SYSTEMS, ASSEMBLIES AND PROCESSES FOR CONTROLLING TOOLS IN A WELL BORE

• US 20090223670A1
• Filed: 04/14/2008
• Published: 09/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC (Weatherford International PLC)
• Original Assignee: Marathon Oil Company (Marathon Oil Corporation)
• Inventors: Snider, Philip M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,119,377 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/308.100
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 23/00 Apparatus for displacing, setting, locking, releasing or removing tools, packers or the like in boreholes or wells setting of casings, screens or liners E21B43/10
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/16 Control means therefor being outside the borehole control systems for submerged well heads E21B33/0355
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/14 Obtaining from a multiple-zone well
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/26 by forming crevices or fractures

Abstract

A dedicated hydraulic line for transmission of a signal device capable of generating one or more unique signals to one or more tools within a subterranean well. Each tool can be equipped with a reader device for receiving signals from and transmitting signals to the signal device. Each reader device can control operation of the tool associated therewith if the reader device is programmed to respond to signals received from the control device. Hydraulic fluid used to operate the tool can be conveyed via the dedicated hydraulic line or a separate hydraulic line. A separate hydraulic line can be used to reset the tool. Where the tools include sliding sleeves, the tools can be used to hydraulically fracture subterranean environs at spaced apart locations along a well bore in any desired sequence and without removing the tools from the well during the fracturing process.

Claims

1. A process comprising;

fracturing a subterranean environs penetrated by a well at spaced apart locations along the well using tools that remain in the well and in a sequence comprising fracturing the subterranean environs at one of said spaced apart locations after fracturing the subterranean environs at another of said spaced apart locations which is closer to the surface of the earth along the well.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the well is substantially horizontal through the subterranean environs.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the sequence comprises fracturing the subterranean environs substantially simultaneously from at least two of said spaced apart locations.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the subterranean environs is one subterranean formation.

5. The process of claim 2 wherein the subterranean environs is one subterranean formation.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein the sequence comprises fracturing the subterranean environs at one of said spaced apart locations after fracturing the subterranean environs at two of said spaced apart locations that are adjacent to the one of said spaced apart locations, said one of said spaced apart locations being farther from the surface of the earth along the well than at least one of said two of said spaced apart locations.

8. The process of claim 6 wherein the subterranean environs is one subterranean formation.

10. The process of claim 1 wherein each of said tools comprises a sliding sleeve and the step of fracturing comprising pumping a fluid under pressure through the well bore and the opened sliding sleeve in at least one of said tools and into the subterranean environs.

7. The process of 6 wherein the well is substantially horizontal through the subterranean environs.

9. The process of claim 7 wherein the subterranean environs is one subterranean formation.

11. A process comprising:

pumping fluid through casing positioned in a well and an opening in a first tool secured to the casing at a pressure sufficient to fracture a portion of a subterranean environs; and

thereafter,

pumping fluid through the casing and an opening in a second tool secured to the casing at a pressure sufficient to fracture another portion of the subterranean environs, said second tool being farther along the well from the surface of the earth than the first tool.

12. The process of claim 11 further comprising:

producing fluid that is present in the subterranean environs prior to the steps of pumping into the well via said opening in said first tool, said opening in said second tool, or both of said openings in said first tool and said second tool.

14. The process of claim 11 wherein the subterranean environs is one subterranean formation.

13. The process of 11 wherein the well is substantially horizontal through the subterranean environs.

15. A process comprising:

fracturing a first portion of a subterranean environs penetrated by a well at a first location along the well using tools that remain in the well, said fracturing of said first portion creating rock stress within said first portion; and

fracturing a second portion of said subterranean environs at a second location along the well using said tools and resulting in fractures in said second portion that have a geometry influenced by the rock stress present in said first portion.

16. The process of claim 15 wherein said fractures in said second portion extend farther from the well due to influence of the rock stress present in the first portion.

17. The process of claim 15 wherein said fractures in said second portion extend farther from the first portion due to influence of the rock stress present in the first portion.

19. The process of claim 15 wherein the subterranean environs is one subterranean formation.

20. The process of claim 15 further comprising:

fracturing a third portion of said subterranean environs at a third location along the well using said tools prior to said fracturing of said second portion, said fracturing of said third portion creating rock stress within said third portion that influences the geometry of said fractures in said second portion.

18. The process of 15 wherein the well is substantially horizontal through the subterranean environs.