US3593797A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for consolidating a subsurface earth formation
Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corp
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Filing: 1969-05-16
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Granted: 1971-07-20
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Expires: 1989-05-16
Abstract
Abstract Methods and apparatus are provided for treating an unconsolidated subsurface earth formation. Means are provided for isolating and perforating a preselected section of a wellbore, and thereafter sequentially introducing selected formation treating agents into the perforated formation. After these materials are in the formation, a suitable temporary plugging agent is deposited in the perforation, to prevent its collapse, as well as to block the entrance of wellbore fluids. In the apparatus, the plugging agent is held in the annulus defined by a pair of spaced-apart elastomeric packing cups, and the equipment is merely shifted to position the cups above and below the perforation to enable the plugging agent to flow into the perforated formation. The apparatus preferably includes provision for a closeable bypass around the plugging agent held between the cups, whereby the apparatus may be moved up or down a fluidfilled casing without disturbing the plugging agent.
Inventors
- 👤 Murice P Lebourg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 21:57
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B33/00; E21B33/10; E21B33/12; E21B33/124; E21B33/13; E21B33/138
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
104 words
The system described in claim 1, wherein said isolating means includes first and second resilient annular packing members spaced apart longitudinally along said upper section of said assembly and expandable into fluidtight engagement with the inside surface of said casing for isolating a selected section of the interior of said casing, and wherein said supporting means includes a third resilient annular packing member spaced along said upper section from said first and second memBers and engaging the inside surface of said casing to define an annular space between said casing and said upper section for accommodating and supporting a quantity of said protecting fluid.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
56 words
The system described in claim 2, further including reservoir means mounted on said assembly and communicating with said annular space where said annular space is defined in said casing by said third packing member and one of said first and second packing members, and said annular space contains a further reserve quantity of said protecting fluid.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
75 words
The reservoir means described in claim 3, including an annular housing having an ejection port communicating with said annular space in said casing and a pressure port communicating with hydrostatic pressure in said casing, and piston means disposed in said annular housing and slidably movable therein between said ejection and pressure port in response to said hydrostatic pressure for urging said protecting fluid in said annular housing through said ejection port into said annular space.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system described in claim 4, further including a fourth resilient annular packer member on said assembly for defining another different annular space in said casing for supporting and containing another quantity of protecting fluid.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system described in claim 5, wherein said body assembly includes rotatably and slidably interconnected upper and lower sections.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system described in claim 6, wherein said first and second resilient members are mounted on said upper section of said body assembly, and wherein said third resilient member is located on said upper section of said body assembly.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system described in claim 7, wherein said upper section has a lateral port between said first and second resilient members through which said perforator may be discharged.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system described in claim 8, further including orienting means functionally located in said upper section of said body assembly relative to said lateral port and cooperating with said perforator to provide an indication of alignment of said perforator with said port.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
119 words
A system for treating a subsurface earth formation traversed by a borehole containing a well casing or the like, comprising an elongated hollow body assembly for receiving and containing a formation treating fluid and for longitudinally supporting a perforator suspended from a cable, a perforator for producing a perforating force along a transverse perforating axis, said body assembly having a rotatably mounted section for rotation relative to said perforator and including a laterally located port for alignment with said perforating axis, isolating means on said body assembly for isolating the section of said casing confronted by said port, and orienting means cooperating with said perforator for indicating alignment of said port in said body assembly with said perforating axis.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
67 words
The system described in claim 10, wherein said perforator includes a sensing element mounted at a predetermined angular position relative to said perforating axis, wherein said orienting means including an activating element horizontally rotatable about said perforator for energizing said sensing element of said perforator, and indicating means responsive to alignment of said gun port and said perforating axis of said perforator for generating an electrical signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
60 words
The system described in claim 11, wherein said activating element of said orienting means includes a nonmagnetic collar mounted in the upper portion of said body assembly and rotatable horizontally therewith about said sensing element in said perforator, and wherein said activating element further includes a magnet spaced in said collar at a predetermined angular relation with said gun port.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system described in claim 12, wherein said sensing element includes a magnetically responsive probe for rotatably engaging the inside surface of said collar and aCtuating said indicating means when adjacent said magnet.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
191 words
A system for treating a subsurface earth formation traversed by a borehole containing a well casing or the like, comprising a tubing string adapted to be suspended in said casing to receive an input of consolidating liquid, a hollow upper body member having its upper end fixedly interconnected with the lower end of said tubing string to receive consolidating liquid therefrom and further having a lateral port confronting the interior surface of said casing, first and second flared annular resilient cup members mounted on said upper body member above and below said port for isolating a preselected section of said casing adjacent said formation, annular fluid-containing means on said upper body member for slidable engagement with the interior surface of said casing to carry a gellike protecting liquid incapable of substantial permeation of the matrix of said earth formation, a hollow lower body member rotatably interconnected with the lower end of said upper body member and adapted to releasably engage the interior surface of said casing, and a gun perforator interconnected with a cable extending upward through said tubing string and positioned against rotation within said upper and lower body members.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
50 words
The system described in claim 14, further comprising swab means movably mounted on said cable and slidably and fluidtightly engaging the interior surface of said tubing string, and swab retaining means fixedly secured in said tubing string above and proximate said upper body member for receiving and retaining said swab.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
100 words
The swab means described in claim 15, further comprising an elongated strength member longitudinally and slidably mounted on said cable, a resilient member concentrically disposed about said strength member and normally smaller than the inside diameter of said tubing string, and expansion means for longitudinally compressing said resilient member along said strength member to laterally expand said resilient member into slidable fluidtight engagement with said tubing string, and latching means slidably compressed by said tubing string for releasably engaging said strength member to thereby releasably maintain said resilient member expanded laterally into engagement with the interior of said tubing string.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system described in claim 16, wherein said swab retaining means comprises a tubular housing interconnected between said tubing string and said upper body member and having a diameter larger than said tubing string and a lower shoulder portion for catching and supporting said swab therein.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of treating a subsurface earth formation traversed by a borehole containing a casing or the like, comprising establishing a fluid flow path longitudinally through said casing between the mouth of said borehole and a selected section of said casing adjacent said formation, isolating said section of said casing from borehole fluids in said casing, perforating said isolated section of said casing into said formation to couple said flow path to said formation, injecting a flow of consolidating fluid down said flow path from the mouth of said borehole and through said perforated casing into said formation, disposing an isolating fluid over the perforation in the casing and against but not substantially into said formation to protect said consolidating fluid in said formation while maintaining said isolating fluid separate from said borehole fluids in said casing.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
89 words
The method described in claim 18, including the step of delivering a flow of flushing fluid from the mouth of said borehole down said flow path into and through said isolated and perforated section of said casing to said surface portions of said formation, and said injecting step comprising thereafter delivering a flow of consolidating fluid from the mouth of said borehole and down said flow path into aNd through said isolated section of said casing to and into said formation to at least partially displace formation fluids therein.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method described in claim 19, wherein said isolating fluid is a gellike semiliquid material.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method described in claim 20, wherein said disposing step includes injecting said isolating fluid from the mouth of said borehole and down said flow path to and through said perforated and isolated section of said casing after injection of said consolidating fluid, and separating said isolating fluid from any consolidating fluid in said flow path.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
121 words
A method of treating a subsurface earth formation traversed by a borehole containing a casing or the like, comprising establishing and maintaining a quantity of gel in contact with said casing adjacent said formation and isolated from other fluids in said casing, isolating a section of said casing opposite said formation and adjacent said quantity of gel, selectively perforating said isolated section of said casing and opening a flow path into said formation, injecting consolidating fluid through said flow path and into said formation, and shifting said quantity of gel longitudinally along said casing and into said flow path in said formation to maintain said consolidating fluid in said formation, and thereafter isolating and perforating another different section of said casing.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method described in claim 22, further including maintaining said quantity of gel in said flow path in said formation during and after isolation and perforation of said another different section of said casing.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
85 words
The method described in claim 23, wherein said establishing step further comprises establishing a quantity of gel in two separate annular spaces each isolated in said casing from other fluid in said casing and respectively above and below the section of casing to be isolated and perforated and said shifting step further comprises shifting one of said two annular spaces and the gel contained therein longitudinally along said casing to said isolated and perforated section thereof after injection of said consolidating fluid into said formation.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
68 words
The method described in claim 22, wherein said injection step includes establishing a fluid flow path longitudinally through said casing between the mouth of said borehole and said isolated section of said casing, and injecting said consolidating fluid through said fluid flow path in said casing to and through said isolated and perforated section of said casing into said formation to at least partially displace formation fluids therein.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method described in claim 25, wherein said shifting step includes isolating said gel and said flow path in said formation from said fluid flow path in said casing before isolating and perforating said another different section of said casing.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
116 words
The method described in claim 25 wherein the injection steps includes the steps of prior to injecting the consolidating fluid, injecting a flow of flushing fluid from the mouth of said borehole and down said fluid flow path in said casing to and through said isolated and perforated section of said casing to said flow path in and to said surface portions of said formation adjacent said borehole, and wherein the thereafter injected consolidating fluid is supplied from the mouth of said borehole and down said fluid flow path in said casing to and through said isolated and perforated section of said casing and through said flow path in said formation to and into said formation.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
156 words
Apparatus adapted for treating earth formations traversed by a cased wellbore and comprising: a pipe string adapted to be disposed in such a wellbore; a tubular body connected to said pipe string and having an interior space communicating therewith; a perforator adapted for passage through said pipe string disposed in said interior space; packing meaNs on said body adapted for isolating a wall of a well casing to be perforated when said perforator is positioned in said interior space and actuated to establish fluid communication through such an isolated wall for introducing treating fluids into earth formations therebehind through said pipe string; and means on said body cooperable with such a well casing and adapted for carrying a supply of fluent protective substances exterior of said interior space for introduction into such earth formations upon subsequent movement of said body along such a perforated casing wall to protect treating fluids previously introduced into such earth formations.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
98 words
The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said perforator is dependently suspended in said pipe string by a cable having electrical conductor means and further including: means for providing fluid communication between said packing means including a lateral port in said body adapted to be in alignment with the perforating axis of said perforator whenever said perforator is properly positioned within said interior space; and signalling means on said body and said perforator coupled to said electrical conductor means and operatively arranged to provide a characteristic surface indication only when said perforating axis is aligned with said lateral port.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-07-19 | 1975-01-18 | 1975-07-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-07-19 | 1979-01-18 | 1979-07-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-07-19 | 1983-01-18 | 1983-07-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |