Method for stimulation of liquid flow in a well

• US 20050217851A1
• Filed: 12/03/2001
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subsurface Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Subsurface Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Mansuy, Neil
• Granted Patent: US 7,270,179 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/292
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/50 Compositions for plastering borehole walls, i.e. compositions for temporary consolidation of borehole walls compositions for consolidating loose sand or the like around wells C09K8/56
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/594 Compositions used in combination with injected gas , e.g. CO2 orcarbonated gasC09K8/592 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 37/00 Methods or apparatus for cleaning boreholes or wells E21B21/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/255 including the injection of a gaseous medium as treatment fluid into the formation

Abstract

An improved method of controlled energy delivery utilizing solid, liquid, and gaseous carbon dioxide (CO₂) into a water well and the surrounding aquifer to remove deposited material which may cause loss of capacity in wells and a variety of water quality problems. After proper study and evaluation of problems associated with a well to be treated, adequate injection of the required amount of CO₂ and energy is achieved by real-time monitoring during the injection and manipulating the phase changes in the CO₂ that take place in the well and the aquifer.

Claims

1. A method of stimulating a flow of water into a well from water in strata surrounding the well, comprising the steps of gathering information about the history and physical characteristics of the well and surrounding aquifer;

providing telemetry machinery to monitor internal conditions within the well;

sealing the well in a manner such that pressurization of the well can be accomplished;

introducing liquid and gaseous carbon dioxide (CO₂) into the well at a downhole pressure such that the liquid CO₂ solidifies within the well forming solid CO₂;

manipulating and regulating the phase of CO₂ delivered into the sealed well according to information provided by the telemetry machinery;

continuing introduction of the liquid and gaseous CO₂ into the well until a desired level of filling of the well with solid CO₂ is attained;

allowing the sealed well containing solid CO₂ to stand for a time sufficient to sublime the solid CO₂ contained in the sealed well;

releasing residual pressure in the sealed well; and

releasing the seal from the well.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein sealing of the well comprises placing a sealing means on a casing of the well or in the well and securing the sealing means thereto.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising purging the sealed well with gaseous CO₂ prior to introduction of the liquid CO₂.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the steps of the method are repeated a plurality of times in order to obtain the desired flow of water.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the phase of CO₂ is manipulated and regulated through maintaining a downhole pressure within the range of between about 0 to 70 psi.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the means of manipulating and regulating the phase of CO₂ comprises delivering intermittent pulses of a negative pressure to stimulate the formation of solid CO₂.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising removing bacterial growth within the well.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising removing scale contained within the well.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein sublimation of the solid CO₂ within the sealed well generates pressure within the sealed well and time releases carbonic acid into strata of the well.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the downhole pressure is sufficient to assure freezing of the water within the formation and surrounding strata.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the telemetry machinery comprises a downhole temperature and pressure telemetry transducer.