Treatment Methods for Water or Gas Reduction in Hydrocarbon Production Wells

• US 20180010419A1
• Filed: 07/07/2017
• Published: 01/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Holdings LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE Company, LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Livescu, Silviu, Najafov, Jeyhun
• Granted Patent: US 10,465,471 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 29/002 Cutting, e.g. milling, a pipe with a cutter rotating along the circumference of the pipe
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 29/02 by explosives or by thermal or chemical means freeing stuck objects by explosives E21B31/002
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 29/06 Cutting windows, e.g. directional window cutters for whipstock operations E21B29/005 and E21B29/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/138 Plastering the borehole wall; Injecting into the formation
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/066 electrically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/25 Methods for stimulating production by vibrating earth formations E21B43/003
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/002 by visual inspection
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/06 Measuring temperature or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/07 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/10 Locating fluid leaks, intrusions or movements

Abstract

Systems and methods for reducing unwanted water and/or gas intrusion into a hydrocarbon production wellbore. The system includes a treatment injection tool for injecting a treatment agent into portions of the formation surrounding the wellbore and a tunneling tool for forming one or more tunnels within the formation. Sensors provide real-time information about wellbore parameters during treatment so that wellbore analysis can be conducted.

Claims

1. An arrangement for reducing water and gas intrusion into a wellbore, the arrangement comprising:

a treatment injection tool for injecting a treatment agent into a formation radially surrounding the wellbore, the treatment agent being effective to block water and/or gas from entering the wellbore from the formation;

a tunneling tool for creating a tunnel in the formation; and

one or more sensors operably associated with the treatment injection tool to detect at least one downhole parameter within the wellbore during injection of treatment agent.

2. The arrangement of claim 1 further characterized by a controller which is operably interconnected with the one or more sensors, the controller being configured to receive and display information sensed by the sensors.

3. The arrangement of claim 2 wherein the controller is further programmed to determine wellbore fluid flow information based upon the detected at least one downhole parameter.

4. The arrangement of claim 2 wherein the controller is operably interconnected with the one or more sensors by a tubewire which can transmit power and data between the controller and the one or more sensors.

5. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the one or more sensors include at least one sensor from the group consisting of:

pressure sensor, temperature sensor, gamma sensor, flow measurement sensor and camera.

6. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the tunneling tool comprises an acid injection tunneling tool.

7. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the tunneling tool comprises a lateral milling tool.

8. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the treatment injection tool and the tunneling tool are incorporated into a single tool string.

9. An arrangement for reducing water and gas intrusion into a wellbore, the arrangement comprising:

a treatment injection tool for injecting a treatment agent into a formation radially surrounding the wellbore, the treatment agent being effective to block water and/or gas from entering the wellbore from a first portion of the formation;

one or more sensors operably associated with the treatment injection tool to detect at least one downhole parameter within the wellbore during injection of treatment agent; and

a controller operably interconnected with the one or more sensors, the controller being programmed to determine wellbore fluid flow information based upon the detected at least one downhole parameter.

10. The arrangement of claim 9 further comprising a tunneling tool for creating a tunnel in the formation, the tunneling tool being effective to increase flow of hydrocarbon production fluid into the wellbore from a second portion of the formation.

11. The arrangement of claim 9 wherein the one or more sensors include at least one sensor from the group consisting of:

pressure sensor, temperature sensor, gamma sensor, flow measurement sensor and camera.

12. The arrangement of claim 10 wherein the tunneling tool comprises an acid injection tunneling tool.

13. The arrangement of claim 10 wherein the treatment injection tool and the tunneling tool are incorporated into a single tool string.

14. A method for treating a wellbore to reduce unwanted water or gas in hydrocarbon production fluid, the method comprising the steps of:

injecting a treatment agent into a portion of a formation surrounding the wellbore, the treatment agent being effective to block flow of water or gas into the wellbore from the formation;

tunneling within another portion of the formation surrounding the wellbore, the tunneling being effective to increase flow of hydrocarbon production fluid into the wellbore from the formation;

monitoring at least one downhole parameter within the wellbore during the time to the treatment agent is injected;

determining wellbore fluid flow information from the at least one downhole parameter being monitored; and

altering the steps of injecting a treatment agent and/or tunneling in response to the determined wellbore fluid flow information.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of monitoring at least one downhole parameter further comprises measuring pressure, temperature, gamma or fluid flow.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of monitoring at least one downhole parameter further comprises obtaining one or more visual images of the wellbore with a camera.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of injecting a treatment agent further comprises injecting said treatment agent into the formation with a treatment injection tool having an injection bottom hole assembly which has been run into the wellbore on a running string.