US3842910A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Well fracturing method using liquefied gas as fracturing fluid
Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corp
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Filing: 1973-10-04
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Granted: 1974-10-22
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Expires: 1993-10-04
Abstract
Abstract An improved method is disclosed for fracturing an oil well or gas well with a mixture of liquid carbon dioxide and liquid petroleum gas. The objective is to be able to inject the liquid into the wellbore at a relatively high pumping rate without causing the liquid to boil. Prior to injection, both the liquid CO2 and the LPG are held in separate supply tanks at a temperature and pressure at which the liquid phase will not boil. The temperature of the LPG is substantially higher than the liquid CO2. During the pumping operation, part of the liquid CO2 and all of the LPG is fed through a heat exchanger. In the exchanger the amount of heat transferred from the LPG to the liquid CO2 is enough to vaporize the liquid. The CO2 vapor is then circulated back into the CO2 tank. The recycled vapor thus maintains the liquid-vapor phase in the tank at equilibrium, so that the liquid will not boil at the desired pumping rate.
Inventors
- 👤 W Zingg
- 👤 D Grassman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 07:48
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B43/00; E21B43/25; E21B43/26; E21B43/2607
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
274 words
A METHOD FOR TREATING A SUBSURFACE EARTH FORMATION PENETRATED BY A WELLBORE, WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF: PROVIDING AT THE WELLBORE SITE A CONTAINER OF LIQUID CARBON DIXIDE, THE SAID CARBON DIOXIDE BEING STORED IN THE CONTAINER AT A TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE AT WHICH THE LIQUID PHASE WILL NOT BOIL, PROVIDING AT THE WELLBORE SITE A CONTAINER OF LIQUID PETROLEUM GAS, THE SAID PETROLEUM GAS BEING STORED IN THE CONTAINER AT A TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE AT WHICH THE LIQUID PHASE WILL NOT BOIL; PUMPING A FIRST PORTION OF THE LIQUID CARBON DIOXIDE FROM THE CONTAINER THROUGH A HEAT EXCHANGER MEANS AT A GIVEN RATE; PUMPING THE LIQUID PETROLEUM GAS THROUGH THE HEAT EXCHANGER MEANS, AND INTO A MIXER MEANS AT A GIVEN RATE; TRANSFERRING HEAT WITHIN THE HEAT EXCHANGER MEANS FROM THE LIQUID PETROLEUM GAS TO THE SAID FIRST PORTION OF LIQUID CARBON DIOXIDE, TO THEREBY HEAT THE SAID LIQUID CARBON DIOXIDE TO A TEMPERATURE AT WHICH THE LIQUID PHASE WILL VAPORIZE; PASSING THE CARBON DIOXIDE VAPORS FROM THE HEAT EXCHANGER BACK INTO THE CARBON DIOXIDE CONTAINER, TO THEREBY MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT PRESSURE ON THE LIQUID PHASE CARBON DIOXIDE TO PREVENT THE LIQUID FROM BOILING AT THE RATE AT WHICH THE PUMPING A SECOND PORTION OF THE LIQUID PHASE CARBON DIOXIDE FROM THE CONTAINER THROUGH THE MIXER MEANS AT A GIVEN RATE; MIXING THE LIQUID CARBON DIOXIDE AND LIQUID PETROLEUM GAS IN THE MIXER MEANS; PUNPING THE LIQUID MIXTURE OF CARBON DIOXIDE AND PETROLEUM GAS INTO THE WELLBORE AT A GIVEN RATE; AND SIMULTANEOUSLY PUMPING INTO THE WELLBORE AT A GIVEN RATE A CARRIER COMPOSITION WHICH COMPRISES A FLUID COMPOSITION CONTAINING A SOLID PROPPING MATERIAL.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
274 words
A METHOD FOR TREATING A SUBSURFACE EARTH FORMATION PENETRATED BY A WELLBORE, WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF: PROVIDING AT THE WELLBORE SITE A CONTAINER OF LIQUID CARBON DIXIDE, THE SAID CARBON DIOXIDE BEING STORED IN THE CONTAINER AT A TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE AT WHICH THE LIQUID PHASE WILL NOT BOIL, PROVIDING AT THE WELLBORE SITE A CONTAINER OF LIQUID PETROLEUM GAS, THE SAID PETROLEUM GAS BEING STORED IN THE CONTAINER AT A TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE AT WHICH THE LIQUID PHASE WILL NOT BOIL; PUMPING A FIRST PORTION OF THE LIQUID CARBON DIOXIDE FROM THE CONTAINER THROUGH A HEAT EXCHANGER MEANS AT A GIVEN RATE; PUMPING THE LIQUID PETROLEUM GAS THROUGH THE HEAT EXCHANGER MEANS, AND INTO A MIXER MEANS AT A GIVEN RATE; TRANSFERRING HEAT WITHIN THE HEAT EXCHANGER MEANS FROM THE LIQUID PETROLEUM GAS TO THE SAID FIRST PORTION OF LIQUID CARBON DIOXIDE, TO THEREBY HEAT THE SAID LIQUID CARBON DIOXIDE TO A TEMPERATURE AT WHICH THE LIQUID PHASE WILL VAPORIZE; PASSING THE CARBON DIOXIDE VAPORS FROM THE HEAT EXCHANGER BACK INTO THE CARBON DIOXIDE CONTAINER, TO THEREBY MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT PRESSURE ON THE LIQUID PHASE CARBON DIOXIDE TO PREVENT THE LIQUID FROM BOILING AT THE RATE AT WHICH THE PUMPING A SECOND PORTION OF THE LIQUID PHASE CARBON DIOXIDE FROM THE CONTAINER THROUGH THE MIXER MEANS AT A GIVEN RATE; MIXING THE LIQUID CARBON DIOXIDE AND LIQUID PETROLEUM GAS IN THE MIXER MEANS; PUNPING THE LIQUID MIXTURE OF CARBON DIOXIDE AND PETROLEUM GAS INTO THE WELLBORE AT A GIVEN RATE; AND SIMULTANEOUSLY PUMPING INTO THE WELLBORE AT A GIVEN RATE A CARRIER COMPOSITION WHICH COMPRISES A FLUID COMPOSITION CONTAINING A SOLID PROPPING MATERIAL.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 in which the liquid carbon dioxide is stored in the container at a temperature of about 0*F. and at a pressure of about 300 p.s.i.g.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 in which the liquid petroleum gas is stored in the container at a temperature of about 100*F. and at a pressure of about 200 p.s.i.g.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1 in which the liquid carbon dioxide, the liquid petroleum gas, and the carrier composition are each pumped into the wellbore at a rate of from about 10 barrels per minute to 25 barrels per minute.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-10-21 | 1978-04-22 | 1978-10-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-10-21 | 1982-04-22 | 1982-10-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-10-21 | 1986-04-22 | 1986-10-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |