SYSTEM FOR PULSE-INJECTING FLUID INTO A BOREHOLE
First Claim
1. A down-hole tool for pulse-injecting pressurized fluid from a fluid-reservoir out from a hole in the ground into the surrounding ground formation, wherein:
- the tool includes a pulse-valve, having a valve-member and a valve-housing;
the valve-member is movable relative to the valve-housing between an open position of the pulse-valve, in which pressurized fluid can pass through the pulse-valve out of the tool and into the formation, and a closed position;
the tool includes an accumulator, which is arranged for storing pressurized fluid from the fluid-reservoir at a magnitude of pressure termed the accumulator-pressure, ready for presentation to the pulse-valve;
the pressure differential between the accumulator-pressure and the hydraulic pressure in the ground formation, termed the formation-pressure, is termed the PDAF;
the tool and the fluid-reservoir are so arranged that, during operation, when the pulse-valve is closed the PDAF increases, and when the pulse-valve is open the PDAF decreases;
the tool includes a valve-cylinder and relatively movable valve-piston;
the valve-piston is so connected to the valve-member as to be movable therewith;
the tool is so arranged that an accumulator-surface of the valve-piston is exposed to the accumulator-pressure, and an oppositely-facing formation-surface of the valve-piston is exposed to the formation-pressure, whereby the valve-piston is subjected to a net force, termed the PDAF-force;
the tool is so arranged that, in operation, the accumulator-pressure being higher than the formation-pressure, the PDAF-force acting on the valve-piston is so directed as to urge the valve-piston to move in the direction to open the pulse-valve;
the tool includes a piston-biasing means, for example a spring, which provides a biasing-force that acts upon the valve-piston in such direction as to close the pulse-valve.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Applying pulses to liquid being injected into wells makes the ground/liquid formation more homogenous, and more penetrative. A system for automatically creating the pulses is described, in which a piston is acted upon by the pressure differential (PDAF) between the supplied accumulator pressure and the formation pressure. The changing levels of the PDAF as the pulse-valve opens (and the PDAF falls) and as the pulse-valve closes (and the PDAF rises) are harnessed to actuate an inhibitor that restrain movement of the valve-piston, and delays opening and/or closing of the pulse-valve. The pulse-valve is engineered to open explosively, and thus create penetrative porosity-waves in the formation. The system includes a pressurized-gas accumulator, and injection-check-valve which can maintain pulsing even when the ground is not saturated, and the static injector, which allows non-pulsed injection only when the ground is non-saturated.
39 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A down-hole tool for pulse-injecting pressurized fluid from a fluid-reservoir out from a hole in the ground into the surrounding ground formation, wherein:
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the tool includes a pulse-valve, having a valve-member and a valve-housing; the valve-member is movable relative to the valve-housing between an open position of the pulse-valve, in which pressurized fluid can pass through the pulse-valve out of the tool and into the formation, and a closed position; the tool includes an accumulator, which is arranged for storing pressurized fluid from the fluid-reservoir at a magnitude of pressure termed the accumulator-pressure, ready for presentation to the pulse-valve; the pressure differential between the accumulator-pressure and the hydraulic pressure in the ground formation, termed the formation-pressure, is termed the PDAF; the tool and the fluid-reservoir are so arranged that, during operation, when the pulse-valve is closed the PDAF increases, and when the pulse-valve is open the PDAF decreases; the tool includes a valve-cylinder and relatively movable valve-piston; the valve-piston is so connected to the valve-member as to be movable therewith; the tool is so arranged that an accumulator-surface of the valve-piston is exposed to the accumulator-pressure, and an oppositely-facing formation-surface of the valve-piston is exposed to the formation-pressure, whereby the valve-piston is subjected to a net force, termed the PDAF-force; the tool is so arranged that, in operation, the accumulator-pressure being higher than the formation-pressure, the PDAF-force acting on the valve-piston is so directed as to urge the valve-piston to move in the direction to open the pulse-valve; the tool includes a piston-biasing means, for example a spring, which provides a biasing-force that acts upon the valve-piston in such direction as to close the pulse-valve. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification