Solidifying filler material for well-integrity issues

• US 10,641,079 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2018
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Inventors: Aljubran, Mohammad, AlBahrani, Hussain, Batarseh, Sameeh Issa, Moellendick, Timothy E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harcourt, Brad
• Application Number:
  US15/974,350
• Publication Number:
  US 20190345812A1
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/138 Plastering the borehole wall; Injecting into the formation
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/002 by visual inspection
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/0025 generating an image of the borehole wall using down-hole measurements, e.g. acoustic or electric
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/007 Measuring stresses in a pipe string or casing for locating blocked portions of pipes E21B47/09
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/06 Measuring temperature or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/07 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 11/002 Details, e.g. power supply systems for logging instruments, transmitting or recording data, specially adapted for well logging, also if the prospecting method is irrelevant means for transmitting well survey signals E21B47/12; signal transmission systems in general G08C; transmission in general H04B
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 8/00 Prospecting or detecting by optical means

Abstract

In some aspects, a method includes imaging a casing, completed wellbore, or open wellbore. An integrity problem is with the casing, completed wellbore, or open wellbore is determined based on the imaging. A placement zone for a filler, a filler amount, and filler parameters for the integrity problem is determined. The filler in the filler amount is injected in the placement zone. The filler is solidified at the placement zone.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

imaging a casing, completed wellbore, or open wellbore;

determining an integrity problem with the casing, completed wellbore, or open wellbore based on the imaging;

determining a placement zone for a filler, a filler amount, and filler parameters for the integrity problem, wherein the filler parameters comprise a filler type, a filler amount, and a shape of the integrity problem;

injecting the filler in the filler amount in the placement zone; and

solidifying the filler at the placement zone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein imaging comprises capturing a two or three-dimensional image of the integrity problem.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining downhole conditions using one or more sensors; and

further determining the filler parameters based on the downhole conditions.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the downhole conditions comprises temperature and pressure.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein solidifying comprises at least one of directing a laser beam, an acoustical signal, or an electrical current at the placement zone.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the integrity problem comprises at least one of a hole, a split, or a fracture, in the casing or wall of a completed or open wellbore.

7. A computer program product encoded on a non-transitory medium, the product comprising computer readable instructions for causing one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

imaging a casing, completed wellbore, or open wellbore;

determining an integrity problem with the casing, completed wellbore, or open wellbore based on the imaging;

determining a placement zone for a filler, a filler amount, and filler parameters for the integrity problem, wherein the filler parameters comprise a filler type, a filler amount, and a shape of the integrity problem;

injecting the filler in the filler amount in the placement zone; and

solidifying the filler at the placement zone.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein imaging comprises capturing a two or three-dimensional image of the integrity problem.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, the instructions further comprising:

determining downhole conditions using one or more sensors; and

further determining the filler parameters based on the downhole conditions.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the downhole conditions comprises temperature and pressure.

11. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein solidifying comprises at least one of directing a laser beam, an acoustical signal, or an electrical current at the placement zone.

12. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the integrity problem comprises at least one of a hole, a split, or a fracture, in the casing or wall of a completed or open wellbore.

13. A system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium coupled to the one or more processors and storing programming instructions for execution by the one or more processors, the programming instructions instruct the one or more processors to;

image a casing, completed wellbore, or open wellbore;

determine an integrity problem with the casing, completed wellbore, or open wellbore based on the imaging;

determine a placement zone for a filler, a filler amount, and filler parameters for the integrity problem, wherein the filler parameters comprise a filler type, a filler amount, and a shape of the integrity problem;

inject the filler in the filler amount in the placement zone; and

solidify the filler at the placement zone.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein imaging comprises capturing a two or three-dimensional image of the integrity problem.

15. The system of claim 13, the instructions further instruct the one or more processors to:

determine downhole conditions using one or more sensors; and

further determine the filler parameters based on the downhole conditions.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the downhole conditions comprises temperature and pressure.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein solidifying comprises at least one of directing a laser beam, an acoustical signal, or an electrical current at the placement zone.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the integrity problem comprises at least one of a hole, a split, or a fracture, in the casing or wall of a completed or open wellbore.