Patent Application
20250059858
The present disclosure is directed to a method and apparatus for dislodging stuck downhole wireline assemblies. More particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the use of a wireline sub comprising detonating cord or another explosive material to generate shock waves to facilitate such dislodgement.
During the completion of wellbores and other activities related to subsurface production of oil, gas, and other subsurface materials, downhole apparatus such as wireline-conveyed perforating tools can become wedged or otherwise stuck within a wellbore. Various jars and other devices have been employed to extricate (unstick or free) such wireline tools so that they can be retrieved or otherwise move uphole or downhole within the wellbore.
Certain aspects of the subject matter herein can be implemented as a wireline perforation assembly configured to be disposed in a wellbore. The assembly includes one or more perforation gun subassemblies, each comprising one or more shaped explosive perforation charges configured to, when detonated, form a perforation in a wall of the wellbore. The assembly further includes one or more shock-wave generation subassemblies, each comprising a housing and a length of detonation cord within an interior volume defined at least in part by the housing, the housing at least partially isolating the length of detonation cord from the perforation gun subassemblies and configured such that a detonation of the detonating cord in the shock-wave generation subassembly generates shock waves and does not cause detonation of any shaped explosive perforation charges.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. The assembly can be configured such that shock waves generated by the detonation of the detonating cord in the shock-wave generation subassembly dislodges the assembly from a stuck position in the wellbore.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. The length of detonation cord within the interior volume can be a helical spiral of detonation cord.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. The one or more perforation gun subassemblies and the one or more shock-wave generation subassemblies can be threaded subs.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. The housing can be substantially cylindrical and an outer diameter of the housing can be substantially the same as the diameter of the one or more perforation gun subs.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. The wireline perforation assembly can further include a detonator configured to, in response to a control signal, detonate the detonating cord in at least one of the one or more shock-wave generation subassemblies, without detonating any of the one or more shaped explosive perforation charges.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. The length of detonating cord in the shock-wave generation subassembly can be a first length of detonating cord, the detonator can be a first detonator, and the control signal can be a first control signal, and at least one of the perforation gun subassemblies can further include a second length of detonating cord and a second detonator. The second detonator can be configured to, in response to a second control signal, detonate the second length of detonating cord, thereby detonating at least one of the one or more shaped explosive perforation charges.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. An uphole end of the assembly can be configured to be attached to a wireline conveyance.
Certain aspects of the subject matter herein can be implemented as a shock-wave generation sub. The sub includes an uphole end and a downhole end, at least one of the uphole end or the downhole end attachable to a perforation gun subassembly of a wireline perforation assembly. The wireline perforation assembly is configured to be disposed in a wellbore and the perforation gun subassembly comprising one or more shaped explosive perforation charges configured to, when detonated, form a perforation in a wall of the wellbore. The sub also includes a housing defining an interior volume; and a length of detonation cord within the interior volume. The housing at least partially isolates the length of detonation cord from the perforation gun subassembly. The shock-wave generation sub is configured such that a detonation of the detonating cord in the shock-wave generation subassembly generates shock waves and does not cause detonation of any shaped explosive perforation charges.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. The uphole end or the downhole end can be threaded and the perforation gun subassembly can be a threaded perforation gun sub.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. The shock-wave generation sub can be configured such that shock waves generated by the detonation of the detonating cord in the shock-wave generation sub can dislodge the wireline perforation assembly from a stuck position in the wellbore.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. The length of detonation cord within the interior volume can be a helical spiral of detonation cord.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. The housing can be substantially cylindrical and an outer diameter of the shock-wave generation sub can be substantially the same as an outer diameter of the perforation gun subassembly.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. The shock-wave generation subassembly can include a detonator configured to, in response to a control signal, detonate the detonating cord, without detonating any of the one or more shaped explosive perforation charges.
Certain aspects of the subject matter herein can be implemented as a method. The method includes detonating one or more shaped explosive perforation charges of a wireline perforation assembly positioned within a wellbore via a wireline conveyance, thereby forming a perforation in a wall of the wellbore, and detonating, in response to an indication that the wireline perforation assembly is in a stuck position in the wellbore, a length of detonation cord within an interior volume of a shock-wave generation subassembly that is a component of the wireline perforation assembly, the shock-wave generation subassembly including a housing at least partially isolating the length of detonation cord within the interior volume, thereby generating shock waves without detonating any shaped explosive perforation charges of the wireline perforation assembly.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. The shock waves free the wireline perforation assembly from the stuck position.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. The length of detonation cord within the interior volume can be a helical spiral of detonation cord.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. The method can further include retrieving the assembly with the wireline conveyance after detonating the length of detonation cord within an interior volume.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. The shock-wave generation subassembly can be a first shock-wave generation subassembly, the wireline perforation assembly further can be a second shock-wave generation subassembly, the indication can be a first indication that the wireline perforation assembly is in a stuck position in the wellbore, and the detonating of the detonation cord within the shock-wave generation subassembly can be a first instance of detonation of detonation cord in a shock-wave generation subassembly. The method can further include detonating, as a second instance of detonation of detonation cord and in response to a second indication that the wireline perforation assembly is in a stuck position in the wellbore, a length of detonation cord within an interior volume of the second shock-wave generation subassembly, thereby generating further shock waves without detonating any shaped explosive perforation charges.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. The method can further include detonating one or more shaped explosive perforation charges after the second instance of detonation of detonation cord in the second shock-wave generation subassembly.
An aspect combinable with any of the other aspects can include the following features. The first instance of detonating can be by a detonator within the first shock-wave generation subassembly and the second instance of detonating can be by a detonator within the second shock-wave generation subassembly.
During well operations, such as wireline perforating operations, a wireline bottomhole can become stuck or lodged in the wellbore such that further uphole or downhole movement is prevented or constrained. Such sticking can occur due to accumulated debris at lateral section of the wellbore, deformation of perforation/lateral area, plug size enlargement, or wellbore diameter changes.
In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, detonating cord or another explosive material can be pre-installed in dedicated subassemblies of the wireline assembly. The explosive material can be selectively detonated via control signals from the surface. independent switches and detonating system and if require selectively fire from wireline truck at surface. The detonation generates shock waves which can dislodge the assembly, allowing it to be freed from the stuck position. The shock-wave subassembly can be configured such that a detonation does not interfere with other wellbore operations. For example, the shock-wage generation subassembly can be included as part of a wireline perforation assembly and can be configured such that detonation of the dedicated shock-wave generation charges not cause detonation of any perforation charges.
The present disclosure can provide a solution that is simple and cost-effective. For example, the shock-wave detonation subassemblies can be installed on a wireline perforation assembly and activated (as may be necessary) on the same trip as the perforation operations, by an operator using the same control system used to activate the perforation charges, with the signals conveyed via (for example) dedicated separate electrical wire connections in the wireline conveyance, from the same wireline truck at the surface. Multiple shock-wave generation subassemblies can be included in a single wireline assembly, each with a separate detonator, allowing selective detonation and shock-wave generation operations as selectively initiated by the operator as necessary. Shock wave sub cage can be used repeatedly, with repeated use requiring only limited remedial steps such as the changing of elastomer seals and detonating cords. The shock-wave generation subassemblies can be in the form of short threaded subs having the same or similar diameter and dimensions as the other subs of the assembly, facilitating efficient downhole movement of the assembly using conventional wireline equipment and allowing the use of common assembly and disassembly equipment.
In the illustrated embodiment, casing 110 has been installed and cemented in place within wellbore 102 to stabilize the wellbore in accordance with conventional methods. Wellbore 102 can be filled by a wellbore fluid 114, such as produced fluids, completion fluids, or another suitable fluid or mixture of fluids.
Well system 100 further includes wireline perforation assembly 150 attached via a neck at its uphole end 152 to a wireline conveyance 154, which can include one or more electric cables through which an electric current or signals can be transmitted to or from a wireline control system 160, which in the illustrated embodiment is a wireline truck at a location on surface 106. In other embodiments, some or all of wireline control system 160 can be located at another surface or downhole location.
Wireline perforation assembly 150 includes one or more perforation gun subassemblies 158a, 158b, and 158c, each comprising one or more shaped explosive perforation charges, and one or more shock-wave generation subassemblies 160a and 160b. These subassemblies and their function are described in greater detail below. Wireline perforation assembly 150 can include further components including some or all of isolation plug 156 at its downhole end, tandem isolation subs, plug-shoot adapters, quick change sub, transfer module subs, transfer booster kits, time delay systems, percussion initiators, and weight bars.
Perforation gun assemblies 158a, 158b, and 158c can be configured such that, when detonated, the shaped explosive charges form a perforations 170 through the casing 110 and through a wall of the wellbore, as shown in
Prior to, during, or after perforation operations, as perforation assembly 150 is translated up or down the wellbore (for example, in an uphole direction by pulling on conveyance 154 or downhole direction due to gravity), the assembly can become stuck by, for example, lodging against the walls of the casing or against debris within the wellbore, as shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, assembly 150 includes two shock-wave generation subassemblies (160a and 160b); other embodiments can include a greater or lesser number of shock-wave generation subassemblies. In some embodiments, each of the shock-wave generation subassemblies can include its own detonator, such the explosive charges within the respective subassemblies can be detonated together simultaneously or at different times. For example, upon becoming stuck, only one (or another subset) of the shock-wave generation subassemblies can be initially detonated. If such initial detonation is not successful in causing the assembly to become unstuck, or if the assembly is freed but becomes stuck again at a different location, one or more of the other shock-wave generation subassemblies can be detonated as necessary. In some embodiments, only a single detonator is used for multiple charges.
Likewise, in the embodiment shown in
Detonating cord 306 in the illustrated embodiment is in the form a helical spiral, which allows a greater amount of explosive material for a given length of the sub than if the cord were a straight length of cord extending from the uphole end of the sub to the downhole end. As described in greater detail below, the sub can be configured such that a detonation of the detonating cord in the shock-wave generation subassembly does not cause detonation of any shaped explosive perforation charges. In this way, shock-wave generation and the resulting dislodgement as a separate step during well operations, for example, when attempting to raise or lower the assembly before or after perforation operations, or between perforation operations occurring at different downhole locations. In other embodiments, detonating cord 306 can be a straight length of cord, a zig-zag configurations, or other suitable shapes or configurations, and can have a greater or lesser number of turns and/or a greater or lesser pitch than as shown in
Housing 302 at least partially isolates detonation cord 306 from the perforation gun subassemblies, and detonation cord 306 is separated from (and not continuous with or operatively connected to) detonating cord 204 of the perforation gun subassemblies. With housing 302 and the other components of the shock-wave subassembly so configured, detonation of the detonating cord in the shock-wave generation subassembly does not cause detonation of any detonation cord of the perforation gun subassemblies or of any shaped explosive perforation charges. Housing 302 can be constructed of the same or different material as the housings of the perforating guns, and thickness and kind of housing material, detonators, and other components can be chosen so as to withstand the shockwaves without damage to the housing, the internal components of shockwave subassemblies, the perforation gun subassemblies, or the rest of assembly 150. In some embodiments, housing 302 can include vents to allow some portions of the gas and other materials to exit the subassembly so as to prevent such damage. In other embodiments, housing 302 is constructed so as to have sufficient strength to withstand the explosive gases without any need for such vents.
In the illustrated embodiment, housing 302 is substantially cylindrical and has an outer diameter that is substantially the same as the diameter of the one or more perforation gun subs, and the shock-wave generation subs and the perforation gun assemblies are aligned in sequence with their central axes parallel with the central axis of the wellbore.
At step 408, the operator attempts to raise or lower the assembly to another desired location. If the assembly travels freely (i.e., if there is no indication of the assembly being stuck as per step 410), then operations continue as normal until at step 412 the assembly is retrieved from the wellbore.
If, at step 410, the operator receives and indication that the assembly is lodged or stuck in the wellbore (as indicated by, for example, an increase in tension in the wireline conveyance) and, if at step 414 the operator determines that there are shock-wave charges remaining (for example, shock-wave subassemblies in which the detonation cord has not yet been detonated) then, at step 416, one or more of the remaining shock-wave charges is detonated, generating shock waves without detonating any shaped explosive perforation charges. After detonation, the method returns to step 410. If at step 410 the operator receives no additional indication of the assembly being stuck (i.e., the shock waves have freed or dislodged the stuck assembly), then operations continue through retrieval step 412. If, after detonation, the operator at step 412 receives an indication that the assembly remains stuck at the same location or at a subsequent location upon further raising or lowering of the assembly, then the method proceeds again to step 414, and this cycle continues until all shock-wave charges have been detonated. If at step 414 there are no remaining shock-wave charges, then further remedial action can be taken to free the assembly, such as the deployment of a jar or fishing apparatus.
In some embodiments, the perforation, stuck indication, and shock-wave detonation steps can occur in a different order. For example, the stuck indication can occur before a perforation detonation occurs (in which case the shock-wave charges can be detonated at a suitable time before perforation), or between sequential perforation detonations done at different depths within the wellbore (in which case the shock-wave charges can be detonated in sequence or simultaneously at a suitable time between perforations).
The term “uphole” as used herein means in the direction along a wellbore from its distal end towards the surface, and “downhole” as used herein means the direction along a wellbore from the surface towards its distal end. A downhole location means a location along a wellbore downhole of the surface.
