METHODS AND SYSTEMS OF TREATING A WELLBORE

• US 20110024122A1
• Filed: 03/06/2009
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: M-I Drilling Fluids UK Limited (SLB)
• Original Assignee: M-I Drilling Fluids UK Limited (SLB)
• Inventors: Popplestone, Andy, Ballard, David Antony
• Application Number:
  US12/921,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20110024122A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/310
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/08 Controlling or monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid, e.g. automatic filling of boreholes, automatic control of bottom pressure valve arrangements therefor E21B21/10
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 37/00 Methods or apparatus for cleaning boreholes or wells E21B21/00 takes precedence

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to methods of treating a wellbore (101) including emplacing at least one electrolytic tool (50) in a desired section of the wellbore, applying an electric charge to wellbore fluids present in the desired section of the wellbore, and generating oxidants in situ by electrolyzing components of the wellbore fluids.

Claims

1. A method of treating a wellbore comprising:

emplacing at least one electrolytic tool in a desired section of the wellbore,

applying an electric charge to wellbore fluids present in the desired section of the wellbore, and

generating oxidants in situ by electrolyzing components of the wellbore fluids.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing the oxidants to react with a filtercake formed in the wellbore.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising degrading the filtercake in situ.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the oxidants kill at least some of bacterial populations found downhole.

5. A method of breaking a filtercake formed in a wellbore, comprising:

generating oxidants in situ by electrolyzing components of a wellbore fluid present in the wellbore; and

allowing the oxidants to degrade filtercake components.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the wellbore fluid comprises an aqueous solution.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the wellbore fluid comprises a brine.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising emplacing at least one electrolytic tool into the wellbore.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one electrolytic tool is emplaced at desired depth in the wellbore.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising controlling the at least one electrolytic tool remotely outside of the wellbore.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein generating further comprises applying an electric charge to the at least one electrolytic tool present in the wellbore.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the electrolytic tool further comprises a sensor to measure the quantity of the oxidants generated downhole.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one electrolytic tool further comprises a means for controlling the quantity of an electric charge applied to the wellbore fluid.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising controlling the electric charge applied by the at least one electrolytic tool downhole to adjust the quantity of oxidants measured by the sensor.

15. The method of claim 5, wherein the oxidants comprise at least one of a hypohalite, ozone, halide, and a peroxide.

16. The method of claim 5, wherein the filtercake further comprises oxidant-degradable polymers.

17. A system for breaking a filtercake formed on a surface of a wellbore, comprising:

a wellbore having a filtercake formed thereon;

a fluid supply source for supplying an aqueous solution into the wellbore; and

at least one electrolytic tool for generating oxidants in the wellbore.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

at least one transportation means for transporting the electrolytic tool to a desired depth in the wellbore; and

at least one position control means for controlling the positioning of the electrolytic tool at the desired depth in the wellbore.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one electrolytic tool further comprises at least one charge control means for controlling the measure of an electric charge applied to the aqueous solution.

20. The system of claim 17, further comprising a sensor for measuring oxidants generated by the electrolytic tool.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one electrolytic tool further comprises at least one negative electrode and at least one positive electrode for application of an electric charge to the aqueous solution.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the at least one electrolytic tool further comprises:

a reaction chamber for the housing of the at least one negative electrode and at least one positive electrode,

at least one inlet port for allowing aqueous solution flow into the reaction chamber, and

at least an outlet port for allowing aqueous solution flow out of the reaction chamber.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the at least one electrolytic tool further comprises:

a pumping device for allowing inflow of the aqueous solution via the inlet port into the reaction chamber.

24. The system of claim 17, further comprising a hydraulic power generator utilizing fluid flow in the wellbore for providing the electrolytic tool with power.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein the electrolytic tool is integral with of at least one piece of completion equipment.