Effectively Controlling Proppant Flowback to Maximize Well Production: Lessons Learned from Argentina

1. SPE 165174
Effectively Controlling Proppant Flowback to Maximize
Well Production: Lessons Learned from Argentina
P. D. Nguyen, J.C. Bonapace, G.F. Kruse, Halliburton
L. Solis and D. Daparo, CAPSA

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. Heat to melt
Apply closure
Resin Pre-Coated Proppant

6. Viscous Flow to
Contact Point
LCR-Coated Proppant

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

8. Flowback Testing
UCS (psi)
Water Flow Rate
per Perforation
(BWPD)
Proppant
Flowback?
10 140* Yes
80 >300 None
330 >300 None
1,100 >300 None
* Flow rate when proppant begins to produce out.

9. Field Application of LCR

10. LCR Concentrations

11. Proppant Coated with LCR

12. 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

13. Remedial Proppant Treatment

14. Proppant Remedial Treatment

15. 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

16. Post-Treatment Results
• Reduced number of wells with proppant flowback
• Reduced number of workovers
• Allowed high drawdown

17. 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

18. 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.