Wellbore Treatment System Using Energetic Acid Casting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Perforating systems in wellbore operations often result in crushed and compacted reservoir rock, reducing permeability and impeding hydrocarbon flow, and existing methods require large volumes of acid for treatment, which is costly and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A downhole tool incorporating an additive casting made of energetic material and crystalline anhydrous acid, where the energetic material is initiated to generate expanding gases, driving the acid into perforations to increase hydrocarbon flow and react with crushed rock, thereby dissolving and removing compacted rock without the need for extensive acid pumping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional perforating systems are used to create hydraulic communication passages, then perforations are formed in the wellbore, but the extreme pressures generated by the perforating jet crush and compact the reservoir rock around each perforation, reducing effective permeability by up to 75%
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful crushed rock zone into a beneficial treatment target by using the same high-pressure energy that created the damage to deliver acid precisely to the damaged area. The explosive energy that compacts the rock also drives the acid treatment material into the crushed zone, transforming the harmful effect into a targeted treatment opportunity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary substance (acid treatment material bound to explosive) that mediates between the perforating jet and the crushed rock. This intermediary delivers the treatment agent directly to the damaged zone, allowing the acid to break down the compacted rock and restore permeability without requiring separate pumping operations.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If large volumes of acid are pumped from surface to treat the crushed rock, then the crushed and compacted rock can be broken down, but the cost and equipment requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the treatment system to be self-sufficient by combining the treatment material with the explosive charge itself. The explosive energy serves dual purposes: creating the perforation and driving the treatment material into the crushed zone. This eliminates the need for separate acid pumping equipment and reduces the volume of treatment fluid required.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the perforating function and the treatment function into a single integrated operation. The acid treatment material is bound to the explosive charge, combining what were previously separate operations (perforation creation and acidizing) into one simultaneous action, thereby reducing equipment complexity and operational costs.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If conventional acidizing operations are performed after perforating, then the crushed rock can be treated, but extensive acid pumping is required which is costly and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs the treatment action preliminarily by pre-positioning the acid treatment material with the explosive charge before perforation. The treatment material is already in place and is delivered directly to the crushed zone by the explosive energy, eliminating the need for subsequent pumping operations and improving overall treatment efficiency.
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 effectively increases hydrocarbon flow by dissolving and removing crushed rock, reducing the need for large volumes of treatment fluids and costly equipment, improving wellbore permeability and production efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a reaction of the energetic material is caused to generate an expanding gas that drives the crystalline anhydrous acid into the opening
Implementation Method 2
initiating detonation of the explosive so that detonation products of the explosive contact the energetic material at a temperature to initiate reaction of the energetic material
Implementation Method 3
detonation products of the explosive contact the energetic material at a temperature to initiate reaction
Implementation Method 4
The acid optionally dissolves rock inside of the opening
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 1A
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AI summary
A method and system for treating a wellbore, where an additive casting having energetic material and a treatment substance is deployed downhole, and then the energetic material is reacted so that it releases the treatment substance into the wellbore.A perforating system is used to initiate the reaction of the energetic material. An example of the energetic material includes a propellant that generates gases which urge the treatment substance into openings in sidewalls of the wellbore, such as perforations or fractures. One embodiment of the treatment substance includes a crystalline anhydrous acid.