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Gas and Oil Well Fracturing with Carbon Dioxide |
| Linde is the largest supplier of carbon dioxide in the United States. We also supply the carbon dioxide portable tanks, booster pumps and expert operators needed to get the job done. Linde is also the only company to serve carbon dioxide frac customers in all major gas-producing areas of the United States.
Liquid carbon dioxide is often injected into gas and oil wells, to enhance hydrocarbon production rates and yields. It can also be used for:
- Fracturing of low-energy reservoirs
- Rapid clean-up of treating fluids
- Acid breakdowns and treatments
- Water-sensitive formation protection
- Mud, silt and fines removal
- Emulsion clean-up
- Water block removal
- Reduction in swabbing time
- pH stabilization
- Permeability improvement
- Surface tension reduction
- Reducing gas loss to formation matrix
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Versatile and Easy to Use
Carbon dioxide fraccing is one of the most effective and cleanest approaches available today to increase gas production. Carbon dioxide is injected in a liquid state using conventional frac pumps. Carbon dioxide can carry high concentrations of proppant and is compatible with all treating fluids (including acids). Injection rates can be enhanced by adding booster capacity.Carbon dioxide can be pumped with synthetic and natural polymers, lease crude or diesel as a foam or micro-emulsion, raising the hydrostatic head and lowering the viscosity of the system; this, in turn, reduces horsepower costs. Carbon dioxide’s density allows it to carry high levels of proppant in foam form.
Effective
The use of carbon dioxide in fraccing is effective for a number of reasons:
- Because of its density, carbon dioxide is not susceptible to gravity separation.
- It provides solution gas drive for effective clean up.
- When carbon dioxide dissolves in water, it forms carbonic acid (H2CO3), which dissolves the matrix in carbonate rocks.
- Carbon dioxide buffers water-based systems to a pH of 3.2, controlling clay-swelling and iron and aluminum hydroxide precipitation.
- Carbon dioxide acts as a surfactant to significantly reduce interfacial tension and resultant capillary forces, thus removing frac fluid, connate water and emulsion blocks.
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Cost-effective
When subjected to normal well stimulation pressures, carbon dioxide exhibits a hydrostatic head equal to or greater than fresh water. This lowers both treating pressures and horsepower costs.
Faster and Better Clean-up
Carbon dioxide provides the energy to remove formation fines, loose or crushed proppant, reaction products and mud lost during drilling. Swabbing of treating fluids can be substantially reduced.
Saves Money
By reducing the need for swabbing, associated treatment costs can be saved.
More Gas
Gas wells with low bottom-hole pressure or sensitivity to fluids can benefit from carbon dioxide treatment. Compared to a gelled water frac, a 70 quality foam job allows only 30% of the water to contact the formation. This decreases the chances of clay-swelling problems and inhibited production.
For information on LCO2 price and availability, call us at 1-800-262-4273, or Contact Us. |
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