Wellbore fluid treatment process and installation

• US 9,359,858 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2013
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• 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:
  US13/960,592
• Publication Number:
  US 20130319676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 166/73, 166/123, 166/125, 166/181, 166/182, 166/332.4, 166/318, 166/191
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 treatment tool comprising:

a tubular body including a first open end, a second open end and a wall extending from the first open end to the second open end, the wall defining an outer surface and an inner diameter, with the first open end and the second open end providing access to the inner diameter;

a port through the wall;

a sliding sleeve valve acting as a closure for the port, the sliding sleeve actuable between a closed position closing the port and an open position wherein the port is open and the sliding sleeve valve including a seat exposed to catch and seal with a separate plug, the sliding sleeve valve being actuable from the closed position to the open position by creating a pressure differential across the seat when the plug is caught;

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

a setting mechanism for the sealing element operable to set the sealing element by compressing the first open end and the second open end toward each other, wherein the wall is no more than 12 meters long from the first open end to the second open end.

2. The wellbore treatment tool of claim 1 wherein the sealing element includes an upper annular seal and a lower annular seal and the upper annular seal and the lower annular seal are spaced apart by no more than 10 meters.

3. The wellbore treatment tool of claim 1 further comprising a set of slips between the first open end and the port and a set of slips between the second open end and the port.

4. A method for fluid treating a formation accessed by a well, the well including a casing liner having an inner wall with a perforated interval, the method comprising:

installing a tool over the perforated interval, the tool including tubular body including a first open end, a second open end and a wall extending from the first open end to the second open end, the wall defining an outer surface and an inner diameter, with the first open end and the second open end providing access to the inner diameter;

a port through the wall;

a sliding sleeve valve acting as a closure for the port, the sliding sleeve actuable between a closed position closing the port and an open position wherein the port is open and the sliding sleeve valve including a seat exposed to catch and seal with a separate plug, the sliding sleeve valve being actuable from the closed position to the open position by creating a pressure differential across the seat when the plug is caught; and

a sealing element to isolate a mid region of the outer surface from the first open end and the second open end, the tool positioned in the well with the first open end within 5 meters of an uppermost perforation of the perforated interval and the second open end within 5 meters of a lowermost perforation of the perforated interval and with the sealing element forming a seal between the tubular body and the casing inner wall above and below the perforated interval to isolate fluid flow from passing around the first and second open ends, along the outer surface to the perforated interval, wherein installing includes compressing the first open end and the second open end toward each other to form the seal; and

treating the formation accessed by the well by landing the plug on the seat to move the sliding sleeve to the open position and moving wellbore treatment fluid through the port and the perforated interval to the formation.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein installing further includes setting slips adjacent the first open end and the second open end to grip the casing inner wall.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein treating includes launching the plug from surface to pass through the well and land in the seat.

7. The method of claim 4 further comprising plugging the well below the port to divert the wellbore treatment fluid to the port.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein landing the plug on the seat plugs the well.

9. A method for fluid treating a formation accessed by a well, the well including a casing liner having an inner wall with a lower perforated interval and an upper perforated interval spaced uphole of the lower perforated interval, the method comprising:

while the lower perforated interval remains exposed in the well, installing a tool over the upper perforated interval, the 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, the tool positioned in the well with the first open end adjacent and above the upper perforated interval and the second open end uphole of the lower perforated interval and adjacent and below the upper perforated interval and with the sealing element forming a seal between the tubular body and the casing inner wall above and below the upper perforated interval to isolate fluid flow from passing around the first and second open ends, along the outer surface to the upper perforated interval, wherein installing includes compressing the first open end and the second open end toward each other to form the seal;

moving wellbore treatment fluid through the well and through the tool to the lower perforated interval; and

treating the formation accessed by the well by moving the wellbore treatment fluid through the lower perforated interval to the formation.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein installing further includes positioning the first open end within 5 meters of an uppermost perforation of the upper perforated interval and the second open end within 5 meters of a lowermost perforation of the upper perforated interval.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein installing further includes setting slips adjacent the first open end and the second open end to grip the casing inner wall.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising introducing fluid through a port in the tubular body to treat the formation through the upper perforated interval.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising launching a plug from surface to pass through the well and open a closure covering the port.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising plugging the well below the port and above the lower perforated interval.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein plugging includes launching a plug from surface to pass through the well and form a plug below the port and above the lower perforated interval.

16. A wellbore treatment tool comprising:

a tubular body including a first open end, a second open end and a wall extending from the first open end to the second open end, the wall defining an outer surface and an inner diameter, with the first open end and the second open end providing access to the inner diameter;

a port through the wall;

a sliding sleeve valve acting as a closure for the port, the sliding sleeve actuable between a closed position closing the port and an open position wherein the port is open and the sliding sleeve valve including a seat exposed to catch and seal with a separate plug, the sliding sleeve valve being actuable from the closed position to the open position by creating a pressure differential across the seat when the plug is caught;

a set of slips between the first open end and the port and a set of slips between the second open end and the port; and

a sealing element to isolate a mid region of the outer surface from the first open end and the second open end, wherein the wall is no more than 12 meters long from the first open end to the second open end.

17. The wellbore treatment tool of claim 16 wherein the sealing element includes an upper annular seal and a lower annular seal and the upper annular seal and the lower annular seal are spaced apart by no more than 10 meters.

18. A method for fluid treating a formation accessed by a well, the well including a casing liner having an inner wall with a perforated interval, the method comprising:

installing a tool over the perforated interval, the tool including tubular body including a first open end, a second open end and a wall extending from the first open end to the second open end, the wall defining an outer surface and an inner diameter, with the first open end and the second open end providing access to the inner diameter;

a port through the wall;

a sliding sleeve valve acting as a closure for the port, the sliding sleeve actuable between a closed position closing the port and an open position wherein the port is open and the sliding sleeve valve including a seat exposed to catch and seal with a separate plug, the sliding sleeve valve being actuable from the closed position to the open position by creating a pressure differential across the seat when the plug is caught; and

a sealing element to isolate a mid region of the outer surface from the first open end and the second open end, the tool positioned in the well with the first open end within 5 meters of an uppermost perforation of the perforated interval and the second open end within 5 meters of a lowermost perforation of the perforated interval and with the sealing element forming a seal between the tubular body and the casing inner wall above and below the perforated interval to isolate fluid flow from passing around the first and second open ends, along the outer surface to the perforated interval, wherein installing includes setting slips adjacent the first open end and the second open end to grip the casing inner wall; and

treating the formation accessed by the well by landing the plug on the seat to move the sliding sleeve to the open position and moving wellbore treatment fluid through the port and the perforated interval to the formation.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein treating includes launching the plug from surface to pass through the well and land in the seat.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising plugging the well below the port to divert the wellbore treatment fluid to the port.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein landing the plug on the seat plugs the well.

22. A method for fluid treating a formation accessed by a well, the well including a casing liner having an inner wall with a lower perforated interval and an upper perforated interval spaced uphole of the lower perforated interval, the method comprising:

while the lower perforated interval remains exposed in the well, installing a tool over the upper perforated interval, the 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, the tool positioned in the well with the first open end adjacent and above the upper perforated interval and the second open end uphole of the lower perforated interval and adjacent and below the upper perforated interval and with the sealing element forming a seal between the tubular body and the casing inner wall above and below the upper perforated interval to isolate fluid flow from passing around the first and second open ends, along the outer surface to the upper perforated interval, wherein installing includes setting slips adjacent the first open end and the second open end to grip the casing inner wall;

moving wellbore treatment fluid through the well and through the tool to the lower perforated interval; and

treating the formation accessed by the well by moving the wellbore treatment fluid through the lower perforated interval to the formation.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein installing further includes positioning the first open end within 5 meters of an uppermost perforation of the upper perforated interval and the second open end within 5 meters of a lowermost perforation of the upper perforated interval.

24. The method of claim 22 further comprising introducing fluid through a port in the tubular body to treat the formation through the upper perforated interval.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising launching a plug from surface to pass through the well and open a closure covering the port.

26. The method of claim 24 further comprising plugging the well below the port and above the lower perforated interval.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein plugging includes launching a plug from surface to pass through the well and form a plug below the port and above the lower perforated interval.