Well Treatment Composite Screen for Sustained Release

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for introducing well treatment agents into oil and gas wells face challenges in sustained release and efficient delivery, particularly in horizontal wells, leading to repeated treatments and increased operational costs due to the difficulty in ensuring continuous presence of the treatment agent.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a screen with a well treatment composite, where the composite consists of a well treatment agent and a substrate, with the screen's openings smaller than the substrate, allowing the agent to slowly release into the well over time, ensuring continuous delivery and reducing the need for frequent treatments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If chemical treatment agents are delivered by downhole squeezing or slurry injection, then treatment can be delivered to target location, but repeated treatments are required and operational costs increase due to depletion of chemical residual

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontinuous presence of treatment agentVSAvoiddowntime for repeated treatments

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The well treatment agent is pre-loaded into a screen assembly that is then installed in the well. This preliminary action allows the treatment agent to be delivered continuously over time without requiring repeated injection operations, as the agent is already positioned in situ within the screen

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The screen assembly with embedded well treatment agent functions autonomously once installed. The agent is released continuously into the produced fluids without requiring external intervention, pumps, or holding tanks, enabling the system to self-maintain treatment levels over extended periods

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Adaptability or versatility

If large volumes of flush and treatment fluid are injected into horizontal wells, then treatment can reach all intended areas, but significant costs are added due to large pumps and holding tanks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoverage area of treatmentVSAvoidpumps and holding tanks

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the well treatment agent from the complex surface equipment system (pumps and holding tanks) and embeds it directly into a screen assembly that is installed in the well. This eliminates the need for large surface equipment while maintaining treatment effectiveness across the perforated interval

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The screen assembly acts as an intermediary device that bridges the gap between surface treatment methods and downhole delivery. It provides a simplified mechanism for distributing treatment agent throughout the wellbore and formation without requiring complex surface equipment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If mechanical tools are used for well treatment, then effective cleaning can be achieved, but limited effectiveness occurs in deviated or horizontal wells due to gravity and flexibility constraints

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveeffectiveness of mechanical cleaningVSAvoidapplicability to deviated wells

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical cleaning tools with a chemical treatment system embedded in a screen assembly. This substitution allows treatment agent delivery independent of well orientation, as chemical diffusion and fluid flow are not constrained by gravity in the same way mechanical tools are

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 approach enables a sustained release of well treatment agents, reducing the frequency of treatments and maintaining effective well productivity by continuously supplying the agent into the well, thereby minimizing downtime and operational costs.

Implementation Method 1

The well treatment agent is slowly released from the substrate and passes from the screen into the well containing produced fluids

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDiffusion: Diffusion

Data Source

PatentUS10822536B2Method of using a screen containing a composite for release of well treatment agent into a well

Publication Date: 2020.11.03 BAKER HUGHES CO

AI summary

The rate of release of a well treatment agent into a well may be controlled by introducing into the well a screen containing a well treatment composite having a well treatment agent and a support for the well treatment agent. The diameter of the substrate is less than the diameter of the opening of the screen of the screen assembly. Over time, the well treatment agent is released from the substrate and passes from the interior of the screen into the well.