Improved ball sealer diversion

Conference · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1979 · Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5929540

Erbostoesser, S R

Recent laboratory studies and field tests have demonstrated that dramatic improvements in the reliability of ball-sealer diverting techniques can be achieved by properly controlling the density difference between the ball sealers and the treating fluid. Laboratory studies led to the discovery that balls having a density less than that of the treating fluid (i.e., buoyant balls) achieve 100% seating efficiency on perforations that are accepting fluid provided only that the balls are transported to the perforated interval. This 100% efficiency can be maintained even at very low flow rates through the individual perforations. Subsequent field tests have verified that dramatic improvements in the abilities to divert well-treating fluids can be achieved not only in fracturing treatments, but in matrix rate treatments as well. Using buoyant ball-sealer concepts, wells having in excess of 1000 perforations over 76 m (250 ft) of interval have been stimulated over the entire perforated interval with excellent results. Also, matrix rate treatments have been successfully diverted in applications where conventional ball sealer practices would not even have been attempted because of their well recognized limitations. 10 references.

• OSTI ID: 5929540
• Report Number(s): CONF-790913-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States) Journal Volume: SPE-8401
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
COMMINUTION
DENSITY
EFFICIENCY
FIELD TESTS
FLUID FLOW
FORMATION DAMAGE
FRACTURING
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
MATERIALS
OIL WELLS
PERFORATION
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLUGGING
PLUGGING AGENTS
SEALING MATERIALS
SEALS
TESTING
WELL COMPLETION
WELLS