US3682246A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fracturing to interconnect wells
Assignee: Shell USA Inc
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Filing: 1971-01-19
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Granted: 1972-08-08
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Expires: 1991-01-19
Abstract
Abstract Wells in a substantially impermeable subterranean earth formation that tends to fracture along non-intersecting vertical planes of natural weakness are interconnected by initially fracturing at least one of the well boreholes along its vertical plane of natural weakness, filling the fracture with a granular material, and refracturing the well borehole by pumping in a viscous fluid at a rate causing the pressure to rise above the pressure at which the first fracture was formed. The lastmentioned fracture is extended into communication with an adjacent well or a fracture extending from the adjacent well.
Inventors
- 👤 Philip Joseph Closmann
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 16:55
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B43/00; E21B43/16; E21B43/24; E21B43/243; E21B43/247; E21B43/17; F; F24; F24T; F24T10/00; F24T10/20; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
220 words
A method for interconnecting at least a pair of well boreholes extending into a substantially impermeable subterranean earth formation wherein fractures formed therein tend to form along non-intersecting planes of natural weakness, said method comprising the steps of: initially fracturing the formation adjacent at least one of said well boreholes along its plane of natural weakness; filling the fracture formed along the plane of natural weakness of said formation with a permeable mass of a relatively fine granular material; refracturing said formation adjacent said first well borehole by pumping through said well borehole and into said firstmentioned fracture a viscous fluid at a rate sufficient to cause the pressure in said well borehole and in at least some of said first-mentioned fracture to rise above the pressure at which said first-mentioned fracture was formed whereby a second fracture is formed along a plane which intersects said plane of natural weakness; said viscous fluid having a viscosity such that the pressure in said first-mentioned fracture adjacent said well borehole as said viscous fluid flows at said rate through said permeable mass of granular material in said firstmentioned fracture is sufficient to provide a region of high compressive stress adjacent said well borehole; and providing communication with at least a second well borehole between said latter-mentioned fracture and said second well borehole.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
220 words
A method for interconnecting at least a pair of well boreholes extending into a substantially impermeable subterranean earth formation wherein fractures formed therein tend to form along non-intersecting planes of natural weakness, said method comprising the steps of: initially fracturing the formation adjacent at least one of said well boreholes along its plane of natural weakness; filling the fracture formed along the plane of natural weakness of said formation with a permeable mass of a relatively fine granular material; refracturing said formation adjacent said first well borehole by pumping through said well borehole and into said firstmentioned fracture a viscous fluid at a rate sufficient to cause the pressure in said well borehole and in at least some of said first-mentioned fracture to rise above the pressure at which said first-mentioned fracture was formed whereby a second fracture is formed along a plane which intersects said plane of natural weakness; said viscous fluid having a viscosity such that the pressure in said first-mentioned fracture adjacent said well borehole as said viscous fluid flows at said rate through said permeable mass of granular material in said firstmentioned fracture is sufficient to provide a region of high compressive stress adjacent said well borehole; and providing communication with at least a second well borehole between said latter-mentioned fracture and said second well borehole.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing communication with at least a second well borehole includes the step of extending said latter-mentioned fracture into communication with said second well borehole.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing communication with at least a second well borehole includes the steps of: fracturing the formation adjacent said second well borehole along its natural plane of weakness; and extending the last two mentioned fractures until communication is provided between said well boreholes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the step of extending said last two fractures includes the step of extending said fractures by pumping a fluid therein.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 3 including the step of flowing through said fractures interconnecting said well boreholes a fluid adapted to remove solid materials from the walls of said fractures interconnecting said well boreholes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 5 including the stEp of injecting an acid adapted to react with the solid material forming the walls of said fractures through said fractures after flowing said fluid therethrough.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 5 including the step of recovering from the fluid being flowed through said well borehole interconnecting fractures, at least some of the components of solid materials removed from the wells of said fractures by said fluid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of filling said fracture with granular material includes the step of filling said fracture with dissolvable granular material over a distance of about one hundred feet from said first-mentioned well borehole.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 including the step of pumping fluid into said last-mentioned fracture thereby extending said last-mentioned fracture within said subterranean earth formation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of initially fracturing at least one of the formation adjacent said well boreholes includes the step of injecting a heated fluid through said earth formation at a pressure above the breakdown pressure of said subterranean earth formation but below the overburden pressure thereof until a substantially vertical fracture is formed therein.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
235 words
A method for interconnecting a plurality of well boreholes extending into a substantially impermeable subterranean earth formation wherein fractures formed therein tend to form along non-intersecting planes of natural weakness, said method comprising the steps of: initially fracturing the formation adjacent said well boreholes along planes of natural weakness to form non-intersecting fractures; filling the fracture formed along the plane of natural weakness in said formation adjacent at least a first of said well boreholes with a permeable mass of a relatively fine granular material; refracturing the formation adjacent said first well borehole by pumping through said first well borehole and into said granular material filled fracture a viscous fluid at a rate sufficient to cause the pressure in said well borehole and in at least some of said first-mentioned fracture to rise above the pressure at which said first-mentioned fracture was formed, whereby a second fracture is formed in said formation adjacent said first well along a plane which intersects said plane of natural weakness; said viscous fluid having a viscosity such that the pressure drop as said viscous fluid flows at said rate through said permeable mass of granular material in said first-mentioned fracture is sufficient to provide a region of high compressive stress adjacent said first well borehole; providing communication between said first well borehole and at least a second well borehole of said plurality of well boreholes through said second fracture.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
235 words
A method for interconnecting a plurality of well boreholes extending into a substantially impermeable subterranean earth formation wherein fractures formed therein tend to form along non-intersecting planes of natural weakness, said method comprising the steps of: initially fracturing the formation adjacent said well boreholes along planes of natural weakness to form non-intersecting fractures; filling the fracture formed along the plane of natural weakness in said formation adjacent at least a first of said well boreholes with a permeable mass of a relatively fine granular material; refracturing the formation adjacent said first well borehole by pumping through said first well borehole and into said granular material filled fracture a viscous fluid at a rate sufficient to cause the pressure in said well borehole and in at least some of said first-mentioned fracture to rise above the pressure at which said first-mentioned fracture was formed, whereby a second fracture is formed in said formation adjacent said first well along a plane which intersects said plane of natural weakness; said viscous fluid having a viscosity such that the pressure drop as said viscous fluid flows at said rate through said permeable mass of granular material in said first-mentioned fracture is sufficient to provide a region of high compressive stress adjacent said first well borehole; providing communication between said first well borehole and at least a second well borehole of said plurality of well boreholes through said second fracture.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
163 words
The method of claim 11 wherein communication between said first well borehole and at least a second well borehole is provided by: filling the fracture formed along the plane of natural weakness in said formation adjacent said second well borehole with a permeable mass of a relatively fine granular material; refracturing the formation adjacent this second well borehole by pumping into said granular material filled fracture in the formation adjacent said second well borehole said viscous fluid at a rate sufficient to cause the pressure to rise above the pressure at which said granular material filled fracture was formed, whereby a second fracture is formed in the formation adjacent said second well borehole along a plane which intersects said plane of natural weakness; and extending the fractures formed in the formation adjacent said first and second well boreholes in planes which intersect said plane of natural weakness until said extended fractures intersect and thereby provide communication between said first and second well boreholes.
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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) | 1975-08-08 | 1976-02-07 | 1976-08-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-08-08 | 1980-02-07 | 1980-08-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-08-08 | 1984-02-07 | 1984-08-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |