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Results
Abstract Nanotechnology is the design and application of engineered or naturally occurring nanoparticles with at least one dimension of the order of 1 to 100 nm to accomplish specific purposes. Nanoparticles possess three unique properties. First, their small size enables nanoparticles to be transported into formation pores not accessible to larger particles. Second, at nanoscale, material properties are sized dependent because of the large surface area to volume ratio. Therefore nanoparticles can be engineered to contain specific optical, magnetic, interfacial, electrical or chemical properties to perform specific functions. Combined together, these unique properties allow nanoparticles to be used for many purposes in the oilfield. The objective of this paper is to conduct a critical review of the recent literature to determine the status of research and development and field application of nanotechnology to the oilfield. Most of the proposed applications of nanotechnology in the oilfield can be classified into the following six areas: (1) sensing or imaging, (2) enhanced oil recovery, (3) gas mobility control, (4) drilling and completion, (5) produced fluid treatment, and (6) tight reservoir application. Our review shows that much of the current research is focused on the performance of nanoparticles in the reservoir. Some work is done of the propagation of nanoparticles and very little work is done on the delivery and recovery of nanoparticles. Lack of well-defined health, safety and environmental protocols for safe delivery and recovery of nanoparticles can be a showstopper and more focused research is needed in this area. Our work also shows that affordability of nanoparticles is another showstopper due to the large quantity needed for oilfield applications and the current lack of vendors. As a remedy, we propose focused research and development on the use of naturally-occurring and industrial waste nanoparticles for oilfield applications. Of the six applications areas, we rank imaging, drilling through unstable zones and tight reservoir applications as having the biggest potential impact. Using nanoparticles to detect hydrocarbon saturation in a reservoir can significantly impact how we plan field development, such as well placement. Similarly, using nano-enhanced drilling fluid to stabilize and drill through unstable zones can increase rate of penetration, reduce drilling cost and minimize environmental impact. Furthermore, using specially-designed nanoparticles to image and prop up induced and naturally occurring fractures in tight reservoirs can lead to sweet spot identification and more prolific wells.
- North America > United States > Texas (0.94)
- Africa (0.93)
- Europe > United Kingdom (0.67)
- (2 more...)
- Research Report (0.47)
- Overview (0.46)
- Geology > Mineral (1.00)
- Geology > Petroleum Play Type > Unconventional Play > Heavy Oil Play (0.49)
- Geology > Rock Type > Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Rock (0.47)
- Geology > Geological Subdiscipline > Geomechanics (0.46)
- Energy > Oil & Gas > Upstream (1.00)
- Materials > Chemicals > Commodity Chemicals > Petrochemicals (0.46)
- Asia > Middle East > Saudi Arabia > Eastern Province > Al-Ahsa Governorate > Arabian Basin > Widyan Basin > Ghawar Field > Lower Fadhili Formation (0.99)
- Asia > Middle East > Saudi Arabia > Eastern Province > Al-Ahsa Governorate > Arabian Basin > Widyan Basin > Ghawar Field > Khuff D Formation (0.99)
- Asia > Middle East > Saudi Arabia > Eastern Province > Al-Ahsa Governorate > Arabian Basin > Widyan Basin > Ghawar Field > Khuff C Formation (0.99)
- (7 more...)
ABSTRACT Hydraulic fracturing has become a prevalent public and regulatory issue in most countries developing shale gas. South Africa has only recently been exposed to terrestrial gas resource development and this has created unique regulatory issues which are currently being resolved. One of the key issues under debate is the protection of groundwater resources in rural areas, since most of South Africa's rural and some inland cities are dependent on groundwater for potable water supply. A second concern is the infrastructure requirements to handle the material movement processes during the development of each wellfield and subsequent processing of waste generated on site. Regarding the waste material production, a phased approach is required which considers the initial well development activities, production and subsequent well abandonment. Each phase has a unique risk associated with it and thus would require different management options. At the current stage most of the focus is on the initial stages of well development but the long term view has been neglected to some extent. Due to the unique geological structure of the Karoo, the presence of dolerite structures, a number of risk mitigation methods might be required to succesfully develop hydraulically fractured wells. In all aspects the chemical and hydrogeological impacts related to wellfield development cannot be ignored in the Karoo aquifer system, as it may directly influence human and environmental health. This paper will present chemical perspective on the hydraulic fracturing perspective that will deal with the impact of hydraulic fracturing fluid and flowback water. Additionally, the interaction of wellfield development and hydrogeology of the Karoo area will be discussed and how it relates to future water quality issues.
- Africa > South Africa (1.00)
- North America > United States > Texas (0.94)
- Geology > Geological Subdiscipline > Geochemistry (1.00)
- Geology > Geological Subdiscipline > Environmental Geology > Hydrogeology (1.00)
- Geology > Rock Type > Sedimentary Rock > Clastic Rock > Mudrock > Shale (0.57)
- Materials > Chemicals > Commodity Chemicals > Petrochemicals (1.00)
- Government > Regional Government > North America Government > United States Government (1.00)
- Energy > Oil & Gas > Upstream (1.00)
- North America > United States > Texas > Fort Worth Basin > Barnett Shale Formation (0.99)
- Asia > Middle East > UAE > Abu Dhabi > Arabian Gulf > Rub' al Khali Basin > Ghasha Concession > Umm Shaif and Nasr Block > Umm Shaif and Nasr Field > Umm Shaif Field > Arab Formation (0.97)
- North America > United States > West Virginia > Appalachian Basin > Marcellus Field > Marcellus Shale Formation (0.94)
- (14 more...)
- Well Completion > Hydraulic Fracturing (1.00)
- Reservoir Description and Dynamics > Unconventional and Complex Reservoirs > Shale gas (1.00)
- Reservoir Description and Dynamics > Reservoir Characterization > Exploration, development, structural geology (1.00)
- (3 more...)
Abstract Foamed fluids with nitrogen percentages or qualities greater than 60 percent have been used to provide greater efficiency in fracturing fluid design than other conventional types of frac fluids. When acid rather than water is used for 15–40% of the fluid volume, the fluid retains the same efficiency characteristics of a stable foam with one additional dimension. The added dimension is that the acid will remain virtually unreacted while being pumped into even the most soluble formations, and only begins to react when its leak-off/reaction controlling movement is stopped. It is suspected that bubble configuration and structure play an important role in preventing reaction to any great degree before the fluid ceases to be pumped. However, to place the acid a given distance into the formation, with conventional foam qualities or gas percentages requires fracturing rates and pressures which limit application of such a retardation system in many reservoirs where concern for break-through via fracturing into water-bearing zones exists. Therefore, this technique is possibly limited to fracture acidization, but testing is presented to show the effects of acidization of soluble cores with lower quality foam (25%-50% N2 gas). Actual job results are presented with foamed acid in the lower quality ranges. Introduction The use of stable foam stimulation has been well documented in the literature in recent years. Its use has been in the realm of stimulation via fracturing and proppant placement. Blauer, Mitchell, Kohlhaas et. al., have described the mechanisms of foam rheology and efficiency within the realm of high quality or low quality foams (those with high gas volume to total foam volume ratios). Others have suggested foam properties in porous media. The ranges with the prescribed efficiencies for fracturing include those qualities between 0.5236 and 0.95 theoretically, and practically, those between 0.65 and 0.85. Low fluid loss with spurt losses approaching zero, and CI values of 1 × 10(-4) are the known benefits with foamed fracturing systems. Actual field demonstrations and laboratory demonstration of this efficiency were the first steps in the establishing of a mechanism for the extended control of HC1 acid reaction on soluble formations. Thus extended penetration of "live" HCl further away from the immediate well bore can be realized. Retardation of acids by a variety of means has been extensively investigated.
- Energy > Oil & Gas > Upstream (1.00)
- Materials > Chemicals > Commodity Chemicals > Petrochemicals (0.46)
- North America > United States > Texas > Permian Basin > Yeso Formation (0.99)
- North America > United States > Texas > Permian Basin > Yates Formation (0.99)
- North America > United States > Texas > Permian Basin > Wolfcamp Formation (0.99)
- (22 more...)
- Well Completion > Hydraulic Fracturing > Fracturing materials (fluids, proppant) (1.00)
- Well Drilling > Drilling Fluids and Materials > Drilling fluid management & disposal (0.90)