Resource extraction techniques typically include forming a borehole and introducing a system of tubulars to guide a resource, such as oil or gas uphole to be captured and processed. Often time, methane gas may be found in a coalbed. Coalbed methane wells typically include numerous thin layers of clay or interburden between coal seams. During extraction, water is pulled from the coal seams allowing gas to escape. However, water flow over reactive clay interburden produces particulate such as fines that may enter into a downhole pump. In some cases, there are so many layers of interburden, zonal isolation is not practical. That is, isolating layers of interburden may block off productive portion of the coal seams leaving the gas trapped in the formation.
Disclosed is a tubular for reservoir fines control including a body having an outer surface and an inner surface defining a flow path. A plurality of openings is formed in the body connecting the outer surface and the flow path. A pre-formed member including a material mesh is overlaid onto the outer surface. The material mesh is formed from a material swellable upon exposure to a selected fluid introduced into a wellbore. The material mesh has a selected porosity allowing methane to pass into the flow path while preventing passage of fines.
Also disclosed is a method of forming a permeable cover on a perforated tubular including positioning a pre-formed member having a material mesh permeable to a downhole gas on an outer surface of the perforated tubular. The material mesh is formed from a material swellable upon exposure to a selected fluid introduced into the wellbore.
Referring now to the drawings wherein like elements are numbered alike in the several Figures:
A resource exploration and recovery system, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment, is indicated generally at 2, in
Downhole portion 6 may include a downhole string 20 formed from a plurality of tubulars, one of which is indicated at 21 that is extended into a wellbore 24 formed in formation 26. Wellbore 24 includes an annular wall 28 that may be defined by formation 26. It is to be understood that annular wall 28 may also be defined by a casing. One of tubulars 21 may be define a perforated tubular 32 covered by a material mesh 38.
In accordance with an exemplary aspect depicted in
In accordance with an aspect of an exemplary embodiment, material mesh 38 may include a first material mesh layer 60 applied to outer surface 46. First material mesh layer 60 may include a plurality of discrete elements or cords 64 that extend axially along longitudinal axis 59 of perforated tubular 32. It should however be understood that cords 64 may extend at an angle relative to longitudinal axis 59 or may wrap around outer surface 46 as shown in
In further accordance with an exemplary aspect, material mesh 38 may include a second material mesh layer 67 such as shown in
In still further accordance with an exemplary aspect, material mesh 38 may include a third material mesh layer 80 as shown in
In accordance with another exemplary aspect, third material 84 may be swellable upon being exposed to a selected fluid that is introduced from surface system 4. Third material mesh layer 80 may be overlaid onto second material mesh layer 67 in a variety of patterns. As shown in
It should be appreciated that each of cord 64, cord member 69, and cord element 82 may include a selected cross-section shape. The cross-sectional shape may be similar or may vary depending upon desired screening requirements. For example, one or more of cord 64, cord member 69, and cord element 82 may include a generally circular cross-section such as shown at 89 in
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, after a selected time period, which can vary, upon being exposed to the selected fluid, material mesh 38 will expand so as to define a lager outer diameter that abuts annular wall 28 of wellbore 24 and establish a desired permeability or porosity to screen out fines that may be present in wellbore fluid passing into perforated tubular 32 via openings 54 such as shown in
Reference will now follow to
Further, continuous cord 107 may be extruded at surface system 4 such that diameters, shapes and materials may vary according to downhole conditions. In this manner, operators may adjust to downhole conditions on the fly without delays associated with fabricating, transporting, and installing preformed mesh. Further, material selection may vary such that a portion of material mesh 105 is swellable upon being exposed to a first fluid and other portions of material mesh 105 are swellable upon being exposed to a second fluid that is distinct from the first fluid.
Reference will now follow to
At this point, it should be understood that exemplary embodiments describe a material mesh that may take the form of one or more layers of cord applied to an outer surface of a tubular, or a woven mesh. The material mesh may be formed from one or more materials that are swellable when exposed to a selected fluid to establish a selected porosity or permeability. Upon swelling, material mesh provides support to internal surfaces of a well bore to enhance fluid production by, for example, providing reservoir fines control. At the same time, material mesh defines a fluid permeable cover which screens out fines that may be present in the fluid, such as a downhole gas, passing uphole.
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.
Set forth below are some embodiments of the foregoing disclosure:
Embodiment 1. A tubular for reservoir fines control comprising a body including an outer surface and an inner surface defining a flow path, a plurality of openings is formed in the body connecting the outer surface and the flow path, and a pre-formed member including a material mesh overlaid onto the outer surface, the material mesh being formed from a material swellable upon exposure to a selected fluid introduced into a wellbore, the material mesh having a selected porosity allowing methane to pass into the flow path while preventing passage of fines.
Embodiment 2. The tubular according to any prior embodiment, wherein the selected fluid is introduced from a surface system into the wellbore.
Embodiment 3: The tubular according to any prior embodiment, wherein a portion of the material mesh extends at an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the body.
Embodiment 4: The tubular according to any prior embodiment, wherein the pre-formed member comprises a pre-formed sleeve.
Embodiment 5: The tubular according to any prior embodiment, wherein the pre-formed member comprises a weave.
Embodiment 6: The tubular according to any prior embodiment, wherein the pre-formed member comprises a mat having a first end and a second end.
Embodiment 7: The tubular according to any prior embodiment, wherein the mat is clamped to the outer surface.
Embodiment 8: The tubular according to any prior embodiment, wherein the mat is secured about the outer surface with the first end being bonded to the second end.
Embodiment 9: The tubular according to any prior embodiment, wherein the pre-formed member comprises a continuous cord.
Embodiment 10: The tubular according to any prior embodiment, wherein the continuous cord includes a first portion having a first dimension and a second portion having a second dimension that is distinct from the first dimension.
Embodiment 11: The tubular according to any prior embodiment, wherein the pre-formed member is formed from a plurality of discrete particles suspended in a binder material.
Embodiment 12: A method of forming a permeable cover on a perforated tubular comprising positioning a pre-formed member including a material mesh permeable to a downhole gas on an outer surface of the perforated tubular, the material mesh being formed from a material swellable upon exposure to a selected fluid introduced into the wellbore.
Embodiment 13: The method according to any prior embodiment, further comprising introducing the selected fluid into the wellbore from a surface system.
Embodiment 14: The method according to any prior embodiment, wherein positioning the pre-formed member includes arranging a woven material on the outer surface of the tubular.
Embodiment 15: The method according to any prior embodiment, wherein positioning the pre-formed me member includes securing a pre-fabricated mat to the outer surface of the tubular.
Embodiment 16: The method according to any prior embodiment, wherein securing the pre-fabricated mat included adhesively bonding the pre-fabricated mat about the tubular.
Embodiment 17: The method according to any prior embodiment, wherein securing the pre-fabricated mat includes wrapping the pre-fabricated mat about the outer surface.
Embodiment 18: The method according to any prior embodiment, further comprising bonding a first end of the pre-fabricated mat to a second end of the pre-fabricated mat.
Embodiment 19: The method according to any prior embodiment, wherein positioning the pre-formed member includes wrapping a continuous chord about the outer surface.
Embodiment 20: The method according to any prior embodiment, wherein wrapping the continuous chord includes wrapping a first portion of the continuous chord having a first dimension and a second portion of the continuous chord having a second dimension that is distinct from the first dimension about the outer surface.
While one or more embodiments have been shown and described, modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustrations and not limitation.
This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/936,620 filed Jul. 23, 2020, which is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/795,708 filed Oct. 27, 2017, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,767,451, which claims the benefit of provisional U.S. Application Ser. No. 62/504,676 filed May 11, 2017, the disclosure of each are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62504676 | May 2017 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 16936620 | Jul 2020 | US |
Child | 18478158 | US | |
Parent | 15795708 | Oct 2017 | US |
Child | 16936620 | US |