Polymer microspheres(PMs),such as polyacrylamide,have been widely applied for enhanced oil recovery(EOR),yet with environmental concerns.Here,we report a microfluid displacement technology containing a bio-based eco-f...Polymer microspheres(PMs),such as polyacrylamide,have been widely applied for enhanced oil recovery(EOR),yet with environmental concerns.Here,we report a microfluid displacement technology containing a bio-based eco-friendly material,i.e.,calcium alginate(CaAlg)microspheres for EOR.Two dominant mechanisms responsible for EOR over Ca Alg fluid have been verified,including the microscopic oil displacement efficacy augmented by regulating capillary force(determined by the joint action of interfacial tension and wettability between different phases)and macroscopic sweep volume increment through profile control and mobility ratio reduction.This comprehensive effectiveness can be further impacted when the CaAlg microsphere is embellished ulteriorly by using appropriate amount of sodium dodecyl sulfonate(SDS).The core flooding and nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)tests demonstrate that CaAlg-SDS microsphere can balance the interphase property regulation(wettability alteration and IFT reduction)and rheology properties,enabling simultaneous profile control and oil displacement.Excessive introduction of SDS will have a negative impact on rheological properties,which is not favored for EOR.Our results show that the involvement of 4-m M SDS will provide the best behavior,with an EOR rate of 34.38%.This cost-effective and environmentally-friendly bio-microspherebased microfluidic displacement technology is expected to achieve“green”oil recovery in future oilfield exploitation.展开更多
Considering the problems in the discrimination of fracture penetration and the evaluation of fracturing performance in the stimulation of thin sand-mud interbedded reservoirs in the eighth member of Shihezi Formation ...Considering the problems in the discrimination of fracture penetration and the evaluation of fracturing performance in the stimulation of thin sand-mud interbedded reservoirs in the eighth member of Shihezi Formation of Permian(He-8 Member)in the Sulige gas field,a geomechanical model of thin sand-mud interbedded reservoirs considering interlayer heterogeneity was established.The experiment of hydraulic fracture penetration was performed to reveal the mechanism of initiation–extension–interaction–penetration of hydraulic fractures in the thin sand-mud interbedded reservoirs.The unconventional fracture model was used to clarify the vertical initiation and extension characteristics of fractures in thin interbedded reservoirs through numerical simulation.The fracture penetration discrimination criterion and the fracturing performance evaluation method were developed.The results show that the interlayer stress difference is the main geological factor that directly affects the fracture morphology during hydraulic fracturing.When the interlayer stress difference coefficient is less than 0.4 in the Sulige gas field,the fractures can penetrate the barrier and extend in the target sandstone layer.When the interlayer stress difference coefficient is not less than 0.4 and less than 0.45,the factures can penetrate the barrier but cannot extend in the target sandstone layers.When the interlayer stress difference coefficient is greater than 0.45,the fractures only extend in the perforated reservoir,but not penetrate the layers.Increasing the viscosity and pump rates of the fracturing fluid can compensate for the energy loss and break through the barrier limit.The injection of high viscosity(50–100 mPa·s)fracturing fluid at high pump rates(12–18 m^(3)/min)is conducive to fracture penetration in the thin sand-mud interbedded reservoirs in the Sulige gas field.展开更多
The reservoirs in the seventh member of the Triassic Yanchang Formation (Chang 7 Member) in the Qingcheng Oilfield of the Ordos Basin are characterized by thin sandbody, tight rocks, high heterogeneity, low formation ...The reservoirs in the seventh member of the Triassic Yanchang Formation (Chang 7 Member) in the Qingcheng Oilfield of the Ordos Basin are characterized by thin sandbody, tight rocks, high heterogeneity, low formation pressure coefficient, and complex geomorphology. Through the efforts in the stages of exploration, appraisal, pilot testing and development, a series of key technologies have been formed, including “sweet spot” optimization, differentiated three-dimensional well deployment, fast drilling and completion of large-cluster horizontal well, intensively-staged volume fracturing in long horizontal well, and optimization of rational production system. Furthermore, a production organization mode represented by factory-like operations on loess platform has been implemented. Application of these technologies has enabled to significantly improve the single-well production of the Qingcheng Oilfield, reduce the investment cost, and realize a large-scale and beneficial development at a full cost below $55 per barrel. In 2022, the annual production of Chang 7 shale oil in the Ordos Basin reached 221×10^(4) t, accounting for 70% of the annual shale oil production of China. The practice of development technologies in the Qingcheng Oilfield provides valuable references for efficient development of continental shale oil.展开更多
The backreaming operation plays a significant role in safe drilling for horizontal wellbores, while it may cause severe stuck pipe accidents. To lower the risk of the stuck pipe in backreaming operations, the mechanis...The backreaming operation plays a significant role in safe drilling for horizontal wellbores, while it may cause severe stuck pipe accidents. To lower the risk of the stuck pipe in backreaming operations, the mechanism of cuttings transport needs to be carefully investigated. In this research, a transient cuttings transport with multiple flow patterns model is developed to predict the evolution of cuttings transported in the annulus while backreaming. The established model can provide predictions of the distribution of cuttings bed along the wellbore considering the bulldozer effect caused by large-size drilling tools(LSDTs). The sensitivity analyses of the size of LSDTs, and backreaming operating parameters are conducted in Section 4. And a new theory is proposed to explain the mechanism of cuttings transport in the backreaming operation, in which both the bit and LSDTs have the “cleaning effect” and “plugging effect”.The results demonstrate that the cuttings bed in annuli is in a state of dynamic equilibrium, but the overall trend and the distribution pattern are obvious. First, larger diameters and longer drilling tools could lead to a higher risk of the stuck pipe. Second, we find that it is not the case that the higher flow rate is always better for hole cleaning, so three flow-rate intervals are discussed separately under the given conditions. When the “dangerous flow rate”(<33 L/s in Case 4) is employed, the cuttings bed completely blocks the borehole near the step surface and causes a stuck pipe directly. If the flow rate increases to the “low flow rate” interval(33-35 L/s in Case 4), a smaller flow rate instead facilitates borehole cleaning. If the flow rate is large enough to be in the “high flow rate” interval(>35 L/s in Case 4),the higher the flow rate, the better the cleaning effect of cuttings beds. Third, an interval of tripping velocity called “dangerous velocity” is proposed, in which the cuttings bed accumulation near the LSDTs is more serious than those of other tripping velocities. As long as the applied tripping velocity is not within the “dangerous velocity”(0.4-0.5 m/s in Case 5) interval in the backreaming operation, the risk of the stuck pipe can be controlled validly. Finally, through the factors analyses of the annular geometry,particle properties, and fluid properties in Section 5, it can be found that the “low flow rate”, “high flow rate” and “dangers flow rate” tend to decrease and the “dangerous velocity” tends to increase with the conditions more favorable for hole cleaning. This study has some guiding significance for risk prediction and parameter setting of the backreaming operation.展开更多
The authors of ＇Genesis of the high gamma sandstone of the Yanchang Formation in the Ordos Basin, China＇ questioned the viewpoint that high-gamma-ray sandstone might be caused by homochronous sedimentary volcano tuf...The authors of ＇Genesis of the high gamma sandstone of the Yanchang Formation in the Ordos Basin, China＇ questioned the viewpoint that high-gamma-ray sandstone might be caused by homochronous sedimentary volcano tuff ash or previous tuff. The authors argued that the main reason for the high-gamma-ray sandstone should be from high Th and U contents in zircon. In reply, we discuss the problems with the authors from the category of high-gamma-ray sandstones, rock characteristics, and possible sources of radioactivity. The results still indicate that the high gamma ray characteristics might be caused by homochronous sedimentary volcano tuff ash or reworked previous turfs.展开更多
According to the variable toe-to-heel well spacing, combined with the dislocation theory, discrete lattice method, and finite-element-method(FEM) based fluid-solid coupling, an integrated geological-engineering method...According to the variable toe-to-heel well spacing, combined with the dislocation theory, discrete lattice method, and finite-element-method(FEM) based fluid-solid coupling, an integrated geological-engineering method of volume fracturing for fan-shaped well pattern is proposed considering the geomechanical modeling, induced stress calculation, hydraulic fracturing simulation, and post-frac productivity evaluation. Besides, we propose the differential fracturing design for the conventional productivity-area and the potential production area for fan-shaped horizontal wells. After the fracturing of the conventional production area for H1 fan-shaped well platform, the research shows that the maximum reduction of the horizontal principal stress difference in the potential productivity-area is 0.2 MPa, which cannot cause the stress reversal, but this reduction is still conducive to the lateral propagation of hydraulic fractures. According to the optimized fracturing design, in zone-Ⅰ of the potential production area, only Well 2 is fractured, with a cluster spacing of 30 m and an injection rate of 12 m^(3)/min per stage;in zone-Ⅱ, Well 2 is fractured before Well 3, with a cluster spacing of 30 m and an injection rate of 12 m^(3)/min per stage. The swept area of the pore pressure drop in the potential production area is small, showing that the reservoir is not well developed. The hydraulic fracturing in the toe area can be improved by, for example, properly densifying the fractures and adjusting the fracture distribution, in order to enhance the swept volume and increase the reservoir utilization.展开更多
基金supported by the Open Fund of Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Advanced Stimulation Technology for Oil&Gas Reservoirs(No.KFJJ-TZ-2020-2)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52104030)+1 种基金the Key Research and Development Program of Shaanxi(No.2022 KW-35)the China Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities。
文摘Polymer microspheres(PMs),such as polyacrylamide,have been widely applied for enhanced oil recovery(EOR),yet with environmental concerns.Here,we report a microfluid displacement technology containing a bio-based eco-friendly material,i.e.,calcium alginate(CaAlg)microspheres for EOR.Two dominant mechanisms responsible for EOR over Ca Alg fluid have been verified,including the microscopic oil displacement efficacy augmented by regulating capillary force(determined by the joint action of interfacial tension and wettability between different phases)and macroscopic sweep volume increment through profile control and mobility ratio reduction.This comprehensive effectiveness can be further impacted when the CaAlg microsphere is embellished ulteriorly by using appropriate amount of sodium dodecyl sulfonate(SDS).The core flooding and nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)tests demonstrate that CaAlg-SDS microsphere can balance the interphase property regulation(wettability alteration and IFT reduction)and rheology properties,enabling simultaneous profile control and oil displacement.Excessive introduction of SDS will have a negative impact on rheological properties,which is not favored for EOR.Our results show that the involvement of 4-m M SDS will provide the best behavior,with an EOR rate of 34.38%.This cost-effective and environmentally-friendly bio-microspherebased microfluidic displacement technology is expected to achieve“green”oil recovery in future oilfield exploitation.
基金Supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFE0129800)CNPC and China University of Petroleum(Beijing)Strategic Cooperation Science and Technology Special Project(ZLZX2020-02)。
文摘Considering the problems in the discrimination of fracture penetration and the evaluation of fracturing performance in the stimulation of thin sand-mud interbedded reservoirs in the eighth member of Shihezi Formation of Permian(He-8 Member)in the Sulige gas field,a geomechanical model of thin sand-mud interbedded reservoirs considering interlayer heterogeneity was established.The experiment of hydraulic fracture penetration was performed to reveal the mechanism of initiation–extension–interaction–penetration of hydraulic fractures in the thin sand-mud interbedded reservoirs.The unconventional fracture model was used to clarify the vertical initiation and extension characteristics of fractures in thin interbedded reservoirs through numerical simulation.The fracture penetration discrimination criterion and the fracturing performance evaluation method were developed.The results show that the interlayer stress difference is the main geological factor that directly affects the fracture morphology during hydraulic fracturing.When the interlayer stress difference coefficient is less than 0.4 in the Sulige gas field,the fractures can penetrate the barrier and extend in the target sandstone layer.When the interlayer stress difference coefficient is not less than 0.4 and less than 0.45,the factures can penetrate the barrier but cannot extend in the target sandstone layers.When the interlayer stress difference coefficient is greater than 0.45,the fractures only extend in the perforated reservoir,but not penetrate the layers.Increasing the viscosity and pump rates of the fracturing fluid can compensate for the energy loss and break through the barrier limit.The injection of high viscosity(50–100 mPa·s)fracturing fluid at high pump rates(12–18 m^(3)/min)is conducive to fracture penetration in the thin sand-mud interbedded reservoirs in the Sulige gas field.
基金Supported by the PetroChina Science and Technology Major Project(2021DJ1806,2023ZZ15).
文摘The reservoirs in the seventh member of the Triassic Yanchang Formation (Chang 7 Member) in the Qingcheng Oilfield of the Ordos Basin are characterized by thin sandbody, tight rocks, high heterogeneity, low formation pressure coefficient, and complex geomorphology. Through the efforts in the stages of exploration, appraisal, pilot testing and development, a series of key technologies have been formed, including “sweet spot” optimization, differentiated three-dimensional well deployment, fast drilling and completion of large-cluster horizontal well, intensively-staged volume fracturing in long horizontal well, and optimization of rational production system. Furthermore, a production organization mode represented by factory-like operations on loess platform has been implemented. Application of these technologies has enabled to significantly improve the single-well production of the Qingcheng Oilfield, reduce the investment cost, and realize a large-scale and beneficial development at a full cost below $55 per barrel. In 2022, the annual production of Chang 7 shale oil in the Ordos Basin reached 221×10^(4) t, accounting for 70% of the annual shale oil production of China. The practice of development technologies in the Qingcheng Oilfield provides valuable references for efficient development of continental shale oil.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China,China(Grant No.52227804,52174010)Strategic Cooperation Technology Projects of CNPC and CUPB,China(Grant No.ZLZX2020-01)+1 种基金Sinopec key laboratory of drilling completion and fracturing of shale oil and gas,China(Grant No.35800000-22-ZC0699-0004)the Key Projects of Scientific Research Plan in Colleges and Universities of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region,China(Grant No.XJEDU20211028)。
文摘The backreaming operation plays a significant role in safe drilling for horizontal wellbores, while it may cause severe stuck pipe accidents. To lower the risk of the stuck pipe in backreaming operations, the mechanism of cuttings transport needs to be carefully investigated. In this research, a transient cuttings transport with multiple flow patterns model is developed to predict the evolution of cuttings transported in the annulus while backreaming. The established model can provide predictions of the distribution of cuttings bed along the wellbore considering the bulldozer effect caused by large-size drilling tools(LSDTs). The sensitivity analyses of the size of LSDTs, and backreaming operating parameters are conducted in Section 4. And a new theory is proposed to explain the mechanism of cuttings transport in the backreaming operation, in which both the bit and LSDTs have the “cleaning effect” and “plugging effect”.The results demonstrate that the cuttings bed in annuli is in a state of dynamic equilibrium, but the overall trend and the distribution pattern are obvious. First, larger diameters and longer drilling tools could lead to a higher risk of the stuck pipe. Second, we find that it is not the case that the higher flow rate is always better for hole cleaning, so three flow-rate intervals are discussed separately under the given conditions. When the “dangerous flow rate”(<33 L/s in Case 4) is employed, the cuttings bed completely blocks the borehole near the step surface and causes a stuck pipe directly. If the flow rate increases to the “low flow rate” interval(33-35 L/s in Case 4), a smaller flow rate instead facilitates borehole cleaning. If the flow rate is large enough to be in the “high flow rate” interval(>35 L/s in Case 4),the higher the flow rate, the better the cleaning effect of cuttings beds. Third, an interval of tripping velocity called “dangerous velocity” is proposed, in which the cuttings bed accumulation near the LSDTs is more serious than those of other tripping velocities. As long as the applied tripping velocity is not within the “dangerous velocity”(0.4-0.5 m/s in Case 5) interval in the backreaming operation, the risk of the stuck pipe can be controlled validly. Finally, through the factors analyses of the annular geometry,particle properties, and fluid properties in Section 5, it can be found that the “low flow rate”, “high flow rate” and “dangers flow rate” tend to decrease and the “dangerous velocity” tends to increase with the conditions more favorable for hole cleaning. This study has some guiding significance for risk prediction and parameter setting of the backreaming operation.
文摘The authors of ＇Genesis of the high gamma sandstone of the Yanchang Formation in the Ordos Basin, China＇ questioned the viewpoint that high-gamma-ray sandstone might be caused by homochronous sedimentary volcano tuff ash or previous tuff. The authors argued that the main reason for the high-gamma-ray sandstone should be from high Th and U contents in zircon. In reply, we discuss the problems with the authors from the category of high-gamma-ray sandstones, rock characteristics, and possible sources of radioactivity. The results still indicate that the high gamma ray characteristics might be caused by homochronous sedimentary volcano tuff ash or reworked previous turfs.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (52104029,U2139204)PetroChina Science and Technology Innovation Foundation (2021 DQ02-0501)。
文摘According to the variable toe-to-heel well spacing, combined with the dislocation theory, discrete lattice method, and finite-element-method(FEM) based fluid-solid coupling, an integrated geological-engineering method of volume fracturing for fan-shaped well pattern is proposed considering the geomechanical modeling, induced stress calculation, hydraulic fracturing simulation, and post-frac productivity evaluation. Besides, we propose the differential fracturing design for the conventional productivity-area and the potential production area for fan-shaped horizontal wells. After the fracturing of the conventional production area for H1 fan-shaped well platform, the research shows that the maximum reduction of the horizontal principal stress difference in the potential productivity-area is 0.2 MPa, which cannot cause the stress reversal, but this reduction is still conducive to the lateral propagation of hydraulic fractures. According to the optimized fracturing design, in zone-Ⅰ of the potential production area, only Well 2 is fractured, with a cluster spacing of 30 m and an injection rate of 12 m^(3)/min per stage;in zone-Ⅱ, Well 2 is fractured before Well 3, with a cluster spacing of 30 m and an injection rate of 12 m^(3)/min per stage. The swept area of the pore pressure drop in the potential production area is small, showing that the reservoir is not well developed. The hydraulic fracturing in the toe area can be improved by, for example, properly densifying the fractures and adjusting the fracture distribution, in order to enhance the swept volume and increase the reservoir utilization.
