Methods for sub-surface fluid shut-off
First Claim
1. A method for reducing the production of undesirable fluid from a well having a production zone, the production zone including an undesirable fluid-producing interval and a desirable fluid-producing interval, said method comprising:
- placing an obstruction in the production zone near a base of the desirable fluid-producing interval; and
releasing a plugging material below said obstruction without pumping said plugging material from the surface of the well, whereby said plugging material forms a barrier to the flow of undesirable fluid from the undesirable fluid-producing interval into said desirable fluid-producing interval while producing from said desirable fluid-producing interval.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods for reducing or eliminating undesirable fluid-production in a producing well by releasing a plugging material below an obstruction placed in the producing zone. The obstruction is placed near the base of a desirable fluid-producing interval. The plugging material flows outward to form a barrier to the flow of undesirable fluids into the desirable fluid-producing interval. For most applications, a buoyant plugging material is used so that undesirable fluid crossflow carries the plugging material to the location where it is needed to form a barrier to the undesirable fluid production. The present invention can be used in gravel-packed wells, open hole wells, slotted-liner wells, monobore completion wells, or cased-hole wells. The present invention can also be used with a pair of obstructions with a plugging material released between them to shut off multiple intermediate intervals producing undesirable fluids. In some circumstances, the present invention can be used with a pair of obstructions without the need for a plugging material to be released between the obstructions. Likewise, the invention can be used in vertical, inclined, or horizontal wells.
137 Citations
51 Claims
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1. A method for reducing the production of undesirable fluid from a well having a production zone, the production zone including an undesirable fluid-producing interval and a desirable fluid-producing interval, said method comprising:
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placing an obstruction in the production zone near a base of the desirable fluid-producing interval; and releasing a plugging material below said obstruction without pumping said plugging material from the surface of the well, whereby said plugging material forms a barrier to the flow of undesirable fluid from the undesirable fluid-producing interval into said desirable fluid-producing interval while producing from said desirable fluid-producing interval. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for reducing the production of undesirable fluid from a well having a production zone, the production zone including an undesirable fluid-producing interval and a desirable fluid-producing interval, said method comprising:
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placing an obstruction in the production zone near a base of the desirable fluid-producing interval; and releasing a buoyant plugging material below said obstruction, whereby said buoyant plugging material forms a barrier to the flow of undesirable fluid from the undesirable fluid-producing interval into said desirable fluid-producing interval while producing from said desirable fluid-producing interval. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46, 50, 51)
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45. A method for reducing the production of undesirable fluid from a well having a gravel-containing zone traversing a production zone having a perforated tubing surrounded by a first screen separated from a second screen by a blank area, and a third screen separated from the second screen by a blank area, the production zone having gravel around the first screen, the second screen, and the third screen, the production zone including an undesirable fluid-producing interval and at least one desirable fluid-producing interval, said method comprising:
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placing a first obstruction in the perforated tubing at a location corresponding to the blank area between the first screen and the second screen; and placing a second obstruction in the perforated tubing at a location corresponding to the blank area between the second screen and the third screen, said second obstruction being in fluid communication with said first obstruction. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49)
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Specification