Heat generator for screen deployment

• US 7,708,073 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2008
• Issued: 05/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Richard, Bennett M., McElfresh, Paul M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bagnell; David J
• Assistant Examiner(s): MICHENER, BLAKE E
• Application Number:
  US12/042,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20090223678A1
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 166/228, 166/302
• US Class Current: 166/302
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 36/008 using chemical heat generating means
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 36/02 using burners
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/08 Screens or liners expandable screens or liners E21B43/108

Abstract

A screen assembly has a material that conforms to the borehole shape after insertion. The assembly comprises a compliant layer that takes the borehole shape on expansion. The outer layer is formed having holes to permit production flow. The selected conforming material swells with heat, and in one non-limiting embodiment comprises a shape memory foam that is thermoset or thermoplastic. Heat is provided by supplying a fuel (including an oxidant) to a catalyst in close proximity to the compliant layer so that the product from the catalytic reaction is heated steam which contacts and deploys the conforming material. The base pipe can have a screen over it to act as an underlayment for support of the conforming layer or alternatively for screening.

Claims

1. A well completion method comprising:

covering at least one base pipe at least partially with a porous conforming material;

running the base pipe with the conforming material to a desired location in a wellbore;

heating the conforming material to deploy it to bridge an annular gap to a wellbore wall, where the heat is provided downhole by a catalytic reaction that produces steam, where the catalytic reaction comprises contacting a catalyst with hydrogen peroxide and methanol, whereby steam and carbon dioxide are produced; and

filtering fluids through the conforming material to the base pipe.

2. The method of claim 1 where the porous conforming material is a foam.

3. The method of claim 2 where the porous conforming material is a shape memory foam.

4. The method of claim 1 where the porous conforming material is a thermosetting material.

5. The method of claim 1 where the porous conforming material is a thermoplastic material.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a support member between the base pipe and the conforming material.

7. The method of claim 6 where the support member is a screen.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising, where in heating the conforming material to deploy it to bridge an annular gap to a wellbore wall, the bridging is performed by allowing the conforming material to swell into contact with the wellbore wall.

9. A well completion method comprising:

covering at least one base pipe at least partially with a porous conforming material;

running the base pipe with the conforming material to a desired location in a wellbore;

heating the conforming material to deploy it to bridge an annular gap to a wellbore wall without a base pipe expansion,

where the heat is provided downhole by a catalytic reaction comprising contacting a catalyst with hydrogen peroxide and methanol, and

whereby steam and carbon dioxide are produced; and

filtering fluids through the conforming material to the base pipe.

10. The method of claim 9 where the porous conforming material is a foam.

11. The method of claim 9 where the porous conforming material is selected from the group consisting of a thermosetting material, a thermoplastic material and mixtures thereof.

12. A deployable screen assembly comprising:

a base pipe covered at least partially with a porous conforming material, where the porous conforming material deploys in the presence of heat; and

a catalyst in proximity to the porous conforming material, where the catalyst is capable of generating the heat for the porous confirming material deployment upon contact with a fuel comprising methanol and hydrogen peroxide.

13. The deployable screen assembly of claim 12 where the porous conforming material is a foam.

14. The deployable screen assembly of claim 13 where the porous conforming material is a shape memory foam.

15. The deployable screen assembly of claim 12 where the porous conforming material is a thermosetting material.

16. The deployable screen assembly of claim 12 where the porous conforming material is a thermoplastic material.

17. The deployable screen assembly of claim 12 further comprising a support member between the base pipe and the conforming material.

18. The deployable screen assembly of claim 17 where the support member is a screen.

19. A deployable screen assembly comprising:

a base pipe covered at least partially with a porous conforming foam, where the porous conforming foam deploys in the presence of heat; and

a catalyst in proximity to the porous conforming material, where the catalyst is capable of generating the heat for the porous conforming material deployment upon contact with a fuel comprising hydrogen peroxide and methanol.

20. The deployable screen assembly of claim 19 where the porous conforming material is a shape memory foam.

21. The deployable screen assembly of claim 19 where the porous conforming material is selected from the group consisting of a thermosetting material or a thermoplastic material and mixtures thereof.