DIVERSION AGENTS.
(3) Being easily removed after the
Presented by:
PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY TEAM
SS & W FUNCTIONAL EXCELLENCE
Diversion Considerations
Diversion can be described as an
operational technique that attempts to
promote uniform treatment of a longer
heterogeneous interval, or to
sequentially direct treating fluids to
different zones. Methods to divert
include ball sealers, particulates,
viscous fluids, hydraulic and related
methods, and mechanical isolation.
Diversion should be considered for both
matrix and multi-stage/long-interval
fracturing treatments. Matrix diversion
should be considered when attempting
to treat intervals longer that about 20 to
50 feet, or for zones separated by more
than about 20 feet. Fracture diversion
should be considered for zones
separated by more than 50 feet and for
intervals longer than 100 to 150 feet.
An effective diverting agent must
temporarily plug a zone accepting
treating fluid, force fluids to other zones
requiring treatment, then be easily
removed without a productivity
impairment. For particulates and
viscous fluids, complete diverter
removal is often a challenge. Effective
treating fluid diversion is often the key
to successful acidizing.
An effective diverting agent functions
by:
(1) Temporarily plugging a zone
accepting fluid,
(2) Increasing the wellbore pressure
and forcing fluids to damaged
regions, lower permeability
zones, or other zones requiring
treatment, and
treatment without a productivity
impairment.
A number of factors influence treating
fluid placement including:
(1) the number and thickness of open
intervals,
(2) inherent permeability variations,
(3) in-situ rock stresses and reservoir
pressures,
(4) presence of natural or hydraulic
fractures,
(5) plugged perforations,
(6) near-wellbore damage,
(7) cement, casing, and other wellbore
integrity problems,
(8) stimulation fluid reaction rate
The diversion technologies available to
the industry can be grouped into the
following categories:
• Mechanical,
• Hydraulic and related techniques,
• Viscous fluids,
• Particulates,
• Foam, and
• Ball sealers.
Mechanical Diversion
Mechanical diversion techniques are
used for both matrix and fracture
diversion. Mechanical diversion
usually requires manipulating a tool or
hardware in a well that is designed to
block flow pathways. These methods
often require the use of a rig, coiled
tubing, wireline, or pre-installed
equipment. As such, mechanical
methods are often higher cost and may
involve greater mechanical risks. Some
examples of mechanical diversion are
coiled tubing reciprocation, retrievable
bridge plugs, inflatable packers on
coiled tubing and multifrac baffles

Inflate Packers Deflate Packers
Treat Lower Zone Move Tool Up
Schematic of Inflatable Straddle
Packers Diversion Process
Frac
Frac Ball
Baffle
Perforate Lower Zone
Fracture Lower Zone
Schematic of Multifrac Baffle Diversion
Process.
Hydraulic and Related Techniques
for Diversion
Hydraulic and related methods are also
used for both matrix and fracture
diversion. Hydraulic treatments include
limited entry, modified limited entry,
foams, and sand plugbacks. For
fracture diversion, limited entry
involves relying on the perforation
friction drops to increase wellbore
pressure and divert fluids to other
zones. Due to perforation erosion by
sand, this technique is only effective for
acid (not proppant) fracturing.
Modified limited entry combines
limited perforations with another
diverting agent such as ball sealers.
Sand plugbacks for fracture diversion
involve perforating a lower zone,
fracture stimulation, followed by a
wellbore screenout or sand filling. This
technique is also known as complete,
treat, and plugback or Pine Island
fracture diversion.
Foams are often touted as matrix
diverting techniques for gravel packed
wells where diversion options are
limited. Simply foaming a fluid on
surface and pumping it away will likely
Inflate Packers
Treat Upper Zone not provide much placement benefit in
most wells. Staging foamed and non-
foamed fluids may help. If achievable,
techniques to generate a stable higher
viscosity foam downhole within the
reservoir rock may be even more
beneficial.
Viscous Fluid Diversion
Viscous fluid diverters are temporary
wellbore plugs intended to allow
treatment of shallower zones after
Drop Frac Ball
Perforate Upper Zone setting. The process is similar to that of
Fracture Upper Zone
a sand plug with the sand replaced with
a chemical. Viscous fluids are
composed of high molecular-weight
polymers, a crosslinking agent, and a
delayed breaker. Depending on
wellbore conditions and diversion
needs, the mix water may also contain
dissolved salts, a bactericide, and/or a
pH buffer
Particulate Diversion
A particulate diverter is a granular solid
that is placed in a treating fluid to plug
zones accepting fluid. Particulates are
most often used for matrix diversion,
but are also claimed to provide fracture
diversion in some circumstances. The
primary particulate types are benzoic
acid, naphthalene, rock salt, resins,
waxes, and polymers. Particulate
diverters are not:
• Materials with limited solubility in
produced or cleanup fluids (sand, silica
flour),
 • Enhanced oil recovery chemicals or
chemicals for improving flow
conformance,
• Fluid loss agents,
• Acid gelants,
• Lost circulation materials, or
• Water shut-off chemicals.
A number of factors influence the
selection of a suitable particulate
diverter including:
• Reservoir and treating temperature,
• Particulate solubility in the carrier
and produced fluids,
• Type of treatment (matrix or
fracture), placement technique, and
completion design,
• Reservoir characteristics,
• Fluid viscosity and density, and
• Other additives in the treating fluid,
If a particulate functions properly, it
will:
(1) Retard of stop flow into a fracture
or high permeability region,
(2) Build pressure in the wellbore
and force treating fluids to another
zone, and
(3) Dissolve, degrade, or vaporize
after the treatment.
Foam Diverting Techniques.
When using foam diverting techniques,
the first stage of the acid solution is
injected into the formation as in a
conventional acidizing job. This is
followed by an aqueous solution of a
foam producing surfactant which is
displaced into the formation with a
compressed gas such as carbon dioxide
or nitrogen. Parts of this surfactant
adheres to the rock, both in fractures
and within the matrix. When this
retained solution mingles with and is
agitated by the following stream of
nitrogen, foam is formed.
As the procedure continues and
additional foam is generated, its
resistance to continued movement
through fractures and rock matrix
increases until the pressure required to
sustain additional flow is greater than
the pressure required to break down
another section of the interval. At this
point the rate of injection into the
original section is reduced, and the
newly opened section accepts the next
portion of acid. This procedure is
repeated as many times as necessary to
stimulate the entire producing zone.
Alternatively, compressed gas is
injected into the aqueous fluid stream
containing the foaming surfactant at
surface and foam is created. As the
foam follows the acid pad into the
formation the effects of multiple phase
flow (liquid and gas) creates resistance
to flow and results higher pressures.
The higher pressure breaks down
further sections of formation and the
newly opened section accepts the next
portion of acid.
The advantages of foam diverting
techniques over conventional diverting
methods using solid blocking materials
are as follows:
• Foam produces a block
within the formation
rather than a solid block
at the well bore. It
contains no solid
particles thus reducing
potential for damage to
permeability.
• The compressed gas aids
in cleaning silt and
undissolved particles
from the formation and
in the clean-up of fluids.
 • Adaptability to a wide often better for high-rate fracture
range of temperatures 70 treatments. Key limitations and usage
°F to 350 °F. considerations of ball sealers include:

• The need for intact tubulars and

Ball Sealer Diversion reasonably competent cement,
• Vertical wellbores unless
Ball sealers are small spheres designed perforations are on the low side
to seat on perforation tunnel entry holes (non-buoyant balls) or high side
and divert fluid to other zones. Ball (buoyant balls) of the pipe,
sealers consist of a hard extrusion- • Low pump rates may prevent
resistant center and a thin rubber cover. buoyant balls from reaching the
Balls are injected into the treating fluid perforations,
at surface, carried with fluid flow to the • Balls migrate during any pumping
perforations where they are intended to shut-downs, and
seat, and unseat when surface pressure • Buoyant balls may trapped in a
is released. wellbore below packers or other
equipment.
Matrix diversion by ball sealers is
depicted in Figure. The upper zone Selection of the Best Diversion Option
does receive much of the initial treating
fluid due to a lower (damaged) near- For guidance, Table I presents diversion
wellbore permeability. Ball sealers are options with some key considerations
then dropped and seal the lower and associated comments. It is beyond
perforations. The resulting increase in the scope of this document and not
wellbore pressure diverts the next practical to attempt to address all
treating stage to the upper damaged possible field situations. In practice, it
zone. Following the treatment, surface is necessary to carefully weigh the
pressure is released and the nonbuoyant options relying on past field experience
balls fall into the rathole. where available

Damaged

Shale

Undamaged

Treat Lower Zone Drop Balls Release Pressure

Seal Lower Zone Balls Drop Off
Treat Upper Zone

Schematic of Ball Sealer Diversion

Process.

Balls are fabricated to be either buoyant

or non-buoyant in treating fluids.
Buoyant balls are generally preferred
for lower-rate matrix treatments in
vertical wells. Non-buoyant balls are
 General Considerations when Selecting a Diversion Option.

Diversion Diversion
Category Method Key Considerations and Comments
Viscous Polymers • Set and break times of gel (or Fluid) must be controlled.
Fluids (Crosslinked)
and & • Can only treat zones above the wellbore plug.
Viscoelastic Surfactants
• May result in polymer formation damage.

• Temperature Range 150 up to 300 F

• Permeability greater than 0.1 md and less than 2 – 3 D (Enough

permeability to allow Viscoelastic injection below fracturing pressure)

•Layered formation with crossflow as minimum as possible ( avoiding

water flow will by-pass fluid in place ). No cross-flow is preferred.

•Multi-Layers with evident and significant permeability contrasts, as

well as evident oil saturation in one or more layers

•Well conditions allowing draw down increases after treatment

•Reservoir pressure good enough for improving treatment recovery

(no energy remaining to move hydrocarbons to the wellbore may not
be a good candidate )

• Good cement casing integrity ( poor cement sheath, channels, near

well bore fractures indicates a non preferred well scenario )

• No mechanical problems

• Applicable in oil/gas condensate wells

Particulates* All Types • Biggest challenge is removal after the treatment.

( Examples
include Rock • Best for matrix diversion; not effective for fracture diversion.
Salt, Benzoic
Acid, Silica • Must be properly suspended in the treating fluid.
Flour,
Calcium • Must be unaffected by the carrier fluid and any additives.
Carbonate,
Cement and • Not many options at high bottomhole temperatures.
Oil Soluble
Resin ) • Bullheaded Jobs Only

Foam Foam • Oil and gas wells

Diversion
• High water cut wells and wells with W/O contact

• Water injectors

• Vertical and horizontal wells

• Best results occur with stages and foamer laden acid

 Ball Buoyant • At lower pump rates may not be transported to the perfs.
Sealers** Balls
• Often requires ball catcher at surface.

• Balls trapped in the well may cause workover problems.

Non-Buoyant • Late stray ball recovery can plug chokes.

Balls
• Will ride down top side of pipe in deviated wells.

• May not seat on perforations with insufficient drag forces.

• Will run down low side of the hole in deviated wells.

• Poor seating efficiency at matrix rates.

• Requires coordination with perforating program.

*Bridging agents and chemical diverters are good for moderate to low degree of heterogeneity.
Water soluble for water wells; Oil soluble for oil wells (This rule of thumb does not hold for high
WOR wells). Roughly 1 diverter stage per 25-50’ interval. Low KV/KH.

**Less sensitive to chemical composition of fluid and temperature. (Minimize Injectivity decrease).
When the velocity of the fluid moving into the perforations is low, the ball density should be only
slightly heavier than the fluid density. This will reduce the chance of the balls falling past the perfs.
Also the fluid may be viscosified to help the seating efficiency.
REFERENCES

- BP Amoco. UTG - Enhanced Productivity

- Chevron. SANDSTONE ACIDIZING MANUAL
- SPE-36111 - Matrix Acid Divertion
- SPE 82260 - Matrix Acid Stimulation
- Acidizing Concepts and Design. BJ Services.