Patent Application
20240368985
The present disclosure relates to a wellbore tool for gauging a wellbore and collecting samples in the wellbore.
Gauge cutters are commonly used in the petroleum industry for ensuring accessibility of tubing/casing/liner prior to running any other sub-surface tools inside the well. A gauge cutter is a tool with a round, open-ended bottom which is milled to an accurate size. Large openings above the bottom of the tool allow for fluid bypass while running in the hole. Often a gauge cutter will be the first tool run on a slickline operation. A gauge cutter can also be used to remove light paraffin that may have built up in the casing and drift runs also. In the case of a restriction caused by scale, debris, or paraffin, the nature of the debris can be identified such that a treatment solution can be defined and implemented. To identify the debris a sample of the debris cut from the internal diameter of the wellbore by the gauge cutter can be retrieved by an additional run of a debris catcher tool (e.g., a sand bailer tool) for analysis.
This disclosure describes systems and methods for collecting samples from a wellbore while running a gauge cutter through the wellbore. In some wells (e.g., gas wells), liquid condensation can build up on the interior walls of the wellbore/production tubing. As the gas flow decreases, for example due to production of gas from the well, the gas no longer has enough energy to lift heavier liquids (e.g., water and longer chain molecules such as heptanes (C7) and larger molecules) to the surface. The mist-like drops of heavier fluids can coalesce together and form droplets on the inner diameter of tubing and/or accumulate at the bottom of the well. The condensation of heavier hydrocarbons and water on the inner wall of the wellbore can pose a problem for depleting gas wells. Often, there is no quantification of the extent and nature of condensation in correlation with depth because the condensate is not preserved in its original condition by the time logging tools are run. Often the condensate is disturbed (e.g., by a conventional gauge cutter) before appropriate logging tools for sampling or analysis are run in the wellbore. The systems and methods of this disclosure provide a way to form a clear path through the wellbore while collecting samples of the condensate during the first run of a tool in the wellbore. The systems and methods of this disclosure also provide a way of sampling solid debris from the wellbore as the tool is pulled out of the wellbore.
In one aspect, a gauge cutter includes a body including a central recess in a downhole end of the body extending toward an uphole portion of the body; one or more large openings in the uphole portion of the body extending from an exterior of the body into the central recess; a cutter blade disposed at the downhole end of the body; a fluid collection chamber disposed within the central recess and adjacent an interior surface of the body; a wiper blade disposed around an exterior of the body; and a plurality of passageways downhole and adjacent the wiper blade configured to allow fluid to pass from the exterior of the body into the fluid collection chamber.
In one aspect, a method of collecting samples from a wellbore includes moving a gauge cutter in a downhole direction in the wellbore; wiping, by a wiper blade of the gauge cutter, condensate from interior walls of the wellbore; collecting samples of the condensate in a condensate collection chamber of the gauge cutter; moving the gauge cutter in an uphole direction in the wellbore; and collecting samples of solid debris from the wellbore in a solids collection chamber of the gauge cutter.
Embodiments of these aspects can include one or more of the following features.
In some embodiments, these aspects further include a solid debris sample collector disposed within the central recess.
In some embodiments, these aspects further include a removable core with an upper seal and a lower seal.
In some embodiments, an annular space between the removable core, the upper seal, the lower seal, and the interior surface of the body define the fluid collection chamber.
In some embodiments, these aspects further include a liquid collecting sponge. In some cases, the liquid collecting sponge includes an oil wettable sponge.
In some embodiments, these aspects further include a sensor module comprising an annular housing and positioned adjacent the fluid collection chamber. In some cases, the sensor module includes at least one of a fluid detection sensor, a water-cut sensor, a depth sensor, and a pressure sensor. In some cases, the sensor module is configured to allow collection of fluid in the fluid collection chamber based on a sensed pressure or depth in a wellbore.
In some embodiments, the wiper includes an elastomeric material.
In some embodiments, the plurality of passageways includes capillary tubes.
In some embodiments, these aspects include removing the solid collection chamber and the condensation collection chamber from the gauge cutter to access the collected samples.
In some embodiments, these aspects further include measuring at least one of a pressure, a depth, and a presence of a liquid in the wellbore by a sensing module of the gauge cutter.
In some cases, collecting samples of the condensate occurs after the sensing module measures a pre-defined pressure or depth in the wellbore.
In some embodiments, while moving the gauge cutter in the downhole direction, solid debris passes through the gauge cutter without being collected.
In some embodiments, wiping includes condensate pooling on a downhole side of the wiper blade.
In some embodiments, collecting samples of the condensate includes condensate flowing through a plurality of passageways of the gauge cutter from an exterior of the gauge cutter into the condensate collection chamber.
In some cases, these aspects further include retaining condensate in a liquid catching sponge disposed within the condensate collection chamber.
In some embodiments, these aspects further include collecting a sample of liquid located at a bottom of the wellbore.
Certain implementations can have particular advantages. The systems and methods of this disclosure combine sampling liquid and solid debris from a wellbore along with a gauge cutter run. Since the gauge cutter is the first tool to be run in the wellbore, the liquid sample catcher can collect samples of the liquid from the well in an undisturbed condition. Combining the sample collection with the gauge cutter tool avoids using a separate logging tool on a subsequent run to collect debris or liquid samples. Samples collected using the systems and methods of this disclosure can provide insight on the behavior of a particular reservoir or well. For example, the samples can provide insight on changes in produced gas composition, and/or indications of scaling or corrosion that can be expected in the well.
The details of one or more embodiments of these systems and methods are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of these systems and methods will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
This specification describes systems and methods for collecting samples from a wellbore while running a gauge cutter through the wellbore. In some wells (e.g., gas wells), liquid condensation can build up on the interior walls of the wellbore or production tubing. As the gas flow decreases, for example due to reduced reservoir pressure from production of gas from the well, the gas no longer has enough energy to lift heavier liquids (e.g., water and longer chain molecules such as heptanes (C7) and larger molecules) to the surface. The mist-like drops of heavier fluids can coalesce together and form droplets on the inner wall of the wellbore or tubing and/or accumulate at the bottom of the well. Often the condensate is disturbed before appropriate logging tools for sampling or analysis are run in the wellbore. The systems and methods of this disclosure provide a way to collect samples of the condensate during the first run of a tool in the wellbore. The systems and methods of this disclosure also provide a way of sampling solid debris from the wellbore as the tool is pulled out of the wellbore.
Maturing reservoir wells over time can experience a reduction in tubing/casing internal diameter due to scale production and accumulation. A gauge cutter can be run through the wellbore to allow accessibility of tubing, casing, and liner for other tools to be run in the wellbore. Gauge cutters can come in different sizes. The size of gauge cutter chosen for a particular application can be dependent on, for example, the inner diameter of the wellbore, the diameter of subsequent tools to be used, or other factors. A gauge cutter can be used to tag the plug back total depth (PBTD), which is the depth of the well to the cement plug placed at the bottom of the producing zone (e.g., the accessible depth in the wellbore). A gauge cutter can also be used to clean a wellbore from soft paraffin and soft scale that has developed over time.
A wiper blade 120 is disposed around the exterior of the cylindrical body downhole from the large openings 118. The wiper blade 120 can include an elastomeric material or a plastic material. For example, the wiper blade can include polyurethane, silicone, fluoroelastomers, nitrile, polychloroprene, and ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM). The wiper blade 120 is configured to contact the interior walls of the wellbore and wipe condensate from the wellbore. The wiper blade can have an outer diameter larger than an outer diameter of the cylindrical body. The wiper blade can be flexible and configured to bend to allow the gauge cutter to pass through the wellbore. Condensate wiped from the wellbore can coalesce and pool on the downhole side of the wiper blade 120.
In some implementations, wiper blade 120 can include overlapping fingers or flaps. In these implementations, the wiper blade 120 can include a thin, flexible plastic, for example, polypropylene.
The cylindrical body 102 includes a plurality of passageways 126 extending from the exterior of the body 102 into the central recess 114. The plurality of passageways 126 is downhole from the wiper blade 120 and positioned to collect condensate wiped from the wellbore. The plurality of passageways 126 can be evenly spaced around the circumference of the cylindrical body 102. Each passageway 126 can have a small diameter (e.g., 0.05 mm, 1 mm, 2 mm). In some implementations, the plurality of passageways 126 can include passageways with different diameters. For example, a portion of the plurality of passageways 126 can have a diameter of 0.05 mm and a second portion of the plurality of passageways 126 can have a diameter of 2 mm. The plurality of passageways 126 can be capillary tubes configured to draw liquid from the exterior of the gauge cutter 100 to the central recess 114 using capillary forces between the liquid and the interior of the plurality of passageways 126. In some implementations, the liquid flows through the plurality of passageways 126 based on a pressure differential between a pressure exerted on condensate accumulated on the downhole side of the wiper blade 120 and the pressure inside the condensate collection chamber 128.
An annular condensate collection chamber 128 is disposed within the central recess 114 adjacent the interior wall 116 of the cylindrical body 102. The condensate collection chamber 128 is configured to collect condensate from the plurality of passageways 126. The condensate collection chamber 128 can be removable from the cylindrical body 102.
In some implementations, the condensate collection chamber 128 can be defined by a removable core 130 disposed within the central recess 114 of the gauge cutter 100. The removable core 130 can be made from plastic, metal, polymer, elastomer or combinations thereof. The removable core 130 can be attached to the cylindrical body 102 by a mechanical fastener 132, for example, a snap fit connection, magnetic connection, bolted connection, or tongue and groove connection. The removable core 130 includes an upper seal 134 and a lower seal 136. When inserted into the central recess 114, the removable core 130 defines an annular space 138 between the wall of the removable core 130 and the interior walls 116 of the cylindrical body 102. The annular space 138 is bounded in the uphole direction by the upper seal 134 and in the downhole direction by the lower seal 136. The annular space 138 can define the condensate collection chamber 128.
Uphole of the upper seal 134, a second annular space 140 is defined between the removable core 130 and the interior walls 116 of the cylindrical body 102. The uphole portion 142 of the removable core 130 includes slots 144 that are fluid permeable. In some implementations, the uphole portion 142 can include holes and/or a mesh instead of or in addition to slots 144. The second annular space 140 defines a solid debris collection chamber 146. When the gauge cutter 100 is pulled out of the wellbore, the solid collection chamber 146 can collect solid debris suspended in the fluid within the wellbore.
The sensor module 190 can include a battery to provide power to the sensors of the sensor module. The sensor module 190 can also include a memory to store data and measurements detected by the sensors. The memory can be accessed, and data retrieved from the memory after the gauge cutter 100 is removed from the wellbore.
In some implementations, the sensor module 190 can be configured to start collection of condensate samples in the condensate collection chamber 128 at a pre-defined pressure or depth within the wellbore. In some implementations, a fluid detection sensor can be configured to detect concentrations of a particular fluid or multiple fluids (e.g., hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, heptane).
Condensate on interior walls of the wellbore is wiped by the wiper blade of the gauge cutter (254). Condensate (e.g., water and hydrocarbons) can form on the interior walls of the borehole. The condensate can be collected in a condensate collection chamber of the gauge cutter (256). In some implementations, the condensate collection can begin at a specified depth or pressure within the wellbore. In some implementations, a sensor module records locations and other properties (e.g., pressure) within the wellbore where condensate is collected. In some implementations, a sample of liquid from the bottom of the wellbore is collected in the condensate collection chamber. In some cases, the samples of condensate are retained by a liquid catching sponge disposed within the condensate collection chamber.
In some implementations, the openings of the passageways 314 can become blocked by solid debris from the interior walls 310 of the wellbore 300. Multiple passageways can be provided in the body of the gauge cutter 302 to increase the likelihood of sampling condensate 304 in the wellbore 300. After retrieval of the gauge cutter 302 from the wellbore 300, debris blocking the passageways 314 can be removed and analyzed to provide additional insight into the behavior of the well or reservoir.
Turning back to method 250 in
Samples collected in the wellbore can be removed from the gauge cutter by removing the solid debris collection chamber and the condensate collection chamber from the gauge cutter (262). In some implementations, the collected samples are packaged for transportation to a laboratory facility where further analysis and measurements are performed. In some implementations, analysis and measurements of the collected samples can be performed at the well site.
Example analysis that can be performed on the collected samples include separating liquid hydrocarbons from water mechanically (e.g., using a centrifuge) or chemically (e.g., using a demulsifier). The fraction of different long-chain alkanes like heptanes, octanes, nonanes within the liquid hydrocarbon phase can be characterized using a gas chromatograph. A detailed breakdown of the composition of liquid in the well bore can help in mitigating future flow assurance issues. For example, an operator can decide between several actions depending on the known composition of liquid in the wellbore. Example actions include applying a different choke setting at the surface to produce less liquid, deciding to inject scale inhibitors, and boosting reservoir pressure by water injection.
A number of embodiments of these systems and methods have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.
