US3721297A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for cleaning wells
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1970-08-10
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Granted: 1973-03-20
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Expires: 1990-08-10
Abstract
Abstract A combination of repeated mild explosions and a series of pressure pulsations provides both repetitive shock and repetitive sustained fluid pulsations. The shock is required to break up and loosen various formations and materials formed in the well casing perforations and interstices of surrounding formation. The pulsations achieve repeated flow of the well fluid back and forth through the casing perforations and surrounding formation to thereby remove particles of plugging material that are loosened by the shock waves. A series of explosive caps, explosive power of which is enhanced by surrounding layers of plastic sheet explosive, are individually interposed between a number of gas pulsation producing modules. Each module is arranged to effect burning of a combustible in a series of pulses to produce the desired fluctuating pressure pulses and fluid surging. The entire assembly of gas producing modules and explosive caps is interconnected in a string and arranged so that the burning or explosion of one element of the string will, itself, initiate the burning or explosion of the succeeding element, thus eliminating the need for multiple control lines for the desired sequential ignition.
Inventors
- 👤 R Challacombe
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 23:30
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B43/00; E21B43/25; E21B43/26; E21B43/263; E21B37/00; E21B37/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
96 words
The method of cleaning a fluid well comprising the step of creating within said well a plurality of groups of pressure pulses, said groups being initiated at successive times and respectively at different points along the extent of said well, said step comprising creating each said group as a series of at least three pressure pulses initiated at successive times and respectively at different points along the extent of said well, at least one pressure pulse of each group being explosively initiated and having a magnitude substantially greater than the other pressure pulses of such group.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
96 words
The method of cleaning a fluid well comprising the step of creating within said well a plurality of groups of pressure pulses, said groups being initiated at successive times and respectively at different points along the extent of said well, said step comprising creating each said group as a series of at least three pressure pulses initiated at successive times and respectively at different points along the extent of said well, at least one pressure pulse of each group being explosively initiated and having a magnitude substantially greater than the other pressure pulses of such group.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
46 words
The method of enhancing operation of a fluid well comprising the steps of sequentially detonating a plurality of explosions within the well, and upon occurrence of said detonations, generating a sequence of pressure pulses each having a duration considerably greater than the duration of said explosions.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
46 words
The method of enhancing operation of a fluid well comprising the steps of sequentially detonating a plurality of explosions within the well, and upon occurrence of said detonations, generating a sequence of pressure pulses each having a duration considerably greater than the duration of said explosions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said step of generating a sequence of pressure pulses includes the steps of burning a combustible within the well, and releasing gases of said burning at a rate that fluctuates to produce pressure pulses of released gas.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
71 words
The method of cleaning a fluid well comprising the steps of initiating an explosive shock within the well, and after initiating said explosive shock, initiating a chronologically spaced series of pressure pulses of relatively lesser intensity than said shock, said step of initiating pressure pulses comprising initiating deflagration of a series of discrete quantities of combustible that burns at a rate that is less than the rate of said explosive shock.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
71 words
The method of cleaning a fluid well comprising the steps of initiating an explosive shock within the well, and after initiating said explosive shock, initiating a chronologically spaced series of pressure pulses of relatively lesser intensity than said shock, said step of initiating pressure pulses comprising initiating deflagration of a series of discrete quantities of combustible that burns at a rate that is less than the rate of said explosive shock.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
52 words
The method of cleaning a fluid well comprising the steps of initiating a chronologically spaced series of explosions within the well, and during an interval between at least two of said explosions, initiating a chronologically spaced series of pressure pulses each having a duration considerably greater than the duration of said explosions.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
52 words
The method of cleaning a fluid well comprising the steps of initiating a chronologically spaced series of explosions within the well, and during an interval between at least two of said explosions, initiating a chronologically spaced series of pressure pulses each having a duration considerably greater than the duration of said explosions.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
55 words
The method of cleaning a fluid well comprising the steps of initiating a chronologically spaced series of explosions within the well, and during an interval between at least two of said explosions, initiating a chronologically spaced series of pressure pulses each having a magnitude substantially smaller than the magnitude of pressure due to said explosions.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
55 words
The method of cleaning a fluid well comprising the steps of initiating a chronologically spaced series of explosions within the well, and during an interval between at least two of said explosions, initiating a chronologically spaced series of pressure pulses each having a magnitude substantially smaller than the magnitude of pressure due to said explosions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 6 wherein each of said pressure pulses and explosions, except the first of said explosions, in initiated by the immediately preceding pressure pulse or explosion.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
101 words
The method of cleaning a fluid well comprising the step of creating within said well a plurality of groups of pressure pulses, said groups being initiated at successive times and respectively at different points along the extent of said well, said step comprising creating said group as a series of pressure pulses initiated at successive times and respectively at different points along the extent of said well, one pressure pulse of each group having a magnitude substantially greater than the other pressure pulses of such group and each of said pulses except the first being initiated by the immediately preceding pulse.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
101 words
The method of cleaning a fluid well comprising the step of creating within said well a plurality of groups of pressure pulses, said groups being initiated at successive times and respectively at different points along the extent of said well, said step comprising creating said group as a series of pressure pulses initiated at successive times and respectively at different points along the extent of said well, one pressure pulse of each group having a magnitude substantially greater than the other pressure pulses of such group and each of said pulses except the first being initiated by the immediately preceding pulse.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
103 words
The method of cleaning a fluid well comprising the step of creating within said well a plurality of groups of pressure pulses, said groups being initiated at successive times and respectively at different points along the extent of said well, said step comprising, creating said group as a series of pressure pulses initiated at successive times and respectively at different points along the extent of said well, one pressure pulse of each group having a magnitude substantially greater than the other pressure pulses of such group, and havIng a duration considerably less than the duration of the other pressure pulses of the group.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
103 words
The method of cleaning a fluid well comprising the step of creating within said well a plurality of groups of pressure pulses, said groups being initiated at successive times and respectively at different points along the extent of said well, said step comprising, creating said group as a series of pressure pulses initiated at successive times and respectively at different points along the extent of said well, one pressure pulse of each group having a magnitude substantially greater than the other pressure pulses of such group, and havIng a duration considerably less than the duration of the other pressure pulses of the group.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
71 words
The method of cleaning a fluid well comprising the steps of forming a pulsation generator having an elongated body with a plurality of mutually spaced chambers interconnected by restricted passages, loading said passages and chambers with combustible material, placing said pulsation generator within a well to be cleaned, placing an explosive device within said well, detonating said explosive device, and causing detonation of said explosive device to ignite said combustible material.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
71 words
The method of cleaning a fluid well comprising the steps of forming a pulsation generator having an elongated body with a plurality of mutually spaced chambers interconnected by restricted passages, loading said passages and chambers with combustible material, placing said pulsation generator within a well to be cleaned, placing an explosive device within said well, detonating said explosive device, and causing detonation of said explosive device to ignite said combustible material.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
96 words
The method of cleaning a well comprising the steps of forming a plurality of chambers interconnected to provide an elongated string of chambers, loading said chambers with a combustible that burns at less than explosive rate, inserting said string of loaded chambers into a well to be cleaned, initiating combustion of the combustible in a first one of said chambers, initiating combustion of the combustible in each of the other of said chambers in succession, each in response to combustion in an adjacent chamber, and including the step of detonating an explosive device within said well.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
96 words
The method of cleaning a well comprising the steps of forming a plurality of chambers interconnected to provide an elongated string of chambers, loading said chambers with a combustible that burns at less than explosive rate, inserting said string of loaded chambers into a well to be cleaned, initiating combustion of the combustible in a first one of said chambers, initiating combustion of the combustible in each of the other of said chambers in succession, each in response to combustion in an adjacent chamber, and including the step of detonating an explosive device within said well.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 11 including the step of causing detonation of said explosive device to effect said step of initiating combustion of combustible in said first chamber.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-03-19 | 1976-09-18 | 1977-03-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-03-19 | 1980-09-18 | 1981-03-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-03-19 | 1984-09-18 | 1985-03-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |