Downhole Injection Tool with Water Sensor for Scale Mitigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current subterranean well development systems face inefficiencies in delivering scale and corrosion inhibitors, as they often release inhibitors constantly, leading to waste and delayed delivery, and are prone to errors in determining the need for inhibitors, resulting in inefficient use and potential corrosion and scale formation.
Innovation Solution
A downhole injection tool with a water sensor that only releases inhibitor fluids when water is detected, optimizing inhibitor use and ensuring immediate delivery, featuring an injector valve that moves between closed and open positions based on water presence, and a refill line to maintain pressure and supply inhibitor fluids.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If inhibitor fluids are released constantly, then the protection against scale and corrosion is continuous, but the amount of inhibitor fluids used increases and waste occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses water sensors to detect the presence of water in the wellbore and provides feedback to the injection valve control system. When water is detected, the system activates the injection valve to release inhibitor fluids; when no water is present, injection is stopped. This feedback mechanism ensures protection is provided only when needed, eliminating waste while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The inhibitor injection system transitions from a static constant-release mode to a dynamic on-demand mode. The injection valve is controlled to open or close based on real-time water detection conditions, allowing the system to adapt its operation to actual wellbore conditions and optimize inhibitor usage.
2Device complexity
If inhibitor fluids are delivered from the surface, then the delivery system is simple, but the delivery time is delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The inhibitor fluids are pre-positioned in storage containers located downhole within the wellbore, ready for immediate injection. When water is detected by the sensors, the pre-positioned inhibitor can be injected immediately without the time delay of transporting fluid from the surface, while the overall system remains relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces downhole storage containers and injection equipment as intermediaries between the surface and the wellbore environment. These intermediaries hold the inhibitor fluids locally, eliminating the need for continuous surface-to-downhole transport and enabling immediate injection response.
3Speed
If inhibitor fluids are released immediately upon water detection, then the response time is reduced, but the precision of determining when inhibitors are needed must be high
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple water sensors are deployed to provide real-time feedback on water presence in the wellbore. The sensors continuously monitor conditions and provide immediate signals to the injection control system, enabling fast response while maintaining accurate detection through redundant sensing.
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 solution optimizes inhibitor use by releasing fluids only when needed, reducing waste and ensuring immediate downhole delivery, effectively preventing scale and corrosion, and mitigating hydrate formation, while avoiding delays and computational errors in determining inhibitor needs.
Implementation Method 1
A water sensor, such as, but not limited to, an electrical conductivity sensor
Implementation Method 2
The scale can be deposited all along the water path from the subterranean reservoir to the surface equipment... effectively preventing scale and corrosion
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for delivering inhibitor fluid downhole within a subterranean well include an injection tool. The injection tool has an injection tool body that is an elongated member with an interior storage space. An injector valve is moveable between a closed position where the inhibitor fluid located within the interior storage space is prevented from exiting the interior storage space past the injector valve, and an open position where the injector valve provides a fluid flow path for the inhibitor fluid located within the interior storage space to exit the interior storage space through the injector valve. A water sensor is in signal communication with the injector valve. A refill line extends from an inhibitor fluid storage tank to the interior storage space. A support member suspends the injection tool within the subterranean well.