SUBTERRANEAN FORMATION METHODS AND APPARATUS

• US 20150144330A1
• Filed: 06/14/2013
• Published: 05/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Manufacturing & Services Limited (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Darcy Technologies Limited (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Noblett, David Allan, Bruce, Stephen Edmund, McCann, Dominic Patrick Joseph, Kent, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 10,428,631 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/244.1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/1277 characterised by the construction or fixation of the sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/129 with mechanical slips for hooking into the casing E21B33/122, E21B33/124 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/025 Consolidation of loose sand or the like round the wells without excessively decreasing the permeability thereof
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/08 Screens or liners expandable screens or liners E21B43/108
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/105 Expanding tools specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/108 Expandable screens or perforated liners
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/16 Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/006 Measuring wall stresses in the borehole

Abstract

A method is for use with subterranean formations, such as oil and/or gas reservoirs. In some examples (e.g., production examples), the method improves the production from that formation. Some of the examples of the method describe selecting both an exertive force (e.g., a pressure) to apply at a wellbore, but together with a drawdown pressure at the wellbore to modify operations (e.g., improve production) at that subterranean formation. The selection of one or both of the exertive force and drawdown pressure may be based on the downhole environment at that wellbore, which can include the porosity and/or permeability of a near-wellbore formation radially surrounding a wellbore. The exertive force and drawdown pressure may be specifically selected to modify the porosity and/or permeability of the near-wellbore formation.

Claims

1. A method comprising the step of:

selecting an exertive force to apply at a wellbore together with a drawdown pressure at the wellbore to modify operations at a subterranean formation, a selection of one or both of the exertive force and the drawdown pressure being based on a downhole environment at the wellbore.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein one of the exertive force and the drawdown pressure is constrained such that selecting both the exertive force together with the drawdown pressure is based on using a constrained exertive force or a constrained drawdown pressure.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of selecting a hydrostatic pressure at the wellbore in order to modify operations at the formation.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the downhole environment includes a porosity of a near-wellbore formation, the near-wellbore formation being a region of formation radially surrounding the wellbore into the formation.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the near-wellbore formation extends at least up to 1.6 times a diameter of the wellbore into the formation surrounding some or all of the wellbore.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the exertive force and the drawdown pressure are selected to modify the porosity and/or permeability of the near-wellbore formation.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein the exertive force and the drawdown pressure are selected to increase support and/or strength of the near-wellbore formation.

8. The method according to claim 4, wherein the exertive force and the drawdown pressure are selected to maintain or reduce a rate of change of the porosity and/or permeability of the near-wellbore formation during operations at the subterranean formation.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the exertive force is for application from the wellbore to the near-wellbore formation.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the exertive force is for application from the wellbore to the near-wellbore formation via an intermediate apparatus positioned at the wellbore.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the exertive force is selected to provide or induce a particular stress state, including dilation, in the formation or near-wellbore formation.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the exertive force is selected to provide or induce different stress states at differing locations, axially and/or azimuthally in the formation or the near-wellbore formation.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the exertive force is provided as a force per unit area of a wall defining the wellbore.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the exertive force is selected to apply a similar force per unit area around some or all of the wellbore.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the exertive force is selected to provide different forces per unit area around some or all of the wellbore.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selection of one or both of the exertive force and the drawdown pressure is based on an expected stress state during a lifetime of the wellbore.

17. The method according to claim 4, wherein the exertive force is for application from the wellbore to an intermediate apparatus positioned at the wellbore, the exertive force for modification of the intermediate apparatus without being transmitted to the near-wellbore formation.

18. A method according to claim 1, wherein operation of the formation includes modifying, including increasing, production from a reservoir.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein the drawdown pressure is a negative drawdown pressure for injection at the wellbore, and wherein operation of the formation includes injecting at the formation.

20. The method according to claim 1, wherein the exertive force together with the drawdown pressure is selected to provide sand control at a wellbore.

21. The method according to claim 1, wherein the exertive force together with the drawdown pressure is selected to inhibit, reduce or mitigate sand mobilization at a wellbore.

22. The method according to claim 1, comprising the steps of reviewing the selected exertive force and the drawdown pressure from time to time during a lifetime of the wellbore and selecting a revised exertive force and drawdown pressure based on a present, or expected, downhole environment at the wellbore, the present, or expected, downhole environment having been modified due to previous operations at the wellbore.

23. The method according to claim 1, comprising the step of applying the selected exertive force and the drawdown pressure at the wellbore.

26. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selection of one or both of the exertive force and the drawdown pressure is provided using at least one processor.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the at least one processor is configured with dedicated apparatus, general purpose apparatus including a personal computer, or a handheld device including a multimedia device.

24. A method comprising the steps of:

applying both an exertive force at a wellbore together with a drawdown pressure at the wellbore to modify operations at a subterranean formation, the applied exertive force and the drawdown pressure being associated with the downhole environment at the wellbore.

25. A method according to claim 24, comprising the step of applying a particular hydrostatic pressure at a wellbore, in addition to the exertive force and the drawdown pressure, to modify operations at the subterranean formation.

28-31. -31. (canceled)

32. An apparatus configured to apply both an exertive force at a wellbore together with a drawdown pressure at the wellbore, to modify operations at a subterranean formation, —

both the exertive force and the drawdown pressure being controllable and being selected based on a downhole environment at the wellbore.

33. The apparatus according to claim 32, configured to modify production from a reservoir and/or injection operations at the formation.

34. The apparatus according to claim 32, configured to measure, determine, or predict, a downhole environment to select the exertive force and the drawdown pressure.

35. Apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the apparatus comprises a sand filter including a weave.

36. (canceled)