In the resource exploration and recovery industry, boreholes are formed in a formation for the purpose of evaluating formation properties and to extract formation fluids. Prior to extracting formation fluids, a completion is formed in the borehole. The completion may separate the borehole into various production zones through the use of packers. The completion may also include various screen assemblies and valve assemblies that are selectively utilized to direct fluids from the formation, into a tubular, and toward the surface.
In some cases, the completion is provided with a chemical injection system that may introduce various chemicals into the borehole to treat the formation fluids flowing toward the surface. The fluid treatment may reduce any formation of, for example, scale formation on downhole components. Injected chemicals might also inhibit corrosion of completion components, prevent formation of oil/water emulsions, scavenge undesirable materials out of the flow stream, etc.
In other cases, the completion is not installed with a chemical injection system. In the latter case, a variety of well issues could arise such as, an accumulation of scale on downhole components. The scale may slow or plug production. In completions without chemical injection systems, when scale begins to impact production, a scale treatment must be performed. In many cases, coiled tubing has to be run down into the completion to open clogged flow paths. The need to perform scale treatment imparts production delays and increases production costs. Therefore, the industry would welcome a post completion chemical injection system.
Disclosed is a resource exploration and recovery system including a first system and a second system extending into a wellbore. The second system includes a completion having a casing defining a wellbore internal diameter. A chemical injection tubing extends from the first system into the completion. The chemical injection tubing includes a terminal end portion. A chemical introduction system is arranged at the first system and is fluidically connected to the chemical injection tubing. The chemical introduction system is operable to deliver a chemical into the chemical injection tubing. A chemical injector assembly is mounted to the terminal end portion. The chemical injection system includes an anchor and a chemical injector valve.
Also disclosed is a method of treating a completed wellbore including introducing chemical injection tubing having a terminal end portion into a completion and injecting a treatment fluid through an injector assembly mounted at the terminal end portion.
The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike:
A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures.
A resource exploration and recovery system, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment, is indicated generally at 10, in
First system 14 may include a control system 23 that may provide power to, monitor, communicate with, and/or activate one or more downhole operations as will be discussed herein. Surface system 16 also includes a chemical introduction system 25 that is connected to a chemical pump 26. Chemical pump 26 may deliver a chemical from a chemical reservoir 28 into chemical introduction system 25 as will be detailed herein. Surface system 16 may include additional systems such as pumps, fluid storage systems, cranes and the like (not shown). Second system 18 may include a tubular string 30 that extends into a wellbore 34 formed in a formation 36.
Tubular string 30 may take the form of a completion 38 and could be formed from a plurality of interconnected tubulars. Wellbore 34 includes an annular wall 40 which, in the embodiment shown, is defined by a casing tubular 42. Completion 38 supports a number of packers or expandable annular seals, one of which is indicted at 44 that extend between tubular string 30 and annular wall 40. Packers 44 separate wellbore 34 into a number of production zones (not separately labeled). In the exemplary embodiment shown, wellbore 34 includes a generally vertical portion 46 and an angled portion 48 that may extend generally horizontally relative to vertical portion 46.
In an embodiment, a chemical injector assembly 60 is run into tubular string 30. Chemical injector assembly 60 is coupled to a control line, a hydraulic line, a capillary string, chemical injection tubing or the like. In the embodiment shown, chemical injector assembly 60 is provided on chemical injection tubing 62. Chemical injection tubing 62 may be run into wellbore 34 from a reel 64 at surface system 16. Once installed, chemical injection tubing 62 may be connected to chemical reservoir 28 through chemical pump 26 as will be detailed herein.
In accordance with an exemplary aspect depicted in
In accordance with another exemplary aspect, chemical injection tubing 62 may be configured to be buoyant in a fluid introduced into wellbore 34. That is, outer tubular 74 may be formed from a material that is buoyant in a selected fluid that is introduced into wellbore 34 from surface system 16. In accordance with an exemplary aspect, chemical injection tubing 62 may be neutrally buoyant in downhole fluids injected into an annulus of wellbore 34 and/or tubular string 30. In accordance with another exemplary aspect, chemical injection tubing 62 may include an outer tubular 82 such as shown in
In accordance with another exemplary aspect, chemical injection tubing 62 may be fitted with one or more wipers, such as shown at 87 in
In accordance with another exemplary aspect, wiper 87 may include a degradable portion 99. That is, each fin 93 may be formed all, or in part, from a degradable material such as shown in
Once in position, chemical injection tubing 62 may be connected to chemical introduction system 25. A chemical is passed into chemical injection tubing 62 to chemical injector assembly 60 to initiate a fluid treatment process. The introduction of the chemical may reduce any formation of, for example, scale on downhole components. Injected chemicals might also inhibit corrosion of completion components, prevent formation of oil/water emulsions, scavenge undesirable materials out of the flow stream, enhance production and the like. After the fluid treatment process is complete, chemical injection tubing 62 may be shifted to another region of wellbore 34 to initiate another fluid treatment operation or, if fluid treatment and/or production of formation fluids is complete, chemical injection tubing 62 may be withdrawn from wellbore 34 following treatment.
Reference will now follow to
In an embodiment, chemical injector assembly 60 may be run-in to tubular string 30 to a selected depth as shown in
Once slips 120 are deployed, additional fluid pressure may be introduced into chemical injection tubing 62. The additional fluid pressure caused burst disc 134 to fail allowing the fluid to pass through injector valve 132 into tubular string 30 as shown in
In
Reference will now follow to
In an embodiment, motor 160 is operatively connected to the plurality of selectively deployable wheels 167. Motor 160 includes a motor inlet 172 and a motor outlet 174. A flow of fluid from motor inlet 172 to motor outlet 174 develops a rotary force that drives selectively deployable wheels 167. That is, chemical injector assembly 151 is run-in to tubular string 30 as shown in
Once at the selected depth, chemical injection tubing 62 is held or pulled in an uphole direction (
At this point, it should be understood that the exemplary embodiments describe a system for introducing chemicals into completed wells that do not include a chemical injection system. The chemical injector assembly may be guided by fluid pressure or by a tractor to a selected depth, chemicals introduced, and the system withdrawn with little impact on production timelines. Further, by providing chemical injection in completed wells without chemical injection systems, the present invention enhances production by doing away with the need to withdraw tubing to correct any issues that may be caused by corrosion.
Set forth below are some embodiments of the foregoing disclosure:
Embodiment 1. A resource exploration and recovery system comprising: a first system; a second system extending into a wellbore, the second system including a completion having a casing defining a wellbore internal diameter; a chemical injection tubing extending from the first system into the completion, the chemical injection tubing including a terminal end portion; a chemical introduction system arranged at the first system and fluidically connected to the chemical injection tubing, the chemical introduction system being operable to deliver a chemical into the chemical injection tubing; and a chemical injector assembly mounted to the terminal end portion, the chemical injector assembly including a propulsion system.
Embodiment 2. The resource exploration and recovery system according to any prior embodiment, wherein the chemical injection tubing includes an inner tubular defining a chemical resistant inner surface and an outer tubular defining one of an outer protective surface, a glide surface, and a stiffening element.
Embodiment 3. The resource exploration and recovery system according to any prior embodiment, wherein the inner tubular comprises one of stainless steel, carbon steel, and thermoplastic.
Embodiment 4. The resource exploration and recovery system according to any prior embodiment, wherein the outer tubular comprises a non-electrically conductive material including one of carbon fiber. Polyetheretherketone (PEEK), and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).
Embodiment 5. The resource exploration and recovery system according to any prior embodiment, wherein the propulsion system comprises a nozzle mounted at the chemical injector assembly.
Embodiment 6. The resource exploration and recovery system according to any prior embodiment, wherein the chemical injector assembly includes a body including a first portion supporting a chemical outlet and a second portion supporting the nozzle.
Embodiment 7. The resource exploration and recovery system according to any prior embodiment, wherein the body includes a longitudinal axis defined between the first portion and the second portion, the nozzle extending at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis.
Embodiment 8. The resource exploration and recovery system according to any prior embodiment, wherein the propulsion system comprises a tractor.
Embodiment 9. The resource exploration and recovery system according to any prior embodiment, wherein the chemical injector assembly includes a tractor portion and an injector portion.
Embodiment 10. The resource exploration and recovery system according to any prior embodiment, wherein the injector portion includes a body that supports a motor operatively connected to the tractor portion and an injector valve.
Embodiment 11. The resource exploration and recovery system according to any prior embodiment, wherein the tractor portion includes a plurality of selectively deployable wheels.
Embodiment 12. The resource exploration and recovery system according to any prior embodiment, wherein the tractor portion includes a tractor body including a first surface and a second, opposing surface, a first plurality of the selectively deployable wheels being arranged at the first surface and a second plurality of the selectively deployable wheels being arranged at the second surface.
Embodiment 13. The resource exploration and recovery system according to any prior embodiment, wherein the motor includes a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet.
Embodiment 14. A method of treating a completed wellbore comprising: introducing chemical injection tubing having a terminal end portion into a completion; and operating a propulsion system mounted to a chemical injector assembly coupled to the terminal end portion to motivate the chemical injection tubing into the wellbore.
Embodiment 15. The method according to any prior embodiment, wherein operating the propulsion system includes activating a motor housed in an injector portion of a chemical injector assembly mounted at the terminal end portion; and driving a tractor portion of the chemical injector assembly to motivate the chemical injection tubing into the wellbore.
Embodiment 16. The method according to any prior embodiment, wherein introducing the chemical injection tubing into the completion includes dropping the chemical injection tubing into the wellbore under a force of gravity along a first portion of the wellbore and pulling the chemical injection tubing with the tractor portion along a second portion of the wellbore.
Embodiment 17. The method according to any prior embodiment, wherein pulling the chemical injection tubing with the tractor portion includes passing a fluid through the motor.
Embodiment 18. The method according to any prior embodiment, wherein pulling the chemical injection tubing with the tractor portion includes selectively deploying a plurality of wheels disposed on the tractor portion.
Embodiment 19. The method according to any prior embodiment, wherein deploying the plurality of selectively deployable wheels includes extending a first plurality of selectively deployable wheels arranged on a first side of a tractor body, and extending a second plurality of selectively deployable wheels arranged on a second side of the tractor body.
Embodiment 20. The method according to any prior embodiment, wherein activating the propulsion system includes driving jets of fluid through injector nozzles provided on the chemical injector assembly.
The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. Further, it should be noted that the terms “first,” “second,” and the like herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another.
The terms “about” and “substantially” are intended to include the degree of error associated with measurement of the particular quantity based upon the equipment available at the time of filing the application. For example, “about” and/or “substantially” can include a range of ±8% or 5%, or 2% of a given value.
The teachings of the present disclosure may be used in a variety of well operations. These operations may involve using one or more treatment agents to treat a formation, the fluids resident in a formation, a wellbore, and/or equipment in the wellbore, such as production tubing. The treatment agents may be in the form of liquids, gases, solids, semi-solids, and mixtures thereof. Illustrative treatment agents include, but are not limited to, fracturing fluids, acids, steam, water, brine, anti-corrosion agents, cement, permeability modifiers, drilling muds, emulsifiers, demulsifiers, tracers, flow improvers etc. Illustrative well operations include, but are not limited to, hydraulic fracturing, stimulation, tracer injection, cleaning, acidizing, steam injection, water flooding, cementing, etc.
While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. Also, in the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited.
This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 63/021,247, filed May 7, 2020, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63021247 | May 2020 | US |