Paper: Foamed Hydrocarbons An Effective Economical Alternative To Conventional Stimulation Methods

Foamed hydrocarbons have been applied with great success in paraffin and heavy hydrocarbon penetration, foamed fracturing treatments, and fluid cleanout in wells in which hydrostatic pressure interferes with or completely stops gas production. Results of lab and field tests show this system to be effective as well as economical as an alternative in well treatment. He paraffin and heavy hydrocarbons removed in foamed aromatic hydrocarbons constituted up to 41 percent of the total volume of solids removed after a 1 hour shut-in period. A nonproductive well in the San Miguel formation which had been shut-in for a year was fractured with foamed gel condensate resulting in 70 MCF gas/day. A fracturing system designed with foamed gelled kerosene used to fracture the Crockett San Formation produced a 105 BOPD and 130 MCF/day well where previous gelled kerosene fracturing treatments yielded 12 to 30 BOPD and no gas. After 30 days, the well still made 70 BOPD and 100 MCF/day. Gas wells in the Sonora area have periodical condensate buildups which restrict the gas flow. With the addition of a hydrocarbon foamer, the hydrostatic head was removed in the form of foamed condensate, allowing production of the natural gas. Procedures and results of lab and field tests will be discussed along with comparative results of more conventional treatments.