Energized Well Fracturing

Reserve Growth for Higher Recovery Efficiency

December, 2011 Mark H. Holtz Dan Dalton

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Fracing State of the Art

7,500 N2 and CO2 Foam Treatments Have Been Successfully Applied 3,500 Visco-elastic Treatments in Canada with N2 or CO2 for Energized Flow-Back Assistance Praxair Participated in 1,600 CO2 Frac Applications in 2008

SPE 119626 Cawiezel and Gupta, 2009 ;Gupta et al. 2005

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Well Fracturing
Reasons

for Hydraulic Fracturing

Near wellbore damage mitigation Production enhancement Increases effective wellbore radius
Hydraulic

Fracturing is a 3 Stage Process

Pad stage, initiates and propagates fracture The slurry stage, moving proppent into fracture Flush stage, cleaning up fluid to perforations

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Controls On Well Fracturing

The

Magnitude and Direction of Formation Principal Stresses Alignment with Principal Stresses
Misalignment results in higher treating pressures

Perforation

Poor wellbore-fracture communication

Design

of Hydraulic Fracing Process

Fluids, pressures, proppents

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Fracturing Fluid Systems

Purpose:
Initiate and propagate fractures Transport proppant Aid in cleanup

Selection Criteria Includes:

Safety and environmental compatibility Compatibility with formation and additives Simple preparation and quality control Low pumping pressure Appropriate viscosity Low fluid loss Flowback and Cleanup (for higher fracture conductivity) Economics
( Modified from Jones and Britt, 2009
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Pad Stage CO2 and N2 Effects

Due

to less Interfacial Tension and Fluid Density CO2 Foam Fracturing Results in:
Greater effective frac length Increase in pressure connected or drainable area Increase of pressure support available at the formation face

Hydrostatic

Head Increase Due to CO2 Fluid

Density
Generates

Two Phase Fluid with Excellent Foaming Ability and Excellent Surface Tension Reduction
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Effects of High Fluid Density

CO2

at certain fracturing pressure and temperatures can reach near water density In many instances the density requires less hydrostatic pressures for hydraulic fracturing
Less

horsepower for fracturing is required thus eliminating costs to the operator, from the service company Allows use of normal fracturing equipment
Size

of jobs are only limited by the storage equipment, supply, and size of location Excellent proppant transporter because the CO2 properties remain relatively constant throughout the treatment
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Hydraulic Formation Damage

To Achieve

a Conductive Fracture all Fracturing Fluids Must be Removed From:

The formation The induced and natural fractures

It

Is Essential To Prevent Polymer From :

Invading the formation Invading natural fractures (natural fractures can be plugged by polymer)

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Categories of Fracturing Damage

1. Within the Fracture
1. Proppant crushing 2. Proppant embedment

2. Fracture Face Damage

1. Chemical and polymer fracture plugging (polymer residue)

3. Within the Formation

1. Excessive fluid leakoff 2. Clay swelling 3. Relative permeability damage 4. Capillary effects
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Fracture Damage
Capillary water blockage Fracture face damage To achieve a conductive fracture all fracturing fluids must be removed from the formation and fractures

Polymer Oil

Fines migration

Clay Swelling

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It is essential to prevent polymer form invading the formation and natural fractures (natural fractures can be plugged by polymer)

- Sand Grains
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Hydraulic Formation Damage

Fracture Face Permeability Damage of 90% or Higher can Cause:

A major increase in water production Reduction in gas production (Gdanski et al. 2005)

CO2 is Relatively Soluble in Water

Solution forms relatively noncorrosive carbolic acid (ph 3.1- 4)

CO2 Reduces or Eliminates Clay Swelling

Swelling reduction due to extra hydrogen ion Critical in many shaly formations

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Water Based Hydraulic Fracing

Hydraulically Fractured Gas Wells Can Experience Water Blocking Due To:
Capillary pressure character Capillary pressure hysteresis

Relative permeability
The most important factor that reduces fracture fluid cleanup and gas recovery is the gel strength of the fluid that remains in the fracture at the end of the treatment. Wang, Holditch and McVay, 2009 SPE # 119624

Energized Fluid Fracing Reduces Gel Usage

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Flush Stage Energized Fluids Assistance

Increased Fluid Recoveries Cause by Gas Expansion CO2 Dissolves or Mixes with Hydrocarbon Fluids
Solution causes hydrocarbon swelling decreasing viscosity and increasing fluid mobility on flow back

CO2 Solubility Reduces Interfacial Tension

Results in less force in the capillaries causing increased fluid recovery This type of interfacial tension is not seen in a water based frac, without the use of surfactants

Faster Wellbore Cleanup to Start Producing Sooner

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CO2 Phase During Fracing

Pressure Temperature of CO2 Thru Frac Cycle
100 80 60 50 40 30 3

4
5 6

20

Pressure (MPa)

SOLID 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 2

LIQUID

Critical Point

VAPOUR 1.0 .8 .6 .5 .4 .3 .2 7 -80 -60 -40 -20 0 20 40 60 1 Trailer 2 Boost Pump 3 High Pressure Pump 4 Mixed with Treatment Fluid 5 Bottom Hole Pressure 6 Bottom Hole Temperature After Job 7 Return to Surface Triple Point 1

.1 -100

Temperature (C)
From Gupta, 2003
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N2 and CO2 Foams, The Surfactant Gel System

Logistically Simple
2 surfactant based system Provides exceptional low-shear viscosity and cleanup characteristics

Fluids are not Wall-Building on Fractures

Very Good Retained Permeability Both in the Formation and the Proppant Pack
Foaming Provides:
Significant increases in viscosity Superior leak-off control

Nearly 100% Propped Fracture Clean-up

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Benefits of Energized Fluid Foam Fracs

Time Savings to Bring on Production
ThermaFOAM CO2 system Conventional Fluid systems
25 35 10 20 5 0 30 15 Time from completion of fracturing treatment to sales, h Source: South Texas operator

Improved Placement of Proppant

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Schulmbergers web site

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Benefits of Energized Fluid Foam Fracs

Ratio post frac/per frac well productivity

Obtain Greater Well Productivity

4.5 4 3.5 3 J/J 2.5 2

1.5
1 0.5 0 Gas in all stages Gas only on Proppant Stages (Base Design) Gas in only pad stages No gas

SPE paper # 119265

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Praxair Capabilities

Supply liquid CO2 and N2 to Site Portable CO2 Storage Containers

(33 Ton, 50, 60 and 80 Ton)

Boost Pumps
Takes the product from the storage tanks (275 psig) and boosts the pressure to a constant 350 psig

CO2 Expansion Skids

Ensure that the Customer gets a Consistent Flow of Pressurized Product

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Praxair Capabilities

Remote Booster Pump Control for Added Safety Automatically Records Suction Pressure, Discharge Pressure, and CO2 Flow Rate

Main Control System

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Well Stimulation Services

Gas Supply and Service Provider

Well Head Water Tanks Proppant Truck Praxair Pump Trailer

Pump Trucks Praxair N2 / CO2 Vessels N2 / CO2 Vessels

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CO2 and Booster Pumping Services

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Praxair Capabilities

Technicians and Engineers Experienced in Fracing Energized Fluid Frac Modeling

Equation of state (EOS) fluid calculations Models capillary and relative permeability effects

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( Picture form SPE 119265)

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Summary Water Fracturing Challenges

Damage

to Fracture Face, Formation, and Natural Fractures By-Products Reduce Fracture Conductivity

Undesirable

Wasted
Less

Fracture Volume

Than Optimal Production

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Summary CO2 & N2 Well Stimulation Services

Benefit of Using Gas Solubility and viscosity Less damaging Easier cleanup Greater effective frac length Foaming ability Excellent surface tension reduction Praxair Services Supply liquid CO2 & N2 Logistic and consulting services Dedicated primary pressure pumping Strategically located supply plants
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