Angled Flushing Tool for Wellbore Zone Isolation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In subterranean wells, undesired fluid flow between permeable zones can occur due to changes in fluid composition and pressure, leading to reduced production efficiency and potential damage to well barriers, necessitating effective isolation methods to control and optimize production and injection processes.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of a perforation tool to create holes in a pipe body, followed by a flushing tool to clean and fill the annulus with fluidized plugging material, forming a plug that covers the complete cross-section of the well to prevent fluid flow, utilizing a flushing tool with angled outlets for effective cleaning and plugging, and potentially including a plug base and abrasive agents for enhanced adhesion and removal of debris.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a plug is established to isolate permeable zones, then fluid flow control is improved, but the complexity of the well intervention process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The isolation process is divided into distinct operational phases: perforation of the pipe body, flushing of the annulus with flushing fluid, and placement of plugging material. This segmentation allows each phase to be optimized independently and ensures reliable isolation while managing process complexity through structured execution.
Solution Approach 2:
The pipe body is perforated before the plugging operation to create pathways for flushing fluid and plugging material. This preliminary action ensures that subsequent isolation steps can proceed effectively without requiring complex real-time adjustments, thereby improving reliability while controlling overall process complexity.
2Reliability
If the annulus is thoroughly cleaned before plugging, then adhesion of plugging material is improved, but the time required for the isolation process increases
Solution Approach 1:
A flushing tool with multiple outlets is used to inject flushing fluid into the annulus under pressure, creating high-velocity jets that effectively remove debris. This hydraulic approach achieves thorough cleaning efficiently, improving plugging material adhesion while minimizing the time required compared to conventional cleaning methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The flushing tool is positioned and oriented to direct flushing fluid specifically at debris locations within the annulus. This localized cleaning approach ensures effective removal of contaminants where they are most problematic while avoiding unnecessary flushing in clean areas, thereby optimizing both adhesion quality and process time.
3Productivity
If multiple outlets are used in the flushing tool, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flushing tool is designed with multiple outlets that can be configured for different functions: some outlets direct flushing fluid to clean the annulus, while others can be used to inject plugging material or provide support. This multi-functionality improves cleaning effectiveness without proportionally increasing device complexity, as the same basic tool structure serves multiple purposes in the isolation process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method effectively isolates permeable zones, preventing crossflow and maintaining well integrity by ensuring thorough cleaning and adhesion of the plugging material, thereby optimizing production and injection processes and extending the lifespan of well barriers.
Implementation Method 1
pumping a flushing fluid down through the pipe string, out through at least one flow-through outlet in the flushing tool, into the pipe body and further out, via holes in the pipe body, into an annulus between an outside of the pipe body and a surrounding well body, thereby cleaning the annulus
Implementation Method 2
pumping a fluidized plugging material down through the pipe string and out through the flushing tool, into the pipe body and further out into the annulus via holes in the pipe body
Implementation Method 3
placing the fluidized plugging material along the longitudinal section L1 of the well, after which the plugging material forms a plug covering substantially a complete cross section T1 of the well, whereby the plug fills an inside of the pipe body and the annulus between the outside of the pipe body and the surrounding well body
Implementation Method 4
a plug is established along a longitudinal section of a well, and substantially across a complete cross section of the longitudinal section, thereby preventing undesired fluid flow to or from a permeable zone in the well
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A method for isolation of a permeable zone (10, 11) in a subterranean well (1), wherein the well (1) is provided with a pipe body (211), wherein the method comprises the following steps: (A) lowering a perforation tool (33) into the pipe body (211); (B) forming holes (213) in the pipe body (211) along a longitudinal section (LI); (C) pumping a flushing fluid (36) out through outlets (351) in a flushing tool (35), into the pipe body (211) and further out into an annulus (5); (D) pumping a fluidized plugging material (37) out through the flushing tool (35), into the pipe body (211) and further out into the annulus (5); (E) placing the fluidized plugging material (37) along the longitudinal section (LI) so as to form a plug (25) across the cross section (Tl) of the well, whereby the plug (25) fills the pipe body (211) and the annulus (5); wherein at least one outlet (351) in the flushing tool (35) is angled non-perpendicularly relative to a longitudinal axis of the flushing tool (35), whereby a corresponding discharge jet also will be non-perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.