SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TREATING A BOREHOLE
A method for treating a borehole or formation including creating a hydrodynamic barrier in a selected location, treating a target in the borehole with a treatment fluid, and maintaining or directing the treatment fluid with the hydrodynamic barrier. A system for treating a borehole or formation. A barrier system including a rotatable member, a tubular disposed in radially spaced relationship to the rotatable member and defining an annular space between the tubular and rotatable member, the rotatable member configured to rotate at an RPM relative to the tubular sufficient to establish circular fluid movement in the annular space.
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In the resource recovery industry, many operations are necessary in the downhole environment. These include borehole and/or formation treatment operations that often require barriers be available to direct or contain various treatments to target areas. Treatments include stimulation treatments such as fracturing, acidizing, etc.
Barriers include packers, and other types of seals and valves that are ubiquitous in the industry and function reliably and consistently but still may have drawbacks for certain wells or applications. Such drawbacks may be in the form of cost or may be in the form of ancillary structure needed to create the barrier in a situation where that structure presents its own inherent hurdles to overcome, for example.
The art therefore would well receive alternative systems and methods that facilitate borehole and formation treatment while avoiding drawbacks of current solutions.
SUMMARYA method for treating a borehole or formation including creating a hydrodynamic barrier in a selected location, treating a target in the borehole with a treatment fluid, and maintaining or directing the treatment fluid with the hydrodynamic barrier.
A system for treating a borehole or formation including a rotatable member, a tubular disposed in radially spaced relationship to the rotatable member and defining an annular space between the tubular and rotatable member, the rotatable member configured to rotate at an RPM relative to the tubular sufficient to establish circular fluid movement creating a barrier in the annular space, and a treatment fluid volume in operable communication with the barrier.
A barrier system including a rotatable member, a tubular disposed in radially spaced relationship to the rotatable member and defining an annular space between the tubular and rotatable member, the rotatable member configured to rotate at an RPM relative to the tubular sufficient to establish circular fluid movement in the annular space.
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
In order to achieve the RPM necessary, some embodiments of the hydrodynamic barrier will require a gear train, not shown but understandably operably disposed between the motor and the rotatable member 12.
Referring to
Referring to
In each of the embodiments, the barrier created is temporary in that it exists (greater or lesser pressure differential capability dependent on rotational speed, gap dimension and viscosity) on while the rotatable member 12 is rotating sufficiently quickly to generate a circular fluid movement and accordingly the barrier. Hence, for methods of use of the system, the motor 18 will be activated to rotate the rotatable member 12 at an appropriate speed for the application and parameters related to the Sommerfeld Number. Once the hydrodynamic barrier (or seal) is established, the treatment fluid 40 is pumped to the target location to effect the desired treatment. After treatment, the motor may be turned off and the barrier 42 will simply cease to exist.
Set forth below are some embodiments of the foregoing disclosure:
Embodiment 1A method for treating a borehole or formation including creating a hydrodynamic barrier in a selected location, treating a target in the borehole with a treatment fluid, and maintaining or directing the treatment fluid with the hydrodynamic barrier.
Embodiment 2The method as in any prior embodiment wherein the creating is by rotating a member of a work string relative to another tubular form spaced therefrom at a sufficient RPM to establish circular fluid movement in an annular space defined between the rotating member and the another tubular form.
Embodiment 3The method as in any prior embodiment wherein the rotating RPM is proportional to a radial dimension of the annulus.
Embodiment 4The method as in any prior embodiment wherein the treating is fracturing.
Embodiment 5The method as in any prior embodiment wherein the treating is acidizing.
Embodiment 6The method as in any prior embodiment wherein the hydrodynamic barrier restricts fluid movement past the barrier.
Embodiment 7The method as in any prior embodiment wherein the maintaining or directing is containing a pressure differential.
Embodiment 8The method as in any prior embodiment wherein the pressure differential is 1000 psi-3000 psi.
Embodiment 9The method as in any prior embodiment wherein the pressure differential is 10,000-15,000 psi.
Embodiment 10A system for treating a borehole or formation including a rotatable member, a tubular disposed in radially spaced relationship to the rotatable member and defining an annular space between the tubular and rotatable member, the rotatable member configured to rotate at an RPM relative to the tubular sufficient to establish circular fluid movement creating a barrier in the annular space, and a treatment fluid volume in operable communication with the barrier.
Embodiment 11A barrier system including a rotatable member, a tubular disposed in radially spaced relationship to the rotatable member and defining an annular space between the tubular and rotatable member, the rotatable member configured to rotate at an RPM relative to the tubular sufficient to establish circular fluid movement in the annular space.
Embodiment 12The barrier system as in any prior embodiment wherein the rotatable member is radially inwardly disposed of the tubular.
Embodiment 13The barrier system as in any prior embodiment wherein the system further comprises a motor connected to the rotatable member.
Embodiment 14The barrier system as in any prior embodiment wherein the motor is a mud motor.
Embodiment 15The barrier system as in any prior embodiment wherein the motor is an electric motor.
Embodiment 16The barrier system as in any prior embodiment wherein the system includes a gear train and a motor configured to produce rotation in a range of up to 10,000 RPM.
Embodiment 17The barrier system as in any prior embodiment wherein the circular fluid
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.
Claims
1. A method for treating a borehole or formation comprising:
- creating a hydrodynamic barrier in a selected location;
- treating a target in the borehole with a treatment fluid; and
- maintaining or directing the treatment fluid with the hydrodynamic barrier.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the creating is by rotating a member of a work string relative to another tubular form spaced therefrom at a sufficient RPM to establish circular fluid movement in an annular space defined between the rotating member and the another tubular form.
3. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the rotating RPM is proportional to a radial dimension of the annulus.
4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the treating is fracturing.
5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the treating is acidizing.
6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the hydrodynamic barrier restricts fluid movement past the barrier.
7. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the maintaining or directing is containing a pressure differential.
8. The method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the pressure differential is 1000 psi-3000 psi.
9. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pressure differential is 10,000-15,000 psi.
10. A system for treating a borehole or formation comprising:
- a rotatable member;
- a tubular disposed in radially spaced relationship to the rotatable member and defining an annular space between the tubular and rotatable member, the rotatable member configured to rotate at an RPM relative to the tubular sufficient to establish circular fluid movement creating a barrier in the annular space; and
- a treatment fluid volume in operable communication with the barrier.
11. A barrier system comprising:
- a rotatable member;
- a tubular disposed in radially spaced relationship to the rotatable member and defining an annular space between the tubular and rotatable member, the rotatable member configured to rotate at an RPM relative to the tubular sufficient to establish circular fluid movement in the annular space.
12. The barrier system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the rotatable member is radially inwardly disposed of the tubular.
13. The barrier system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the system further comprises a motor connected to the rotatable member.
14. The barrier system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the motor is a mud motor.
15. The barrier system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the motor is an electric motor.
16. The barrier system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the system includes a gear train and a motor configured to produce rotation in a range of up to 10,000 RPM.
17. The barrier system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the circular fluid movement is a hydrodynamic barrier, in use.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 7, 2017
Publication Date: Feb 7, 2019
Applicant: Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC (Houston, TX)
Inventors: Carlos Prieto (Katy, TX), James Sanchez (Tomball, TX)
Application Number: 15/670,854