METHOD FOR STABILIZING A CAVITY IN A WELL
First Claim
1. A method for stabilizing an annulus at a production or injection zone in an underground well, the method comprising:
- providing a filtering element in the well at the annulus to be stabilized, the filtering element being formed with openings;
injecting a first fluid including expandable particles through the filtering element into the annulus, the expandable particles, when in their non-expanded state, having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the openings of the filtering element; and
injecting a second fluid through the filtering element, the second fluid being configured to react with the expandable particles in such a way that the expandable particles are expanded to a diameter larger than the diameter of the openings in the filtering element, whereby the expanded expandable particles and the filtering element form a filter at the production or injection zone in the well.
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Abstract
A method for stabilizing a cavity at a production or injection zone in an underground well is described. The method includes providing a filtering element in the well at the cavity that is to be stabilized, the filtering element being formed with openings. The method further includes injecting a first fluid including expandable particles through the filtering element into the cavity, where the expandable particles in a non-expanded state have a diameter smaller than the diameter of the openings of the filtering element. The method further includes injecting a second fluid through the filtering element, the second fluid configured to react with the expandable particles such that the expandable particles expand to a diameter larger than the diameter of the openings in the filtering element, whereby the expanded particles and the filtering element form a filter at the production or injection zone in the well.
9 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for stabilizing an annulus at a production or injection zone in an underground well, the method comprising:
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providing a filtering element in the well at the annulus to be stabilized, the filtering element being formed with openings; injecting a first fluid including expandable particles through the filtering element into the annulus, the expandable particles, when in their non-expanded state, having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the openings of the filtering element; and injecting a second fluid through the filtering element, the second fluid being configured to react with the expandable particles in such a way that the expandable particles are expanded to a diameter larger than the diameter of the openings in the filtering element, whereby the expanded expandable particles and the filtering element form a filter at the production or injection zone in the well. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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9. (canceled)
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15. A method for stabilizing an annulus at a production or injection zone in an underground well, the method comprising:
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providing in an annulus of the well to be stabilized a filtering element with openings, the filtering element comprising a casing with perforations therein; injecting through the openings of the filtering element a first fluid that is supplied via a fluid carrying string disposed within the casing, the first fluid including expandable particles that, when in a non-expanded state, have a size smaller than the openings of the filtering element; injecting through the openings of the filtering element via the fluid carrying string a second fluid, the second fluid being configured to react with the expandable particles in such a way that the expandable particles are expanded to a size larger than the size of the openings in the filtering element, whereby the expanded expandable particles and the filtering element form a filter at the production or injection zone in the well. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification