Solid thickening agent and method of use
By embedding foaming rods within a solid thickener to form a liquid colloidal plunger, and using foam to fill the gaps, the problem of liquid loss in plunger gas lift is solved, thereby improving gas well production and lifting efficiency.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- PETROCHINA CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2024-11-28
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-29
AI Technical Summary
Existing plunger gas lift technology is ineffective in gas wells with a daily gas production of less than 1000 m3 because the gap between the plunger and the gas well tubing wall causes liquid loss, resulting in poor plunger performance and failing to effectively increase gas well production.
Foaming rods are placed inside the solid thickener to form a liquid colloidal plunger that seals the tubing cross-section space. The foam generated by the foaming rods fills the gap between the plunger and the well pipe wall, avoiding or reducing liquid loss and improving the plunger gas lift efficiency.
By removing accumulated fluid from the wellbore through gas lift, gas well production is increased, the problem of fluid loss caused by the gap between the plunger and the gas well tubing wall is solved, and the lifting efficiency of plunger gas lift is enhanced.
Smart Images
Figure CN122106487A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention belongs to the field of natural gas well production technology, specifically relating to a solid thickener and its application method. Background Technology
[0002] Natural gas extraction typically employs a self-flowing method. In the early stages of natural gas well production, the high well pressure facilitates gas extraction through the production tubing. However, throughout the well's lifespan, as production continues, well productivity gradually decreases in the later stages, and the flow velocity in the production tubing significantly reduces, hindering normal gas extraction. Particularly when the flow velocity falls below the critical fluid-carrying velocity, fluid accumulates at the wellbore bottom. This fluid accumulation drastically reduces well production and can even lead to water flooding and production shutdown. The plunger gas lift drainage technology utilizes the well's own energy to propel a plunger within the tubing to lift water. Because the plunger forms a solid interface between the lifted gas and the produced fluid, it effectively prevents gas from surging and fluid from falling back, thus reducing slippage losses and increasing lift efficiency. In the initial stages of water production, it extends the well's self-flowing water-carrying capacity. The gas required for plunger gas lift is supplied by the well's own casing gas, eliminating the need for additional power equipment and resulting in low production costs; however, it requires modifications to traditional downhole tubing. At present, the lower limit for the application of plunger gas lift technology is a daily gas production of more than 1000 m³. 3 For gas wells with a daily gas production of less than 1000 m³ 3 For gas wells with lower production rates, there is a minimum gap of 1.25mm between the plunger and the tubing wall, which can cause fluid loss. Conventional plunger applications are not very effective. However, these types of gas wells still need to be drained for gas production, otherwise they will be flooded, shut down, or even become unusable.
[0003] Chinese patent publication number CN105781494A, entitled "A Method for Using a Solid Thickener," describes a method in which a solid thickener, upon contact with water, thickens to form a viscous liquid colloidal plunger that seals the cross-sectional space of the tubing. This creates a relatively sealed colloidal interface between the liquid colloidal plunger and the produced fluid within the tubing, separating the upper and lower water bodies within the tubing and preventing gas from rising and liquid from falling back. This method provides a liquid colloidal plunger that seals the gas-liquid interface, and then uses gas lift to remove accumulated fluid from the wellbore, increasing gas well production. However, this patent application fails to address the problem of poor plunger performance caused by fluid leakage due to the gap between the plunger and the gas well tubing wall. Summary of the Invention
[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a solid thickener and its application method. By setting a foaming rod inside the solid thickener to form a plunger in the well, when the solid thickener and the embedded foaming rod melt upon contact with water, a liquid colloidal plunger is formed to seal the cross-sectional space of the oil tubing. The foam generated by the foaming rod fills the gap between the plunger and the well tubing wall, thereby avoiding or reducing the loss of the plunger gas lift fluid, improving the plunger gas lift efficiency, and discharging the accumulated fluid in the wellbore through gas lift, thus increasing gas well production.
[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: In a first aspect, the present invention provides a solid thickener, comprising a solid thickener body, wherein a bubble-dispersing rod is disposed within the solid thickener body, the density of the bubble-dispersing rod being less than or equal to the density of the liquid in the working well; the solid thickener body is rod-shaped or granular with a plurality of grooves on its surface; the bubble-dispersing rod is embedded in the grooves of the solid thickener body or uniformly mixed in the granules of the solid thickener body.
[0006] Optionally, the tank is axially formed along the surface of the solid thickener body.
[0007] Optionally, the solid thickener bulk is dissolved in water at a temperature greater than 60°C.
[0008] Secondly, the present invention provides a method for using the aforementioned solid thickener, comprising the following steps: Calculate the required amount of solid thickener based on the amount of water used in the well; The solid thickener is introduced into the well from the wellhead, and foam is generated by the foam depletion rod, so that the thickener body fills the entire end face; Then add defoamer, shut down the oil well, and wait for the solid thickener to melt.
[0009] Optionally, when calculating water usage, the water level should be higher than the bottom of the well and simultaneously 20m to 50m above the bottom of the well pipe.
[0010] Optionally, the mass ratio of the solid thickener to water is 5:100 to 10:100.
[0011] Optionally, the solid thickener, after thickening in water, forms a viscous liquid colloidal plunger with a viscosity greater than 200 mPa·s at 100°C.
[0012] Optionally, when the solid thickener is introduced into the well from the wellhead, the bottom hole temperature must be greater than 70°C.
[0013] Optionally, the well is shut down for 2-5 hours.
[0014] Optionally, after the solid thickener melts, nitrogen is injected from the casing or natural gas produced by the well itself is allowed to accumulate for gas lift, pushing the liquid plunger to expel the liquid accumulated in the tubing; nitrogen is continued to be injected from the casing for gas lift or natural gas produced by the well itself is allowed to accumulate until the bottom plunger is completely discharged from the tubing.
[0015] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: This invention creates a plunger within a well by embedding a foaming rod inside a solid thickener. When the solid thickener and the embedded foaming rod melt upon contact with water, a liquid colloidal plunger seals the tubing cross-section. The foam generated by the foaming rod fills the gap between the plunger and the well tubing wall, thus preventing or reducing the loss of lifting fluid during plunger gas lift and improving the plunger gas lift efficiency. By using the solid thickener of this invention, the problem of poor plunger performance caused by fluid leakage due to the gap between the plunger and the gas well tubing wall can be solved. Attached Figure Description
[0016] The accompanying drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way. Furthermore, the shapes and proportions of the components in the drawings are merely schematic to aid in understanding the invention and do not specifically limit the shapes and proportions of the components. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the combination of the thickener and the foaming rod of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the steps of using the solid thickener of the present invention.
[0017] Among them, 1. Solid thickener body; 2. Foaming rod. Detailed Implementation
[0018] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of this invention, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of this invention.
[0019] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the invention.
[0020] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that if terms such as "upper", "lower", "horizontal", "inner" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship in which the product of the invention is usually placed during use, they are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention.
[0021] When an element is referred to as being "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is referred to as being "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only embodiments. The use of the term "horizontal" does not imply that the component is required to be absolutely horizontal, but rather that it may be slightly tilted. "Horizontal" simply means that its direction is more horizontal than "vertical," and does not mean that the structure must be completely horizontal, but rather that it may be slightly tilted.
[0022] It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following figures denote similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures. In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "comprising" and "including" indicate the presence of the described features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or collections thereof.
[0023] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein in the specification of the invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used in the specification and appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
[0024] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0025] like Figure 1 The present invention discloses a solid thickener, wherein a bubble-dispersing rod 2 is disposed within the solid thickener body 1, and the density of the bubble-dispersing rod 2 is less than or equal to the density of the liquid in the working well; the solid thickener body 1 is rod-shaped or granular with a plurality of grooves on its surface; the bubble-dispersing rod 2 is embedded in the grooves of the solid thickener body 1 or uniformly mixed in the granules of the solid thickener body 1.
[0026] Optionally, the tank is axially formed along the surface of the solid thickener body 1. Further, the tank is equidistantly formed circumferentially along the solid thickener body 1. Optionally, the number of tanks is six. Specifically, the solid thickener body 1 is a cylinder.
[0027] The solid thickener 1 is dissolved in water at a temperature greater than 60°C.
[0028] The method of using the solid thickener includes the following steps: Calculate the required amount of solid thickener bulk 1 based on the amount of water used in the well; The solid thickener is introduced into the well from the wellhead, and foam is generated by the foaming rod 2, causing the thickener body 1 to fill the entire end face. Then, defoamer is added, the well is shut off, and the solid thickener is allowed to melt. After the solid thickener melts, nitrogen is injected into the casing or natural gas produced by the natural gas well itself is allowed to accumulate for gas lift, pushing the liquid plunger to expel the liquid accumulated in the tubing. Nitrogen is continued to be injected into the casing for gas lift or natural gas produced by the natural gas well itself is allowed to accumulate until the bottom plunger is completely discharged from the tubing.
[0029] This invention, by setting a foaming rod 2 inside the solid thickener body 1, can form a plunger in the well. When the solid thickener body 1 and the embedded foaming rod 2 melt upon contact with water, a liquid colloidal plunger is formed to seal the cross-sectional space of the oil tubing. The foam generated by the foaming rod 2 fills the gap between the plunger and the well pipe wall, thereby avoiding or reducing the loss of the plunger gas lift fluid, improving the plunger gas lift efficiency, and discharging the accumulated fluid in the wellbore through gas lift, thus increasing the gas well production.
[0030] Example 1 This embodiment 1 provides a method for using the aforementioned solid thickener, the specific steps of which are as follows: S1: Calculate the required amount of solid thickener 1 according to the specific well conditions: First, calculate the amount of water to be produced. The amount of water should be such that the water level is higher than the bottom of the well and simultaneously higher than the bottom of the tubing by 20m-50m. Second, the solid thickener and water are in a mass ratio of 5:100 to 10:100. The solid thickener is a mixture of 10% octadecyltrimethylammonium chloride, 20% sodium methylnaphthalene sulfonate, 20% C46H98O4N2Br2 + 40% KBr and 10% paraffin. The above percentages are mass percentages.
[0031] S2: Based on the required amount of solid thickener body 1, the solid thickener body 1 is circumferentially grooved, with embedded bubble decanter rods 2. The diameter of the rods is 5cm-45cm, and the apparent density is 1.2-1.6g / cm³. 3 .
[0032] S3: Then, the solid thickener rod with embedded foaming rod 2 is dropped into the well from the wellhead, so that the thickener body 1 fills the entire end face. Then, defoamer is added, and the well is shut down for 2-5 hours to allow the solid thickener to melt. Once the solid thickener falls to the bottom of the well or the designated tubing location, the solid thickener will automatically disperse and thicken the water around the tubing. The resulting viscous liquid colloidal plunger will seal the cross-sectional space of the tubing, forming a relatively sealed colloidal interface between the liquid plunger and the produced fluid in the tubing string. This separates the upper and lower water bodies in the tubing where the liquid plunger is located, thereby effectively preventing gas from rising and liquid from falling back, achieving the conditions for plunger gas lift. The solid thickener, after thickening in water, forms a viscous liquid colloidal plunger with a viscosity greater than 200 mPa·s at 100°C. In the second step, when the solid thickener is dropped into the well from the wellhead, the bottom-hole temperature is required to be greater than 70°C.
[0033] S4: Nitrogen is injected from the casing by a nitrogen truck or gas lift is performed by waiting for natural gas produced by the natural gas well itself to accumulate, which pushes the liquid plunger to expel the accumulated liquid in the tubing.
[0034] S5: Continue injecting nitrogen into the casing for gas lift or wait for the natural gas produced by the well itself to accumulate until the bottom plunger is completely discharged from the tubing.
[0035] S6: If the gas well is still not cleared, repeat the previous step until the gas well is cleared.
[0036] Example 2 This embodiment 2 provides a method for using the aforementioned solid thickener, the specific steps of which are as follows: S1: Calculate the required amount of solid thickener 1 according to the specific well conditions. The calculation of the required amount of solid thickener is as follows: First, calculate the amount of water to be produced. The amount of water should be such that the water level is higher than the bottom of the well and simultaneously higher than the bottom of the tubing by 20m-50m. Second, the solid thickener and water are in a mass ratio of 5:100 to 10:100. The solid thickener is a mixture composed of 12% octadecyltrimethylammonium chloride, 18% sodium methylnaphthalene sulfonate, 18% C46H98O4N2Br2 + 38% KBr and 14% paraffin. The above percentages are mass percentages.
[0037] S2: As Figure 1 As shown, according to the required amount of solid thickener body 1, the solid thickener body 1 is circumferentially grooved, with embedded foam decanter rods 2. The solid thickener body 1 is rod-shaped, with a diameter of 5cm-45cm and an apparent density of 1.2-1.6g / cm³. 3 .
[0038] S3: Then, the solid thickener rod with embedded foaming rod 2 is dropped into the well from the wellhead, so that the thickener body 1 fills the entire end face. Then, defoamer is added, and the well is shut down for 2-5 hours to allow the solid thickener to melt. Once the solid thickener falls to the bottom of the well or the designated tubing location, the solid thickener will automatically disperse and thicken the water around the tubing. The resulting viscous liquid colloidal plunger will seal the cross-sectional space of the tubing, forming a relatively sealed colloidal interface between the liquid plunger and the produced fluid in the tubing string. This separates the upper and lower water bodies in the tubing where the liquid plunger is located, thereby effectively preventing gas from rising and liquid from falling back, achieving the conditions for plunger gas lift. The solid thickener, after thickening in water, forms a viscous liquid colloidal plunger with a viscosity greater than 200 mPa·s at 100°C. In the second step, when the solid thickener is dropped into the well from the wellhead, the bottom-hole temperature is required to be greater than 70°C.
[0039] S4: Nitrogen is injected from the casing by a nitrogen truck or gas lift is performed by waiting for natural gas produced by the natural gas well itself to accumulate, which pushes the liquid plunger to expel the accumulated liquid in the tubing.
[0040] S5: Continue injecting nitrogen into the casing for gas lift or wait for the natural gas produced by the well itself to accumulate until the bottom plunger is completely discharged from the tubing.
[0041] S6: If the gas well is still not cleared, repeat the previous step until the gas well is cleared.
[0042] Example 3 This embodiment 3 provides a method for using the aforementioned solid thickener, the specific steps of which are as follows: S1: Calculate the required amount of solid thickener 1 according to the specific well conditions. The calculation of the required amount of solid thickener is as follows: First, calculate the amount of water to be produced. The amount of water should be such that the water level is higher than the bottom of the well and simultaneously higher than the bottom of the tubing by 20m-50m. Second, the solid thickener and water are in a mass ratio of 5:100 to 10:100. The solid thickener is a mixture of 10% octadecyltrimethylammonium chloride, 25% sodium methylnaphthalene sulfonate, 15% C46H98O4N2Br2 + 35% KBr and 15% paraffin. The above percentages are mass percentages.
[0043] S2: As Figure 1 As shown, according to the required amount of solid thickener body 1, the solid thickener body 1 is in the form of granules. Bubble-dispersing rods 2 are uniformly mixed into the solid thickener body 1. The particle size is 3cm-5cm, and the apparent density is 1.2-1.6g / cm³. 3 .
[0044] S3: Then, the solid thickener is injected into the well from the wellhead, so that the thickener body 1 fills the entire end face. Subsequently, defoamer is added, and the well is shut down for 2-5 hours to allow the solid thickener to melt. Once the solid thickener falls to the bottom of the well or the designated tubing location, it will automatically disperse and thicken the water around the tubing. The resulting viscous liquid colloidal plunger will seal the cross-sectional space of the tubing, creating a relatively sealed colloidal interface between the liquid plunger and the produced fluid in the tubing string. This separates the upper and lower water bodies in the tubing where the liquid plunger is located, effectively preventing gas from rising and liquid from falling back, thus achieving the conditions for plunger gas lift. The solid thickener, after thickening in water, forms a viscous liquid colloidal plunger with a viscosity greater than 200 mPa·s at 100°C. In the second step, when the solid thickener is injected into the well from the wellhead, the bottom-hole temperature is required to be greater than 70°C.
[0045] S4: Nitrogen is injected from the casing by a nitrogen truck or gas lift is performed by waiting for natural gas produced by the natural gas well itself to accumulate, which pushes the liquid plunger to expel the accumulated liquid in the tubing.
[0046] S5: Continue injecting nitrogen into the casing for gas lift or wait for the natural gas produced by the well itself to accumulate until the bottom plunger is completely discharged from the tubing.
[0047] S6: If the gas well is still not cleared, repeat the previous step until the gas well is cleared.
[0048] Example 4 This embodiment 4 provides a method for using the aforementioned solid thickener, the specific steps of which are as follows: S1: Calculate the required amount of solid thickener 1 according to the specific well conditions. The calculation of the required amount of solid thickener is as follows: First, calculate the amount of water to be produced. The amount of water should be such that the water level is higher than the bottom of the well and simultaneously higher than the bottom of the tubing by 20m-50m. Second, the solid thickener and water are in a mass ratio of 5:100 to 10:100. The solid thickener is a mixture composed of 8% octadecyltrimethylammonium chloride, 24% sodium methylnaphthalene sulfonate, 18% C46H98O4N2Br2 + 38% KBr and 12% paraffin wax. The above percentages are mass percentages.
[0049] S2: As Figure 1 As shown, according to the required amount of solid thickener body 1, the solid thickener body 1 is in the form of granules. Bubble-dispersing rods 2 are uniformly mixed into the solid thickener body 1. The particle size is 3cm-5cm, and the apparent density is 1.2-1.6g / cm³. 3 .
[0050] S3: Then, the solid thickener is injected into the well from the wellhead, so that the thickener body 1 fills the entire end face. Then, defoamer is added, and the well is shut off for 2-5 hours to allow the solid thickener to melt. Once the solid thickener falls to the bottom of the well or the designated tubing location, the solid thickener will automatically disperse and thicken the water around the tubing. The resulting viscous liquid colloidal plunger will seal the cross-sectional space of the tubing, forming a relatively sealed colloidal interface between the liquid plunger and the produced fluid in the tubing string. This separates the upper and lower water bodies in the tubing where the liquid plunger is located, thereby effectively preventing gas from rising and liquid from falling back, achieving the conditions for plunger gas lift. The solid thickener, after thickening in water, forms a viscous liquid colloidal plunger with a viscosity greater than 200 mPa·s at 100°C. In the second step, when the solid thickener is injected into the well from the wellhead, the bottom-hole temperature is required to be greater than 70°C.
[0051] S4: Nitrogen is injected from the casing by a nitrogen truck or gas lift is performed by waiting for natural gas produced by the natural gas well itself to accumulate, which pushes the liquid plunger to expel the accumulated liquid in the tubing.
[0052] S5: Continue injecting nitrogen into the casing for gas lift or wait for the natural gas produced by the well itself to accumulate until the bottom plunger is completely discharged from the tubing.
[0053] S6: If the gas well is still not cleared, repeat the previous step until the gas well is cleared.
[0054] Unless otherwise specified, the equipment components involved in the above embodiments are all conventional equipment components, and the structural settings, working methods or control methods involved are all conventional settings, working methods or control methods in the art unless otherwise specified.
[0055] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to limit it. Any other modifications or equivalent substitutions made by those skilled in the art to the technical solutions of the present invention, as long as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention, should be covered within the scope of the claims of the present invention.
Claims
1. A solid thickener, characterized in that, The solid thickener body (1) includes a solid thickener body (1) with a bubble depletion rod (2) inside. The density of the bubble depletion rod (2) is less than or equal to the density of the liquid in the working well. The solid thickener body (1) is a rod-shaped or granular body with several grooves on its surface. The bubble depletion rod (2) is embedded in the grooves of the solid thickener body (1) or uniformly mixed in the granules of the solid thickener body (1).
2. The solid thickener according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tank is opened along the axial direction of the surface of the solid thickener body (1).
3. A solid thickener according to claim 1, characterized in that, The solid thickener (1) dissolves in water at a temperature greater than 60°C.
4. A method of using a solid thickener according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Calculate the required amount of solid thickener (1) based on the amount of water used in the well; The solid thickener is introduced into the well from the wellhead, and foam is generated by the foaming rod (2), so that the thickener body (1) fills the entire end face; Then add defoamer, shut down the oil well, and wait for the solid thickener to melt.
5. The method of using a solid thickener according to claim 4, characterized in that, When calculating water usage, ensure the water level is above the bottom of the well and simultaneously 20m to 50m above the bottom of the well casing.
6. The method of using a solid thickener according to claim 4, characterized in that, The mass ratio of the solid thickener to water is 5:100 to 10:
100.
7. The method of using a solid thickener according to claim 6, characterized in that, The solid thickener, when it comes into contact with water, thickens to form a viscous liquid colloidal plunger with a viscosity greater than 200 mPa·s at 100°C.
8. The method of using a solid thickener according to claim 4, characterized in that, When solid thickeners are introduced into the well from the wellhead, the bottom hole temperature must be greater than 70°C.
9. The method of using a solid thickener according to claim 4, characterized in that, The well is to be shut down for 2-5 hours.
10. The method of using a solid thickener according to claim 4, characterized in that, After the solid thickener melts, nitrogen is injected into the casing or natural gas produced by the well itself is allowed to accumulate for gas lift, pushing the liquid plunger to expel the liquid accumulated in the tubing; nitrogen is continued to be injected into the casing for gas lift or natural gas produced by the well itself is allowed to accumulate until the bottom plunger is completely discharged from the tubing.