Novel Interconnected Bonded Structure Enhances Proppant Flowback Control

Abstract

Abstract Loss of proppant from the near wellbore region of a fracture results in fracture pinch out and a noticeable decrease in well productivity. Downhole and surface equipment can be damaged when proppant flowback occurs as well. Resin coated proppant (RCP), fibers, deformable particles, resin on the fly, etc have been used to improve proppant pack stability. Selection of the appropriate proppant flowback control technology is made with consideration of engineering factors such as fluid compatibility issues, setting time, resistance to cycling stress-loading issues, and conductivity damage. The goal of the current work was to combine the beneficial features of mechanical proppant flowback control with chemical adhesive flowback control products. With mechanical features, the proppant pack stability is enhanced by blending fibers with proppant, thus increasing particle-particle interaction, and increasing the stability of proppant arches. This mechanism can enable aggressive flowback while providing an instantaneous, albeit a modest level of proppant flowback control. With the addition of an adhesive bonding mechanism to a mechanical flowback control material, the bicomponent material substantially increases proppant pack stabilization. Using a high temperature, high pressure proppant flowback control apparatus, we show the impact of particle bonding on the dosing required to achieve a specific level of proppant pack stability. We also show the impact of the flexible nature of bonded matrix on the proppant pack stability and tolerance to cyclic loading. A mechanistic proppant pack stability model was developed based on our experimental study. We discuss this model and its application towards the selection of the appropriate proppant flowback control technology for specific well conditions. We conclude the paper by discussing field cases of effective proppant flowback prevention techniques deployed as a result of model recommendation.