Patent Application
20250092757
In the resource recovery industry, fluid sequestration industry and abandonment industry, a borehole can be drilled using a milling device. Once the borehole is milled, it is desirable to form a casing in the borehole, which requires inflating a packer within the borehole to close off a section of the borehole and pouring cement into the section. Currently, a work string including the milling device has to be tripped out of the borehole and another work string that includes the packer is run into the borehole. This extra step of tripping out one string and running in another string costs time and expense. Therefore, there is a need for being able to mill and cement in a single trip.
Disclosed herein is a method of performing an operation in a borehole. A work string is conveyed into the borehole, the work string including a milling section and a packer section, wherein the packer section includes a packer and a cover that protects the packer from the borehole. A section of the borehole is milled with the milling section. The packer is moved axially from under the cover to expose the packer to the borehole. The packer is expanded.
Also disclosed herein is a work string. The work string includes a milling section for milling within a borehole and a packer section including a packer and a cover that protects the packer from the borehole, wherein the packer is configured to move axially from under the cover and expand within the borehole.
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.
Referring to
The packer section 120 includes a packer 126, which can be an inflatable packer or a high expansion element packer, and a cover 128, such as a sleeve or a shroud, that protects the packer 126 during downhole operations. Such downhole operations include milling and underreaming, during which the work string 102 and packer 126 are rotated. The packer 126 can be moved out from under the cover 128 once the milling and underreaming operations have been completed (and the work string 102 is no longer rotating) and then inflated to seal off a section of the borehole 104. In an embodiment, once the packer 126 has been inflated, cement can be introduced in the sealed off section of the borehole 104 on top of the inflated packer.
The ball seat 304 includes a lower portion 310. The packer 126 is disposed on the ball seat 304 at the lower portion 310. The ball seat 304 is configured to receive a ball 320 that is dropped from the surface location 112. Once the ball 320 lands at the ball seat 304, a fluid pressure builds up on the back side (i.e., uphole side) of the ball 320, creating a downhole force on the ball seat 304 that exceeds a rupture threshold of the rupture device 306. Once the rupture device 306 is ruptured, the ball seat 304 moves downward, thereby moving the lower portion 310 and the packer 126 out from under the cover 128 to a location at which it is exposed to the borehole. A ridge 312 on the ball seat 304 catches the ledge 308 to stop further motion of the ball seat 304.
Set forth below are some embodiments of the foregoing disclosure:
Embodiment 1. A method of performing an operation in a borehole. A work string is conveyed into the borehole, the work string including a milling section and a packer section, wherein the packer section includes a packer and a cover that protects the packer from the borehole. A section of the borehole is milled with the milling section. The packer is moved axially from under the cover to expose the packer to the borehole. The packer is expanded.
Embodiment 2. The method of any previous embodiment, wherein milling the borehole further comprises rotating the work string.
Embodiment 3. The method of any previous embodiment, wherein the milling section further comprises an underreamer, the method further comprising expanding the borehole with the underreamer with the packer under the cover.
Embodiment 4. The method of any previous embodiment, further comprising moving the packer axially via at least one of: (i) activating a hydraulic pump; (ii) dropping a ball through the work string; and (iii) a signal from a battery-operated timing device.
Embodiment 5. The method of any previous embodiment, wherein the packer is disposed on a telescoping sub and moving the packer further comprises moving the telescoping sub.
Embodiment 6. The method of any previous embodiment, further comprising milling the borehole and inflating the packer in a same run.
Embodiment 7. The method of any previous embodiment, wherein the work string further comprises a bottomhole assembly and the packer is disposed on the bottomhole assembly.
Embodiment 8. The method of any previous embodiment, wherein the cover is one of: (i) a sleeve; and (ii) a shroud.
Embodiment 9. A work string. The work string includes a milling section for milling within a borehole and a packer section including a packer and a cover that protects the packer from the borehole, wherein the packer is configured to move axially from under the cover and expand within the borehole.
Embodiment 10. The work string of any previous embodiment, further comprising a rotary table for rotating the work string for milling withing the borehole.
Embodiment 11. The work string of any previous embodiment, wherein the milling section further comprises a mill for milling the borehole and an underreamer for expanding a section of the borehole with the packer under the cover.
Embodiment 12. The work string of any previous embodiment, further comprising a device for moving the packer axially, wherein the device is one of: (i) hydraulic pump; and (ii) a ball seat.
Embodiment 13. The work string of any previous embodiment, further comprising a telescoping sub that moves axially, wherein the packer is disposed on the telescoping sub.
Embodiment 14. The work string of any previous embodiment, wherein the work string further comprises a bottomhole assembly and the packer is disposed on the bottomhole assembly.
Embodiment 15. The work string of any previous embodiment, wherein the packer is one of: (i) an inflatable packer; and (iii) a high expansion element packer.
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”, “substantially” and “generally” 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” and/or “generally” can include a range of ±8% 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 borehole, and/or equipment in the borehole, 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.
