Flow-Through Passages in Wellbore Casing for Targeted Zone Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional perforating techniques in oilfield operations are cumbersome, pose safety risks, require extensive equipment for deployment, and can be inefficient due to the need for mechanical devices and potential mislocation of perforating tools, leading to increased costs and time.
Innovation Solution
Methods involving the creation of temporarily plugged flow-through passages in casing sections, which are formed and plugged at the surface before being inserted into the wellbore, allowing for controlled exposure to conditions that activate the passages for fluid treatment, enabling targeted well zone treatments without the need for downhole actuating devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional perforating guns are used to create flow paths in casing, then perforation can be achieved, but the process requires complex downhole devices, extensive deployment equipment, and poses safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the perforation function from complex downhole devices and relocates it to simple, pre-formed flow-through passages in the casing. The passages are created during casing manufacturing rather than requiring downhole perforating guns, thereby eliminating the associated safety risks and equipment complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow-through passages are formed in the casing before the casing is deployed into the wellbore. This preliminary action eliminates the need for downhole perforation operations, reducing both the complexity of deployment equipment and the safety risks associated with handling explosive charges or high-pressure jetting devices.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple individual perforating guns are stacked to treat multiple zones, then multiple well zones can be perforated, but the total gun length increases requiring additional or special equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the wellbore into multiple zones, each with its own set of flow-through passages formed in separate casing sections. This allows multiple zones to be treated independently using standard-length casing sections rather than requiring one extremely long perforating gun system.
3Ease of operation
If perforating devices are conveyed downhole using wireline, slickline, or tubing, then downhole perforation can be performed, but time is required for deployment and positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The flow-through passages are formed in the casing during manufacturing before deployment to the wellbore. This eliminates the time-consuming downhole conveyance and positioning operations required for traditional perforating devices, as the passages are already in place when the casing is run into the hole.
4Productivity
If shaped charges or jetting devices are used for perforation, then flow paths can be created in casing, but equipment requirements and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the perforation function from complex downhole equipment (shaped charges, jetting devices) and incorporates it directly into the casing structure as pre-formed flow-through passages. This eliminates the need for specialized perforating equipment while maintaining the ability to create efficient flow paths for fluid treatment.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods of making and using wellbore casing are described, one method comprising providing a plurality of flow-through passages in a portion of a casing while the casing is out of hole; temporarily plugging the flow-through passages with a composition while out of hole; running the casing in hole in a wellbore intersecting a hydrocarbon-bearing formation; and exposing the composition to conditions sufficient to displace the composition from the flow-through passages while in hole. Methods of using the casing may include pumping a stimulation treatment fluid through the casing string and into a formation through the flow-through passages in the first casing joint; plugging the flow-through passages in the first casing section; and exposing a second casing joint of the casing string to conditions sufficient to displace the composition from the flow-through passages in the second casing joint.