Patent Grant
7431083
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of coalbed methane production, and more specifically to methods for application of fluids or materials into subsurface coal seams that release free oxygen to create a rapid oxidation reaction within the coal seam in order to stimulate natural gas production from the coal seam.
2. Related Art
Commercial natural gas production from subsurface coal seams has now entered its third decade. Subsurface coal seams may contain a large amount of natural gas or methane (commonly referred to as coalbed methane, or CBM) that is adsorbed onto the surface of the coal. This gas is released from the coal and may be produced when the pressure is significantly reduced in the coal seam. However in most cases the depressurization (and thus the gas production) is curtailed by either low permeability in the coal, or because of damage to the coal during the drilling or completion process.
To date there are two methods of stimulation or bypassing damaged coals to increase the amount of gas production: a) cavitation; or b) hydraulic fracturing. Cavitation is a method of removing coal through repeated injections of fluids and aggressive flowbacks to shear off and produce coal up a wellbore, thus enlarging the wellbore by creating a cavity. Unfortunately this method has been successful only in a very limited amount of coal seams containing coal having specific friable properties.
The other method, hydraulic fracturing, is much the same method that has been applied in conventional oil and gas formations for years. This involves inducing fractures in the coal seams by pumping fluids into the formation at high pressures and at high rates. Unfortunately, due to the soft nature of the coals and to the presence of natural fractures (called cleats), these induced hydraulic fractures have not been very efficient and far underperform similar applications in conventional oil and gas formations. Proppant has been added to the fracturing fluid to enhance the fracture conductivity after the hydraulic pressure is bled off; however premature proppant bridging has been a problem in coal seam fracturing. Often, high viscosity fluids were required to successfully place these proppant treatments. However, these high viscosity fluids often cause secondary damage to the coal cleats adjacent to the fracture, which could greatly temper the stimulation effects of the fracture treatment.
Coal is a subterranean formation composed largely of carbon compounds, for example having a typical composition of about (85% C, 5% H, 5% (O,N,S) 5% M), in which C refers to total carbon content (fixed plus volatile matter); H refers to total hydrogen content; O,N,S refers to the total of oxygen, plus nitrogen, plus sulphur; and M refers to the total content of inert matter. Coal and carbonates (limestones and dolomites) are often sources of oil and gas production and are often naturally fractured, which enhances their potential productivity. Coal, limestones and dolomites may have limited oil and gas productivity due to low permeability or to damage during drilling and completion. However, the carbonates may be stimulated readily or their damage may be bypassed because the rock may be dissolved readily with cost effective acid, such as hydrochloric acid. The limestone/HCl dissolution reaction is:
2HCl+CaCO3<-->CaCl2+H2O+CO2
The dolomite/HCl dissolution reaction is:
4HCl+CaMg(CO3)2<-->CaCl2+MgCl2+2H2O+2CO2
These formations can be stimulated by enlarging the wellbore and removing or bypassing damage, or hydraulic fractures can be enhanced by fracturing with an acidic fluid which will remove rock along the fracture face and enhance the permeability of the fracture after hydraulic pressure is removed.
Several efforts have been made to use oxidizers for increasing CBM production, however none of these describes or suggests using combustion enhanced by providing an oxidizer for rock removal in stimulation of CBM production. There is a continuing and as yet unmet need for increasing CBM production.
In accordance with the present invention, methods of increasing production of coalbed methane are described that reduce or overcome problems in previously known methods. The inventive methods allow coal-bearing formations (such as coal seams, and the like) to be stimulated into producing more coalbed methane by providing a temporary oxidizing environment, allowing combustion of coal and increasing the size of hydraulic-induced fractures or perforations. The inventive methods involve the introduction of one or more compositions into subsurface coal seams via drilled wellbores that release and/or generate oxidizing materials in sufficient concentration and quantity to produce temporary, local oxidizing environments to support enhance-rate oxidation of carbonaceous materials. The function of the enhanced rate oxidation reaction is to stimulate the production of natural gas from these coal seams by removing coal in key areas to improve the connectivity and flow paths from the coal seam to the wellbore. This may include removing or bypassing damaged regions of coal-bearing formations adjacent to the wellbore caused by drilling and well completions, from hoop stresses, or combinations of these reasons.
One aspect of the invention is a method of stimulating production of coalbed methane from a coal-bearing formation, including providing a wellbore able to access a coal-bearing formation, providing a perforation charge having a standard charge portion and a composition able to produce localized temporary oxidizing environments including an oxidant in the perforations; perforating the coal-bearing formation with the perforation charge to form initial perforations defined by carbonaceous material, the initial perforations having localized temporary oxidizing environments in them, and initiating combustion of the carbonaceous material in the presence of the oxidizing environments, thus enlarging the initial perforations. Combustion may be initiated simply by heat of friction of a perforating projectile against the coal-bearing formation. Alternatively, or in addition thereto, initiation of combustion may be accomplished by any number of methods discussed herein, such as electrical heating elements, auxiliary combustors, wireline sparking, and the like.
Another method of the invention includes stimulating production of coalbed methane from a coal-bearing formation, by providing a wellbore able to access a coal-bearing formation, perforating the coal-bearing formation with a standard perforation charge, thereby creating perforations; treating the perforations with a composition creating temporary local oxidizing environments comprising an oxidant in the perforations, and initiating combustion of carbonaceous material using the oxidizing environments, thus enlarging the perforations. In this method, if combustion is not initiated by frictional heating, combustion may be initiated or supplemented by the methods described in relation to the first method. Some embodiments may comprise, prior to perforating, pre-packing or spotting the composition comprising an oxidizer in the wellbore. For example, with either cased or uncased well bores, one or more screens may be installed in the flow path between the production tubing and the coal-bearing formation. A packer may be set above and below the screen to seal off the annulus in the producing zone from non-producing formations. To spot the composition comprising the oxidizer around the screen, a work string and service seal unit may be used. The service seal unit may be employed to pump a composition (for example gravel or gel comprising the oxidizer) through the work string where the composition is squeezed between the coal-bearing formation and the screen. The composition may be pumped down the work string in a slurry of water or gel and spotted to fill the annulus between the screen and the well casing or wellbore side wall. In well installations in which the screen is suspended in an uncased open bore, the pre-pack helps support the surrounding formation. In these embodiments, once the composition comprising the oxidizer is spotted, the steps of perforating and treating the perforations may occur at substantially the same time. The perforation charges travel through the composition and may serve to initiate combustion of the oxidizer and coal and/or methane in the formation.
As used herein the term “standard charge” means a charge that would normally serve the function of perforating the casing and the coal-bearing formation. The term “composition” means a compound or composition functioning to provide the stated oxidizing environment. The composition may be gaseous, liquid, solid, and any combination thereof. Examples are provided herein. As used herein the phrase “enlarging the perforations” means to increase the size of any one or more dimension, including average diameter, volume, and/or penetration distance of the perforations. “Perforating” means shooting a projectile through a sidewall of a wellbore using an explosive charge, wherein “wellbore” may be cased, cased and cemented, or open hole, and may be any type of well, including, but not limited to, a producing well, a non-producing well, an experimental well, an exploratory well, and the like. Wellbores may be vertical, horizontal, any angle between vertical and horizontal, diverted or non-diverted, and combinations thereof, for example a vertical well with a non-vertical component. The term “coal-bearing” means coal of any rank. The term “carbonaceous material” includes coal and combustible materials in coal, such as macerals. A maceral is a component of coal. The term is analogous to the term mineral, as applied to igneous or metamorphic rocks. Examples of macerals are inertinite, vitrinite and liptinite. Inertinite is considered to be the equivalent of charcoal and degraded plant material. Vitrinite is considered to be composed of cellular plant material such as roots, bark, plant stems and tree trunks. Vitrinite macerals when observed under the microscope show a boxlike, cellular structure, often with oblong voids and cavities which are likely the remains of plant stems. Liptinite macerals are considered to be produced from decayed leaf matter, spores, pollen and algal matter. Resins and plant waxes can also be part of liptinite macerals. The term “methane” includes natural gas.
A third method of the invention includes:
Combusting the carbonaceous material may be initiated by one or more of the techniques discussed in reference to the first two methods. In methods within this aspect of the invention, “fractures” includes both cleats and man-made fractures. Methods within this aspect may be particularly suitable for relieving flow blockages that may be present due to the arch-like tension around a wellbore and in a plane generally perpendicular to the wellbore axis. The composition may be solid, liquid, gas, or any combination thereof, for example slurries. Methods within this aspect of the invention include those wherein the combusting results in the fractures extending deeper into the coal-bearing formation than the original fractures, the fractures having larger effective diameter than the fractures before the treatment, or a combination thereof, and these enlarged fractures may remain open when the well is placed back in production. Optionally, injection of a proppant fracturing fluid, or other fracturing fluid, may be performed after the combusting step. In certain embodiments, the pressure of the wellbore may be suddenly decreased after the combusting step and prior to the injection of a fracturing fluid. These methods reduce or eliminate near wellbore problems that often cause premature termination of propped fracture treatments.
In yet another method, the oxidizer may be a material spotted in the wellbore or squeezed into the coal seam prior to the gun placement and firing. For example, an oxygen source (oxidizing material) may be pumped (or spotted) into the wellbore or into (or across) the coal seam in a first step, and then in a second step the perforating guns or the propellant gun may be used as an ignition source to promote or provide the combustion enhancement. The perforation or stimulation gun may be lowered into the wellbore after the oxidizer is placed, and fired off to create ignition in the coal seam. This method may be applied either in a new (unperforated) wellbore, or as a remedial stimulation treatment in which the oxidative material is squeezed into the coal seam prior to ignition. In a not yet perforated wellbore, the composition may be placed inside the casing adjacent the coal seam, or the composition may be pumped into the annulus between the casing and the coal and then cement may be pumped down the annulus and displace the composition into the bottom of the casing adjacent the coal seam. Methods of the invention will become more apparent upon review of the brief description of the drawings, the detailed description of the invention, and the claims that follow.
The manner in which the objectives of the invention and other desirable characteristics may be obtained is explained in the following description and attached drawings in which:
It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings are not to scale and illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention, and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.
In the following description, numerous details are set forth to provide an understanding of the present invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these details and that numerous variations or modifications from the described embodiments may be possible.
Since the mid-1980s, in the United States coalbed methane (CBM) has become an increasingly important unconventional source of fossil fuel. For many years CBM was primarily an underground coal-mine safety problem and a large body of literature exists on this subject. Over the last two decades there has been a rapid acceleration of interest in CBM as an unconventional fossil fuel. Coalbed methane is also referred to as coalbed gas by some. As much as 98% of the CBM is adsorbed in coal micropores, which generally have diameters less than 40 angstroms, rather than being in intergranular pores as in conventional gas reservoirs. Most of the water in the cleat system of coal must be removed before the CBM can be desorbed. Natural fractures in coal (cleats) are the principal conduits for the transfer of water and methane from coal reservoirs. Face and butt cleats are the primary and secondary cleat systems in coal, respectively, and these are a function of regional structure, coal rank, coal lithotype, bed thickness, and other factors. The methods of the present invention are most applicable to methane contained in coal-bearing formations due to the cleat systems therein, because they provide the ability to penetrate coal formations with explosive charges to form man-made fractures.
The methods of the present invention involve the introduction, into subsurface coal seams via drilled wellbores, of compositions that release and/or generate oxidizing materials in sufficient concentration and quantity to produce local, temporary oxidizing conditions sufficient to support rapid, local, temporary oxidation reactions. The effect is local because of the ability of the operation personnel to dictate where in the coal-bearing formation the composition is applied, and the effect is temporary because once the oxidant in the composition is expended, combustion stops. During combustion, the heat of combustion is transferred to the surrounding carbonaceous material in the coal seam, and if sufficient water is present, steam may form and expand into cleats and natural fractures, as well as into man-made fractures, further increasing the size of the cleats, natural fractures, and other fractures, particularly those near the wellbore. The intention of this reaction is to stimulate the production of natural gas from these coal seams by removing coal in key areas to improve the connectivity and flow paths from the coal seam to the wellbore.
In one method in accordance with the invention, denoted perforation enhancement, perforation fluid paths (sometimes referred to as tunnels) from a steel-cased wellbore or other wellbore to a coal seam, often initially made through shaped charges that fire and create holes through the casing and cement isolation sheath, into the coal formation, are enlarged by modifying the charges to include a composition sufficient to create the local, temporary oxidizing environments discussed herein. Alternatively, through the application of a co-perforation or post-perforation propellant treatment that produces an excess of free oxygen, the perforation size and penetration into the coal seam may be enhanced by removing additional coal from the perforation tunnels through rapid oxidation. By co-perforation is meant that the oxidizer is applied during perforating, for example by perforating through a previously installed pre-pack comprising an oxidizer.
In another method of the invention, denoted rapid oxidation etched hydraulic fracturing, a fracturing treatment fluid is injected into the coal seam at a higher rate than the coal cleat matrix can accept. This rapid injection produces a buildup in wellbore pressure until it is large enough to overcome compressive earth stresses and the coal's tensile strength. At this pressure the coal fails, allowing a crack (or fracture) to be formed. Continued injection increases the fracture's length and width. The method opens up cleats oriented in accordance with the stresses in the coal. A composition able to create local, temporary oxidizing conditions is added to the fracturing fluid to create a rapid oxidation reaction in the coal adjacent to the induced fractures. This rapid oxidation reaction will remove a portion of the coal and create a flow channel that extends deep into the formation and remains open when the well is placed back on production. Rapid oxidation etched hydraulic fracturing treatment can be applied as a stand alone stimulation treatment, or as a pre-treatment to conventional proppant fracturing to remove near wellbore tortuosity constrictions that often result in premature termination of a propped fracture treatment due to proppant bridging near the wellbore.
The basic coal combustion reaction may be represented by the following equation:
CH(H/C)f+O2CO2+CO+H2O+noncombustible ash (typically 5-12 percent)
The (H/C)f subscript is termed the equivalent hydrogen-to-oxygen ratio that varies from coal to coal. A typical coal composition and thermal values are provided in Table 1. The oxidizer used to create the local, temporary oxidizing environment will combust coal and a small amount of CBM, until the oxidizer is completely consumed, after which the local environments return to their reducing atmosphere status. Without being limited to any particular theory, the combined effects of combustion and expansion of the heated reaction gases results in enlargement of at least those natural fractures in the coal-bearing formation nearest the wellbore, or enlargement of the initial perforations in a perforation operation. The products of the combustion reactions will be produced out of the wellbore and processed by gas- and liquid-handling facilities, which are not considered part of the present invention. If the temperature of the wellbore is low enough, any water formed as a result of combustion will condense and be pumped out by pumps already in place for pumping produced water. Using the coal reaction stoichiometry above, and balanced reaction equations for combustion of methane, ethane, and other gases expected or measured to be present in the coal-bearing formation, one may calculate the theoretical amount of coal that might be removed using a given oxidizer. These calculations are considered well-known and need no further explanation herein.
1From Harju, J. B., “Coal Combustion Chemistry,” Pollution Engineering, May 1980 pp. 54-60.
Compositions useful in the invention comprise at least one oxidizer chemical. The oxidizer functions to react with (combust) carbonaceous material forming the walls of cleats, natural fractures, and man-made fractures in coal-bearing formations. Oxidizers may be organic, inorganic, or a combination thereof, and may be solid, liquid, gaseous, or any combination thereof, such as a slurry. The “oxidizer” need not consist only of the oxidizer or a single oxidizer chemical, or a single phase of any one oxidizer. For example, ozone may be present as a gas and dissolved in a liquid such as water. Not all oxidizer chemicals useful in the invention need have the same oxidation potential.
Examples of organic oxidizers include alkyltricarboranylalkyl perchlorates, such as methyltricarboranylmethyl perchlorate, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,986,906, incorporated by reference herein. As explained in this patent, methyltricarboranylmethyl perchlorate may be employed as a combination catalyst-oxidizer of a propellant composition additionally comprised of hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene, a diisocyanate crosslinking agent, an interfacial bonding agent, ammonium perchlorate oxidizer, and a metal fuel. Propellant compositions of this nature have improved burning rates and improved mechanical properties. Since the methyltricarboranylmethyl perchlorate is a solid salt which contains three carboranyl functional groups and a perchlorate functional group per molecule, a gain in catalyst function and oxidizer function is achieved. The liquid carboranyl catalyst normally used can be replaced by the solid salt. Additional binder can be employed which permits the use of more oxidizer and metal fuel without a sacrifice of mechanical properties. The propellants are high solids loading propellants with ultrahigh burning rates.
Other useful oxidants may comprise hypochlorite, metallic salts of hypochlorous acid, hydrogen peroxide, ozone, oxygen and combinations thereof. Suitable oxidants may include chlorine dioxide, metallic salts of perchlorate, chlorate, persulfate, perborate, percarbonate, permanganate, nitrate and combinations thereof. Suitable oxidants may include peroxide, sodium hypochloride, water soluble salts of hypochlorous acid, perchlorate, chlorate, persulfate, perborate, percarbonate, permanganate, nitrate and combinations thereof.
Oxidants may be incorporated into charges, such as shaped charges, as long as precautions are taken to prevent unwanted detonation. Alternatively, the oxidant may be applied as a post-perforation treatment to previously formed perforations, or to cleats in the coal-bearing formation. Another alternative is to apply the oxidant during perforation through a pre-pack. Standard explosive charges known in the art may be used. In embodiments wherein the oxidizer is to be applied to a coal-bearing formation through the use of explosive charges in a perforating operation (either as part of a perforation charge or in a pre-pack), so-called insensitive high explosives may be used. In one known type of insensitive high explosive charge, a principal explosive, which is relatively insensitive to initiation of detonation, may be combined with a sensitizing explosive, which is relatively sensitive to initiation of detonation, a critical diameter additive, and a binder, as explained in U.S. Pat. No. 5,034,073, incorporated herein by reference. More specifically, the sensitizing explosive may comprises two mesh fractions of a sensitizing explosive, the combination giving the overall composition the desired insensitivity to accidental initiation of detonation. The term “mesh fraction” as used herein refers to separate portions of the sensitizing explosive with specific average particle sizes. The insensitivity of the compositions to accidental initiation of detonation is achieved by adjusting the ratio of average particle size of the first mesh fraction to second mesh fraction of the sensitizing explosive. Best results will generally be achieved with a particle size ratio ranging from about 50:1 to about 30:1, or from about 45:1 to about 35:1. The first mesh fraction of sensitizing explosive may have an average particle size ranging from about 140 to about 160 microns in diameter. The second mesh fraction of sensitizing explosive may have an average particle size ranging from about 1 to about 10 microns. The weight ratio of first mesh fraction to second mesh fraction of sensitizing explosive may range from about 1:1 to about 1:30, or from about 1:3 to about 1:10. The amount of oxidizer to be used depends on the application and the coal-bearing source of CBM, which can vary in composition, but when applied during a perforation operation, the oxidizer may be present in a weight ratio of oxidant to sensitizing explosive ranging from about 1:1 to about 1:10. Methane is usually the major component of CBM, but carbon dioxide, ethane, and higher hydrocarbon gases are important components of some coals. The term “critical diameter” as used in the '073 patent refers to the minimum diameter of a right cylinder of cast explosive at which detonation will sustain itself—i.e., achieve steady-state detonation. The term “critical diameter additive” refers to specific average particle size ingredients which function to lower the critical diameter of cast insensitive high explosives so that they may be deliberately initiated and used. To adjust the critical diameter of the composition using the critical diameter additive, an additive with average particle size ranging from about 10 to about 150 microns in diameter may be used, with best results being achieved with an average particle size ranging from about 25 to about 35 microns in diameter.
Within the above-defined groups, a number of specific examples may be mentioned. Examples of the principal (relatively insensitive) explosive are nitroguanidine, guanidine nitrate, ammonium picrate, 2,4-diamino-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene (DATB), potassium perchlorate, potassium nitrate, and lead nitrate. Of the sensitizing explosives, examples include: cyclo-1,3,5-trimethylene-2,4,6-trinitramine (RDX), cyclotetramethylenetetranitramine (HMX), 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), pentaerythritoltetranitrate (PETN), and hydrazine. Critical diameter additives may be selected from amine nitrates and amino-nitrobenzenes. Amine nitrates found useful as critical diameter additives include ethylenediamine dinitrate (EDDN) and butylenediamine dinitrate (BDDN). Amino-nitro-benzenes found useful include 1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TATB).
Examples of binder materials useful in the present invention include polybutadienes, both carboxy- and hydroxy-terminated, polyethylene glycol, polyethers, polyesters (particularly hydroxy-terminated), polyfluorocarbons, epoxides, and silicone rubbers (particularly two-part). Suitable binders include those that remain elastomeric in the cured state even at low temperatures such as, for example, down to −100 F. (−73 C.). The binders may be curable by any conventional means, including heat, radiation, and catalysis.
As an optional variation, metallic powders such as aluminum may be included in the composition to increase the blast pressure. For best results, the particle size will be 100 mesh or finer, preferably about 2 to about 100 microns. The powder will generally comprise from about 5 percent to about 35 percent by weight of the composition, the higher percentages being required for, among other uses, underwater explosives.
The relative proportions of these components in the composition are as follows, in weight percent of total explosive composition: the principal explosive ranges from about 30 percent to about 60 percent, the first mesh fraction of sensitizing explosive ranges from about 1 percent to about 10 percent; the second mesh fraction of sensitizing explosive ranges from about 10 percent to about 25 percent; and the critical diameter additive ranges from about 2 to about 20 percent. The remainder of the composition is binder or a binder composition, comprised of any liquid or mixture of liquids capable of curing to a solid form, optionally including further ingredients known for use with binders such as, for example, catalysts and stabilizers. The binder is included in sufficient amount to render the uncured composition pourable or pumpable so that it can be pour-cast or spotted in a wellbore by pumping. Accordingly, the amount of binder is from about 10 percent to about 20 percent by weight of the total explosive composition.
Standard charges useful in the invention may have an explosive output comparable to such explosives as 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), TNT-based aluminized explosives, and Explosive D (ammonium picrate). The performance may be characterized by such parameters as detonation velocity, detonation pressure, and critical diameter. Critical diameter tests are performed using fiber optic leads and a dedicated computer. A square steel witness plate is placed on a support of wooden blocks. The cylindrically shaped sample is then secured to the center of the steel plate, and a detonator and booster firmly taped to the top of the sample. Fiber optic leads are embedded in the sample at known distances from the booster. The sample is fired and the detonation rate is read off a dedicated computer. A “go” results when the detonation rate is constant over the length of the sample. If the rate is fading with distance from the booster, or if the sample does not explode at all, it is considered a “no-go.” In the preferred practice of the invention, the explosive components are selected to provide the composition with a critical diameter in confined tests of a maximum of about 4.0 inches (10.2 cm), more preferably a maximum of about 2.0 inches (5.08 cm); a detonation velocity of at least about 6.5 kilometers per second, more preferably at least about 7.0 kilometers per second; a detonation pressure of at least about 170 kilobars, more preferably at least about 200 kilobars. Sensitivity to initiation of detonation of an explosive may be determined and expressed in a wide variety of ways known to those skilled in the art. Most conveniently, this parameter is expressed in terms of the minimum amount or type of booster which when detonated by some means such as, for example, physical impact or electrical shock, will then cause detonation of the main charge explosive. For the principal and sensitizing explosives herein, the sensitivity of each to initiation may be expressed in terms of a lead azide booster. In particular, the principal explosive is characterized as one which is incapable of being initiated by a booster consisting solely of lead azide, but instead requires an additional component of higher explosive output, such as Tetryl™ (trinitrophenylmethylnitramine), to be included as a booster for initiation to occur. Likewise, the sensitizing explosive is characterized as one which is capable of being initiated by a booster consisting of lead azide alone. In preferred embodiments, when a booster consisting of a combination of lead azide and tetryl is used for the principal explosive, at least about 0.10 g of Tetryl™ will be required in the combination; and for the sensitizing explosive, less than about 0.5 g of lead azide will be required.
The oxidizer used to create the local, temporary oxidizing environments may be included in a separate compartment of a shaped charge, as further explained herein in reference to
Referring now to the figures,
After a well has been drilled and casing has been cemented in the well, perforations are created to allow communication of fluids between reservoirs in the formation and the wellbore. Shaped charge perforating is commonly used, in which shaped charges are mounted in perforating guns that are conveyed into the well on a slickline, wireline, tubing, or another type of carrier. The perforating guns are then fired to create openings in the casing and to extend perforations as penetrations into the formation. As noted earlier, cased or uncased wells may include a pre-pack comprising an oxidizer composition, and perforation may proceed through the pre-pack. These techniques may be used separately or in conjunction with shaped charges that include an oxidizer in the charge itself. The methods may comprise suddenly decreasing pressure of the wellbore after the combusting step and prior to the injection of a fracturing fluid, as this is known to increase production of CBM.
Any type of perforating gun may be used. A first type, as an example, is a strip gun that includes a strip carrier on which capsule shaped charges may be mounted. The capsule shaped charges are contained in sealed capsules to protect the shaped charges from the well environment. Another type of gun is a sealed hollow carrier gun, which includes a hollow carrier in which non-capsule shaped charges may be mounted. The shaped charges may be mounted on a loading tube or a strip inside the hollow carrier. Thinned areas (referred to as recesses) may be formed in the wall of the hollow carrier housing to allow easier penetration by perforating jets from fired shaped charges. Another type of gun is a sealed hollow carrier shot-by-shot gun, which includes a plurality of hollow carrier gun segments in each of which one non-capsule shaped charge may be mounted.
In
Hollow carrier 312 has a housing that includes recesses 314 that are generally circular, as illustrated in
Referring to
The conical shaped charge 320 illustrated in
The tip of the perforating jet travels at speeds of approximately 25,000 feet per second (about 760 meters per second) and produces impact pressures in the millions of pounds per square inch (thousands of megaPascals). The tip portion is the first to penetrate recess 314 in the housing of the hollow gun carrier 312. The perforating jet tip then penetrates the wellbore fluid immediately inside the geometry of recess 314. At the velocity and impact pressures generated by the jet tip, the wellbore fluid is compressed out and away from the tip of the jet. However, due to confinement of the wellbore fluid by the substantially perpendicular side surfaces of the recess 314, the expansion, compression, and movement of the wellbore fluid is limited and the wellbore fluid may quickly be reflected back upon the jet at a later portion of the jet (behind the tip). As the perforating jet passes through recess 314, a compression wave front is created by the perforating jet in the fluid that is located in the recess. When the compression wave impacts side surfaces of recess 314, a large portion of the compression wave is reflected back towards the perforating jet, which carries the wellbore fluid back to the jet.
In forming the recesses, the recesses are made relatively deep to reduce the resistance path for a perforating jet, but not so deep that the carrier housing is unable to support the external wellbore pressures experienced by the gun carrier. The size of the recesses is also optimized to ensure that jets pass through the recesses and not through the carrier housing around the recesses. However, the sizes of the recesses are limited to enhance the structural integrity of the carrier housing in withstanding external wellbore pressures and internal forces created by detonation of the shaped charges.
Following perforation of a coal-bearing formation using a device such as explained in reference to
Alternative methods of the invention depend not on increasing the size of perforations, but on increasing the size of cleats and fractures in coal seams. Fracturing, or fracing, is a stimulation treatment routinely performed on oil and gas wells in low-permeability reservoirs. Specially engineered fluids are pumped at high pressure and rate into the reservoir interval to be treated, causing fractures to open. The wings of the fracture extend away from the wellbore in opposing directions according to the natural stresses within the formation. Proppant, such as grains of sand of a particular size, is mixed with the treatment fluid to keep the fracture open when the treatment is complete. Hydraulic fracturing creates high-conductivity communication with a large area of formation and bypasses any damage that may exist in the near-wellbore area. Ball sealers may be used, small spheres designed to seal perforations that are accepting the most fluid, thereby diverting reservoir treatments to other portions of the target zone. Ball sealers are incorporated into the treatment fluid and pumped with it. The effectiveness of this type of mechanical diversion to keep the balls in place is strongly dependent on the differential pressure across the perforation and the geometry of the perforation itself.
Initiation of combustion in coal seam 8 may performed using any one or more of a variety of readily known methods, including, but not limited to, use of electric heaters, gas heaters, preheating a fuel and an oxidizer (either the same as or different from the oxidizer used to create the local, temporary oxidizing zones) so they auto-combust, using an electric wire and power source to create a spark, and the like. In some embodiments, an ignition source may be disposed proximate a location in the wellbore, such as at or near a hole 33, where composition comprising an oxidant is being injected into coal seam 8. The ignition source may be an electronically controlled ignition source, or controlled by a computer. The ignition source may be coupled to an ignition source lead-in wire, and the lead-in wire may be further coupled to a power source for the ignition source. An ignition source may be used to initiate oxidation of CBM exiting a perforation 20. After initiation the ignition source may be turned down and/or off.
Although only a few exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the following claims.
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