Sandstone Acidizing -

Candidate Selection

Printed: 3/22/2007

EDC, Tomball, TX
 Sandstone Acidizing
O Matrix type treatments
• Restore or increase natural permeability
• Below fracture pressure

O Sandstone
• Sand (quartz, silicon dioxide)
• Calcareous cementing material
• Clays (silicates)

Revised 01/13/2004 Slide 2

EDC, Tomball, TX
 Sandstone Acidizing
O HCl and organic acids
• Effective use limited by calcareous content

O Hydrofluoric acid
• Reacts with silicates (sand and clay)

O Used in combination
• HCl:HF mixtures (sometimes referred to as
mud acid)

Revised 01/13/2004 Slide 3

EDC, Tomball, TX
 Sandstone Acidizing
O HCl:HF
• Best ratio/strength determined by core tests
• Above 4% may cause disassociation. Other
common strengths are 9 to 1 and 13.5 to 1.5

Common Strengths of HCl:HF mixtures

Revised 01/13/2004 Slide 4

EDC, Tomball, TX
 Sandstone Acidizing
O HCl:HF
• Made with Ammonium Bifluoride salt (ABF)
“ Liquid HF is extremely dangerous to handle
“ Ammonium ions act as buffer
X Prevents precipitates

• HCl
“ Converts ABF to HF

Revised 01/13/2004 Slide 5

EDC, Tomball, TX
 Sandstone Acidizing
O HCl:HF
• HF reaction rate
“ Temperature
X Doubles for each 50 °F
X Up to 180 °F - 12.0:3.0% HCl:HF
X 180 to 220 °F - 9.0:3.0% HCl:HF
X Above 220 °F - 7.5:1.5% HCl:HF
“ Concentration
X Proportional to % HF
“ Pressure
X Increases
“ Mineralogy
“ Ratio rock area/acid volume
Revised 01/13/2004 Slide 6

EDC, Tomball, TX
 Sandstone Acidizing
O HCl:HF
• See Table 6-6 in Kalfayan text on page 76
O Beware of generalized guidelines
• Usually computer generated or utilize
cookbook recipes
• Based on bulk mineralogy alone
• Need to consider the location of the minerals
in the matrix
• Need to consider the severity of damage

Revised 01/13/2004 Slide 7

EDC, Tomball, TX
 Sandstone Acidizing

Revised 01/13/2004 Slide 8

EDC, Tomball, TX
 Sandstone Acidizing

O Precipitation of Reaction By-Products

• Calcium Bifluoride (CaF2)

“ Formed when HF reacts with CaCO3
“ Precipitates if all acid spends
X Maintain low pH
X Use short shut-in times
X Use HCl pre-flush to dissolve carbonates

Revised 01/13/2004 Slide 9

EDC, Tomball, TX
 Sandstone Acidizing

O Precipitation of Reaction By-Products

• Sodium and Potassium Hexafluorosilicate

“ Na2SiF6 or K2SiF6
“ Reaction of HF and Na or K ions in formation water
“ Reaction of HF and Na or K ions in displacement fluid
X Use HCl pre-flush (5-15%)
X Use HCL post-flush (3 to 15%)
X Can use Ammonium Chloride (2.0% to 8.0%)
X Can use Diesel, Kerosene, Clean lease oil

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EDC, Tomball, TX
 COMPLETION PROFILE

FIELD: West Delta Field SAND/RESERVOIR: Reservoir A

OPERATOR: Major Oil Company DATE: March 23, 2000

WELL NAME: Oil Well No. 1 ENGR: JSF

Drilling History: 9 7/8" hole drilled through zone of interest with 10.0 ppg Lignosulfonate Mud

Casing Description: 7 5/8" 29.7 ppf P-110 LTC csg from surface to 7,689'
7 5/8" 33.7 ppf N-80 LTC csg from 7,689' to 11,092'

Completion: Perforated using 5" tbg conveyed gun. 10,590' to 10,600' (10')
12 SPF, Big Hole charges - 500 psi underbalanced if BHP = 3855 psi
Fired guns, final SITP = 74 psi; rev circ 3 bbls oil and a small amount of gas
Pumped 20 bbls HEC-10 to perfs; losing 3 bph
POOH with perforating gun after pipe being initially stuck; losing 2 bph

MD TVD
Top of zone: 10,590' 8,895'
Top of perforations: 10,590' 8,895'
Bottom of perforations 10,600' 8,903'
Bottom of zone: 10,606' water 8,908'
Net feet of pay: 16 13
Net feet of pay perfed: 10 8

Gravel Pack: 4" screen - .006 gauge - 40/60 mesh sand

Ran GP assembly - unable to snap with collet indicator - GP assembly parted - rec fish 2 days later
Ran GP assembly again while losing 2 bph
Injection rates: 1/2 bpm @ 620 psi and 1 bpm @ 930 psi
Acidized well with 12 bbls 7 1/2% HCL, 24 bbls 6% HCL - 1 1/2% HF, and 24 bbls NH4CL
Well went from 800 psi injection to vacuum when mud acid at perfs
Pumped 2000 lbs sand at 3.5 bpm with 2 bpm returning to surface
Sanded out at 1,250 psi at 1/2 bpm - restressed OK
Well losing 25 bph - Spotted 25 bbl HEC pill, rate slowed to 3 bph
Isolated lower zone to perform upper gravel pack completion

Tubing Description: 2 3/8" 4.7 ppf 13 Chrome Vam Ace tbg

Baker "A-5" Dual pkr at 8,994'
Baker SC-2 isolation pkr at 9,536'
2 3/8" 4.7 ppf 13 Chrome Vam Ace Isolation string from 9,536' to 10,616'
 5000

K=100md, S=0, BOPD=245

4000

A
Pressure, psig

3000 1

2000

1000
K=100md, S=19.7, BOPD=93
0
2
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600
Inflow @ Sandface (1)
Not Used Liquid Rate, Bbl/D Inflow
Inflow (1) (1) 0.000
Outflow (A) Inflow
Case 2 ( 2) (2) 19.700
Case 2 (B)
Not Used Reservoir Skin
Not Used
Not Used
Not Used
Not Used
Not Used
Not Used
Not Used Reg: John S. Fontenot - BJ Services USA
Not Used
 Removal of
Formation Damage
O One way to prevent formation damage
which was previously discussed is to
prevent it from happening. Other cures
for formation damage are such treatments
as:
• Matrix acid jobs
• Propped fracturing jobs
• Various surfactant injections, etc.

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EDC, Tomball, TX
 Removal of
Formation Damage (cont.)
O Selecting the right treatment is often not a simple
matter.
O When considering a well treatment, the following
information (is required):
• Type of formation and mineral composition
• Type of damage and its extent
• Contact time interval available for chemical treatment
• Physical limitations of well equipment
• Bottom hole pressure and temperature
• Possible contaminants
“ water, mud, bacteria, cement, etc.
• Treating fluid compatibility with contaminants
• Formation properties: acid solubility, permeability,
porosity
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EDC, Tomball, TX
 Removal of
Formation Damage (cont.)
O Small Volume Chemical Treatments
• Removing skin damage at the wellbore
generally requires small treatment volumes,
using low injection rates at pressures below
the formation fracturing pressure.
• Using Darcy’s radial flow model and some
basic formation information, we can calculate
treatment rates and expected production
increase.

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EDC, Tomball, TX
 Removal of
Formation Damage (cont.)
O Small Volume Chemical Treatments
• It is important to remember that a matrix acid
job will not give an appreciable production
increase on an undamaged well (formation).

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EDC, Tomball, TX
 Treatment Evaluations
Injection Rates and Pressures
O Monitor injection pressure during the
stimulation
• Pump enough injection fluid ahead of the acid
job to insure that a pressure increase will not
occur when injected fluid arrives at the
formation, indicative of plugging from solids
that were present in the treating string
• The pump rate should be held constant
throughout the job
“ If not, the pressure response record is useless

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EDC, Tomball, TX
 Treatment Evaluations
Injection Rates and Pressures
O Monitor pressure when acid hits formation
and continues into zone
• The pressure should never increase when
injecting the acid
“ If it does, the acid is damaging the formation
• A gradual increase in treating pressure while
acid is penetrating the formation may indicate
damage from unwanted reactions such as the
precipitation of reaction by-products

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EDC, Tomball, TX
 Treatment Evaluations
Injection Rates and Pressures
O A slight temporary increase in pressure
should be seen when any diverter
contacts the formation
• If not, the diverter is probably ineffective
O Take into account pressure changes due
to different weights of the fluids and
friction
O The use of Nitrogen to nitrify fluids can
cause pressure changes to be masked.

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EDC, Tomball, TX
 Treatment Evaluations
Produced Fluid Samples
O Collect and analyze spent acid returns
• pH
• Iron content
• Presence of emulsions
• Amount, type and size of solids
• Dissolved formation material (cations and
anions)

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EDC, Tomball, TX
 Treatment Evaluations
Productivity Improvement
O Compare productivity improvement with
productivity potential
• Did the ratios of produced fluids stay the
same?
• Did the flowing pressure increase?
O What happens to the improvement over
time?

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EDC, Tomball, TX
 Acid Jobs That
Do Not Work
O Using acid on sandstones that are not
damaged. In carbonates, there is still
stimulation potential in an undamaged
formation.
O Using acid on formations that are
inadequately perforated

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EDC, Tomball, TX
 Acid Jobs That
Do Not Work
O Using the wrong type of acid to remove
the damage
O Use of incorrect acid volumes or
concentrations

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EDC, Tomball, TX
 Acid Jobs That
Do Not Work
O Dirty water. Failure to clean tanks.
Improper filtration
O Additive misuse, overuse or lack of use.

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EDC, Tomball, TX
 Acid Jobs That
Do Not Work
O Fracturing sandstones with acid (except
with very small volume perforation
breakdown treatments)
O Lack of immediate flow back when using
mud acid; even with an acid post-flush,
the deposition of precipitates will occur.

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EDC, Tomball, TX
 SPE 14164 - Acidizing Sandstone Formations

Table 4

COMPANYWIDE 1982-84
SANDSTONE ACIDIZING, MUD ACID
Effect of Acid Volume Per Foot Perforated on Buildup

Gas Wells
Average
Mud Acid Vol. Buildup Buildup/Well
Gal/Ft Perfs Jobs %S

< 50 83 48 323

50 - 100 63 52 640

> 100 96 53 795

Subtotal 242
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EDC, Tomball, TX
 SPE 14164 - Acidizing Sandstone Formations

Table 4

COMPANYWIDE 1982-84
SANDSTONE ACIDIZING, MUD ACID
Effect of Acid Volume Per Foot Perforated on Buildup

Oil Wells
Average
Mud Acid Vol. Buildup Buildup/Well
Gal/Ft Perfs Jobs %S

< 50 52 65 52

50 - 100 52 62 135

> 100 78 54 36

Subtotal 182

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EDC, Tomball, TX
 Matrix Acidizing
O With the appropriate systems in correctly
identified candidate wells, matrix acidizing
is the most cost-effective way to enhance
oil and gas production in both sandstone
and carbonate reservoirs

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EDC, Tomball, TX
 Better Success
O Tremendous progress has been made in
understanding the chemistry and physics
of the acidizing process

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EDC, Tomball, TX
 Poorly Appreciated
O A low-cost, well designed treatment can
spectacularly improve well productivity
O Usually not part of the business plan
O Predictability is troublesome
O Fear of Acidizing

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EDC, Tomball, TX
 “It bears repeating,
that the best stimulation
candidates are the good wells -
the high producers that are not
producing at optimal rates due to
some sort of formation damage.”
Rae & Di Lullo 2002