METHOD OF PERFORMING FORMATION TESTING OPERATIONS

Abstract

A method includes conveying a wireline toolstring into a wellbore to perform a downhole operation, wherein the wireline toolstring has a single packer disposed thereon. The method also includes positioning the wireline toolstring in the wellbore adjacent a zone of interest, wherein the zone of interest has a barrier is located at one end of the zone of interest and the wireline toolstring is positioned such that the single packer is located adjacent the zone of interest such that the zone of interest is between the single packer and the barrier. The method can also include setting the single packer and performing a wellbore operation.

Description

BACKGROUND

It is often beneficial to perform downhole operations, such as deep transient testing, sampling, fluid analysis, or the like on a reservoir. Often the operation requires multiple packers connected with a wireline toolstring to isolate a zone of interest. However, it is desirable to be able to perform a downhole operation with a single isolation packer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various aspects of this disclosure may be better understood upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a schematic of a system to perform a downhole operation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various aspects of this disclosure may be better understood upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a schematic of a system to perform a downhole operation. A wireline toolstring 110 can be disposed in a wellbore 102. The wireline toolstring can include a plurality of wireline tools. The wireline toolstring can be configured to do fluid sampling, such as one described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,967,253, which is incorporated herein in its entirety. The wireline tools making part of the toolstring can be commercially available tools or future known wireline tools, that can be used to perform downhole operations. The downhole operations can be deep transient testing, fluid sampling, or fluid analysis. One skilled in the art with the aid of this disclosure would know what wireline tools and types of operations that can be performed using the disclosed methods.

The wireline toolstring 110 has a single packer 112. The toolstring 110 can include other wireline modules or tools needed to perform a desired operation. The packer 112 can be a now known or a future known packer. The toolstring 110 can be positioned in the wellbore such that the packer 112 is adjacent to a zone of interest 120. The zone of interest 120 can be a perforated zone, as shown, or an open hole zone or fractured zone or similar zone of the formation. On an opposite side of the zone of interest 120 is located a downhole barrier 130. The downhole barrier can be installed in the wellbore prior to deployment of the wireline toolstring. The downhole barrier can be a bridge plug, cement plug, or the like.

In operation, the barrier 130 can be operatively located in the wellbore and set in place adjacent a portion of the zone of interest 120. In one or more embodiments, the zone of interest can be perforated, using now know or future known methods and tools for perforating casing. After the zone of interest in perforated, the wireline toolstring 110 can be conveyed into the wellbore. Any now known or future known device can be used for conveyance, examples of devices include wireline, drill pipes, or the like.

The wireline toolstring is then lowered to a desired location where the packer is located adjacent the end of the zone of interest opposite the barrier. The packer can then be set, thereby isolating the zone of interest via the packer and the barrier.

The wireline tool and wireline toolstring is used to perform wireline operations. The wireline operations can include sampling, DFA, transient testing, other now know wireline operations or future known wireline operations. For example, during sampling pump modules that are part of the toolstring and/or wireline tool can be operated to draw fluid into a fluid analyzer of the wireline tool. The fluid drawn into the fluid analyzer is fluid from the formation located between the inflatable packer and the plug. After completion of the wireline operation, the isolation packer is deflated and the wireline tool and toolstring is are brought back to surface.

In one or more embodiments, the method can include placing a barrier, such as a retrievable bridge plug, adjacent an end of a zone of interest that has been cased and perforated. The barrier can be placed below the perforations. A toolstring that has one or more tools, such as a transient testing formation testing tool, wireline formation tester, a single packer, and/or the like, is positioned on the retrievable plug or stationed just above it. The toolstring can be conveyed into the wellbore and positioned on the retrievable plug or just above it using wireline, pipe, or the like. The toolstring will be positioned depending on the location of the single packer on the toolstring. The toolstring will be positioned in the wellbore such that the zone of interest is between the single packer and the barrier. Fluid can then be drawn from the formation into the zone of interest between the packer and the barrier, and the fluid can be pumped out of the interval using the toolstring or a tool in the toolstring such as a formation testing tool. The fluid can then be expelled to the wellbore or circulated to surface. The disclosed method can be used for formation testing operations including sample collection, downhole fluid analysis, and/or transient data analysis.

Claims

1. A method comprising: a. conveying a wireline toolstring into a wellbore to perform a downhole operation, wherein the wireline toolstring has a single packer disposed thereon;b. positioning the wireline toolstring in the wellbore adjacent a zone of interest, wherein the zone of interest has a barrier located at one end of the zone of interest and the wireline toolstring is positioned such that the single packer is located adjacent the zone of interest such that the zone of interest is between the single packer and the barrier;c. setting the single packer;d. performing a wellbore operation, wherein the wellbore operation comprises drawing fluid from the zone of interest into the wireline toolstring to perform formation testing operations.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein performing a wellbore operation further comprises flowing the fluid from the zone of interest to a fluid analyzer of the toolstring.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wellbore is a cased wellbore.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising deploying a perforating tool as part of the wireline toolstring, and perforating the zone of interest prior to setting the packer.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting the barrier below the zone of interest prior to running the toolstring into the wellbore.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising expelling the fluid from the zone of interest from the toolstring to the wellbore.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising collecting a sample of the fluid from the zone of interest.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising deflating the packer and retrieving the toolstring to surface.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the sample of the fluid from the zone of interest is retrieved at surface.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein performing a wellbore operation comprises performing transient testing.

11. A method of performing a formation testing operation in a wellbore, wherein the method comprises: a. setting a barrier in the wellbore at an end of a zone of interest;b. deploying a toolstring having a single packer, and wherein the toolstring is configured to perform formation testing wherein the formation testing comprises at least one of fluid analysis, transient testing, sample collection, or combinations thereof;c. positioning the toolstring adjacent the zone of interest, such that the single packer is at the opposite end of the zone of interest;d. setting the packer to isolate the zone of interest;e. drawing fluid from the zone of interest to into the toolstring; andf. performing at least one formation testing operation.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein performing a wellbore operation further comprises flowing the fluid from the zone of interest to a fluid analyzer of the toolstring.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the wellbore is a cased wellbore.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising deploying a perforating tool as part of the wireline toolstring, and perforating the zone of interest prior to setting the packer.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising setting the barrier below the zone of interest prior to running the toolstring into the wellbore.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising expelling the fluid from the zone of interest from the toolstring to the wellbore.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising collecting a sample of the fluid from the zone of interest.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising deflating the packer and retrieving the toolstring to surface.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the sample of the fluid from the zone of interest is retrieved at surface.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein performing a wellbore operation comprises performing transient testing.