Methods of producing flow-through passages in casing, and methods of using such casing

• US 7,810,567 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2007
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Inventors: Brown, J. Ernest, Norris, Mark, Daniels, John, Waters, George, Swaren, Jason, Bryant, Ian D., Mauth, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Bates; Zakiya W.
• Application Number:
  US11/769,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20090000786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 166/296
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/086 Screens with preformed openings, e.g. slotted liners comprising porous materials E21B43/082
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/28 Dissolving minerals other than hydrocarbons, e.g. by an alkaline or acid leaching agent E21B43/241 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods of making and using wellbore casing are described, one method comprising providing a plurality of flow-through passages in a portion of a casing while the casing is out of hole; temporarily plugging the flow-through passages with a composition while out of hole; running the casing in hole in a wellbore intersecting a hydrocarbon-bearing formation; and exposing the composition to conditions sufficient to displace the composition from the flow-through passages while in hole. Methods of using the casing may include pumping a stimulation treatment fluid through the casing string and into a formation through the flow-through passages in the first casing joint; plugging the flow-through passages in the first casing section; and exposing a second casing joint of the casing string to conditions sufficient to displace the composition from the flow-through passages in the second casing joint.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

(a) providing a plurality of flow-through passages in a portion of a casing while the casing is out of hole;

(b) forming the plurality of flow-through passages in one or more casing joint sections while out of hole;

(c) temporarily plugging the flow-through passages with a composition, wherein the composition comprises a water-soluble material selected from water-soluble inorganic materials, water-soluble organic materials, and combinations thereof;

(d) running the casing and the one or more casing joint sections in hole in a wellbore intersecting a hydrocarbon-bearing formation; and

(e) exposing the composition to conditions sufficient to displace the composition from the flow-through passages while in hole;

wherein the running in hole comprises running in hole a casing string comprising a plurality of casing sections joined together by the one or more casing joint sections.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the composition further comprises least one of member selected from the group consisting of organic materials, inorganic materials, and mixtures and reacted combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the exposing comprises exposing the composition to an activator selected from physical, chemical, mechanical, radiational, thermal, or combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the activator is selected from change in temperature, change in composition, change in abrasiveness, change in force or pressure exerted on the composition, particle radiation, non-particle radiation, and combinations of two or more of these.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the exposing comprises exposing the composition to two or more activators sequentially.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the exposing comprises exposing the composition to two or more activators simultaneously.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the composition is an acid-soluble composition, and the exposing step comprises deploying an acid solution from the surface in hole.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the composition is an acid-soluble composition, and the exposing step comprises spotting an acid solution using coiled tubing.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the composition comprises a polymer selected from acid-soluble polymers, basic-soluble polymers, and a water-soluble polymers.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the exposing step comprises pumping a fluid having, a specific, controlled pH and temperature into the well through the casing, exposing the composition in the plugged flow-through passages to the fluid and degrading the composition.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising treating the formation through the flow-through passages after the exposing step.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising subsequently plugging the flow-through passages, and wherein a portion of the flow-through passages are plugged with a second composition, the method further comprising exposing the second composition to conditions sufficient to degrade the second composition, and subsequently treating the formation a second time.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the water-soluble organic material is a water-soluble natural or synthetic polymer or gel.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the water-soluble polymer or gel is selected from polyvinyls, polyacrylics, polyhydroxyacids, and combinations thereof.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the water-soluble polymer or gel is selected from polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl butyral, polyvinyl formal, polyacrylamides, polyacrylic acid, polyalkylacrylic acids, interpolymers of acrylamide/acrylic acid/methacrylic acid, and combinations thereof.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the temporarily plugging the flow-through passages is conducted with a composition while out of hole.

17. The method of claim 1 as used in a diversion technique.

18. A method comprising:

(a) providing a plurality of flow-through passages in a portion of a casing while the casing is out of hole;

(b) temporarily plugging the flow-through passages with a composition while out of hole, wherein the composition comprises a water-soluble material selected from water-soluble inorganic materials, water-soluble organic materials, and combinations thereof;

(c) running the casing in hole in a wellbore intersecting a hydrocarbon-bearing formation;

(d) exposing the composition to conditions sufficient to displace the composition from the flow-through passages while in hole;

(e) treating the formation through the flow-through passages after the exposing step, and subsequently plugging the flow-through passages; and

,

(f) plugging a portion of the flow-through passages with a second composition, exposing the second composition to conditions sufficient to degrade the second composition, and subsequently treating the formation a second time.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

(g) pumping a fluid having, a specific, controlled pH and temperature into the wellbore through the casing, and exposing the composition in the plugged flow-through passages to the fluid and degrading the composition; and

,

(h) treating the formation.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the formation is treated through the flow-through passages after step (d).

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the flow through passages are blocked.

22. A method comprising:

(a) providing a plurality of casing sections and a plurality of casing joints for joining the casing sections, the casing joints having a plurality of flow-through passages therethrough temporarily plugged with a composition, the composition independently selected for each flow-through passage;

(b) forming a casing string comprising the casing sections and casing joints and running the casing string in hole;

(c) exposing a first casing joint of the casing string to conditions sufficient to displace the composition from the flow-through passages in the first casing joint;

(d) pumping a stimulation treatment fluid into a formation through the flow-through passages in the first casing joint;

(e) plugging the flow-through passages in the first casing section; and

(f) exposing a second casing joint of the casing string to conditions sufficient to displace the composition from the flow-through passages in the second casing joint.

23. A method comprising:

(a) providing a casing;

(b) providing one or more casing joint sections, and forming a plurality of flow-through passages in the one or more casing joint sections while out of hole;

(c) temporarily plugging the flow-through passages with a composition wherein the composition comprises a water-soluble material selected from water-soluble inorganic materials, water-soluble organic materials, and combinations thereof;

(d) running the casing and the one or more casing joint sections in hole in a wellbore intersecting a hydrocarbon-bearing formation; and

(e) exposing the composition to conditions sufficient to displace the composition from the flow-through passages while in hole;

wherein the running in hole comprises running in hole a casing string comprising a plurality of casing sections joined together by the one or more casing joint sections.