FLOW CONTROL IN SUBTERRANEAN WELLS

• US 20160348466A1
• Filed: 04/26/2016
• Published: 12/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: THRU Tubing Solutions Incorporated (Estate of R Randall Rollins)
• Original Assignee: THRU Tubing Solutions Incorporated (Estate of R Randall Rollins)
• Inventors: SCHULTZ, Roger L., WATSON, Brock W., FERGUSON, Andrew M., FUNKHOUSER, Gary P.
• Granted Patent: US 10,233,719 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/13 Methods or devices for cementing, for plugging holes, crevices or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/138 Plastering the borehole wall; Injecting into the formation
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/263 using explosives

Abstract

A method for use with a subterranean well can include releasing flow conveyed plugging devices into the well, each of the plugging devices including a body and, extending outwardly from the body, at least one of lines and fibers, and the plugging devices blocking flow through respective openings in the well. Another method can include perforating a zone, releasing a set of flow conveyed plugging devices into the well, each of the plugging devices including a body and, extending outwardly from the body, at least one of lines and fibers, the set of plugging devices blocking flow through respective perforations in the zone, perforating another zone, releasing another set of the flow conveyed plugging devices into the well, and the second set of plugging devices blocking flow through respective perforations in the second zone.

Claims

1. A method for use with a subterranean well, the method comprising:

releasing flow conveyed plugging devices into the well, each of the plugging devices including a body and, extending outwardly from the body, at least one of the group consisting of lines and fibers; and

the plugging devices blocking flow through respective openings in the well.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising flowing a treatment fluid into a first zone via the openings.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the releasing is performed with the treatment fluid flowing.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the releasing is performed after the treatment fluid flowing.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising perforating the first zone prior to the treatment fluid flowing.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising perforating a second zone after the blocking.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising performing the releasing and treatment fluid flowing for the second zone.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting a plug in the well prior to the releasing.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising perforating a second zone after the setting.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the group consisting of lines and fibers has a lateral dimension substantially less than a size of the body.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the blocking comprises the body of each plugging device sealingly engaging the respective opening.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the blocking comprises the at least one of the group consisting of lines and fibers entering the respective openings.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the body of each of the plugging devices comprises a knot.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plugging devices comprises a degradable material.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the degradable material is selected from the group consisting of poly-vinyl alcohol, poly-vinyl acetate, poly-methacrylic acid, poly-lactic acid and poly-glycolic acid.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the group consisting of lines and fibers comprises at least one of the group consisting of film, tube, filament, fabric and sheet material.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising the plugging devices being conveyed by flow through a restriction in the well.

18. A method for use with a subterranean well, the method comprising:

perforating a first zone;

releasing a first set of flow conveyed plugging devices into the well, each of the plugging devices including a body and, extending outwardly from the body, at least one of the group consisting of lines and fibers;

the first set of plugging devices blocking flow through respective perforations in the first zone;

perforating a second zone;

releasing a second set of the flow conveyed plugging devices into the well; and

the second set of plugging devices blocking flow through respective perforations in the second zone.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising flowing a treatment fluid into the first zone.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the releasing the first set of plugging devices is performed with the treatment fluid flowing.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the releasing the first set of plugging devices is performed after the treatment fluid flowing.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the perforating the second zone is performed after the blocking flow through the perforations in the first zone.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising flowing the treatment fluid into the second zone after the perforating the second zone.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one of the group consisting of lines and fibers has a lateral dimension substantially less than a size of the body.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the blocking flow through the perforations in the first zone comprises the body of each plugging device sealingly engaging the respective perforation in the first zone.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein the blocking flow through the perforations in the first zone comprises the at least one of the group consisting of lines and fibers entering the respective perforations in the first zone.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein the body of each of the plugging devices comprises a knot.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein each of the plugging devices comprises a degradable material.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the degradable material is selected from the group consisting of poly-vinyl alcohol, poly-vinyl acetate, poly-methacrylic acid, poly-lactic acid and poly-glycolic acid.

30. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one of the group consisting of lines and fibers comprises at least one of the group consisting of film, tube, filament, fabric and sheet material.