Shock Wave Cleaning for Wellbore Control Particles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for cleaning control particles in wellbores, such as acidizing and mechanical techniques, are inefficient in removing mineral deposits and fines, often damage the control particles, and are not effective in horizontal boreholes, leading to reduced fluid or gas flow and environmental concerns.
Innovation Solution
Generating and propagating shock waves through control particles using an electrical discharge unit and shock wave transmitting liquid, which effectively removes deposits without damaging the control particles or the environment, and can reach inaccessible areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If acidizing or mechanical techniques are used to clean control particles, then deposits are removed, but the control particles are damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical cleaning techniques (brushes, scrapers) and chemical acidizing with an electrohydraulic shock wave system. Electrical discharges generate shock waves in a transmitting liquid that propagate through the control particles to remove deposits, substituting mechanical and chemical methods with an electrical field-based approach that cleans without damaging particle integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and parameters of the cleaning medium by using electrical discharges to generate high-energy shock waves in a liquid transmitting medium. The shock waves create transient high-pressure zones that dislodge deposits through controlled stress waves rather than direct mechanical contact or chemical dissolution, altering the cleaning mechanism from contact-based to wave-based energy transfer
2Reliability
If conventional cleaning methods are used, then some deposits are removed, but fluid flow is not significantly improved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs shock waves generated by electrical discharges as a form of high-energy mechanical vibration. These shock waves propagate through the control particles, creating oscillating stress fields that effectively dislodge deeply embedded deposits and fines from interstitial spaces, thereby restoring pore connectivity and significantly improving fluid flow capacity beyond what conventional static or low-energy methods achieve
3Reliability
If chemical agents are used for cleaning, then deposits are dissolved, but environmental damage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes chemical acidizing with an electrohydraulic shock wave system that uses electrical energy to generate mechanical shock waves. This replacement eliminates the need for harmful chemical agents while achieving effective deposit removal through physical shock waves, thereby resolving the environmental harm associated with chemical cleaning methods
4Reliability
If standard cleaning procedures are applied, then accessible areas are cleaned, but inaccessible areas remain plugged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a liquid transmitting medium as an intermediary to propagate shock waves from the electrical discharge source through the control particles. This liquid medium fills the pore spaces and provides a pathway for shock wave energy to reach inaccessible interior regions of the particle pack, enabling cleaning of areas that would be unreachable by direct mechanical or chemical application from the wellbore
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 efficiently removes up to 95% of deposits from control particles, maintaining their integrity and improving fluid or gas flow, while being suitable for both vertical and horizontal boreholes.
Implementation Method 1
an electrical discharge unit for generating at least one electrical discharge that propagates at least one shock wave into said shock wave transmitting liquid
Implementation Method 2
generating at least one shock wave nearby said control equipment and propagating said at least one shock wave through said control equipment toward said control particles for cleaning said control particles
Data Source
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AI summary
Method for cleaning control particles (32) in a wellbore (1) of a subterranean formation (18) to improve the recovery of formation fluids and/or gases, said wellbore (1) comprising a wall (10a) defining a borehole (10), at least one control equipment (30) arranged into said borehole (10) and a plurality of control particles (32) arranged between said control equipment (30) and said wall (10a), said method comprising the steps of generating at least one shock wave (60) nearby said control equipment (30) and propagating said at least one shock wave (60) through said control equipment (30) toward said control particles (32) for cleaning said control particles (32). Disclosed is also a corresponding a shock wave generating device comprising a chamber and an elctrical discharge unit and optionally a membrane.