Swellable Elastomer for Water Shut Off in Gravel Pack

Abstract

An improved gravel pack material includes granules of a swellable elastomer selected to trigger by a surrounding fluid. When a fluid breakthrough occurs in a gravel-packed well, the swellable elastomer granules swell in the presence of the fluid at the point of the breakthrough, sealing off or reducing the flow of the fluid through the breakthrough into the well.

1 . An gravel pack material, comprising:
 a mixture comprising:
 a first volume of gravel; and 
 a second volume of granules of a swellable elastomeric material, selected to expand on exposure to a predetermined well fluid. 
   
     
     
         2 . The gravel pack material of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined well fluid is water. 
     
     
         3 . The gravel pack material of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined well fluid is a combination of hydrocarbons and water. 
     
     
         4 . The gravel pack material of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the gravel comprises particles of a first average size; and   wherein the granules of the swellable elastomeric material are formed of a second average size corresponding to the first average size.   
     
     
         5 . The gravel pack material of  claim 4 , wherein the second average size is less than the first average size. 
     
     
         6 . The gravel pack material of  claim 1 , wherein the second volume of granules of the swellable elastomeric material is at least 25% of the first volume of gravel. 
     
     
         7 . The gravel pack material of  claim 1 , wherein the granules of the swellable elastomeric material are formed with irregular shapes. 
     
     
         8 . A material, comprising:
 granules formed of a swellable elastomeric material, selected to expand on exposure to a predetermined well fluid, wherein the granules are sized for mixture with a gravel.   
     
     
         9 . The material of  claim 8 ,
 wherein the gravel is formed of particles of a predetermined average size, and   wherein the granules are formed of an average size selected based on the average size of the particles of gravel.   
     
     
         10 . The material of  claim 8 , wherein the predetermined well fluid is water. 
     
     
         11 . The material of  claim 8 , wherein the predetermined well fluid is a combination of hydrocarbons and water. 
     
     
         12 . The material of  claim 8 , wherein the predetermined well fluid is a hydrocarbon. 
     
     
         13 . A method of gravel packing a well; comprising:
 positioning a tubular in a wellbore, forming an annulus between the tubular and a surrounding surface; and   depositing a gravel pack formed of a mixture of gravel particles and granules of a swellable elastomeric material in the annulus,   wherein the swellable elastomer is selected to expand on exposure to a predetermined well fluid.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 mixing the gravel and the granules of the swellable elastomeric material at the well.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the predetermined well fluid is water.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the predetermined well fluid is a hydrocarbon.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 forming the granules of the swellable elastomeric material to have an average size less than an average size of the gravel particles.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 forming the granules of the swellable elastomeric material to have an average size corresponding to an average size of the gravel particles.   
     
     
         19 . The method of gravel packing a well, further comprising:
 mixing a first volume of the gravel particles with a second volume of the granules of swellable elastomeric material to form the gravel pack,   wherein the second volume is at least 25% of the first volume.   
     
     
         20 . The method of gravel packing a well, further comprising:
 forming the granules of the swellable elastomeric material to have an irregular shape.