Additive manufacturing of wellbore liner

Abstract

The invention relates to additive manufacturing of a wellbore liner. Systems and methods for forming a casing liner in a wellbore of an oil and gas well are provided. The forming includes: disposing a casing liner printhead in an annulus region between a casing conduit disposed in a wellbore of an oil and gas well and a wall of the wellbore; performing an operation of forming a liner downhole, the operation of forming the liner downhole including: operating a casing liner print head to eject a casing liner integrated structure material into the annulus region, thereby forming a casing liner integrated structure in the annulus region, the casing pipe and liner pipe integrated structure comprises continuous pores formed in a casing pipe and liner pipe integrated structure material; and depositing a cementitious material into the continuous pores formed in the casing liner material to form a casing liner in the annulus region, the casing liner comprising the casing liner integrated structural material and the cementitious material.

Description

[0001] This patent application is a divisional application of the patent application with application number 2018800846242, filing date November 30, 2018, and invention title "Additive Manufacturing of Wellbore Liners". Technical Field

[0002] The embodiments mainly relate to development wells, and more particularly to the additive manufacturing of cementitious materials in the wellbores of wells. Background Art

[0003] A well includes a wellbore (or "drill hole") that is drilled into the ground to provide access to a subterranean formation (a geological formation beneath the Earth's surface) for facilitating the extraction of natural resources such as hydrocarbons and water from the subterranean formation, for facilitating the injection of fluids into the subterranean formation, or for facilitating the evaluation and monitoring of the subterranean formation. In the petroleum industry, wells are typically drilled to extract (or "produce") hydrocarbons such as oil and gas from subterranean formations. The term "oil well" is used to refer to a well designed to produce oil. In the case of an oil well, some natural gas is typically produced along with the oil. Wells that produce both oil and gas are sometimes referred to as "oil and gas wells" or "oil wells".

[0004] Typically, establishing an oil well involves several stages, including a drilling stage, a completion stage, and a production stage. The drilling stage typically involves drilling a wellbore into a subterranean formation expected to contain a certain concentration of producible hydrocarbons. The portion of the subterranean formation expected to contain hydrocarbons is typically referred to as the "oil and gas reservoir" or "reservoir". Typically, the drilling process is facilitated by a rig located on the Earth's surface. The rig provides the means to operate a drill bit to drill the wellbore, to raise, lower, and rotate drill pipes and tools, to circulate drilling fluid in the wellbore, and to generally control the various operations (or "downhole" operations) in the wellbore. The completion stage involves preparing the well for hydrocarbon production. In some cases, the completion stage includes installing casing pipes into the wellbore, cementing the casing in place, perforating the casing pipes and the cement, installing production tubing, and pumping fluids into the well to fracture, clean, or otherwise prepare the reservoir and the well for hydrocarbon production. The production stage involves producing hydrocarbons from the reservoir through the well. During the production stage, the rig is typically removed and replaced with a set of valves commonly referred to as a "production tree" that can regulate the pressure in the wellbore, control the production flow from the wellbore, and provide access to the wellbore in the event that further completion work is required. Sometimes a pump rod drive or other mechanical device is used to provide lift to assist in extracting hydrocarbons from the reservoir, particularly in cases where the pressure in the well is so low that the hydrocarbons cannot flow freely to the surface. The flow from the outlet valve of the production tree is typically connected to a distribution network of midstream facilities such as storage tanks, pipelines, and transportation vehicles that transport the production to downstream facilities such as refineries and export terminals.

[0005] The casing operation for well completion is particularly important for establishing well integrity. A casing assembly typically includes a large-diameter rigid casing pipe (e.g., a hollow cylindrical steel pipe) that is inserted into the wellbore and held in place by a hardened material (such as cement) disposed in the annulus region formed between the exterior of the casing pipe and the wall of the wellbore. The casing operation generally includes lowering the casing pipe into the wellbore and pumping cement into the annulus region to ensure that the casing pipe is in place and effectively seals the annulus region, thereby preventing fluids and gases from moving through the annulus region. During the well completion operation, the casing pipe and the cement are typically perforated to provide fluid communication with the surrounding portion of the reservoir. For example, in the case of a production oil well where it is expected that a given well depth interval of the reservoir contains oil and gas, the casing pipe and the cement traversing that well depth interval can be perforated to facilitate the flow of oil and gas from the reservoir into the interior of the casing pipe. During the production phase, the interior of the casing pipe or a production tubing located within the casing can be used as a conduit to direct oil and gas to the surface.

[0006] In a conventional well, the casing system typically includes multiple sections of casing that are successively placed inside a previously laid casing that extends deep into the wellbore. These casings can include (for example) a conductor that extends from the Earth's surface to a first well depth interval, a surface casing that extends from the conductor to a second well depth interval, an intermediate casing that extends from the surface casing to a third well depth interval, and a production casing that extends from the intermediate casing to a fourth well depth interval. The production casing can (for example) include perforations that provide fluid communication with the production zone of the surrounding reservoir within the fourth well depth interval. The casing generally serves multiple functions that are critical for the operation and maintenance of well integrity. The casing can prevent formation collapse into the wellbore (e.g., by providing a rigid structure that lines the wellbore), can provide control of downhole pressure (e.g., by sealing the annulus region to direct pressurized formation fluids into the interior of the casing, where it can be controlled by valves connected to the casing), and can provide selective isolation of different portions of the formation (e.g., by sealing the first well depth interval of the wellbore to inhibit water production across the first well depth interval and providing a conduit for oil production from the second well depth interval where perforations are present). Summary of the Invention

[0007] The applicant has recognized that the prior art for cased wells has disadvantages. For example, traditional casing operations may not have an adequate level of structural integrity. In many cases, a casing operation involves installing a casing pipe into a wellbore and a cementing operation to secure the casing pipe in the wellbore. The cementing operation typically involves determining the volume of the annulus area formed between the outside of the casing pipe and the wellbore wall to be filled with cement, pumping the determined volume of cement into the annulus area, and allowing the cement to harden to secure the casing pipe in place. This can include (for example) pumping a certain volume of cement slurry down through the interior of the casing pipe, where the cement slurry exits the lower end of the casing and moves upward into the annulus area to fill the annulus area. Unfortunately, the movement and placement of the cement can be difficult to predict and track and is prone to inconsistencies that can compromise the integrity of the cement. For example, inaccurate placement of the cement can create undesirable voids in the cement, which can lead to unexpected fractures and even catastrophic ruptures when the cement is exposed to high-pressure fluids in the wellbore. Given the importance of cement integrity, well operators invest significant time and money in inspecting and monitoring the cement both at the time of installation and throughout the life of the well. For example, well operators may regularly perform logging operations to evaluate the condition of the cement during the life of the well. Thus, traditional casing operations can introduce inconsistencies that must be identified and monitored, increasing the complexity, risk, and cost of developing and operating a well.

[0008] As another example of a disadvantage, traditional casing operations can be time-consuming and expensive. In many cases, a casing operation takes a significant amount of time to place the casing pipe and cement the casing pipe in place, and other operations need to be suspended when the casing operation is completed. For example, after the first well depth interval of a well is drilled, the drill string (e.g., including drill pipe and drill bit) can be removed, the first section of the casing pipe can be positioned in the first well depth interval of the wellbore, cement slurry can be pumped into the annulus area, additional time can be spent allowing the cement to harden, and once the cement has hardened, drilling of the next well depth interval can continue. This can include (for example) drilling through the hardened cement at the bottom of the casing and continuing to drill deeper into the formation. Thus, traditional casing operations can require a stop-start approach that requires additional rigging up and rigging down (e.g., pulling out the drill string, running the casing pipe, cementing the casing pipe in place, and running the drill string back in), which increases the time and cost of drilling and completing the well.

[0009] Recognizing these and other drawbacks of existing oil well casing operations, the applicant has developed new systems and methods for cased wells. In some embodiments, casing operations for a wellbore employ additive manufacturing (AM) techniques such as three-dimensional (3D) printing to deposit wellbore liner materials such as cement in the wellbore. For example, an additive printing device such as a 3D cement printing head can be positioned in the annulus region of the wellbore, which is between the outside of the casing pipe positioned in the wellbore and the wall of the wellbore. The additive printing device is capable of precisely depositing a layer of cement in the annulus region as it advances along the length of the annulus region of the wellbore to produce a printed layer of the casing liner, thereby collectively forming the volume of the printed casing liner that fills the well depth interval of the annulus region. Advantageously, the precise incremental layout of the casing liner material can help ensure that the casing liner material is deposited in specific locations and does not include inconsistencies (such as unwanted voids) that can negatively affect the mechanical properties of the casing liner and compromise the integrity of the casing. For example, additive manufacturing of cement can enable precise control and monitoring of the amount of cement used to form the deposited printed cement casing liner at various locations within the annulus region.

[0010] In some embodiments, the additive printing device includes a print head having one or more nozzles that deliver wellbore liner material to specific locations within the wellbore. For example, the additive printing device can include a 3D cement printing head having one or more nozzles that eject casing liner material such as cement into specific locations within the annulus region. In some embodiments, one or more of the nozzles include nozzles for depositing different materials to form the printed casing liner. For example, one or more of the nozzles can include a set of cement nozzles for depositing cement and a set of additive nozzles for depositing an additive such as a polymer, which can be deposited with the cement to form a printed cement casing. This arrangement can enable the simultaneous deposition of multiple materials during a cementing operation to form a printed casing liner that includes a cementitious binder and other materials.

[0011] In some embodiments, the printed casing liner is formed as an integrated structure that modifies the mechanical properties of the casing liner. In some embodiments, the integrated structure includes the volume of pores of the casing liner material within the printed casing liner. For example, the integrated structure may include pores in a printed casing cement liner that include a volume of gas, liquid, or solid (other than the cement material) encapsulated within the cement material. In some embodiments, the integrated structure is strategically positioned and shaped to achieve a specific modification of the mechanical properties of the casing liner, such as ductility or impact resistance. For example, a printed cement casing liner may be printed to include a pattern of the integrated structure that extends in the radial or longitudinal direction of the wellbore. Such an integrated structure may reduce the Young's modulus of the printed casing cement in the radial or longitudinal direction (relative to the Young's modulus of a solid cement structure), enabling the cement to deform radially or longitudinally to absorb changes in radial or longitudinal stresses acting on the printed cement casing liner without cracking or otherwise failing.

[0012] In some embodiments, the integrated structure is formed in the wellbore independent of the deposition of the casing liner material. For example, an integrated structure such as a honeycomb polymer material may be printed in the annulus region of the wellbore to form an integrated structure having continuous pores formed therein. Cement material may then be injected into the continuous pores of the integrated structure to form a printed casing liner formed of the cementitious matrix of the cement material and the integrated structure material. In some embodiments, the casing liner material is formed in the wellbore independent of the integrated structure. For example, cement material may be printed in the annulus region of the wellbore, wherein one or more continuous integrated pore structures, such as continuous honeycomb pore structures, are formed in the cement material. An integrated structure material, such as a polymer, is then injected into the one or more continuous integrated pore structures of the printed cement material to form a printed casing liner formed of the cementitious matrix of the cement material and the additive material structure.

[0013] In some embodiments, a method is provided that includes drilling a wellbore into a subterranean formation, positioning a casing string in the wellbore, and performing a cementing operation that includes additive manufacturing of a casing liner in the annulus region between the exterior of the casing string and the wall of the wellbore.

[0014] In some embodiments, the casing liner includes a cementing material, and the cementing operation includes depositing the cementing material in place by a printhead as the printhead advances within the annulus region to form the casing liner. In certain embodiments, the casing liner includes a casing liner material and one or more integrated structures formed within the casing liner material. In some embodiments, the casing liner material includes cement. In certain embodiments, at least one of the one or more integrated structures includes pores within the casing liner material, the pores containing a substance other than cement. In some embodiments, the substance includes a gas, a fluid, or a solid other than cement. In certain embodiments, one or more integrated structures include elongate pores within the casing liner material that extend in a radial direction within the annulus region and contain a substance having a Young's modulus less than the Young's modulus of the casing liner material, such that the Young's modulus of the casing liner in the radial direction is less than the Young's modulus of the casing liner material. In certain embodiments, the integrated structure includes elongate pores within the casing liner material that extend in a longitudinal direction within the annulus region and contain a substance having a Young's modulus less than the Young's modulus of the casing liner material, such that the Young's modulus of the casing liner in the longitudinal direction is less than the Young's modulus of the casing liner material. In some embodiments, additive manufacturing of the casing liner includes additive manufacturing of an integrated structure (having one or more pores formed therein) within the annulus region, and the cementing operation further includes injecting a cementing material into the one or more pores of the integrated structure.

[0015] In certain embodiments, additive manufacturing of the casing liner includes additive manufacturing of a cement structure (having one or more pores formed therein) within the annulus region, and the cementing operation further includes injecting a substance into the one or more pores of the cement structure. In some embodiments, positioning the casing string in the wellbore includes additive manufacturing of the casing string in the wellbore. In some embodiments, additive manufacturing of the casing liner within the annulus region and additive manufacturing of the casing string within the wellbore include forming one or more perforations in the casing liner and the casing string to facilitate flow of substances between the formation and the central passage of the casing string.

[0016] In some embodiments, there is provided a well system that includes an additive manufacturing device and a well control system. The additive manufacturing device includes a printhead that includes one or more nozzles adapted to deposit a casing liner material in a wellbore of a well. The well control system is adapted to perform a cementing operation that includes controlling the additive manufacturing device to perform additive manufacturing of a casing liner in the wellbore. The additive manufacturing includes depositing the casing liner material in an annulus region of the wellbore to form a casing liner in the wellbore, the annulus region being located between the exterior of a casing string positioned in the wellbore and the wall of the wellbore.

[0017] In some embodiments, the casing liner material includes a cementitious material, and the cementing operation includes controlling the advancement of a printhead within the annulus region and depositing the cementitious material in place as the printhead advances within the annulus region to form a casing liner. In certain embodiments, the casing liner includes a casing liner material and one or more integrated structures formed within the casing liner material. In some embodiments, the casing liner material includes cement. In certain embodiments, at least one of the one or more integrated structures includes pores within the casing liner material, the pores containing a material other than cement. In some embodiments, the material includes a gas, a fluid, or a solid other than cement. In certain embodiments, one or more integrated structures include elongate pores within the casing liner material that extend in a radial direction within the annulus region and contain a material having a Young's modulus less than that of the casing liner material, such that the Young's modulus of the casing liner in the radial direction is less than that of the casing liner material. In some embodiments, the integrated structure includes elongate pores within the casing liner material that extend in a longitudinal direction within the annulus region and contain a material having a Young's modulus less than that of the casing liner material, such that the Young's modulus of the casing liner in the longitudinal direction is less than that of the casing liner material.

[0018] In certain embodiments, additive manufacturing of the casing liner includes additive manufacturing of an integrated structure (having one or more pores formed therein) within the annulus region, and the cementing operation further includes controlling the injection of a cementitious material into the one or more pores of the integrated structure. In some embodiments, additive manufacturing of the casing liner includes additive manufacturing of a cement structure (having one or more pores formed therein) within the annulus region, and the cementing operation further includes controlling the injection of a material into the one or more pores of the cement structure. In some embodiments, the well control system is also adapted to perform casing string operations, the casing string operations including controlling an additive manufacturing device to perform additive manufacturing of a casing string within a wellbore. In some embodiments, additive manufacturing of the casing liner within the annulus region and additive manufacturing of the casing string within the wellbore include forming one or more perforations in the casing liner and the casing string to facilitate the flow of material between the formation and the central passage of the casing string.

[0019] In some embodiments, a non-transitory computer-readable medium is provided that includes program instructions stored thereon that are executable by a processor to cause the following operations: drilling a wellbore into a subterranean formation, positioning a casing string within the wellbore, and performing a cementing operation that includes additive manufacturing of a casing liner within an annulus region between an exterior of the casing string and a wall of the wellbore.

[0020] In some embodiments, the casing liner includes a cementing material, and the cementing operation includes depositing the cementing material in place to form the casing liner as the printhead is advanced within the annulus region. In certain embodiments, the casing liner includes a casing liner material and one or more integral structures formed within the casing liner material. In some embodiments, the casing liner material includes cement. In certain embodiments, at least one of the one or more integral structures includes pores in the casing liner material that contain a substance other than cement. In some embodiments, the substance includes a gas, a fluid, or a solid other than cement. In certain embodiments, one or more integral structures include elongated pores in the casing liner material that extend in a radial direction within the annulus region and contain a substance having a Young's modulus less than the Young's modulus of the casing liner material, such that the Young's modulus of the casing liner in the radial direction is less than the Young's modulus of the casing liner material. In some embodiments, the integral structure includes elongated pores in the casing liner material that extend in a longitudinal direction within the annulus region and contain a substance having a Young's modulus less than the Young's modulus of the casing liner material, such that the Young's modulus of the casing liner in the longitudinal direction is less than the Young's modulus of the casing liner material.

[0021] In certain embodiments, additive manufacturing of the casing liner includes additive manufacturing of an integral structure (having one or more pores formed therein) within the annulus region, and the cementing operation further includes injecting a cementing material into the one or more pores of the integral structure. In some embodiments, additive manufacturing of the casing liner includes additive manufacturing of a cement structure (having one or more pores formed therein) within the annulus region, and the cementing operation further includes injecting a substance into the one or more pores of the cement structure. In certain embodiments, positioning the casing string in the wellbore includes additive manufacturing of the casing string in the wellbore. In some embodiments, additive manufacturing of the casing liner in the annulus region and additive manufacturing of the casing string in the wellbore include forming one or more perforations in the casing liner and the casing string to facilitate flow of substances between the formation and the central passage of the casing string.

[0022] In some embodiments, a method of forming a casing liner in a wellbore of an oil and gas well is provided. The method includes: disposing a casing liner printhead in an annulus region located between a casing string disposed in the wellbore of the oil and gas well and the wall of the wellbore; performing a downhole liner formation operation that includes running the casing liner printhead to eject a casing liner integrated structure material into the annulus region to form a casing liner integrated structure in the annulus region, the casing liner integrated structure including continuous pores formed in the casing liner integrated structure material; and depositing a cementitious material into the continuous pores formed in the casing liner material to form a casing liner in the annulus region, the casing liner including the casing liner integrated structure material and the cementitious material.

[0023] In some embodiments, the downhole liner formation operation includes advancing the casing liner printhead along the length of the wellbore and ejecting the casing liner integrated structure material along the length of the annulus region to form a casing liner integrated structure along the length of the annulus region. In certain embodiments, the casing liner integrated structure material includes a polymer. In some embodiments, the Young's modulus of the casing liner integrated structure material is less than the Young's modulus of the cementitious material. In certain embodiments, the casing liner integrated structure includes longitudinally oriented structural elements and corresponding longitudinally oriented pore regions. In some embodiments, the casing liner integrated structure includes a honeycomb integrated structure having longitudinally oriented hexagonal structural elements and corresponding longitudinally oriented hexagonal pore regions. In certain embodiments, the casing liner integrated structure includes radially oriented hexagonal structural elements and corresponding radially oriented pore regions. In some embodiments, the casing liner integrated structure includes a honeycomb integrated structure having radially oriented hexagonal structural elements and corresponding radially oriented hexagonal pore regions.

[0024] In some embodiments, a wellbore casing liner printing system is provided that includes a casing liner printhead adapted to be disposed in an annulus region located between a casing string disposed in the wellbore of an oil and gas well and the wall of the wellbore. The casing liner printhead is adapted to eject a casing liner integrated structure material into the annulus region to form a casing liner integrated structure in the annulus region, the casing liner integrated structure including continuous pores formed in the casing liner integrated structure material. The system further includes a cementing system adapted to deposit a cementitious material into the continuous pores formed in the casing liner material to form a casing liner in the annulus region, the casing liner including the casing liner integrated structure material and the cementitious material.

[0025] In some embodiments, the casing liner printhead is adapted to be advanced along the length of the wellbore and eject a casing liner integrated structural material along the length of the annulus region to form a casing liner integrated structure along the length of the annulus region. In certain embodiments, the casing liner integrated structural material includes a polymer. In some embodiments, the Young's modulus of the casing liner integrated structural material is less than the Young's modulus of the cementing material. In certain embodiments, the casing liner integrated structure includes longitudinally oriented structural elements and corresponding longitudinally oriented pore regions. In some embodiments, the casing liner integrated structure includes a honeycomb integrated structure having longitudinally oriented hexagonal structural elements and corresponding longitudinally oriented hexagonal pore regions. In certain embodiments, the casing liner integrated structure includes radially oriented hexagonal structural elements and corresponding radially oriented pore regions. In some embodiments, the casing liner integrated structure includes a honeycomb integrated structure having radially oriented hexagonal structural elements and corresponding radially oriented hexagonal pore regions.

[0026] In some embodiments, a method of forming a casing liner in a wellbore of an oil and gas well is provided. The method includes: disposing a casing liner printhead in an annulus region located between a casing string disposed in the wellbore of the oil and gas well and the wall of the wellbore; performing a downhole liner formation operation, the downhole liner formation operation including running the casing liner printhead to eject a casing liner integrated structural material into the annulus region to form a casing liner integrated structure in the annulus region, the casing liner integrated structure including continuous pores formed in the casing liner integrated structural material; and depositing casing cement into the continuous pores formed in the casing liner material to form a casing liner in the annulus region, the casing liner including the casing liner integrated structural material and the casing cement. In some embodiments, the downhole liner formation operation includes advancing the casing liner printhead along the length of the wellbore and ejecting the casing liner integrated structural material along the length of the annulus region to form a casing liner integrated structure along the length of the annulus region. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Figure 1 A diagram showing a well environment according to one or more embodiments.

[0028] Figure 2A And Figure 2B A diagram showing an exemplary casing liner formed by an additive manufacturing method according to one or more embodiments.

[0029] Figure 3 A diagram showing an example of a casing liner including an integrated structure according to one or more embodiments.

[0030] Figure 4A AndFigure 4B A figure showing an exemplary casing liner including an integrated structure formed by an additive manufacturing method according to one or more embodiments.

[0031] Figure 5A and Figure 5B A figure showing an exemplary casing liner including a radially oriented integrated structure according to one or more embodiments.

[0032] Figure 6A and Figure 6B A figure showing an exemplary casing liner including a longitudinally oriented integrated structure according to one or more embodiments.

[0033] Figures 7A to 7N A figure showing an exemplary structure according to one or more embodiments.

[0034] Figure 8 A flowchart showing a method of printing a casing liner according to one or more embodiments.

[0035] Figure 9A and Figure 9B A figure showing an exemplary casing formed by an additive manufacturing method according to one or more embodiments.

[0036] Figure 10 A figure showing a printed casing having an integrated structure including perforations according to one or more embodiments.

[0037] Figure 11 A flowchart showing a method of printing a casing according to one or more embodiments.

[0038] Figure 12 A figure showing an exemplary computer system according to one or more embodiments.

[0039] While the present disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. The drawings may not be to scale. It should be understood that the drawings and detailed description are not intended to limit the present disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but rather to disclose modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the claims. Detailed Description

[0040] Embodiments of systems and methods for cased wells are described herein. In some embodiments, casing operations for a wellbore employ additive manufacturing (AM) techniques such as three-dimensional (3D) printing to deposit wellbore liner materials such as cement in the wellbore. For example, an additive printing device such as a 3D cement printhead can be positioned in the annulus region of the wellbore, which is between the exterior of a casing string positioned in the wellbore and the wall of the wellbore. The additive printing device is capable of precisely depositing a layer of cement in the annulus region as it advances along the length of the annulus region of the wellbore to create a printed layer of the casing liner, which when combined forms a printed casing liner volume that fills the well depth interval of the annulus region. Advantageously, the precise incremental placement of the casing liner material can help ensure that the casing liner material is deposited in specific locations without inconsistencies (such as unwanted voids) that can negatively impact the mechanical properties of the casing liner and compromise the integrity of the casing. For example, additive manufacturing of cement can enable precise control and monitoring of the amount of cement used to form the printed cement casing liner at various locations within the annulus region.

[0041] In some embodiments, the additive printing device includes a printhead having one or more nozzles that deliver the wellbore liner material to specific locations within the wellbore. For example, the additive printing device can include a 3D cement printhead having one or more nozzles that eject a casing liner material such as cement into specific locations within the annulus region. In some embodiments, the one or more nozzles include nozzles for depositing different materials that form the printed casing liner. For example, the one or more nozzles can include a set of cement nozzles for depositing cement and a set of additive nozzles for depositing an additive such as a polymer that can be deposited with the cement to form a printed cement casing. This arrangement can enable the simultaneous deposition of multiple materials during a cementing operation to form a printed casing liner that includes a cementitious matrix and other materials.

[0042] In some embodiments, a printed casing liner is formed as an integral structure that modifies the mechanical properties of the casing liner. In some embodiments, the integral structure includes the volume of pores of the casing liner material within the printed casing liner. For example, the integral structure may include pores in a printed casing cement liner that include a volume of gas, liquid, or solid (other than the cement material) encapsulated within the cement material. In some embodiments, the integral structure is strategically positioned and shaped to achieve a specific modification of the mechanical properties of the casing liner, such as ductility or impact resistance. For example, a printed cement casing liner may be printed to include a pattern of the integral structure extending in the radial or longitudinal direction of the wellbore. Such an integral structure may reduce the Young's modulus of the printed casing cement in the radial or longitudinal direction (relative to the Young's modulus of a solid cement structure), enabling the cement to deform radially or longitudinally to absorb changes in radial or longitudinal stress acting on the printed cement casing liner without cracking or otherwise failing.

[0043] In some embodiments, the integral structure is formed in the wellbore independent of the deposition of the casing liner material. For example, an integral structure such as a honeycomb polymer material may be printed in the annulus region of the wellbore to form an integral structure having continuous pores formed therein. Cement material may then be injected into the continuous pores of the integral structure to form a printed casing liner formed of the cementitious matrix of the cement material and the integral structure material. In some embodiments, the casing liner material is formed in the wellbore independent of the integral structure. For example, cement material may be printed in the annulus region of the wellbore, where one or more continuous integral pore structures, such as continuous honeycomb pore structures, are formed in the cement material. An integral structure material, such as a polymer, is then injected into the one or more continuous integral pore structures of the printed cement material to form a printed casing liner formed of the cementitious matrix of the cement material and the additive material structure.

[0044] Figure 1 FIG. showing a well environment 100 according to one or more embodiments. In the illustrated embodiment, the well environment 100 includes a hydrocarbon reservoir ("reservoir") 102 and a well system ("well") 106 located in a subterranean formation ("formation") 104.

[0045] The formation 104 may include porous or fractured rock formations located underground, beneath the Earth's surface (“surface”) 108. In the case where the well 106 is an oil and gas well, the reservoir 102 may include a portion of the formation 104 that includes (or at least is determined to include or is expected to include) subsurface oil and gas reservoirs, such as oil reservoirs and gas reservoirs. The formation 104 and the reservoir 102 may each include different rock layers having different properties, such as different degrees of permeability, porosity, and resistivity. In the case where the well 106 operates as a production well, the well 106 may facilitate the extraction (or “production”) of hydrocarbons from the reservoir 102. In the case where the well 106 operates as an injection well, the well 106 may facilitate the injection of fluids, such as water, into the reservoir 102. In the case where the well 106 operates as a monitoring well, the well 106 may facilitate the monitoring of properties of the reservoir 102, such as reservoir pressure or water encroachment.

[0046] The well 106 may include a wellbore 120, a well control system (“control system”) 122, and a well casing system 124. The well control system 122 may control different operations of the well 106, such as drilling operations, completion operations, well injection operations, and well and formation monitoring operations. In some embodiments, the well control system 122 includes a computer system that is the same as or similar to the computer system of the computer system 2000 described at least with respect to Figure 12 the description.

[0047] The wellbore 120 may include a borehole extending from the surface 108 into a target area of the formation 104, such as the reservoir 102. The upper end of the wellbore 120 at or near the surface 108 may be referred to as the “uphole” end of the wellbore 120, while the lower end of the wellbore 120 terminating in the formation 104 may be referred to as the “downhole” end of the wellbore 120. For example, the wellbore 120 may be created by a drill bit that drills through the formation 104 and the reservoir 102. The wellbore 120 may provide for the circulation of drilling fluid during drilling operations, the flow of hydrocarbons (e.g., oil and gas) from the reservoir 102 to the surface 108 during production operations, the injection of substances (e.g., water) into one or both of the formation 104 and the reservoir 102 during injection operations, or the communication of monitoring devices (e.g., logging tools) into one or both of the formation 104 and the reservoir 102 during monitoring operations (e.g., during wireline logging operations).

[0048] In some embodiments, the wellbore 120 includes a cased portion or an uncased portion. For example, the wellbore 120 may have a cased portion 132 and an uncased (or “open hole”) portion 134. The cased portion 132 may include a portion of the wellbore 120 in which the casing 140 of the well casing system 124 is disposed. The uncased portion 134 may include a portion of the wellbore 120 in which no casing 140 is disposed.

[0049] In some embodiments, the casing 140 includes an annulus casing that lines the wall of the wellbore 120 to define a central passageway 142 that provides a conduit for conveying tools and materials through the wellbore 120. For example, the central passageway 142 can provide a conduit for lowering logging tools into the wellbore 120, for production materials such as oil and gas to flow from the reservoir 102 to the surface 108, or for injection materials such as water to flow from the surface 108 into the formation 104. In some embodiments, the casing 140 includes perforations 144. The perforations 144 can include openings that extend between the outer surface of the casing 140 and the central passageway 142 of the casing 140 to facilitate the flow of production materials such as oil and gas from the reservoir 102 into the central passageway 142, or to facilitate the flow of injection materials such as water from the central passageway 142 into the formation 104. While, for illustrative purposes, certain embodiments describe the perforations 144 as one or more elongated holes in the casing 140, embodiments can include any suitable form of perforations 144. For example, the perforations 144 can include a reticulated structure defined by a plurality of relatively small holes that allow materials to flow therethrough while also filtering out larger debris from the flowing materials.

[0050] In some embodiments, as shown in at least the Figure 1 detailed portion, the casing 140 includes a casing pipe 150 and a casing liner 152. The casing pipe 150 can include a hollow pipe that defines the central passageway 142. The casing pipe 150 can include, for example, a hollow cylindrical steel pipe. The casing liner 152 can include a rigid material, such as cement, disposed in an annulus region 154 located between the outer surface 156 of the casing pipe 150 and the inner wall 158 of the wellbore 120. The casing liner 152 can fill the annulus region 154 to ensure that the casing pipe 150 is in place and seals the annulus region 154. This can help to inhibit materials such as high-pressure gases and liquids from bypassing the central passageway 142 and flowing through the annulus region 154.

[0051] In some embodiments, the casing liner 152 is installed in the annulus region 154 by an additive manufacturing method. For example, the casing liner 152 can be formed of cement deposited in place by a 3D cement printing method. Figure 2A and Figure 2BA diagram showing a top and side cross-sectional view of an exemplary casing liner 152 formed by an additive manufacturing method in accordance with one or more embodiments. In the illustrated embodiment, the casing liner printing system 200 includes a print head 202 positioned in the annulus region 154 of the wellbore 120. The print head 202 may include one or more nozzles 204 (e.g., nozzles 204a to 204e), and the nozzles 204 are connected to a cylindrical collar 206 disposed around the outer surface 156 of the casing pipe 150. During the casing liner printing operation of the casing operation, the casing liner printing system 200 is capable of ejecting the casing liner material 210 from the nozzles 204 to form (or "print") the casing liner 152. For example, during the casing liner printing operation, when ejecting the casing liner material 210 such as cement from the nozzles 204 to deposit the casing liner material 210 at a specific location to form at least the first layer 214a of the casing liner 152 in the annulus region 154, the print head 202 may rotate around the longitudinal axis 208 of the casing pipe 150 and the wellbore 120 (as shown by the arrow 212).

[0052] In some embodiments, multiple rotational passes of the printhead 202 are coordinated with the advancement of the printhead 202 along the length of the wellbore 120 (e.g., parallel to the longitudinal axis 208 of the wellbore 120) to deposit multiple casing liner layers 214 (e.g., layers 214a to 214e) of the casing liner material 210, thereby forming the casing liner 152. Continuing the previous example, during a casing liner printing operation, after the first layer 214a is formed by the first rotational pass of the printhead 202 around the casing pipe 150, the printhead 202 can be longitudinally advanced (as shown by arrow 216) along the length of the wellbore 120 (e.g., parallel to the longitudinal axis 208 of the wellbore 120) a distance equal to the thickness of the second layer 214b of the casing liner 152 to be formed, and rotated again around the casing pipe 150 (as shown by arrow 212), while ejecting the casing liner material 210 from the nozzles 204 to deposit the casing liner material 210 at a specific location, thereby forming the second layer 214b of the casing liner 152 in the annulus region 154. Similar repeat layering methods can be performed to form other layers of the casing liner 152, such as layers 214c to 214e. The layers 214a to 214e can together form the casing liner 152 spanning the well depth interval 218. The resulting casing liner layers 214 and casing liner 152 can be referred to as "printed" casing liner layers 214 and "printed" casing liner 152, respectively. Although only five layers (layers 214a to 214e) of the casing liner 152 are discussed for illustrative purposes, embodiments can include any suitable number of layers to form the printed casing liner 152 spanning a given well depth interval. Although the embodiments describe the printhead 202 being advanced vertically in an incremental manner after completion of the rotational pass around the wellbore 120, embodiments can include any suitable advancement path of the printhead 202 to form the casing liner 152. For example, the printhead 202 can be advanced vertically while it rotates around the wellbore 120 to form, for example, a continuous helical layer of the casing liner material 210 spanning the well depth interval.

[0053] In some embodiments, the operation of the printhead 202, including the positioning and movement of the printhead 202, the alignment and orientation of the nozzles 204, and the ejection rate of the casing liner material 210 from the nozzles 204, is controlled by the well control system 122 to provide deposition of the casing liner material 210 at specific locations. In some embodiments, each nozzle 204 includes a flow sensor and a deposition sensor, which can detect and report the flow rate of the casing liner material 210 from the nozzle and the location where the casing liner material 210 is deposited, and the well control system 122 can use the flow information and the deposition information to determine whether the casing liner material 210 has been properly placed.

[0054] In some embodiments, the casing liner 152 includes an integrated structure formed within the casing liner material 210. For example, the casing liner 152 may include a cementitious matrix formed from the cement casing liner material 210 and one or more elements that form an integrated structure within the cement casing liner material 210. Figure 3 FIG. showing a cross-sectional view of an example of a casing liner 152 having an integrated structure 162 formed within a casing liner material 210, in accordance with one or more embodiments. In some embodiments, the integrated structure 162 includes pores in the deposited casing liner material 210 that are filled with a volume of material other than the casing liner material 210, such as a gas, liquid, or solid. For example, the casing liner 152 may be formed from a cement casing liner material 210 and an integrated structure 162 that includes polymer capsules formed within the cement casing liner material 210. In some embodiments, the integrated structure 162 may simply include formed air pockets, i.e., pores in the casing liner material 210.

[0055] Figure 4A and Figure 4BA diagram showing a top and side cross-sectional view of an example of a casing liner 152 including an integrated structure 162 formed by an additive manufacturing method in accordance with one or more embodiments. In some embodiments, the print head 202 may include a first group of nozzles 204 (e.g., nozzles 204a to 204e) for depositing a first material such as a cement casing liner material 210 and a second group of nozzles 204 (e.g., nozzles 204f to 204j) for depositing an integrated structure material 400 such as a polymer to form the integrated structure 162. The first group of nozzles 204 may include a first row of nozzles radially extending from a cylindrical collar 206, and the second group of nozzles 204 may include a second row of nozzles offset from the first row of nozzles. For example, the first group of nozzles 204 may include nozzles 204a to 204e that form a first row of nozzles 204 distributed along a first axis 211a radially extending from the cylindrical collar 206, and the second group of nozzles 204 may include nozzles 204f to 204j that form a second row of nozzles 204 distributed along a second axis 211b offset from the first axis 211a. In such an embodiment, one row of nozzles may be “leading” and the second row of nozzles “trailing” or “following”. For example, during clockwise rotation of the print head 202, the second row of nozzles 204 may be led and follow by the first row of nozzles 204 such that the first row of nozzles and the second row of nozzles sequentially pass through an area one after another. In some embodiments, the nozzles 204 of each row have the same radial distribution such that the two groups of nozzles 204 pass through the same radial positions. For example, nozzles 204a to 204e may be arranged to follow the same circumferential path in the annulus region 154 as nozzles 204f to 204j respectively. This may enable different materials to be deposited in a given area in a single rotation path of the print head 202. For example, in the case of depositing a first material (e.g., cement) using nozzles 204a to 204e and a second material (e.g., polymer) using nozzles 204f to 204j, either the first material or the second material may be deposited in the regions of the annulus region 154 by controlling each group of nozzles 204 to eject the first material or the second material in the respective regions. Although two rows are described for illustrative purposes, any suitable arrangement of nozzles 204 may be employed. For example, three rows of offset nozzles 204 may be employed, where each of the three rows is capable of ejecting a first material, a second material, and a third material respectively.

[0056] During a casing liner printing operation, the casing liner printing system 200 is capable of ejecting a casing liner material 210 from a first group of nozzles 204 (e.g., from nozzles 204a to 204e) and ejecting an integrated structure material 400 from a second group of nozzles 204 (e.g., nozzles 204f to 204j) to form the casing liner 152. For example, referring to Figure 4A and Figure 4B, during the casing liner printing operation, in the first path, when the casing liner material 210 such as cement is ejected from nozzles 204a to 204e, the print head 202 can rotate around the casing pipe (as shown by arrow 212) so that the casing liner material 210 is deposited at specific positions, thereby forming the first layer 214a' of the casing liner 152 in the annulus region 154. In the second, third, and fourth paths, the print head 202 can rotate around the longitudinal axis 208 of the casing pipe 150 and the wellbore 120 (as shown by arrow 212), so that when the casing liner material 210 is ejected from nozzles 204a to 204e, the casing liner material 210 is deposited in the shaded portions of the second, third, and fourth layers, namely 214a', 214b', and 214c' respectively, and when the integrated structural material 400 such as polymer is ejected from nozzles 204f to 204j, the integrated structural material 400 is deposited in the non-shaded portions of the second, third, and fourth layers, namely 214b', 214c', and 214d' respectively, to form the second, third, and fourth layers of the casing liner 152, namely 214b', 214c', and 214d' respectively in the annulus region 154. In the fifth path, when the casing liner material 210 is ejected from nozzles 204a to 204e, the print head 202 can rotate around the longitudinal axis 208 of the casing pipe 150 and the wellbore 120 (as shown by arrow 212) so that the casing liner material 210 is deposited at specific positions, thereby forming the fifth layer 214e' of the casing liner 152 in the annulus region 154. Although a specific shape of the integrated structure is described for illustrative purposes, various shapes and arrangements of the integrated structure can be formed using the described additive manufacturing method or similar methods.

[0057] In some embodiments, an integrated structure 162 is provided to improve the mechanical properties of the casing liner 152. For example, the integrated structure 162 can be strategically positioned, shaped, and filled with a specific type of material to achieve a specific improvement in the mechanical properties (such as ductility or impact resistance) of the casing liner 152. For example, the integrated structure 162 can include a capsule filled with a material such as a polymer, the Young's modulus of which is less than the Young's modulus of the casing liner material 210, to effectively reduce the Young's modulus of the resulting casing liner 152 to a level lower than the Young's modulus of the casing liner material 210. As another example, the integrated structure 162 can be oriented to extend in the annulus region 154 in a radial direction (e.g., perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 208 of the casing pipe 150 or the wellbore 120) or a longitudinal direction (e.g., parallel to the longitudinal axis 208 of the casing pipe 150 or the wellbore 120). Relative to the Young's modulus of the casing liner 152 formed of the solid cement casing liner material 210, such an integrated structure 162 can reduce the Young's modulus of the casing liner 152 in the radial or longitudinal direction. This can (for example) facilitate the radial or longitudinal deformation of the casing liner 152 to absorb changes in the radial or longitudinal stresses acting on the casing liner 152 without cracking or otherwise failing.

[0058] Figure 5A and Figure 5B FIGURES showing top and side cross-sectional views of an example of a casing liner 152 including a radially oriented integrated structure 162 formed within a casing liner material 210, according to one or more embodiments. In the illustrated embodiment, each oriented integrated structure 162 includes an elongate pore formed in the casing liner material 210 that extends in the annulus region 154 in a radial direction (e.g., perpendicular to the longitudinal axes 208 of the casing pipe 150 and the wellbore 120). For example, Figure 5A each oriented integrated structure 162 includes an elongate elliptical pore that extends radially across the width of the annulus region 154 in a transverse direction, generally across the longitudinal axis 208 of the wellbore 120 and the casing pipe 150. Each oriented integrated structure 162 can be encapsulated within the casing liner material 210. The pores of the integrated structure 162 can be filled with a material such as a polymer, the Young's modulus of which is less than the Young's modulus of the casing liner material 210, and thus the Young's modulus of the casing liner 152 in the radial direction can be reduced relative to a solid casing liner formed of only the casing liner material 210. For example, as described, each oriented integrated structure 162 can be formed by not depositing the casing liner material 210 in the region of the oriented integrated structure 162, or by depositing an integrated structure material 400 in place of the casing liner material 210 in the region of the oriented integrated structure 162.

[0059] Figure 6A and Figure 6B A top and side cross-sectional view illustration showing an example of a casing liner 152 including a longitudinally oriented integral structure 162 formed within a casing liner material 210 according to one or more embodiments. In the illustrated embodiment, each longitudinally oriented integral structure 162 includes an elongated pore formed in the casing liner material 210 that extends in a longitudinal direction (e.g., parallel to the longitudinal axis 208 of the casing string 150 and the wellbore 120) in the annulus region 154. For example, Figure 5B each longitudinally oriented integral structure 162 includes an elongated elliptical pore that extends longitudinally in a direction along the length of the annulus region 154, generally parallel to the longitudinal axis 208 of the wellbore 120 and the casing string 150. Each longitudinally oriented integral structure 162 may be encapsulated within the casing liner material 210. The pores of the integral structure 162 may be filled with a material such as a polymer that has a Young's modulus less than the Young's modulus of the casing liner material 210, and thus the Young's modulus of the casing liner 152 in the longitudinal direction may be reduced relative to the Young's modulus of a solid casing liner 152 formed only of the casing liner material 210. For example, as described, each longitudinally oriented integral structure 162 may be formed by not depositing the casing liner material 210 in the region of the longitudinally oriented integral structure 162, or by depositing an integral structure material 400 in place of the casing liner material 210 in the region of the longitudinally oriented integral structure 162. As described herein, while elliptical integral structures 162 are described for illustrative purposes, embodiments may include integral structures of other suitable shapes.

[0060] The integrated structure material 400 forming the integrated structure 162 can be any of a variety of substances, including gases, liquids, or solids. Examples of gases include air, nitrogen, and helium. Examples of liquids include water, brines (such as calcium chloride and calcium bromide, potassium chloride), organic liquids (such as N-butyl-pyrrolidone, N-ethyl-pyrrolidone, and N-methyl-pyrrolidone), organic ionic liquids (such as imidazolium salts like butyl-imidazolium tetrafluoroborate), and silicon-containing liquids (such as siloxanes and colloidal silica). Other examples of liquids can include monomeric liquids that cross-polymerize upon activation to prepare liquids with improved rheological properties. Examples of solids include metals (such as steel, aluminum, and nickel-aluminum alloys), polymers (such as polyesters, polycarbonates, polyanhydrides, polyamides, polyaramides, and polyurethanes), and cementitious composites (such as Portland cement, Sorel cement, aluminate cement, and pozzolan / lime cement). While for illustrative purposes the casing liner material 210 is typically described as cement, the casing liner material 210 can include any suitable material, such as epoxy resins, phenolic resins, monomeric substances (such as acrylamide) that polymerize upon activation to provide a solid material. In some embodiments, these materials can be solvent-free hard-setting materials or materials that cure to a gel containing a solvent. Other examples include laminated composites. These can include combinations of solids, gases, or liquids such as the above-described materials arranged as layers. Such laminated composites can provide favorable mechanical or chemical properties for wellbore conditions.

[0061] In some embodiments, the integrated structure 162 is formed in the wellbore independently of the deposition of the casing liner material 210. For example, an integrated structure 162 formed from the integrated structure material 400 (such as a honeycomb structure formed from a polymer) can be printed in the annulus region 154 of the wellbore 120 to form an integrated structure 162 having one or more continuous pores formed in the structural material. Then, a casing liner material 210 such as cement can be injected into one or more of the continuous pores of the integrated structure 162 to form a casing liner 152 that includes a matrix of the casing liner material 210 and the material of the integrated structure 162. In some embodiments, the casing liner material 210 is deposited in the wellbore independently of the deposition of the integrated structure material 400. For example, a casing liner material 210 such as cement can be printed in the annulus region 154 of the wellbore 120, with one or more continuous integrated pore structures, such as a continuous honeycomb pore structure, formed in the casing liner material. Then, an integrated structure material 400 such as a polymer can be injected into one or more of the continuous integrated pore structures of the printed casing liner material 210 to form a casing liner 152 that includes a matrix of the casing liner material 210 and the material of the integrated structure 162.

[0062] Figures 7A to 7NIllustrated is an exemplary integrated structure 162 (including integrated structures 700a to 700n) in accordance with one or more embodiments. The arrangement of the integrated structure 162 may be adapted to provide properties suitable for the wellbore environment in which the integrated structure is located. For example, the integrated structure may include various patterns and may be formed of certain materials or combinations of different materials. In some embodiments, the integrated structures 700a to 700n include structural elements 702 and corresponding pore regions 704. The pore regions 704 may include one or more continuous channels or regions within the structural elements 702 of the respective structures. Figure 7A Illustrated is a honeycomb integrated structure 700a having longitudinally oriented hexagonal structural elements 702 and corresponding longitudinally oriented hexagonal pore regions 704 deposited in a wellbore. Figure 7B Illustrated is a honeycomb integrated structure 700b having radially oriented hexagonal structural elements �02 and corresponding radially oriented hexagonal pore regions 704. Figure 7C Illustrated is a reticulated integrated structure 700c having radially oriented structural elements 702 and corresponding radially oriented cylindrical pore regions 704. Figure 7D Illustrated is a reticulated integrated structure 700d having radially oriented rectangular structural elements 702 and corresponding radially oriented rectangular pore regions 704. Figure 7E Illustrated is a reticulated integrated structure 700e having radially oriented angled structural elements 702 and corresponding radially oriented angled pore regions 704. Figure 7F Illustrated is a reticulated integrated structure 700f having radially oriented polygonal structural elements 702 and corresponding radially oriented polygonal pore regions 704. Figure 7G Illustrated is a reticulated integrated structure 700g having longitudinally and radially oriented patterned rectangular structural elements 702 and corresponding longitudinally and radially oriented patterned rectangular pore regions 704. Figure 7H Illustrated is a reticulated integrated structure 700h having radially oriented wavy structural elements 702 and corresponding radially oriented wavy pore regions 704. Figure 7I Illustrated is a reticulated integrated structure 700i having radially oriented helical structural elements 702 and corresponding radially oriented helical pore regions 704. Figure 7J Illustrated is a reticulated integrated structure 700j having radially oriented circular structural elements 702 with different radial lengths and corresponding radially oriented circular pore regions 704. Figure 7K Illustrated is a reticulated integrated structure 700k having radially oriented cuboid structural elements 702 with different radial lengths and corresponding radially oriented pore regions 704. Figure 7LShows a reticulated integrated structure 700l having radially oriented triangular prism structural elements 702 with different radial lengths and corresponding radially oriented pore regions 704. Figure 7M Shows a reticulated integrated structure 700m having a pattern of radially oriented rectangular parallelepiped structural elements 702 and corresponding radially oriented pore regions 704. Figure 7N Shows a reticulated integrated structure 700n having a pattern of radially oriented rectangular parallelepiped unit structural elements 702 (e.g., different groupings of unit structural elements 702 are formed of different materials, as indicated by different shadings of the groupings of unit structural elements) and corresponding radially oriented pore regions 704. Although certain arrangements of the integrated structure 162 are described for illustrative purposes, these arrangements can have any suitable shape and can be formed of any suitable material. For example, the arrangements of the integrated structure 162 can include a helical structure, a brick layer structure, a circular structure, a rhombic structure, or other geometric shapes, and can include a brick pattern, a mosaic pattern, a parquet pattern, a pattern having triangles, circles, squares, or other geometric patterns. The arrangements of the integrated structure 162 can be formed of one or a combination of liquids, solids, and gases.

[0063] As described above, in some embodiments, the integrated structures 700a to 700n may be formed by additive manufacturing techniques such as three-dimensional (3D) printing. For example, an integrated structure 162 formed from an integrated structure material 400 (such as a honeycomb integrated structure 700a or 700b formed from a polymer) is printed in the annulus region 154 of the wellbore 120 using additive manufacturing techniques. A casing liner material 210, such as cement, may be injected into the annulus region 154 and the pore region 704 to form a casing liner 152 that includes the base material of the casing liner material 210 and the integrated structure material 400 of the integrated structure 162. In some embodiments, the casing liner material 210 is placed to define a structure having pores, and the integrated structure material 400 is deposited in the resulting pore regions. For example, a casing liner material 210 (such as cement) having a structure consistent with the structural elements 702 of the integrated structure 162 may be printed in the annulus region 154 of the wellbore 120 using additive manufacturing techniques such as 3D printing to form a printed casing liner material 210 having one or more pores formed therein that correspond to the pore regions 704 of the integrated structure 162, such as the honeycomb pores 704 of the integrated structure 700a or 700b. An integrated structure material 400, such as a polymer, may be injected into the pore regions 704 formed in the printed casing liner material 210 to form a casing liner 152 that includes the base material of the casing liner material 210 and the integrated structure material 400 of the integrated structure 162. Although the honeycomb shape has been discussed for illustrative purposes, embodiments may employ any suitable structural arrangement, such as those of any of the integrated structures 700a to 700n.

[0064] Figure 8Flowchart showing a method 800 of printing a casing liner in accordance with one or more embodiments. Method 800 generally may include drilling a wellbore into a subterranean formation (block 802), positioning a casing in the wellbore (block 804), and performing a cementing operation including additive manufacturing of a casing liner (block 806). As described herein, in some embodiments, drilling a wellbore into a subterranean formation (block 802) includes drilling wellbore 120 into formation 104 and reservoir 102. For example, well control system 122 may control a rig to drill wellbore 120 into formation 104 and reservoir 102 along a given wellbore trajectory. In some embodiments, positioning a casing in the wellbore (block 804) includes positioning casing 150 in wellbore 120. For example, well control system 122 may control the rig to lower casing 150 to a given well depth interval in wellbore 120. As described herein, in some embodiments, performing a cementing operation including additive manufacturing of a casing liner (block 806) includes forming a casing liner 152 in the annulus region 154 by an additive manufacturing method, such as 3D printing of casing liner material 210 or casing liner material 210 and integrated structural material 400, to form a casing liner 152 without or with an integrated structure 162. For example, as described herein, well control system 122 may control casing liner printing system 200 to deposit casing liner material 210, or casing liner material 210 and integrated structural material 400, to form a casing liner 152 without an integrated structure 162 (e.g., as described with respect to at least Figure 2A and Figure 2B described) or with an integrated structure 162 (e.g., as described with respect to at least Figure 3 to FIG. 7 described) of casing liner 152.

[0065] In some embodiments, additive manufacturing may be employed to fabricate pipe components such as casing pipes or production tubing in place. For example, when the print head of casing liner printing system 200 is advanced through wellbore 120, casing liner printing system 200 is capable of printing both a casing liner 152 and a casing pipe 150 downhole. This may (e.g.) enable a single casing printing operation to replace running a casing 150, such as a steel pipe, into wellbore 120 and separately installing a casing liner, such as cement, into annulus region 154. Figure 9A and Figure 9BA diagram showing a top and side cross-sectional view of an exemplary casing 140 formed by an additive manufacturing method in accordance with one or more embodiments. In the illustrated embodiment, a casing printing system 900 includes a casing print head 902 positioned within a wellbore 120. The casing print head 902 can include a plurality of nozzles 904 (e.g., nozzles 904a through 904g). During a casing printing operation, the casing printing system 900 is capable of ejecting a casing liner material 210 from a first grouping of nozzles 904 (e.g., from nozzles 904a through 904e) and ejecting a casing pipe material 910 from a second grouping of nozzles 904 (e.g., nozzles 904f and 904g) to form a casing 150. For example, during a casing printing operation, the print head 902 can rotate about the longitudinal axis 208 of the wellbore 120 (as shown by arrow 912) while ejecting a casing liner material 210, such as cement, from a first grouping of nozzles 904 (e.g., nozzles 904a through 904e) and ejecting a casing pipe material 910, such as steel, from a second grouping of nozzles 204 (e.g., nozzles 904f and 904g) to simultaneously deposit the casing liner material 210 and the casing pipe material 910 at a particular location to form at least a first layer 914a of the casing 140 within the wellbore 120.

[0066] In some embodiments, the multiple rotational paths of the printhead 902 are coordinated with the advancement of the printhead 902 along the length of the wellbore 120 to deposit multiple layers of casing liner material 210 and casing pipe material 910, thereby forming a casing liner 152 and a casing pipe 150 in the wellbore 120. Continuing with the previous example, during a casing printing operation, after forming a first layer 914a of the casing 140 around the wellbore 120 via a first rotational path of the printhead 902, the printhead 902 may be longitudinally advanced (as indicated by arrow 916) along the length of the wellbore 120 (e.g., parallel to the longitudinal axis 208 of the wellbore 120) a distance equal to the thickness of a second layer 914b of the casing 140 to be formed, and rotated again about the longitudinal axis 208 of the wellbore 120 (as indicated by arrow 912), while ejecting the casing liner material 210 such as cement from a first grouping of nozzles 204 (e.g., nozzles 904a to 904e) and ejecting the casing pipe material 910 such as steel from a second grouping of nozzles 204 (e.g., nozzles 904f and 904g) to deposit the casing liner material 210 and the casing pipe material 910 at specific locations simultaneously, thereby forming at least a second layer 914b of the casing 140 in the wellbore 120. Similar repeated layering methods may be performed to form additional layers 914 of the casing liner 152. For example, additional layers 914c to 914e of the casing 140 may be formed to form a casing 140 spanning a well depth interval 918. The resulting casing 140 may be referred to as a "printed" casing. Although only five layers (914a to 914e) of the casing 140 are discussed for illustrative purposes, embodiments may include any suitable number of layers to form a printed casing 140 spanning a given well depth interval. Although embodiments describe vertically advancing the printhead 902 incrementally after completing a rotational path around the wellbore 120, embodiments may be any suitable path of the printhead 902 to form the casing 140. For example, the printhead 902 may be vertically advanced while rotating around the wellbore 120 to form, e.g., a continuous helical layer that forms a printed casing 140 spanning a well depth interval. Although a casing operation is described for illustrative purposes, embodiments may include forming other types of tubular members in a similar manner. For example, a production tubing may be formed downhole separately or in combination with the formation of a casing (e.g., a production tubing with a casing pipe and a casing liner around the production tubing). In such embodiments, nozzles may be disposed at radial positions corresponding to the wall of the production tubing, and a production tubing material such as steel may be ejected to form the production tubing in a manner similar to that described with respect to the casing 140.

[0067] In some embodiments, the casing printing operation may include printing an integrated structure into the casing 140. For example, the casing printing operation may include printing in relation to at leastFigure 3 Integrated structures similar to those discussed with respect to FIGS. 1-7 are printed into the liner 152 of the printed casing 140. In some embodiments, the integrated structure may include perforations. The perforations may include continuous pores that radially extend through the casing 140 (e.g., from the inner wall of the printed casing 150 to the outer surface of the printed casing liner 152) to define openings that extend between the exterior of the casing 140 and the central channel 142 of the casing 140. The perforations may facilitate the flow of production materials such as oil and gas from the reservoir 102 into the central channel 142, or the flow of injection materials such as water from the central channel 142 into the formation 104. Figure 10 FIG. showing a printed casing 140 having an integrated structure 162 including perforations 144 according to one or more embodiments. In some embodiments, the perforations 144 may be formed of a solid material that initially inhibits flow through the perforations, but the solid material may dissolve or otherwise be removed to enable fluid to flow therethrough. For example, the perforations 144 may be formed by printing a polymer into the pore regions that define the perforations 144, and the polymer may subsequently be exposed to a chemical that dissolves the polymer or a high temperature that melts the polymer, leaving channels defined by the pores. Although individual elongate perforations are described for illustrative purposes, embodiments may include any suitable form of perforations. For example, the perforations 144 may be defined by an integrated grid (or “screen”) printed into the casing conduit 150 and adjacent openings formed in the casing liner 152. The grid may prevent debris from traveling between the surrounding portion of the formation and the central channel 142 of the casing 150.

[0068] Figure 11Flowchart of a method 1100 for showing a printed casing according to one or more embodiments. Method 1100 generally may include drilling a wellbore into a subterranean formation (block 1102) and performing a casing operation including additive manufacturing of a casing (block 1104). As described herein, in some embodiments, drilling a wellbore into a subterranean formation (block 1102) includes drilling wellbore 120 into formation 104 and reservoir 102. For example, well control system 122 may control a rig to drill wellbore 120 into formation 104 and reservoir 102 along a given wellbore trajectory. As described herein, in some embodiments, performing a casing operation including additive manufacturing of a casing (block 1104) includes forming casing 140 in wellbore 120 by an additive manufacturing method, such as 3D printing of casing pipe material 910, casing pipe material 910 and casing liner material 210, or casing pipe material 910, casing liner material 210 and integrated structural material 400, to form casing 140, which includes casing pipe 150 and a casing liner 152 with or without an integrated structure 162. For example, as described herein, well control system 122 may control printhead 902 to deposit casing pipe material 910, casing pipe material 910 and casing liner material 210, or casing pipe material 910, casing liner material 210 and integrated structural material 400, to form casing 140, which includes casing pipe 150 and a casing liner 152 with or without an integrated structure 162. Although the casing operation is described for illustrative purposes, embodiments may include forming other types of tubular members in a similar manner. For example, a production tubing may be formed downhole separately or in combination with the formation of a casing (e.g., a production tubing with a casing pipe and a casing liner around the production tubing). In such embodiments, nozzles may be disposed at a radial position corresponding to the wall of the production tubing, and a production tubing material such as steel may be ejected to form the production tubing in a manner similar to that described with respect to casing 140.

[0069] Although certain embodiments describe additive manufacturing that includes layering in a bottom-up manner (e.g., forming a subsequent layer on top of (or on the upward drilling side of) a previous layer) to form a printed casing liner 152 or a printed casing 140, embodiments may employ any suitable technique to form a printed casing liner 152 or a printed casing 140. For example, embodiments may include layering in a top-down manner (e.g., forming a subsequent layer beneath (or on the downward drilling side of) a previous layer) to form a printed casing liner 152 or a printed casing 140.

[0070] Figure 12FIG. showing an exemplary computer system (or "system") 2000 in accordance with one or more embodiments. In some embodiments, system 2000 is a programmable logic controller (PLC). System 2000 may include a memory 2004, a processor 2006, and an input / output (I / O) interface 2008. Memory 2004 may include one or more of non-volatile memory (e.g., flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM)), volatile memory (e.g., random access memory (RAM), static random access memory (SRAM), synchronous dynamic RAM (SDRAM)), and mass storage memory (e.g., CD-ROM or DVD-ROM, hard disk drive). Memory 2004 may include a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having program instructions 2010 stored thereon. Program instructions 2010 may include program modules 2012 executable by a computer processor (e.g., processor 2006) to cause functional operations such as those described with respect to well control system 122, method 800, or method 1100.

[0071] Processor 2006 may be any suitable processor capable of executing program instructions. Processor 2006 may include a central processing unit (CPU) that executes program instructions (e.g., program instructions of one or more program modules 2012) to perform the described arithmetic, logical, and input / output operations. Processor 2006 may include one or more processors. I / O interface 2008 may provide an interface for communicating with one or more I / O devices 2014, such as a joystick, computer mouse, keyboard, and display screen (e.g., an electronic display for displaying a graphical user interface (GUI)). I / O device 2014 may include one or more user input devices. I / O device 2014 may be connected to I / O interface 2008 by a wired connection (e.g., an industrial Ethernet connection) or a wireless connection (e.g., a Wi-Fi connection). I / O interface 2008 may provide an interface for communicating with one or more external devices 2016, such as sensors, valves, motors, other computers, and networks. In some embodiments, I / O interface 2008 includes one or both of an antenna and a transceiver. In some embodiments, external device 2016 includes a casing liner printing system 200 or a casing printing system 900.

[0072] In view of this specification, further modifications and alternative embodiments of various aspects of the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, this specification is to be construed only as illustrative and is for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the general manner of implementing these embodiments. It should be understood that the forms of the embodiments shown and described herein are to be regarded as examples of the embodiments. The elements and materials shown and described herein may be substituted, the components and steps may be reversed or omitted, and certain features of the embodiments may be used independently, all of which will be apparent to those skilled in the art who have benefited from this specification. Changes may be made to the elements described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments described in the appended claims. The headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the specification.

[0073] It should be understood that the processes and methods described herein are exemplary embodiments of the processes and methods employed in accordance with the techniques described herein. These processes and methods may be modified to facilitate variations in their implementation and use. Changes may be made to the provided processes and methods and the order of operations, and various elements may be added, reordered, combined, omitted, modified, etc. Parts of the processes and methods may be implemented in software, hardware, or a combination thereof. Some or all of the parts of the processes and methods may be implemented by one or more of the processors / modules / applications described herein.

[0074] As used throughout this application, the word "may" is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the possibility) rather than in a mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). The words "include", "including", and "includes" mean including but not limited to. As used throughout this application, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural referents. Thus, for example, reference to "an element" may include a combination of two or more elements. As used throughout this application, unless otherwise stated, the term "or" is used in an inclusive sense. That is, an element described as including A or B may refer to an element that includes one or both of A and B. As used throughout this application, the phrase "based on" does not limit the related operation to being based only on a particular item. Thus, for example, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, processing "based on" data A may include processing that is at least partially based on data A and at least partially based on data B. As used throughout this application, the term "from" does not limit the related operation to being directly from. Thus, for example, receiving an item "from" an entity may include receiving an item directly from the entity or indirectly from the entity (e.g., via an intermediate entity). Unless otherwise specifically stated, as will be apparent from the discussion, it should be understood that throughout the specification the discussion refers to actions or processes of specific devices such as a special purpose computer or similar special purpose electronic processing / computing device using terms such as "processing", "computing", "operating", "determining", etc. In the context of this specification, a special purpose computer or similar special purpose electronic processing / computing device is capable of manipulating or transforming signals that typically represent physical, electronic, or magnetic quantities within the memory, register, or other information storage device, transmission device, or display device of the special purpose computer or similar special purpose electronic processing / computing device.

Claims

1. A wellbore casing liner printing system, comprising: A casing liner printing system configured to be disposed in an annulus region located between a casing string disposed in a wellbore of an oil and gas well and the wall of the wellbore, the casing liner printing system comprising: A cylindrical collar configured to be disposed on the casing string; and A casing liner printhead connected to the cylindrical collar, the casing liner printhead including a row of nozzles configured to eject a casing liner integrated structure material into the annulus region to form a casing liner integrated structure in the annulus region, the casing liner integrated structure including continuous pores formed in the casing liner integrated structure material, the cylindrical collar and the casing liner printhead configured to rotate together around the casing string, the row of nozzles being serially disposed along a transverse axis extending radially from the cylindrical collar; and A cementing system including a source of cementing material configured to deposit the cementing material into the continuous pores formed in the casing liner material to form a casing liner in the annulus region, the casing liner including the casing liner integrated structure material and the cementing material.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the casing liner printhead is configured to advance along the length of the wellbore and eject the casing liner integrated structure material along the length of the annulus region to form the casing liner integrated structure along the length of the annulus region.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the casing liner integrated structure material comprises a polymer.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the Young's modulus of the casing liner integrated structure material is less than the Young's modulus of the cementing material.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the casing liner integrated structure includes longitudinally oriented structural elements and corresponding longitudinally oriented pore regions.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the casing liner integrated structure includes a honeycomb integrated structure having longitudinally oriented hexagonal structural elements and corresponding longitudinally oriented hexagonal pore regions.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the casing liner integrated structure includes radially oriented hexagonal structural elements and corresponding radially oriented pore regions.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the casing liner integrated structure includes a honeycomb integrated structure having radially oriented hexagonal structural elements and corresponding radially oriented hexagonal pore regions.

Images