Deformable pouches for zonal isolation

Abstract

A method for plugging or sealing voids in a formation may include introducing deformable pouches enclosing solid particulate materials into a fluid being pumped down the well; and injecting the deformable pouches into the voids of the formation; wherein at least one dimension of the deformable pouches may be between about 1 mm and 100 mm.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method for plugging or sealing voids in a formation, comprising:
 introducing deformable pouches enclosing solid particulate materials into a fluid being pumped down the well; and   injecting the deformable pouches into the voids of the formation;   wherein at least one dimension of the deformable pouches may be between about 1 mm and 100 mm.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a shell of the deformable pouches are made of a film or fabric that is partially or completely destroyed in the downhole environment. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the film or fabric is at least partially degradable, soluble, reactible, or meltable in the downhole environment. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the film or fabric include at least one of polylactic acid, polyesters, polyamides, polyglycolic acid, polyurethanes, polyethers, anhdyrides, and copolymers thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the thickness of the film or fabric ranges from about 0.01 mm to about 5 mm. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the deformable pouches include at least one pin hole fluidly connecting the outside of the pouch to the interior portion of the pouch. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solid particulate materials enclosed by the deformable pouches includes at least one of fibers, flakes, platelets, ribbons, rods, precipitated material from chemical reactions, grains, pellets, spherical materials. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solid particulate materials enclosed by the deformable pouches includes at least one of plastic beads, sand, ceramic beads, glass, wax beads, oil-soluble resins, benzoic acid flakes, cellophane flakes, crushed nut shells, crushed shells, ceramic proppant, silica flour, granulated polylactic acid (PLA), polyglycolic acid (PGA), rock salt, alumina, and calcium carbonate, polyethylene beads, glass beads, resin coated ceramic proppant including curable and procured resin coated ceramic, resin coated sand including curable and procured resin coated sand. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solid particulate material enclosed by the deformable pouches is partially or completely destroyed in the downhole environment. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solid particulate material enclosed by the deformable pouches is substantially stable in the downhole environment. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one dimension of the deformable pouches is between about 1 mm and 50 mm. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one dimension of the deformable pouches is between about 1 mm and 25 mm. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one dimension of the deformable pouches is between about 1 mm and 10 mm. 
     
     
         14 . The method of claim, further comprising:
 pre-soaking the deformable pouches in a fluid prior to the introducing.   
     
     
         15 . A method for fracturing a wellbore, comprising:
 perforating a wellbore casing to form a perforation cluster in a first zone of a wellbore casing;   subjecting the perforation cluster in the first zone to a fracturing treatment;   pumping a fluid including deformable pouches downhole; and   injecting the deformable pouches into voids in the formation behind the first zone of the wellbore casing.   
     
     
         16 . The method for fracturing a wellbore of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 repeating the perforating the wellbore casing to form a perforation cluster in a wellbore casing, subjecting the formed perforation cluster to a fracturing treatment, pumping a fluid including deformable pouches downhole, and injecting the deformable pouches into voids in the formation until a plurality of zones in the wellbore casing are fractured.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein a shell of the deformable pouches are made of a film or fabric that is partially or completely destroyed in the downhole environment. 
     
     
         18 . A method for plugging or sealing voids in a formation, comprising:
 introducing deformable pouches enclosing solid particulate materials into a fluid being pumped down the well; and   injecting the deformable pouches into the voids of the formation located behind the wellbore casing;   wherein at least one dimension of the deformable pouches may be between about 1 mm and 100 mm; and   wherein the deformable pouches are partially or completely destroyable in the downhole environment.   
     
     
         19 . A method for plugging or sealing voids in a formation, comprising:
 introducing deformable pouches enclosing solid particulate materials into a fluid being pumped down the well; and   packing the deformable pouches into the voids of the formation;   wherein at least one dimension of the deformable pouches may be between about 1 mm and 100 mm; and   wherein the deformable pouches are substantially stable in the downhole environment.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the plugging or sealing voids in a formation occurs during a drilling or cementing process.