Patent Application
20170159424
Many industries and particularly industries using boreholes to penetrate a subsurface environment in a planetary body such as the Earth are benefited by information about the movement of fluids. In an example, the industries may be interested in fluid flowing from formations through which the boreholes extend into the borehole and what fluids are flowing from what distinct regions of the formations. One means for gaining this information is through the use of tracers placed strategically in a borehole system such that fluids flowing past the tracers will pick up some of the tracer and carry it to the surface where the produced fluids are analyzed. Different tracers are used in different areas so fluid with a particular tracer can be identified by a particular region from which that fluid came. In a hydrocarbon well for example, if water is produced and has a particular tracer, the operator knows which zone is producing water and can take measures to reduce the influx of water at that location, thereby increasing the amount of target fluid that is actually produced per volume of total fluid produced.
The industry has created many types of tracers and many different types of tracer delivery methods and systems but unfortunately, these systems and methods are not precise enough. And with the advent of intelligent downhole equipment, the ability to closely tailor the downhole environment begs for better tracer systems to take advantage of the greater control that is available for the borehole. Unfortunately heretofore, a solution has not presented itself. The art would therefore well receive new methods and systems that deliver tracers more specifically.
A tracer plug including a body configured to reside in a complementary opening in a separate structure, the body comprising a tracer; a through-flow passage in the body; and wherein the tracer is disposed in fluid communication with the opening.
A method for identifying fluid includes inserting a tracer plug as claimed in claim 1 in a tubular string; running the string into a borehole; flowing fluid in the string; analyzing the flowed fluid; and identifying a tracer in the fluid.
The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike:
Referring to
It is to be understood that there is no reason for every perforation 14 to be fitted with a tracer subsystem 12 and so there is shown in
Referring to
In the embodiment of
Alternate tracer subsystem embodiments are also contemplated including those illustrated in
In each embodiment of tracer subsystem, the passage 22 is present for fluid movement through the tracer subsystem 12 in a way that is in physical contact with the tracer carrying material 24. While one passage is illustrated in each subsystem 12, it is to be appreciated that one or more passages is intended and that duplicating the passages shown is an embodiment. Further, in one embodiment the plural passages will be parallel and in other embodiments, they may be divergent. Further still, in one embodiment the passages are created by tracer carrier material porosity. In each case though they will extend between one axial surface 28 of the subsystem 12 and another axial surface 30 of the subsystem. Also, in some embodiments, there may be a desire to maintain a higher pressure drop across the tracer subsystem than that provided by proximate perforations 14 to preferentially flow only local fluid through the passage 22. This will reduce contamination of the traced fluid from other zones flowing axially and then through the passage 22. It is to be appreciated that the subsystems when being inserted in another structure such as the tubular string 11, surface 28 may be positioned toward an outside of the structure and surface 30 toward the inside of the structure or vice versa. Further, the surfaces may be positioned in either direction of intended flow fluid i.e. from surface 28 through passage 22 toward surface 30 or vice versa.
Referring to
Referring to
The system 10 as disclosed herein simplifies construction and placement of tracer materials as well as enabling flush mounting of the tracer subsystem 12 and little or no modification of existing downhole tools to provide for tracer function while also making tracer subsystems available for tools having minimal void space for tracer subsystems of the prior art. Further, because of the particular embodiments disclosed, axial flow leaching is reduced, thereby making fluid location identification more accurate than available in prior art tracer systems. Further, because of the configuration of the tracer subsystem 12 disclosed herein, installation in any specific flow path is facilitated and contemplated.
Set forth below are some embodiments of the foregoing disclosure:
A tracer plug comprising: a body configured to reside in a complementary opening in a separate structure, the body comprising a tracer; a through-flow passage in the body; and wherein the tracer is disposed in fluid communication with the opening.
The tracer plug of embodiment 1 wherein the body is tubular.
The tracer plug of embodiment 1 wherein the body is cylindrical.
The tracer plug of embodiment 1 wherein the body is threaded.
The tracer plug of embodiment 1 wherein the body includes wickers.
The tracer plug of embodiment 1 wherein the body is cylindrical.
The tracer plug of embodiment 1 wherein the body is frustoconical.
The tracer plug of embodiment 1 wherein the body houses the tracer.
The tracer plug of embodiment 1 wherein the body consists of the tracer.
The tracer plug of embodiment 1 wherein the passage is one or more passages.
The tracer plug of embodiment 1 wherein the plug further includes a housing disposed about the body.
The tracer plug of embodiment 11 wherein the housing is threaded.
The tracer plug of embodiment 11 wherein the housing is wickered.
A borehole system comprising: a tubular having a port therein; a tracer plug as claimed in claim 1 in the port. The borehole system as claimed in claim 14 further comprising a screen radially outward of the tubular and tracer plug.
The borehole system of embodiment 15 wherein the screen is a metal screen.
The borehole system of embodiment 15 wherein the screen is a shape memory material.
A method for identifying fluid comprising: inserting a tracer plug as claimed in claim 1 in a tubular string; running the string into a borehole; flowing fluid in the string; analyzing the flowed fluid; and identifying a tracer in the fluid.
The method of embodiment 18 wherein the inserting is of different tracer plugs in different regions of the tubular string and recording locations for each different tracer.
The method of embodiment 18 further including determining from where the flowed fluid emanated.
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 further 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 modifier “about” used in connection with a quantity is inclusive of the stated value and has the meaning dictated by the context (e.g., it includes the degree of error associated with measurement of the particular quantity).
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.
