SPE 165174Effectively Controlling Proppant Flowback to Maximize

Well Production: Lessons Learned from ArgentinaP. D. Nguyen, J.C. Bonapace, G.F. Kruse, Halliburton

L. Solis and D. Daparo, CAPSA

Major Basins in Argentina

OIL GAS

BPD Mscf/D

Neuquina Basin 215,000 2,200

Golfo San Jorge (GSJ) Basin 254,000 500

Austral Basin 26,000 1,000

Solids Flowback Issues

• Increased Operating Expense• Downhole and surface equipment failure (ESP,

screens, chokes, etc.)• Disposal of material• Increased workover operations

• Reduced Production• Fill across screens or perforations• Loss of fracture conductivityconductivity

Resin Pre-coated Proppant (RCP) vs. Liquid Curable Resin (LCR)

RCP• Pre-coated• Curable or pre-cured• Requires temperature

and closure stress• Availability of proppant

LCR• On-the-fly coating• 100% curable• All temperatures• Closure stress not required• All proppant types or sizes

Heat to melt Apply closure

Resin Pre-Coated Proppant

Viscous Flow to Contact Point

LCR-Coated Proppant

Conductivity of LCR-Coated Proppant (20/40-mesh Ottawa)

Flowback Testing

UCS (psi)Water Flow Rate per Perforation

(BWPD)ProppantFlowback?

10 140* Yes

80 >300 None

330 >300 None

1,100 >300 None

* Flow rate when proppant begins to produce out.

Field Application of LCR

LCR Concentrations

Proppant Coated with LCR

Remedial Treatment – Low Viscosity LCR

• Preflush fluid• Cleaning and conditioning proppant pack

• Diluted LCR• Coating proppant and establishing consolidation

• Post-flush fluid• Displacing excess resin

Remedial Proppant Treatment

Inject Pre-Flush

Move CT Across Perfs

Inject Curable Resin

Move CT Across Perfs

Inject Post-Flush

Move CT Across Perfs

Pull Out Of Hole

Proppant Remedial Treatment

Argentina LCR Treatments Since 2005

• 240+ hydraulic fracturing treatments – proppant coated with LCR

• > 95% success

• 17 proppant remedial treatments applied with low-viscosity LCR

• 100% success

• BHST: 90°F to 250°F• Depths: 550 to 2,880 m TVD• Wellbores at perfs: 95% vertical or slightly

deviated, 5% horizontal

Post-Treatment Results

• Reduced number of wells with proppant flowback• Reduced number of workovers• Allowed high drawdown

Lessons Learned and Recommendations

• Cleaning out wellbore and perforations• Fracturing fluid compatibility with LCR-coated

proppant• Coating proppant throughout all stages• Early screenout • Forced closure• Aggressive breaker schedule• Shut-in time for curing

Conclusions

• LCR can be combined with hydraulic fracturing treatment, or applied as part of remedial consolidating treatments, to treat any proppant for controlling proppant flowback.

• Properly coating and curing of LCR onto proppant allows the consolidated proppant to handle the high drawdown of the well and the effects of stress-strain cycles during well production and shut-in.