Expandable-Sleeve Well Tool for Hole-Specific Fluid Injection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing well tool devices face challenges in injecting fluids into unknown or multiple holes in a well bore without significantly reducing the inner diameter, and they struggle to efficiently isolate water-producing zones while maintaining oil/gas production.
Innovation Solution
A well tool device with an expandable sleeve and expanders that radially expand to accommodate different inner diameters, allowing fluid injection through a mandrel and control fluid pressure to seal off water zones efficiently, using e-line deployment to minimize operational costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If straddles or straddle packers are used to isolate water producing zones, then water production is reduced, but the inner diameter of the production tubing is considerably reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The packer employs a dynamic expandable sleeve that can change its radial dimension. When deployed, the sleeve expands to contact the well bore and seal the hole, providing effective isolation. When retrieved, the sleeve collapses to a small diameter, allowing easy withdrawal through the production tubing without permanently reducing the inner diameter. This dynamic transformation resolves the contradiction between providing effective sealing and maintaining tubing diameter.
Solution Approach 2:
The expandable sleeve is nested within the mandrel structure of the well tool device. The sleeve can be collapsed into a compact form factor for insertion through the production tubing, then expanded at the target location to provide the necessary sealing surface area. This nesting approach allows the packer to provide effective isolation when needed while maintaining minimal interference with the tubing diameter during retrieval.
2Productivity
If fluid is injected into holes in the well bore using conventional methods, then fluid injection is achieved, but the inner diameter of the well bore is considerably reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The well tool device uses a dynamic expandable sleeve that expands only at the injection location to seal the hole during fluid injection. The sleeve expands radially to contact the well bore wall and prevent fluid bypass, then collapses after injection to restore the well bore's inner diameter. This dynamic expansion and collapse allows effective fluid injection sealing without permanently reducing the well bore diameter.
3Reliability
If the expandable sleeve is expanded to seal the hole, then fluid injection sealing is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The expandable sleeve is actuated by a hydraulic or pneumatic system that uses fluid pressure to expand and collapse the sleeve. A piston or diaphragm mechanism responds to pressure differential changes to automatically expand the sleeve when injection is needed and collapse it when injection is complete. This hydraulic/pneumatic actuation provides reliable sealing while automating the expansion/collapse cycle, reducing the need for complex mechanical linkages or manual operations.
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
The device enables precise fluid injection into unknown or multiple holes while maintaining the well bore's inner diameter, effectively sealing off water zones and reducing post-injection fluid presence, facilitating retrieval and reducing operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
control fluid pressure to seal off water zones efficiently
Implementation Method 2
a first expander for moving a first side of the expandable sleeve between a radially retracted state and a radially expanded state
Data Source
AI summary
A well tool device, which is for injecting an injection fluid through a hole in a well bore, includes a mandrel, an expandable sleeve provided circumferentially outside of the mandrel, a first and second expander, an injection fluid system, and a control fluid system. The first expander is for moving a first side of the expandable sleeve between a radially retracted state and a radially expanded state. The second expander is for moving a second side of the expandable sleeve between a radially retracted state and a radially expanded state. The injection fluid system includes an injection fluid line and a nozzle element. The nozzle element provides fluid communication between the injection fluid line and an outlet provided on the outside of the expandable sleeve. The control fluid system controls the fluid pressure in a first fluid compartment provided radially between the expandable sleeve and the mandrel.