Hydraulic diversion systems to enhance matrix treatments and methods for using same

Abstract

Systems and methods for treating formation intervals including forming a low permeability layer on a surface of the interval and pumping a sand control treating solution through the layer, which diverts the flow into the formation permitting improved treatment uniformity and improved overall internal treatment.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a well bore drilled into a geological structure including a producing or injection formation, interval, or intervals,   a diversion layer or a plurality of diversion layers formed on a surface of the formation, the interval, or the intervals,   where layer or layers comprises at least one erodible or dissolvable component and at least one removable component, where the erodible or dissolvable components erode or dissolve in contact with well fluids or by treating the layer or layers with a dissolving fluid, where the removable components are removed by exposing the layer or layers to a removing fluid, and where the layer or layers have controlled permeabilities diverting a treating fluid passing thererthrough improving coverage, uniformity, and/or completeness across the formation, interval, or intervals has improved.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a well screen assembly, a gravel pack, or a sand pack associated with the formation, interval, or intervals, and   wherein the layer or layers are formed on a surface of the screen assembly, the gravel pack or the sand pack or passed through the assembly or packs to form between the assembly or the packs and the formation or interval surfaces or in a lower portion of the assembly or the packs.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a packer or a plurality of packers to isolate the formation, interval or intervals, and   a work string or production tubing.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the layer or layers comprise particulate materials having a desired particle size distribution, a desired particle shape distribution and size distribution, or a desired particle shape distribution, size distribution, and density distribution, where the permeability of the layer or layers are established due to the packing of the particles forming the layer or layers. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the particulate materials comprise a combination of erodible or dissolvable particulate materials and removable particulate materials. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the permeability of the layer or layers change over time as the erodible or dissolvable materials erode or dissolve over time due to being in contact with well fluids or due to being in contact withe a dissolution fluid introduced into the well. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the removable materials are selected from the group consisting of (1) alkaline metal carbonates, (2) asphalts, and (3) mixtures or combinations thereof, and
 wherein the erodible or dissolvable materials are selected from the group consisting of hydratable polymers, gelled hydratable polymers, hydrocarbon soluble polymers, and mixture and combinations thereof.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the alkaline metal carbonates are selected from the group consisting of such as magnesium carbonate (MgCO 3 ), calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ), strontium carbonate (SrCO 3 ), and/or barium carbonate (BaCO 3 ) and combinations or mixtures thereof and wherein the asphalts are selected from the group consisting of gilsonite, bitumen, asphaltum and combinations or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the hydratable polymers are selected from the group consisting of natural hydratable polymers, synthetic hydratable polymers, and combinations or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the natural hydratable polymers are selected from the group consisting of {add list} and mixtures or combinations thereof and the synthetic hydratable polymers are selected from the group consisting of {add list} and mixtures or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the well treatments are selected from the group consisting of a sand control treatment, an aggregating treatment, a zeta modifying treatment, a sticky/tacky material treatment, a sand consolidation/formation consolidation treatment, an in situ polymerizable formation consolidate treatment, a scale inhibitor treatment, a paraffin inhibitor treatment, a wettability modifier treatment, a biocide treatment, a gel breaker treatment, an enzyme treatment, a defoamer treatment, an acid treatment, and mixtures or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . A method for diverting well treatments comprising:
 forming a diversion layer or a plurality of diversion layers on a formation surface, an interval surface, on well screen assembly, a gravel pack, and/or a sand pack associated with a formation or interval surface, or between the formation or interval surface and a production tubing or working sting, where the layer or layers have a controlled and/or desirable permeability,   pumping a treating fluid into the well, and   diverting the fluid as it passes through the layer or layers improving treatment coverage, uniformity, and completeness.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 isolating the interval using an isolation packer or a plurality of packers prior to forming the layers.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the layer or layers comprise particulate materials having a desired particle size distribution, a desired particle shape distribution and size distribution, or a desired particle shape distribution, size distribution, and density distribution, where the permeability of the layer or layers are established due to the packing of the particles forming the layer or layers. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the particulate materials comprise a combination of erodible or dissolvable particulate materials and removable particulate materials. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the permeability of the layer or layers change over time as the erodible or dissolvable materials erode or dissolve over time due to being in contact with well fluids or due to being in contact withe a dissolution fluid introduced into the well. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the removable materials are selected from the group consisting of (1) alkaline metal carbonates, (2) asphalts, and (3) mixtures or combinations thereof, and
 wherein the erodible or dissolvable materials are selected from the group consisting of hydratable polymers, gelled hydratable polymers, hydrocarbon soluble polymers, and mixture and combinations thereof.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the alkaline metal carbonates are selected from the group consisting of such as magnesium carbonate (MgCO 3 ), calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ), strontium carbonate (SrCO 3 ), and/or barium carbonate (BaCO 3 ) and combinations or mixtures thereof and wherein the asphalts are selected from the group consisting of gilsonite, bitumen, asphaltum and combinations or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the hydratable polymers are selected from the group consisting of natural hydratable polymers, synthetic hydratable polymers, and combinations or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the natural hydratable polymers are selected from the group consisting of {add list} and mixtures or combinations thereof and the synthetic hydratable polymers are selected from the group consisting of {add list} and mixtures or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the well treatments are selected from the group consisting of a sand control treatment, an aggregating treatment, a zeta modifying treatment, a sticky/tacky material treatment, a sand consolidation/formation consolidation treatment, an in situ polymerizable formation consolidate treatment, a scale inhibitor treatment, a paraffin inhibitor treatment, a wettability modifier treatment, a biocide treatment, a gel breaker treatment, an enzyme treatment, a defoamer treatment, an acid treatment, and mixtures or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         22 . A system for diverting well treatments comprising:
 a source subsystem including a filter cake composition including sized, selectively self-degradable particles capable of forming predictable low permeability filter-cake layer or layers;   a filter-cake placement subsystem for engineered placement of the filter-cake composition to create a predictable low permeability filter-cake layer or layers on a surface of a producing formation, interval, or intervals, on a surface of an injection formation, interval, or intervals, in an annular space between the formation or interval surfaces and production tubing surface, on a surface of a screen assembly, on a surface of a gravel and/or on a surface of a sand pack, where the filter-cake composition may be a Newtonian fluid or a non-Newtonian fluid; and   an injection subsystem for injecting a treating fluid into the formation, interval or intervals, where the layer or layers divert the treating fluid so that the treating fluid is more uniformly introduced into the formation, and where the layers degrade over time.