US 12,146,382 B2
Method for improving oil and gas well productivity and encapsulated lubricating frac fluid additive by lubrication of stimulated reservoir volume
Murtadha J. AlTammar, Dhahran (SA); Abeer A. Alarawi, Al Khobar (SA); and Khalid Mohammed Alruwaili, Dammam (SA)
Assigned to SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, Dhahran (SA)
Filed by SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, Dhahran (SA)
Filed on Apr. 17, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/301,734.
Prior Publication US 2024/0344418 A1, Oct. 17, 2024
Int. Cl. E21B 43/26 (2006.01); C09K 8/502 (2006.01); C09K 8/504 (2006.01); C09K 8/516 (2006.01); C09K 8/66 (2006.01); E21B 33/138 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 33/138 (2013.01) [C09K 8/502 (2013.01); C09K 8/5045 (2013.01); C09K 8/516 (2013.01); C09K 8/665 (2013.01); E21B 43/26 (2013.01); C09K 2208/34 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for improving oil and gas well productivity, comprising:
introducing a lubricating agent into a microfracture in a subterranean formation;
coating at least a portion of a first surface and a second surface of the microfracture with the lubricating agent to produce a coated microfracture; and
providing a sufficient time for the coated microfracture to close,
wherein the introducing, the coating and the providing cause the first surface and the second surface of the coated microfracture to misalign after the closure of the coated microfracture and an opening to form between the first surface and the second surface, and
wherein the lubricating agent comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:
heterostructure metal/metalloid oxide nanoparticles, and
an encapsulated lubricating agent comprising at least one of the heterostructure metal/metalloid oxide nanoparticles and composite metal/metalloid oxide nanoparticles as the lubricating agent, and an encapsulant encapsulating at least a portion of the lubricating agent,
wherein the encapsulated lubricating agent comprises:
30 to 50 wt % of the lubricating agent; and
50 to 70 wt % of the encapsulant.