Gravel Packing Fluids and Methods Related Thereto

Abstract

Gravel packing particles like sand are commonly used in sand control operations to form gravel packs for controlling the migration of formation particulates into a wellbore and wellbore production equipment. Gravel packing fluids and methods of sand control operations may also use petroleum coke gravel packing particles composed of fluid coke and/or flexicoke material. Such petroleum coke gravel packing particles may have improved transport into wellbores because of their lower density compared to traditional gravel packing material and may produce fewer fines that can plug gravel packs.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gravel packing fluid comprising:
 a carrier fluid; and   gravel packing particles composed one or both of fluid coke and/or flexicoke, the gravel packing particles having an apparent density of less than about 1.7 g/cc.   
     
     
         2 . The gravel packing fluid of  claim 1 , wherein the gravel packing particles are composed of fluid coke. 
     
     
         3 . The gravel packing fluid of  claim 1 , wherein the gravel packing particles are composed flexicoke. 
     
     
         4 . The gravel packing fluid of  claim 1 , wherein the gravel packing particles have an apparent density in the range of about 1.3 g/cc to about 1.7 g/cc. 
     
     
         5 . The gravel packing fluid of  claim 1 , wherein the gravel packing particles have a crush strength of about 3000 psi to about 12000 psi. 
     
     
         6 . The gravel packing fluid of  claim 1 , wherein the gravel packing particles have an average particle size distribution in the range of about 50 μm to about 2500 μm. 
     
     
         7 . The gravel packing fluid of  claim 1 , further comprising second gravel packing particles composed of a material that is not fluid coke or flexicoke. 
     
     
         8 . A method comprising:
 introducing a gravel packing fluid into a subterranean formation, the gravel packing fluid comprising a carrier fluid and gravel packing particles composed one or both of fluid coke and/or flexicoke, the gravel packing particles having a density of less than about 1.7 g/cc.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 depositing the gravel packing particles in an annulus between a sand control screen assembly and the subterranean formation, thereby forming a gravel pack.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the subterranean formation is an open hole wellbore. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the subterranean formation is a cased hole wellbore. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the gravel pack has a permeability in the range of about 30 D to about 100 D at a closure stress in the range of about 1000 psi to about 8000 psi. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the gravel pack has a conductivity in the range of about 50 mD-ft to about 1000 mD-ft at a closure stress in the range of about 1000 psi to about 8000 psi. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 sequestering carbon in the subterranean formation in the form of the gravel packing particles.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the gravel packing particles are composed of fluid coke. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the gravel packing particles are composed flexicoke. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the gravel packing particles have an apparent density in the range of about 1.3 g/cc to about 1.7 g/cc. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the gravel packing particles have a crush strength of about 3000 psi to about 12000 psi. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the gravel packing particles have an average particle size distribution in the range of about 50 μm to about 2500 μm. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the gravel packing fluid further comprises second gravel packing particles composed of a material that is not fluid coke or flexicoke.