TCA Bleed Off Bladder System for Well Start-Up

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Solution Overview

Problem

The traditional method for cleaning the tubing-casing annulus (TCA) in wellbore operations is time-consuming, wasteful, and poses safety risks due to repeated pressurization and depressurization cycles, which can lead to equipment damage and contamination issues, especially in ESP-supported wells.

Innovation Solution

A treatment system comprising a bladder with a treatment fluid at a pressure similar to the TCA, coupled via a fluid conduit that allows gravity-driven flow to remove contaminants without active mechanical assistance, reducing the need for repeated pressurization and depressurization, and maintaining the TCA at production startup pressure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional repeated pressurization and depressurization cycles are used to clean the TCA, then contaminants can be removed, but the process becomes time-consuming and wasteful

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontaminant removal effectivenessVSAvoidcleaning process duration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The treatment bladder is pre-filled with treatment fluid at a pressure equal to or greater than the TCA pressure before connection. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for repeated pressurization cycles during the actual cleaning process, as the pre-pressurized fluid immediately begins to replace contaminants when the system is connected.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The treatment fluid continuously replaces contaminants in the TCA through gravity-driven flow and pressure differential without requiring repeated cycles of pressurization and depressurization. This continuous action significantly reduces the time required for cleaning compared to traditional intermittent cycling methods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

2Reliability

If traditional repeated pressurization and depressurization cycles are used to clean the TCA, then contaminants can be removed, but equipment damage risks increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontaminant removal effectivenessVSAvoidequipment damage risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces the mechanical repeated pressurization and depressurization cycling system with a single connection system that uses gravity-driven flow and pressure differential to achieve contaminant removal. This substitution eliminates the mechanical stress and shock waves caused by repeated cycling, thereby reducing equipment damage risk.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If traditional repeated pressurization and depressurization cycles are used to clean the TCA, then contaminants can be removed, but safety risks increase due to hands-on contact near the wellhead

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontaminant removal effectivenessVSAvoidsafety risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The treatment bladder acts as an intermediary device that is connected to the TCA through a fluid conduit. This intermediary system allows contaminant removal to be performed remotely, eliminating the need for hands-on contact near the wellhead during the cleaning process, thereby reducing safety risks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Reliability

If traditional methods are used to clean the TCA, then contaminants can be removed, but water resources are wasted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontaminant removal effectivenessVSAvoidwater consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The treatment fluid in the bladder is continuously used to replace contaminants in the TCA. The system is designed so that the treatment fluid circulates and is recovered, eliminating the need to discard and replace water in repeated cycles. This significantly reduces water consumption compared to traditional methods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

5Reliability

If traditional methods are used to clean the TCA, then contaminants can be removed, but additional steps are required for hydrocarbon production initiation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontaminant removal effectivenessVSAvoidprocess steps

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The treatment bladder system serves multiple functions: it cleans the TCA by replacing contaminants, maintains TCA pressure at production startup levels, and can be directly connected to the production system. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate additional steps for hydrocarbon production initiation, thereby reducing overall process complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

This method significantly reduces the time required for cleaning, minimizes equipment damage, enhances safety by reducing hands-on contact near the wellhead, and conserves water resources by using a closed-loop system where every drop of treatment fluid replaces contaminants, while maintaining the TCA pressure without additional steps for hydrocarbon production initiation.

Implementation Method 1

The treatment bladder contains a treatment fluid having a pressure in a range of from about 90% to 110% of the pressure of the tubing-casing annulus

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure differential: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 2

The fluid conduit is configured to convey a fluid having a density less than the treatment fluid to traverse from the tubing-casing annulus to the treatment bladder and a fluid having a density equal to or greater than the treatment fluid to traverse from the treatment bladder tank to the tubing-casing annulus simultaneously and without any active mechanical assistance

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Implementation Method 3

The fluid conduit is rated to withstand both a pressure of at least a maximum allowable annular surface pressure (MAASP) of the tubing-casing annulus and a temperature of at least a maximum production fluid temperature

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMaterial strength:

Data Source

PatentUS11939850B2Apparatus for TCA bleed off and well start-up

Publication Date: 2024.03.26 SAUDI ARABIAN OIL CO

AI summary

A treatment system comprises a treatment bladder associated with a volume of a tubing-casing annulus of a wellhead system to be treated. The treatment bladder contains a treatment fluid and is at an elevated pressure. The treatment bladder is coupled to the tubing-casing annulus utilizing a fluid conduit through a lower fluid junction. The fluid conduit permits two-way fluid communication between the treatment bladder and the tubing-casing annulus. A method for treating the tubing-casing annulus includes coupling the treatment bladder containing the treatment fluid of the treatment system to the tubing-casing annulus of the wellhead system using the fluid conduit, establishing two-way fluid communication between the tubing-casing annulus and the treatment bladder though the fluid conduit, halting fluid communication though the fluid conduit, and decoupling the treatment bladder from the tubing-casing annulus.