Shaped Compressed Pellets for Well Treatment Agent Delivery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for delivering well treatment agents to deviated or horizontal wells are inefficient, often requiring large volumes of fluids and specialized equipment, and struggle to ensure uniform treatment distribution due to the difficulty in reaching targeted areas with mechanical tools and chemical additives.

Innovation Solution

Shaped compressed pellets composed of a well treatment agent adsorbed onto a calcined porous metal oxide, which are designed to be adsorbed onto the surface or into the interstitial spaces of the metal oxide, allowing for controlled and sustained release of the treatment agent within the well, eliminating the need for specialized equipment and improving delivery to deviated areas.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If chemical treatment agents are delivered by downhole squeezing technique, then treatment can be delivered to target location, but large volumes of treatment and flush fluid are required and significant costs are added

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment delivery reliabilityVSAvoidvolume of treatment and flush fluid

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The treatment agent is segmented into discrete shaped compressed pellets that can be individually deployed. Each pellet contains a controlled amount of treatment agent adsorbed onto porous metal oxide, allowing precise dosing without requiring large volumes of flush fluid. The pellets are dropped individually or in small batches through the wellbore to the target location.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses disposable shaped compressed pellets that are inexpensive to manufacture and can be easily replaced. Each pellet is a self-contained unit with adsorbed treatment agent that releases its contents and is then discarded, eliminating the need for expensive reusable equipment like squeeze pumps and large holding tanks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Reliability

If mechanical tools are used for treatment, then they are effective when tubular is at 180° to point of entry, but they have limited effectiveness when tubular is deviated or horizontal

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment effectivenessVSAvoidadaptability to deviated wells

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The invention replaces complex mechanical tools (scrapers, reamers, pumps) with simple gravity-driven shaped compressed pellets. The pellets require no mechanical propulsion system and can be passively transported through vertical, deviated, and horizontal wellbore sections by gravity and fluid flow, providing universal applicability across all well configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If solid chemical additives in slurry form are used, then treatment is effective in vertical wells, but slurry must not be too heavy to be carried past deviations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment effectivenessVSAvoidslurry density

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the treatment agent from the slurry medium and encapsulates it in shaped compressed pellets with controlled density. By adsorbing the treatment agent onto porous metal oxide rather than suspending it in heavy slurry, the pellets achieve optimal density for transport through deviated wells while maintaining effective treatment agent concentration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Reliability

If capillary tubing is installed to aid chemical treatment delivery, then delivery is improved, but specialized equipment is required and installation costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechemical treatment deliveryVSAvoidspecialized equipment requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The shaped compressed pellets are self-propelled by gravity and fluid flow, requiring no specialized delivery equipment or infrastructure. The pellets automatically navigate the wellbore to the target location using natural forces, eliminating the need for capillary tubing, pumps, or other complex delivery systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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 pellets provide a cost-effective and efficient means of delivering well treatment agents, ensuring continuous protection against unwanted deposits and improving well productivity by allowing the treatment agent to be released slowly over an extended period, reducing the need for frequent treatments and minimizing equipment costs.

Implementation Method 1

The porosity and permeability of the calcined porous metal oxide is such that the well treatment agent is adsorbed onto the surface of the calcined porous metal oxide or into the interstitial spaces of the calcined porous metal oxide

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Data Source

PatentUS9976070B2Method of using shaped compressed pellets in well treatment operations

Publication Date: 2018.05.22 BAKER HUGHES CO

AI summary

A shaped compressed pellet formed from a composite of a well treatment agent adsorbed onto a calcined porous metal oxide or into the interstitial spaces of the calcined porous metal oxide may be introduced into an oil or gas producing well. The well treatment agent of the shaped compressed pellet may be used to prevent and/or control the formation of deposits in the well.