The present invention relates to methods of stimulating a subterranean formation. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, the present invention relates to methods of fracturing subterranean formations utilizing a fracturing fluid comprising a permeable cement composition that may be used as a propping agent. One method of stimulating a subterranean formation of the present invention comprises the following steps: preparing a permeable cement composition comprising a hydraulic cement, water, and a degradable material capable of undergoing an irreversible degradation downhole; injecting the permeable cement composition into the subterranean formation at a pressure sufficient to create a fracture in the subterranean formation; and allowing the permeable cement composition to form a proppant matrix having voids in the fracture.
A method of heterogeneous proppant placement in a subterranean fracture is disclosed. The method comprises injecting well treatment fluid including proppant (16) and proppant-spacing filler material called a channelant (18) through a wellbore (10) into the fracture (20), heterogeneously placing the proppant in the fracture in a plurality of proppant clusters or islands (22) spaced apart by the channelant (24), and removing the channelant filler material (24) to form open channels (26) around the pillars (28) for fluid flow from the formation (14) through the fracture (20) toward the wellbore (10). The proppant and channelant can be segregated within the well treatment fluid, or segregated during placement in the fracture. The channelant can be dissolvable particles, initially acting as a filler material during placement of the proppant in the fracture, and later dissolving to leave the flow channels between the proppant pillars. The well treatment fluid can include fibers to provide reinforcement and consolidation of the proppant and, additionally or alternatively, to inhibit settling of the proppant in the treatment fluid.
Methods and compositions relating to delayed tackifying compositions that comprise an aqueous tackifying agent and a delayed acid-releasing activator that may be used to stabilize particulates and reduce particulate migration within a subterranean formation.
Methods of isolating particular zones within a subterranean formation utilizing self-degrading cement compositions are provided. An example of a method of the present invention is a method that includes: providing a self-degrading cement composition that includes a degradable material, an acid source, a base source, and a water source; placing the self-degrading cement composition in a zone within a subterranean formation; and allowing the self-degrading cement composition to set to form a solid mass that is capable of isolating the zone from a well bore penetrating the zone or from another zone.
Treatment fluids comprising degradable diverting agents and methods of using such treatment fluids in subterranean formations are provided. Examples of methods include methods of fracturing a subterranean formation. Another example of a method is a method of enhancing production from multiple regions of a subterranean formation penetrated by a well bore during a single trip through the well bore.
