Abstract: Cement slurries are prepared that comprise water, a hydraulic cement and particles of an oil-absorbent material. The particles are present in an amount sufficient to alter a property of a non-aqueous drilling fluid. The cement slurry is placed in a subterranean well, whereupon the slurry contacts residual drilling fluid on casing and formation surfaces. The oil-absorbent material in the cement slurry may reduce the mobility of the drilling fluid, thereby improving zonal isolation.

Abstract: Cement slurries are prepared that comprise water, a hydraulic cement, particles of an oil-absorbent particles and non-swellable hydrophobic particles. The particles are present in an amount sufficient to alter a property of a non-aqueous drilling fluid. The cement slurry is placed in a subterranean well, whereupon the slurry contacts residual drilling fluid on casing and formation surfaces. The oil-absorbent particles and hydrophobic particles in the cement slurry may reduce the mobility of the drilling fluid, thereby improving zonal isolation.

Abstract: Cement slurries are prepared that comprise water, a hydraulic cement, particles of an oil-absorbent particles and non-swellable hydrophobic particles. The particles are present in an amount sufficient to alter a property of a non-aqueous drilling fluid. The cement slurry is placed in a subterranean well, whereupon the slurry contacts residual drilling fluid on casing and formation surfaces. The oil-absorbent particles and hydrophobic particles in the cement slurry may reduce the mobility of the drilling fluid, thereby improving zonal isolation.

Abstract: Spacer fluids or chemical washes are prepared that comprise water, a hydraulic cement and particles of an oil-absorbent material. The particles are present in an amount sufficient to alter a property of a non-aqueous drilling fluid. The spacer fluid or chemical wash is placed in a subterranean well, whereupon the spacer fluid or chemical wash contacts residual drilling fluid on casing and formation surfaces. The oil-absorbent material in the spacer fluid or chemical wash may reduce the mobility of the drilling fluid, thereby improving zonal isolation.

Abstract: Cement slurries are prepared that comprise water, a hydraulic cement and particles of an oil-absorbent material. The particles are present in an amount sufficient to alter a property of a non-aqueous drilling fluid. The cement slurry is placed in a subterranean well, whereupon the slurry contacts residual drilling fluid on casing and formation surfaces. The oil-absorbent material in the cement slurry may reduce the mobility of the drilling fluid, thereby improving zonal isolation.

Abstract: The positions of hydraulic fractures may be detected during multistage reservoir stimulation operations. Fracturing fluid is injected into a well at a pressure above the fracturing pressure to produce at least one hydraulic fracture. Then, a marker slug is injected into the well. Next, additional fracturing fluid is injected into the well. When the marker slug enters at least one of the hydraulic fractures, a detectable pressure response is observed, and the position of a hydraulic fracture may be detected from the volume of fracturing fluid injected after injection of the marker slug. The marker slug is a fluid that has a viscosity and/or density that is different from the fracturing fluids injected before and after the marker slug. This technique may be combined with other well operations, such as plugging at least one hydraulic fracture or creating at least one new hydraulic fracture.

Abstract: A method is provided for detecting hydraulic fractures positions during multistage reservoir stimulation. Fracturing fluid is injected into a well at a pressure above the fracturing pressure to produce at least one hydraulic fracture. After this, a marker slug is injected into the well. Further, the fracturing fluid is re-injected into the well. When the marker slug enters at least one of the hydraulic fractures, a detectable pressure response is observed, and the position of a hydraulic fracture is detected from the volume of fracturing fluid injected after injection of the marker slug. The marker slug is a slug (portion) of fluid differing in the viscosity and/or density from the fracturing fluids injected before and after the marker slug. In other embodiments, the method for detecting a hydraulic fracture position is combined with other well operations, for example, with plugging of at least one hydraulic fracture or placement of at least one new hydraulic fracture.

Abstract: A treatment fluid that comprises a carrier fluid and a degradable material in the form of particles, fibers or both is provided or prepared. The treatment fluid is placed in a borehole such that the treatment fluid contacts a liner, a downhole filter, perforations, natural fractures, induced fractures, or a subterranean formation or combinations thereof. The treatment fluid is allowed to flow into the liner, downhole filter, perforation, natural or induced fracture or subterranean formation such that the degradable material forms at least one plug or filter cake (or both), preventing or reducing further fluid movement between the wellbore and the subterranean formation. The degradable material is then allowed to dissolve after a period of time, causing the plug or filter cake (or both) to weaken, thereby allowing removal of the plug or filter cake (or both) and reestablishing fluid movement between formation and the wellbore.

Abstract: A method of heterogeneous proppant placement in a subterranean fracture is disclosed. The method comprises injecting well treatment fluid including proppant (16) and proppant-spacing filler material (18) through a wellbore (10) into the fracture (20), heterogeneously placing the proppant in the fracture in a plurality of proppant clusters or islands (22) spaced apart by the material (24), and removing the filler material (24) to form open channels (26) around the pillars (28). The filler material can be dissolvable particles, initially acting as a consolidator during placement of the proppant in the fracture, and later dissolving to leave flow channels between the proppant pillars. The well treatment fluid can include extrametrical materials to provide reinforcement and consolidation of the proppant and, additionally or alternatively, to inhibit settling of the proppant in the treatment fluid.

Abstract: Compositions and methods by which well control may be maintained during well construction, workover or well-intervention operations in a subterranean well without damaging formation are disclosed. A treatment fluid that comprises a carrier fluid, as well as degradable particles, or degradable fibers, or combination thereof is provided or prepared. The treatment fluid is placed in the borehole such that the treatment fluid contacts a liner, a downhole filter, perforations or subterranean formation or combinations thereof. The treatment fluid is allowed to flow into the liner, downhole filter, perforation, natural or induced fracture or subterranean formation such that the particles and fibers form at least one plug or filter cake (or both), preventing or reducing further fluid movement between wellbore and subterranean formation.

Abstract: A fluid slug consolidation is maintained in a fluid system for use in downhole applications. The fluid system has an interfacing fluid of a different character adjacent to the fluid slug. The method is carried out by admixing a particulate material with at least one of the fluid slug and adjacent interfacing fluid in an amount wherein discrete interfacing fluid margins are formed between the slug and the adjacent interfacing fluid under laminar flow conditions. The fluid system is introduced into a well bore of a well formed in a subterranean formation. In certain applications at least a portion of the particulate material is provided with adhesive properties to facilitate aggregation of the particulate material within the at least one of the fluid slug and adjacent interfacing fluid.

Abstract: A method of injecting well treatment fluid including proppant and proppant-spacing filler material through a wellbore into the fracture, heterogeneously placing the proppant in the fracture in a plurality of proppant clusters or islands spaced apart by the material, and removing the filler material to form open channels around the pillars for fluid flow from the formation through the fracture toward the wellbore. The proppant and channelant can be segregated within the well treatment fluid, or segregated during placement in the fracture. The filler material can be dissolvable particles, initially acting as a filler material during placement of the proppant in the fracture, and later dissolving to leave the flow channels between the proppant pillars. The well treatment fluid can include extrametrical materials to provide reinforcement and consolidation of the proppant and/or to inhibit settling of the proppant.

Abstract: A method for producing minerals and, more specifically, for producing hydrocarbons, by hydraulic fracturing of the rock, can be used for the optimization of formation fracturing crack processing conditions. The method includes splitting a main stream of a propping agent suspension in a fluid at a mixer output into at least two flows having different volume delivery rates, and comingling the at least two flows before delivering to the hydraulic fracturing zone.

Abstract: A method of heterogeneous proppant placement in a subterranean fracture is disclosed. The method comprises injecting well treatment fluid including proppant (16) wherein the proppant comprises from 1 to 100 percent in weight of stiff, low-elasticity and low-deformability elongated particles (34) and proppant-spacing filler material called a channelant (18) through a wellbore (10) into the fracture (20), heterogeneously placing the proppant in the fracture in a plurality of proppant clusters or islands (22) spaced apart by the channelant (24), and removing the channelant filler material (24) to form open channels (26) around the pillars (28) for fluid flow from the formation (14) through the fracture (20) toward the wellbore (10). The proppant and channelant can be segregated within the well treatment fluid, or segregated during placement in the fracture.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to production of fluids from subterranean formations and can be applied for stimulation of the flow through the formation by means of hydraulic fracturing. More particularly, it relates to creation of proppants with soluble coating, and preparing fluid material for fracturing operations and for enhancing the efficiency of heterogeneous proppant placement in a hydraulic fracture.

Abstract: Fluid compositions comprising water, at least one water soluble polymer, degradable particles or nondegradable particles or both, and degradable fibers have utility as temporary lost circulation prevention systems. The compositions may be placed in a borehole such that they contact perforations, formation cracks, fissures, vugs or combinations thereof. The compositions form a plug or filtercake that minimizes flow between the wellbore and the formation. After completion of the well operation, the fibers degrade and the plug or filtercake weakens and may be washed away, thereby reestablishing fluid flow between the wellbore and the formation.

Abstract: A proppant pack may be formed in a fracture that extends from a wellbore formed in a subterranean formation and is accomplished through different methods. The methods involve providing multiple spaced apart proppant slugs within a hydraulic fracturing fluid that is introduced into the wellbore at a pressure above the fracturing pressure of the formation.

Abstract: A method of proppant placement within a fracture may include injecting a proppant-laden fluid through the wellbore into the fracture under pressure to form at least one proppant pillar within the fracture, the proppant-laden fluid comprising a non-spherical proppant ossessing at least some roughness or at least some roughness and angularity; wherein upon removal of the pressure the diameter of the proppant pillar increases by less than about 100 percent of the initial diameter.

Abstract: A method for treating a subterranean formation utilizing a composition having a plurality of shrinkable materials. The method of treatment may include providing a hydraulic fracture into the subterranean formation, and injecting a slurry having a plurality of shrinkable materials into a far field. The shrinkable materials may shrink once a threshold is reached.

Abstract: A method for producing minerals and, more specifically, for producing hydrocarbons, by hydraulic fracturing of the rock, can be used for the optimization of formation fracturing crack processing conditions. The method includes splitting a main stream of a propping agent suspension in a fluid at a mixer output into at least two flows having different volume delivery rates, and comingling the at least two flows before delivering to the hydraulic fracturing zone.