivity of LCR-Coated Proppant (20/40-mesh Ottawa)
Flowback Testing
UCS (psi)Water Flow Rate per Perforation
(BWPD)ProppantFlowback?
10 140* Yes
80 >300 None
330 >300 None
1,100 >300 None
* Flow rate when proppant begins to produce out.
Field Application of LCR
LCR Concentrations
Proppant Coated with LCR
Remedial Treatment – Low Viscosity LCR
• Preflush fluid• Cleaning and conditioning proppant pack
• Diluted LCR• Coating proppant and establishing consolidation
• Post-flush fluid• Displacing excess resin
Remedial Proppant Treatment
Inject Pre-Flush
Move CT Across Perfs
Inject Curable Resin
Move CT Across Perfs
Inject Post-Flush
Move CT Across Perfs
Pull Out Of Hole
Proppant Remedial Treatment
Argentina LCR Treatments Since 2005
• 240+ hydraulic fracturing treatments – proppant coated with LCR
• > 95% success
• 17 proppant remedial treatments applied with low-viscosity LCR
• 100% success
• BHST: 90°F to 250°F• Depths: 550 to 2,880 m TVD• Wellbores at perfs: 95% vertical or slightly
deviated, 5% horizontal
Post-Treatment Results
• Reduced number of wells with proppant flowback• Reduced number of workovers• Allowed high drawdown
Lessons Learned and Recommendations
• Cleaning out wellbore and perforations• Fracturing fluid compatibility with LCR-coated
proppant• Coating proppant throughout all stages• Early screenout • Forced closure• Aggressive breaker schedule• Shut-in time for curing
Conclusions
• LCR can be combined with hydraulic fracturing treatment, or applied as part of remedial consolidating treatments, to treat any proppant for controlling proppant flowback.
• Properly coating and curing of LCR onto proppant allows the consolidated proppant to handle the high drawdown of the well and the effects of stress-strain cycles during well production and shut-in.