초록

Methods and compositions useful for controlling sand production from subterranean formations that utilize relatively lightweight and/or substantially neutrally buoyant particles as particulate sand control material.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method for treating a well penetrating a subterranean formation, comprising: introducing a particulate material into said well; wherein at least a first portion of said individual particles of said particulate material that is introduced into said well each comprises a core component of a

1. A method for treating a well penetrating a subterranean formation, comprising: introducing a particulate material into said well; wherein at least a first portion of said individual particles of said particulate material that is introduced into said well each comprises a core component of a first material at least partially surrounded by at least one layer component of cured second material, said first material of said particles comprising at least one of ground or crushed nut shells, ground or crushed seed shells, ground or crushed fruit pits, processed wood, or a mixture thereof, and wherein said layer component of cured second material acts to harden or protect said first material from adverse formation or wellbore conditions. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting said cured second material to harden or protect said first material from adverse formation or wellbore conditions based on anticipated wellbore of formation conditions.3. The method of claim 2, wherein said cured second material hardens said first material by increasing overallin situYoung's of said first material.4. The method of claim 1, wherein said first portion of said individual particles of said particulate material each further comprises a porous core component of said first material that is impregnated with an impregnating material, and wherein said impregnating material acts to harden or protect said first material from adverse formation or wellbore conditions.5. The method of claim 1, wherein said first portion of said individual particles of said particulate material each further comprises a core component of said first material that is impregnated with an impregnating material so that the permeable porosity of said first material is substantially filled with said impregnating material, and wherein said impregnating material acts to harden or protect said first material from adverse formation or wellbore conditions.6. The method of claim 5, wherein said first portion of said individual particles of said particulate material comprise at least one of ground or crushed walnut shells, ground or crushed ivory nut shells, ground or crushed peach pits, ground or crushed apricot pits, or a mixture thereof.7. The method of claim 5, wherein said first material comprises ground or crushed walnut shells; and wherein said cured second material comprises urethane resin.8. The method of claim 5, wherein said introducing occurs as part of a frac pack operation.9. The method of claim 5, wherein said first portion of said individual particles of said particulate material are introduced into said well as substantially neutrally buoyant particles in a carrier fluid.10. The method of claim 9, further comprising pro-suspending and storing said substantially neutrally buoyant particles in a storage fluid prior to introducing said substantially neutrally buoyant particles into said well, said particles being substantially neutrally buoyant in said storage fluid.11. The method of claim 5, wherein said introducing occurs as part of a gravel pack operation.12. The method of claim 5, wherein said first portion of said individual particles of said particulate material have a shape with a maximum length-based aspect ratio of equal to or less than about 5.13. The method of claim 5, wherein said impregnating material comprises said cured second material.14. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a second portion of individual particles of said particulate material each comprises gravel, sand, or a combination thereof.15. The method of claim 1, wherein said first portion of said individual particles of said particulate material each further comprises a curable coating to consolidate said particulate material after introduction of said particulate material into said well.16. A sand control method for a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, comprising: introducing into said wellbore a slurry comprising particulate material and a carrier fluid; pl acing said particulate material adjacent said subterranean formation to form a fluid-permeable pack that is capable of reducing or substantially preventing the passage of formation particles from said subterranean formation into said wellbore while at the same time allowing passage of formation fluids from said subterranean formation into said wellbore; wherein at least a portion of individual particles of said particulate material contained in said slurry that is introduced into said wellbore each comprises a core component of a first material surrounded by at least one layer component of cured second material, said first material of said particles comprising at least one of ground or crushed nut shells, ground or crushed seed shells, ground or crushed fruit pits, processed wood, or a mixture thereof, and wherein said layer component of cured second material acts to harden said first material to withstand adverse formation or wellbore conditions. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein said cured second material comprises at least one of phenol formaldehyde resin, melamine formaldehyde resin, urethane resin, or a mixture thereof.18. The method of claim 16, wherein said individual particles of said particulate material further comprise a third material hardener applied between said first and cured second materials.19. The method of claim 16, wherein said individual particles of said particulate material comprise at least one of ground or crushed walnut shells, ground or crushed ivory nut shells, ground or crushed peach pits, ground or crushed apricot pits, or a mixture thereof.20. The method of claim 19, wherein said cured second material comprises at least one of phenol formaldehyde resin, melamine formaldehyde resin, urethane resin, or a mixture thereof; wherein said particles have a particle size of from about 4 mesh to about 100 mesh; and wherein said layer component of material comprises from about 1% to about 20% by weight of the total weight of each of said individual particles of said particles.21. The method of claim 20, wherein said individual particles of said particulate material are substantially neutrally buoyant in said carrier fluid.22. The method of claim 16, wherein said first material comprises ground or crushed walnut shells; and wherein said cured second material comprises urethane resin.23. The method of claim 22, wherein said individual particles of said particulate material further comprise a third material hardener applied between said first and cured second materials.24. The method of claim 16, further comprising injecting at least a portion of said slurry into said subterranean formation at a pressure exceeding a fracture pressure of said subterranean formation.25. The method of claim 16, wherein said carrier fluid is an ungelled aqueous fluid, or an aqueous fluid characterized as having a polymer concentration of from greater than about 0 pounds of polymer per thousand gallons of base fluid to about 10 pounds of polymer per thousand gallons of base fluid, and as having a viscosity of from about 1 to about 10 centipoises.26. The method of claim 16, wherein a screen assembly having inner and outer surfaces is disposed within said wellbore, at least a portion of said outer surface of said screen assembly being disposed adjacent said subterranean formation; and wherein said method further comprises: placing at least a portion of said particulate blend between said outer surface of said screen assembly and said subterranean formation to form said fluid-permeable pack. 27. The method of claim 16, wherein an in situ temperature of said subterranean formation is less than or equal to about 150° F.28. The method of claim 16, wherein said wellbore has an angle with respect to the vertical of between about 30 degrees and about 90 degrees.29. The method of claim 16, wherein substantially all of the individual particles of said particulate material introduced into said well comprise a core component of said f irst material and a layer component of said cured second material.30. The method of claim 16, wherein said at least a portion of individual particles of said particulate material each further comprises a porous first material that is impregnated with an impregnating material, and wherein said impregnating material acts to harden said first material to withstand adverse formation or wellbore conditions.31. The method of claim 16, wherein said at least a portion of individual particles of said particulate material each further comprises a porous first material that is impregnated with an impregnating material so that the permeable porosity of said porous first material is substantially filled with said impregnating material, and wherein said impregnating material acts to harden said first material to withstand adverse formation or wellbore conditions.32. The method of claim 31, wherein said impregnating material comprises said cured second material.33. The method of claim 31, further comprising introducing said particulate into said well at a pressure exceeding a fracture pressure of said subterranean formation.34. The method of claim 16, wherein said at east a portion of said individual particles of said particulate material each further comprises a curable coating to consolidate said particulate material after placement of said particulate material adjacent said subterranean formation.35. A sand control method for a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, comprising: introducing into said wellbore a slurry comprising particulate material and a carrier fluid; placing said particulate material adjacent said subterranean formation to form a fluid-permeable pack that is capable of reducing or substantially preventing the passage of formation particles from said subterranean formation into said wellbore while at the same time allowing passage of formation fluids from said subterranean formation into said wellbore; wherein at least a portion of the individual particles of said particulate material are substantially neutrally buoyant in said carrier fluid and comprise: a porous first material selected from at least one of ground or crushed nut shells, ground or crushed seed shells, ground or crushed fruit pits, processed wood, or a mixture thereof; anda second material impregnating said porous first material;wherein said second material acts to harden said first material to withstand adverse formation or wellbore conditions.36. The method of claim 35, wherein said individual particles of said particulate material comprise at least one of ground or crushed walnut shells, ground or crushed ivory nut shells, ground or crushed peach pits, ground or crushed apricot pits, or a mixture thereof; and wherein said second material comprises at least one of phenol formaldehyde resin, melamine formaldehyde resin, urethane resin, or a mixture thereof.37. The method of claim 35, wherein said carrier fluid is an ungelled aqueous fluid, or an aqueous fluid characterized as having a polymer concentration of from greater than about 0 pounds of polymer per thousand gallons of base fluid to about 10 pounds of polymer per thousand gallons of base fluid, and as having a viscosity of from about 1 to about 10 centipoises.38. The method of claim 35, wherein said first material comprises ground or crushed walnut shells; wherein said second material comprises urethane resin; and wherein said individual particles of said particulate material further comprise a third material hardener disposed between said first and second materials.39. The method of claim 35, wherein said particulate material has a specific gravity of from about 1.25 to about 1.35, and wherein said carrier fluid has a specific gravity of between about 1 and about 1.5.40. The method of claim 35, wherein substantially all of the individual particles of particulate material contained in said carrier fluid are substantially neutrally buoyant in said carrier fluid, and comprise a poro us first material that is impregnated by said second material.41. The method of claim 35, further comprising injecting at least a portion of said slurry into said subterranean formation at a pressure exceeding a fracture pressure of said subterranean formation.42. The method of claim 35, wherein a screen assembly having inner and outer surfaces is disposed within said wellbore, at least a portion of said outer surface of said screen assembly being disposed adjacent said subterranean formation; and wherein said method further comprises: placing at least a portion of said particulate blend between said outer surface of said screen assembly and said subterranean formation to form said fluid-permeable pack. 43. The method of claim 23, wherein said wellbore has an angle with respect to the vertical of between about 30 degrees and about 90 degrees.44. The method of claim 35, wherein said at least a portion of individual particles of said particulate material each comprises a porous first material that is impregnated with said second material so that the permeable porosity of said porous first material is substantially filled with said second material.45. The method of claim 35, wherein said at least a portion of individual particles of said particulate material contained in said slurry that is introduced into said wellbore each comprises said porous first material that is impregnated with said second material, and further comprises a layer component that acts to harden said first material to withstand adverse formation or wellbore conditions.46. The method of claim 45, wherein said layer component comprises said cured second material.47. The method of claim 35, wherein said at least a portion of said individual particles of said particulate material each further comprises a curable coating to consolidate said particulate material after placement of said particulate material adjacent said subterranean formation.48. A method for treating a well penetrating a subterranean formation, comprising: introducing a particulate material suspended in a carrier fluid into said well; wherein at least a portion of individual particles of said particulate material that is suspended in said eater fluid each comprises a first material and a cured second material, said first material of said particles comprising at least one of ground or crushed nut shells, ground or crushed seed shells, ground or crushed fruit pits, processed wood, or a mixture thereof; wherein said first material is at least partially surrounded by an outer layer of said cured second material adhered to the surface of said first material; and wherein said outer layer of cured second material acts to harden or protect said first material to withstand adverse formation or wellbore conditions. 49. The method of claim 48, wherein said at least a portion of said individual particles of said particulate material each further comprises a core component of said first material that is impregnated with an impregnating material, and wherein said impregnating material acts to harden or protect said first material from adverse formation or wellbore conditions.50. The method of claim 49, wherein said impregnating material comprises said cured second material.51. The method of claim 50, further comprising selecting said cured second material to modify the specific gravity of said at least a portion of individual particles of said particulate material to provide particulates of customized specific gravity.52. The method of claim 50, further comprising selecting said cured second material to harden or protect said first material from adverse formation or wellbore conditions based on anticipated wellbore or formation conditions.53. The method of claim 52, wherein said cured second material hardens said first material by increasing overallin stillYoung's modulus of said first material.54. The method of claim 49, wherein said at least a portion of said individual particles of said particu late material each further comprises a first material that is impregnated with said impregnating material so that the permeable porosity of said first material is substantially filled with said impregnating material.55. The method of claim 54, wherein said at least a portion of said individual particles of said particulate material comprise ground or crushed walnut shells.56. The method of claim 49, wherein said introducing occurs as part of a frac pack operation.57. The method of claim 49, wherein said introducing occurs as part of a gravel pack operation.58. The method of claim 48, wherein said at least a portion of said individual particles of said particulate material each further comprises a curable coating to consolidate said particulate material after introduction of said particulate material into said well.59. A method for treating a well penetrating a subterranean formation, comprising: introducing a particulate material into said well; wherein at least a portion of individual particles of said particulate material each comprises a core component of a first material at least partially surrounded by at least one layer component of second material, said first material of said particles comprising at least one of ground or crushed nut shells, ground or crushed seed shells, ground or crushed fruit pits, processed wood, or a mixture thereof, and said second material comprising a protective or hardening coating; and wherein said individual particles of said particulate material are introduced into said well as substantially neutrally buoyant particles in a carrier fluid. 60. The method of claim 59, wherein said at least a portion of said individual particles of said particulate material each further comprises a curable coating to consolidate said particulate material after introduction of said particulate material into said well.