Wellbore fluid treatment process and installation

• US 8,511,394 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2009
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Packers Plus Energy Services (USA), Inc.
• Original Assignee: Packers Plus Energy Services (USA), Inc.
• Inventors: Themig, Daniel Jon
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, Kenneth L
• Application Number:
  US12/995,649
• Publication Number:
  US 20110067890A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,534 Days
• Field of Search: 166/191, 166/387, 166/185, 166/186, 166/194
• US Class Current: 166/387
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/124 Units with longitudinally-spaced plugs for isolating the intermediate space
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/12 Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells E21B43/25 takes precedence; valve arrangements E21B34/00

Abstract

A method for isolating a perforated interval of a well, the well including a casing liner having a wall with a plurality of perforations therethrough forming the perforated interval, the method comprising: providing a tool including a tubular body including an inner diameter and an outer surface, a first open end and a second open end, the first and second open ends providing access to the inner diameter; and a sealing element to isolate a mid region of the outer surface from the first open end and the second open end; positioning the tool in the well with the tubular first open end adjacent and above an uppermost perforation of the perforated interval and the second open end adjacent and below a lowermost perforation of the perforated interval; and installing the tool in the well with the sealing element sealing between the tubular body and the casing wall above the uppermost perforation of the perforated interval and below the lowermost perforation of the perforated interval to isolate fluid flow between the perforations and the inner diameter.

Claims

1. A wellbore installation in a wellbore liner including an inner diameter, a first perforated interval and a second perforated interval positioned uphole from the first perforated interval, the wellbore installation comprising:

a first tubular member installed over the first perforated interval in the inner diameter of the wellbore liner, the tubular member including an open upper end adjacent an upper limit of the first perforated interval, an open lower end adjacent a lower limit of the perforated interval, a wall extending from the open upper end to the open lower end and a port through the wall;

a first closure for the port installed in the first tubular member and actuable between a closed position closing the port and an open position wherein the port is open; and

a sealing element settable to create a seal between the tubular member and the wellbore liner in a position between the open upper end and the first perforated interval and between the open lower end and the first perforated interval; and

a second tubular member installed over the second perforated interval in the inner diameter of the wellbore liner, the second tubular member being separate from the first tubular member and including an open uphole end adjacent an upper limit of the second perforated interval, an open downhole end adjacent a lower limit of the perforated interval, a wall extending from the open uphole end to the open downhole end and a port through the wall;

a closure for the port installed in the second tubular member and actuable between a closed position closing the port and an open position wherein the port is open; and

a sealing element settable to create a seal between the tubular member and the wellbore liner in a position between the open uphole end and the second perforated interval and between the open downhole end and the second perforated interval, the second tubular member spaced from the first tubular member and the closure of the second tubular member being actuable separately from the closure of the first tubular member.

2. The wellbore installation of claim 1 wherein the closures are sliding sleeve valves.

3. The wellbore installation of claim 1 wherein the sliding sleeve valves each include a seat exposed to catch and seal with a plug and each sliding sleeve valve is actuable by creating a pressure differential across the seat when the plug is caught therein.

4. The wellbore installation of claim 1 wherein the plug for the second tubular member and the plug for the first tubular member are different sizes.

5. The wellbore installation of claim 1 wherein the sealing element is settable by compression between end rings that drive against the sealing element and extrude the sealing element radially out.

6. The wellbore installation of claim 1 wherein the second tubular member has a length of 5 to 12 meters between the open uphole end and the open downhole end.

7. A method for isolating a perforated interval of a well, the well including a casing liner having a wall with a plurality of perforations therethrough forming the perforated interval, the method comprising:

providing a tool including a tubular body including an inner diameter and an outer surface, a first open end and a second open end, the first and second open ends providing access to the inner diameter; and

a sealing element to isolate a mid region of the outer surface from the first open end and the second open end;

positioning the tool in the well with the tubular first open end adjacent and above an uppermost perforation of the perforated interval and the second open end adjacent and below a lowermost perforation of the perforated interval; and

installing the tool in the well with the sealing element sealing between the tubular body and the casing wall above the uppermost perforation of the perforated interval and below the lowermost perforation of the perforated interval to isolate fluid flow between the perforations and the inner diameter;

positioning a second tool in the well to cover a second perforated interval in the well, the second tool being separate from the tool and including a tubular body defining an inner diameter and an outer surface, an uphole open end and a downhole open end, the uphole open end and the downhole open end providing access to the inner diameter; and

a sealing element to isolate a mid region of the outer surface from the uphole open end and the downhole open end;

installing the second tool in the well with the sealing element sealing between the tubular body and the casing wall above and below the second perforated interval to isolate fluid flow from the inner diameter to the second perforated interval;

opening access through the tool to the perforated interval; and

treating the well through the perforated interval while the second perforated interval remains isolated to fluid flow.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising leaving a third perforated interval in the well unpatched.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising treating the well through the third perforated interval before opening access.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the third perforated interval is downhole of the perforated interval and the second perforated interval.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising opening a port through the second tool to access the second perforated interval and to apply a fluid treatment to the well through the second perforated interval.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising plugging below the second tool to isolate the fluid treatment from the perforated interval.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein plugging includes launching a plug from surface to seat in a portion of the second tool or in another tool immediately below the second tool.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein opening a port includes opening a sleeve-type closure for the port by a plug seated in a seat of the sleeve-type closure.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising plugging below the second tool to isolate the fluid treatment from the perforated interval, wherein plugging includes leaving the plug in the seat.

16. The method of claim 7 further comprising reclosing access through the tool.

17. The method of claim 7 wherein treating includes fracturing.