Permeable Well Treatment Containers for Sustained Corrosion Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Metal loss due to corrosion in water supply wells, particularly in downhole tubulars of high-temperature wells, is a persistent and costly issue, with existing inhibition methods like continuous injection requiring high capital expenditure and batch treatment causing formation damage and short treatment life.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a gauge hanger and permeable containers with encapsulated treatment chemicals is deployed in the well, allowing produced fluids to flow through and disperse the chemicals, providing controlled and extended corrosion inhibition without continuous injection or batch treatment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If continuous injection of corrosion inhibitors is used, then corrosion protection is improved, but capital expenditure and maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the corrosion inhibitor delivery function from the continuous injection system and places it directly into a permeable container deployed in the wellbore. This eliminates the need for complex injection equipment, high-pressure pumps, and continuous monitoring systems, thereby reducing capital expenditure and maintenance requirements while maintaining corrosion protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The permeable container is designed to automatically release corrosion inhibitors through its permeable walls as water flows through the wellbore. The system is self-regulating and requires no external control, pumping, or monitoring, thereby eliminating the maintenance and operational complexity associated with continuous injection systems.
2Reliability
If batch treatment with large quantity of inhibitors is used, then corrosion protection is improved, but treatment life becomes very short due to stripping off of inhibitor film
Solution Approach 1:
The corrosion inhibitors are pre-loaded into the permeable container in controlled amounts. As water flows through the wellbore, the inhibitors are gradually released and form a protective film on metal surfaces ahead of time, preventing corrosion rather than attempting to remediate it after damage occurs. This preliminary protective action extends treatment life significantly.
Solution Approach 2:
The permeable container is made of porous material that allows controlled diffusion of corrosion inhibitors into the flowing water. This gradual release mechanism ensures a sustained concentration of inhibitors over an extended period, preventing the rapid stripping off that occurs with batch treatment and thereby extending treatment life from days to months or years.
3Device complexity
If batch treatment is used, then capital expenditure is reduced, but formation damage and loss of productivity occur due to inhibitor entry into near-wellbore reservoir
Solution Approach 1:
The permeable container is positioned at a specific location in the wellbore where it releases corrosion inhibitors locally onto metal surfaces. The inhibitors are applied precisely where needed (on tubulars and equipment) rather than being dispersed into the near-wellbore reservoir formation, thereby preventing formation damage and productivity loss while maintaining effective corrosion protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The permeable container acts as an intermediary device that captures and controls the release of corrosion inhibitors. It prevents direct injection of large quantities of chemicals into the reservoir formation by mediating the delivery process - releasing inhibitors gradually and locally only where metal surfaces require protection, thus avoiding formation damage.
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 method offers low-maintenance, cost-effective corrosion inhibition with controlled chemical release, reducing formation damage and extending treatment duration, suitable for various well types.
Implementation Method 1
one or more permeable containers with openings which allow produced fluids to flow through
Implementation Method 2
The flow may dispense the treatment chemical into the water supply
Data Source
AI summary
A device for treating water supply wells includes a gauge hanger with an attachment piece at a bottom end of the gauge hanger and at least one permeable container connected to the gauge hanger via the attachment piece. The permeable container includes a top portion with top openings, a bottom portion with bottom openings, and a connecting portion connecting the top portion to the bottom portion. A method for treating a water supply well includes placing an encapsulated treatment chemical in at least one permeable container and placing a device in the water supply well where the device includes a gauge hanger and the at least one permeable container. The method may include treating a water supply by flowing produced fluid through the bottom openings and top openings of the permeable container which introduces the treatment chemical into the water supply.