Abstract: Weakly consolidated hydrocarbon fluid bearing earth formation zones having a cohesive strength of about 500 psi or less are produced by completing a well penetrating the zone and initiating production of solids laden fluid from the zone through the well to generate a near wellbore cavity. Production of solids laden fluid is continued until the cavity grows to a point wherein the fluid velocity across the cavity face decreases to a value below the solids particulate transport velocity wherein continued production of fluid will result in a very low or negligible rate of production of solids particulates. Solids particulates are separated from the produced mixture at the surface, the solids are treated to reduce the particle size and reinjected in a slurry into a disposal well for disposal in a hydraulically fractured or disaggregated formation zone remote from the production zone.

Abstract: Natural gas is reinjected into an earth formation for storage and/or stimulating the recovery of hydrocarbon liquids by mixing the gas with water at a pressure sufficient to maintain bubble flow of gas dispersed in a water flowstream in a range of volumetric gas fraction up to about twenty percent of total flow. A water and gas distribution system includes static flow mixers for maintaining uniform distribution of gas bubbles in the water flow stream through the distribution conduits. The mixers may comprise multi-stage bladed mixing elements of the same or opposite pitch and extending across the intersection of branch conduits with the main conduit of the distribution system. The water and gas may be mixed in an injection well having a tubing string extending within the well and having a distal end below the point of injection into an earth formation so that a uniform gas and water mixture enters the formation through the well perforations.

Abstract: Wellbore liners are set with a running shoe comprising a cylindrical body, end cap, check valve and receiver member in assembly. The receiver member includes threads for receiving the coupling sleeve of a running tool, and retaining wickers for engagement with a cement plug or dart to retain the same permanently engaged with and blocking the flow of fluid through the running shoe. A running tool for use with the shoe includes a coupling sleeve which is retained on a support mandrel by a collar which is secured to the mandrel with a shear pin so that pressuring up the workstring, in the event of a stuck coupling sleeve, will permit retrieval of the main part of the running tool and the workstring. The interior parts of the running shoe are made of aluminum or plastic for easy drill-out to extend the wellbore beyond the end of the liner.

Abstract: Perforations into an earth formation from a wellbore may be analyzed as to location, shape and radial depth by placing an inspection apparatus in the wellbore including an acoustic signal transmitter for transmitting acoustic signals over a broad bandwidth for a limited time, and receiving reflected or resonant acoustic signals excited in nearby perforations. The amplitude of the resonant frequency will reach a maximum when the perforation is at a midpoint between the transmitter and receiver. The resonant frequencies may be plotted as a function of signal power or intensity to determine perforation radial depth, based on the assumption that the perforation approximates an elongated cylindrical tube. Resonant frequency breadths may be compared to determine relative permeability of the formation and resonant frequency values may be compared to determine the shape of the perforation cavity.