 Formation Damage Definition #1

Any process causing a reduction in the natural inherent productivity or

injectivity of an oil and gas production or injection/
disposal well
 Problems with Formation Damage
 Reduced production rates of oil and gas
 Reduced injection rates of water and gas
 Increased drawdown or injection pressure
 Reduction in ultimate economic recoverable reserves
 SKIN:Quantifying Formation Damage
 Measurement of the severity of the formation damage
 Dimensionless factor expressing the reduction in the formation
permeability compared to the original permeability
 Major Mechanisms of Formation Damage
 Mechanical
 Chemical
 Biological
 Mechanical Damage Mechanisms
 Fines migration
 External solids entrainment
 Relative permeability Issue
 Fracture/Proppant plugging
 Proppant embedment
 Fines Migration
 Movement of detached particles
 Particles can bridge across the pore throats
 Mechanism of Solids plugging
 Particle Bridging effects on preventing invasion
 Fracture/Proppant Plugging
 Wettability Alteration
 Preferentially sticking of liquid on solid surface
 Hydrocarbon precipitates stick to rock surface and make it oil wet
 Decreases relative permeability & overall recovery
 Water wet surfactants to make rock water wet
 Clay Swelling
 Swelling of clay structures by invasion of water
 Salinity of water is important
 Emulsion Block
 Crude oil emulsion is a dispersion of water droplets in oil
 Increased viscosity
 Major problems in heavy oil fields
 In-situ emulsion with natural emulsifiers or artificial emulsifiers at reservoir
condition
 Demulsifier injection to break emulsion
 Scale Deposition
 Solid mineral deposit formed from produced salt water
 Due to incompatible water contact or conditions variation
 Common scales
 Calcium carbonate
 Barium sulfate
 Types of scale
 Water soluble
 Acid soluble
 Acid insoluble
 Scale Deposition
 Scale inhibition
 Polyphosphates and phosphate esters
 Slowly soluble polyphosphates
 Phosphonates
 Polyacrylic acid and other carboxylic acid-containing polymers
 Scale treatment
 HCl to dissolve acid soluble scales
 EDTA
 Asphaltene Precipitation
 Asphaltene precipitates
 Formation plugging
 Wettability alteration
 Nucleus for emulsion formation
 Treatments
 Aromatic solvents injection (Xylene, Toluene)
 Anti sludge agents during acid treatments to prevent asphaltene
precipitates
 Paraffin Deposition
 Hydrocarbon fractions with a carbon chain length starting at C
up to C or higher 18-20
70
 Variation in temperature and other condition causes deposition
 Arterial blockage
 Treatment
 Mechanical scraping
 Heating
 Solvents injection
 Water Block
 High water saturation ring around wellbore reducing gas flow
 Poor gas production from tight rock following a water-base treatment
 Cleanup of water block
 Permeability
 Drawdown pressure
 Water mobility
 Treatment
 Surfactant / alcohol to reduce surface tension
 N / CO to remove water block
2 2
 Precipitates after Stimulation Treatment
 Crude oil + Injected fluid compatibility
 Formation water + Injected fluid compatibility
 Rock minerals + injected fluid compatibility
 Emulsion formation
 Sludge formation
 Asphaltene precipitation
 Other Precipitates (CaF , Iron precipitates, etc.)
2
 Biological Mechanisms
 Bacterial blockage
 Corrosion products
 H S generation
2
 Types of bacteria
 Aerobic bacteria
 Anaerobic bacteria
 Facultative bacteria
  Bacteria plugs the rock pores
 Sulfate reducing bacteria (produce H S)
 EDTA and oxygen scavenger to control2 bacteria
 Sources of Formation Damage
Formation damage may occur during
 Drilling operation
 Completion operation
 Workover operation
 Stimulation operation
 Production operation
 Injection operation
 IOR / EOR operation
 Origins of formation damage & remedies
 During Completion & Workover
 Origins of formation damage & remedies
 During Production
 Origins of formation damage & remedies
 During W.I. & Different EOR Methods
 WHAT IS ACIDIZATION
Matrix stimulation by acidization is accomplished by injecting chemicals
to dissolve and/or disperse materials near the wellbore that impair
well production in sandstones or to create new, unimpaired flow
channels between the wellbore and a carbonate formation.
Mechanism of Matrix Acid job:
 To inject acid into formation at a pressure less than the pressure at which
fracture can be opened
 To dissolve the clays, mud solids near the wellbore which had choked the pores
 To enlarge the pore spaces
 To leave the sand and remaining fines in a water-wet condition

 Acid Pumper
 Sandstone Acidizing
 Injection of suitable acid for selective dissolution of part of formation rock to
reduce the resistance to fluid flow in the vicinity of the wellbore.
 Radial flow geometry.
 Brief history of acidization
 First practiced in Texas in 1933
 Commercial application in 1940 in Gulf Coast of Mexico
 1950s & 1960s : Emphasis on development of additives
 1970s : Deeper penetration of live HF acid with alternate stages of HCl & HF
 1980s : Diversion techniques, Placement thru CTU, Real time monitoring
 1990s : Development of software and on site evaluation techniques.
 Technology and Application
 Not all matrix acid treatments are successful even when the well is
severely damaged.
 Precipitation of reaction
 Acid fluid – reservoir fluid interactions.
 Variations in reservoir permeability or the distribution of
damage.
 Matrix Acidization
Effect:
 Acid is pumped below fracturing pressure of formation / rock
 Used in both sandstone and carbonate reservoir
 Used for near wellbore damage removal ( 1- 4 ft.)
 Limited acid penetration
 In carbonate reservoir only HCl is used
 Fluid Selection
 Laboratory studies for job design
 X-Ray Diffraction Analysis :
 Qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis of rock and clay mineralogy
 Solubility Test :
 To study solubility of rock formation in different acid formulations and
Filterate analysis for Iron content
 Core Wettability Test :
 study Wettability of core samples
 Laboratory studies
 Immersion Test :
 Study Effect of 2% KCl , 15% HCl on formation chips
 Sludge Test :
 Study for sludge forming tendency of crude oil with treatment acid
formulation & Solubility of sludge with different solvents
 Flush Test With Undamaged Core Plug
 Develop Acid Response Curve
 Primary Considerations
 Fluid Selection
 Injection schedule
 Acid coverage and diversion
 Real time monitoring
 Additives.
 Matrix acidization design
 Fluid selection : acid type, concentration and volume
 Injection schedule : planned rate schedule & sequence of injection
 Additives : other chemicals to be included to enhance process
 Acid coverage & diversion : to improve acid contact with formation
 Real time monitoring : evaluation of acidizing process as it occurs
 Fluid selection
 Hydrochloric Acid :
 Reacts with calcite or dolomite to form CO2, water and Ca or Mg salt
 Prevents precipitation of Ca and Mg fluoride in sandstone pores
 Lower consumption of HF acid during acidization
 Catalyzes reaction between HF & dissolvable minerals like feldspars in the
porous matrix
 Fluid selection
 Mud Acid: ( HCl + HF )
 HF is reactive with clay minerals that may be restricting near-wellbore
permeability
 ability to dissolve silica and increases the permeability.
 The HCl is needed to keep the pH low, thereby reducing the precipitation
of HF reaction products.
 Fluid selection guidelines
 Preflush fluid
  Mud Acid Fluids

 Sandstone acid job stages

 Tubing pickle
 Remove rust, iron oxide & scales
 Dissolves oily films & sludges
 Limits amount of iron going into formation
 Preflush Stage (5 -15% HCl)
 50 to 100 gal/ft of formation in general
 Removal of calcareous material prior to mud acid
 To push NaCl or KCl away from wellbore

 Acid job stages

 Main fluid stage – HCl – HF mixture
 Reaction with clay minerals, drilling mud or cement and thereby removing
near wellbore damage
 HCl to dissolve carbonates
 Overflush stage
 Displace main fluid stage more than 3 to 4 ft away
 To make formation water wet
 A buffer between HF & fluid
 Matrix Acidization
Acid Compositions (Sandstone):
 Mud Acid ( 5-15 % HCl + 1-3 % HF)
 Organic HF ( 10% Acetic acid + 2 % HF )
 Fluoboric acid ( HBF )
4
 Alcoholic mud acid ( Mud acid + Methanol 50%)
 Self generating mud acid
 Matrix Acidization
Acid Compositions (Limestone / Carbonate):
 15% or 28 % HCl
 Deep penetrating acid
 Acid with diversion
capability
 Matrix Acidization
Job execution procedure:
 Injectivity test before job to estimate the extent of damage
 Recording of the pressure and measurement of “Skin”
 Pumping of acid stages
 Measurement of pressure and flow rate
 Injectivity test after job to estimate the extent of damage removal
 Recording of the pressure and measurement of “Skin”
 Chemical Reactions
 Limestone: HCl
Calcite:
2HCl + CaCO3 CaCl2 +CO2+H2O
Dolomite:
4HCl + CaMg(CO3)2 Cacl2 + MgCl2 +
CO2+2H2O
Siderite:
 2HCl +FeCO3 FeCl2+CO2+H2O
 Sandstone : HCl-HF(Mud acid)
 Quartz:
4HF + SiO2 SiF4(silicon tetrafluoride)
 Albite(sodium feldspar)
NaAlSi3O8 +14HF+2H Na +AlF2 +3SiF4 +8H2O
 Orthoclase( potassium feldspar)
NaAlSi3O8 +14HF +2H K +AlF2 + 3SiF4+8H2O
 Kaolinite
Al4Si4O10(OH)8 +24HF+4H 4AlF2 +4SiF4+18H2O
 Montmorillonite
AlSi8O20(OH)4 + 40 HF + 4 H 4AlF2 +8 SiF4 +24H2O
 Organic HF
 Blend of organic acid and HF.
 Application
 HCl sensitive mineralogy
 Crude oil incompatibilities
 Corrosion concerns(high temperature wells).
 ACID ADDITIVES
 CORROSION INHIBITOR
 • Factors Affecting Corrosion During An Acid Treatment
 – Temperature
 – Contact Time
 – Acid Concentration
 – Metal Type
 – Corrosion Inhibitor Used
 ACID ADDITIVES
 SURFACTANT :
 Change surface and interfacial tensions
 Disperse or flocculate clays and fines
 Create, break, weaken, or strengthen emulsions
 Changes or maintains the wettability of reservoir Rocks, flow lines, tubing or
casing
 Reduce acid-induced sludging
 Create or break foams
 Disperse fines and liquids
 Promote or prevent water blocks
 ACID ADDITIVES
 NON-EMULSIFIER
 • Contains water soluble group (polymer)
 • Temperature sensitive
 • More versatile & results in
 – Lowered surface tension
 – Damage prevention
 ACID ADDITIVES
 IRON CONTROLLER :
 Methods of Iron Control
 Chelating (iron chemically bound) e.g. Acetic acid, Citric acid
 Sequestering (iron retained in solution) e.g. EDTA, NTA, Erythorbic acid
 The Precipitation of Iron
 Ferrous Ion (Fe++) pH 7 or Greater
 Ferric Ion (Fe+++) pH 2 to 3
 Sources of Iron
 Scale: Iron Oxide/ Sulphide/ Carbonate
 Formation: Chlorite, Pyrite, Siderite
 ACID ADDITIVE
 ANTI SLUDGE AGENT
 “Sludge” is a precipitate from reaction of high strength acid with crude .
 Methods of sludge prevention
  Solvent (Xylene, Toluene) pre-flush to minimize physical contact
 Use of low strength acid
 Non-ionic surfactant to minimize pprecipitation of colloidal suspension
 ACID ADDITIVE
 MUTUAL SOLVENT
 What is a mutual solvent?
 Reasons for using a mutual solvent
 To reduce water saturation near the wellbore
 To maintain a water wet formation
 To water wet insoluble formation fines
 To help reduce the absorption of surfactants and inhibitors on the
formation
 Normal treating concentrations
 Acid Fracturing
 Hydraulic fracturing with acid an alternative to propped fractures in acid-soluble formations
such as dolomites and limestones.
 Due to acid flow, the fracture face is dissolved in a non uniform manner, creating
conductive or etched channels that remain open when the fracture closes.
 Effective frac length depends on
 Type of acid used
 Reaction rate
 Fluidloss from fracture to formation
 Acid Fracturing
 Acid fracturing may be preferred operationally because potential for unintended
proppant bridging and proppant flowback avoided
 Difference between acid and propped fractures : conductivity obtained by etching
the fracture faces instead of by using proppant
 Acid Fracturing
 Acid Fracturing
 Acid penetration governed by chemical reaction between rock and fracturing fluid
 Conductivity determined by etching patterns formed by the reacting acid
 Designing and controlling depth of penetration of live acid into the formation and
the etched conductivity are more difficult than controlling proppant placement
 Lab Studies
 Flush Test With Undamaged Core Plug
Objective
 -Develop Acid Response Curve
Application
 -Treatment design
 Damage Exposure
Objective
 -Exposing restored core plug to specified drilling / completion fluid.
 -Determine damage permeability
Application
 -Treatment design