US3848124A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for determining communication of a perforated zone with a second zone
Assignee: Halliburton Co
•
Filing: 1972-12-15
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Granted: 1974-11-12
•
Expires: 1992-12-15
Abstract
Abstract Method for locating the presence of passageways formed longitudinally of a borehole which communicates a production zone with a second zone, by placing isotopes adjacent the well casing at spaced apart locations above and below the perforated zone, or alternatively, by placing spaced apart isotopes adjacent the borehole wall above and below the perforated zone of the borehole. The spaced apart isotopes have a half life or decay rate which enables the translocation of either of the isotopes to be traced or ascertained with radiation measuring apparatus. The apparatus includes means for affixing the isotopes adjacent the casing or adjacent the borehole wall, with the isotopes being vertically spaced apart by the cement which attaches the casing to the borehole wall so that should cracks or tunneling permit the flow of fluid to occur along an undesired flow path, the location of the undesired flow path can be determined and remedial action taken to cure the defect.
Inventors
- 👤 R Vann
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 08:00
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01V; G01V5/00; G01V5/04; G01V5/08; G01V5/12; E; E21; E21B; E21B47/00; E21B47/005; E21B47/10; E21B47/11; E21B47/111
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 49
Claim 1
Independent Claim
136 words
In a borehole having a casing cemented therein with the cement filling the annulus between the casing and the borehole wall, wherein the casing and cement have been perforated adjacent a potential production zone; the method of locating the presence of passageways formed externally of the casing and longitudinally of the borehole comprising the steps of: 1. placing a first isotope uphole and a second isotope downhole of the perforations, said isotopes having a known half-life, said isotopes being placed at the interface formed between the cement and the casing wall; 2. analyzing the borehole near the perforated zone to determine the translocation of either of the isotoPes to thereby determine the length and direction of any passageway which may be found, and to determine the location of the passageway with respect to the perforated zone.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
136 words
In a borehole having a casing cemented therein with the cement filling the annulus between the casing and the borehole wall, wherein the casing and cement have been perforated adjacent a potential production zone; the method of locating the presence of passageways formed externally of the casing and longitudinally of the borehole comprising the steps of: 1. placing a first isotope uphole and a second isotope downhole of the perforations, said isotopes having a known half-life, said isotopes being placed at the interface formed between the cement and the casing wall; 2. analyzing the borehole near the perforated zone to determine the translocation of either of the isotoPes to thereby determine the length and direction of any passageway which may be found, and to determine the location of the passageway with respect to the perforated zone.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
analyzing the borehole near the perforated zone to determine the translocation of either of the isotoPes to thereby determine the length and direction of any passageway which may be found, and to determine the location of the passageway with respect to the perforated zone.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
analyzing the borehole near the perforated zone to determine the translocation of either of the isotoPes to thereby determine the length and direction of any passageway which may be found, and to determine the location of the passageway with respect to the perforated zone.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1 and further including the step of:
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
analyzing the borehole near the perforated zone to determine the translocation of either of the isotopes to thereby determine the length and direction of any passageway which may be formed, and to determine the location of the passageway with respect to the perforated zone.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
analyzing the borehole near the perforated zone to determine the translocation of either of the isotopes to thereby determine the length and direction of any passageway which may be formed, and to determine the location of the passageway with respect to the perforated zone.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
placing the isotopes in the borehole prior to cementing the casing into place.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
placing the isotopes in the borehole prior to cementing the casing into place.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
placing the first and second isotopes at radially spaced apart positions about the inside peripheral wall surface of the borehole wall.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
placing the first and second isotopes at radially spaced apart positions about the inside peripheral wall surface of the borehole wall.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
placing the isotopes in the borehole prior to cementing the casing into place.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
placing the isotopes in the borehole prior to cementing the casing into place.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 2, and further including the following additional step:
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
7 words
acidizing the perforated zone of the borehole;
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
7 words
acidizing the perforated zone of the borehole;
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
placing the first and second isotope on two centralizers, and placing one of said centralizers above and another of said centralizers below the perforated zone.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
placing the first and second isotope on two centralizers, and placing one of said centralizers above and another of said centralizers below the perforated zone.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
placing the recited isotopes within a cavity formed on the outside wall surface of the casing.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
placing the recited isotopes within a cavity formed on the outside wall surface of the casing.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
placing the first and second isotopes at radially spaced apart positions about the outside peripheral wall surface of the casing.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
placing the first and second isotopes at radially spaced apart positions about the outside peripheral wall surface of the casing.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
7 words
acidizing the perforated zone of the borehole;
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
7 words
acidizing the perforated zone of the borehole;
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
14 words
repeating step (2) to determine the presence of the passageways before fracturing the borehole.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
14 words
repeating step (2) to determine the presence of the passageways before fracturing the borehole.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1 and further including the steps of:
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
36 words
adding an isotope to the cement as it is initially pumped into the borehole annulus so as to enable subsequent analysis to show the location of the top of the cement plug in the borehole annulus.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
36 words
adding an isotope to the cement as it is initially pumped into the borehole annulus so as to enable subsequent analysis to show the location of the top of the cement plug in the borehole annulus.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
36 words
adding an isotope to the cement as it is initially pumped into the borehole annulus so as to enable subsequent analysis to show the location of the top of the cement plug in the borehole annulus.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
36 words
adding an isotope to the cement as it is initially pumped into the borehole annulus so as to enable subsequent analysis to show the location of the top of the cement plug in the borehole annulus.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
22 words
repeating step (2) to determine the presence of any passageways which may have been formed after acidizing and before fracturing the borehole.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
22 words
repeating step (2) to determine the presence of any passageways which may have been formed after acidizing and before fracturing the borehole.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1, and further including the step of:
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1, and further including the step of:
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the isotopes are protected by an oil soluble material so that an isotope, when contacted by hydrocarbons, is admixed with and flow along with the hydrocarbons.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the isotopes are protected by a water soluble material so that an isotope, when contacted by water, is admixed with the flows along with the water.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the isotopes are protected by a material which releases the isotope when contacted by an acid solution so that an isotope, when contacted by an acid solution during an acidizing operation, will be admixed and flow along with the acid solution.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
56 words
In a borehole having a casing cemented therein with the cement filling the annulus between the casing and the borehole wall, wherein the casing and cement have been perforated adjacent a potential production zone; the method of locating the presence of passageways formed externally of the casing and longitudinally of the borehole comprising the steps of:
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
56 words
In a borehole having a casing cemented therein with the cement filling the annulus between the casing and the borehole wall, wherein the casing and cement have been perforated adjacent a potential production zone; the method of locating the presence of passageways formed externally of the casing and longitudinally of the borehole comprising the steps of:
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 10 and further including the step of:
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 11 and further including the following additional step:
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 10, and further including the steps of:
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 10, and further including the steps of:
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 10, and further including the step of:
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
104 words
In a borehole having a casing cemented therein with the cement filling the annulus formed between the borehole wall and the casing, wherein the caSing and cement have been perforated adjacent a potential production zone, apparatus for locating the presence of passageways formed externally of the casing and longitudinally of the borehole, comprising: a first and a second isotope; means affixing said isotopes externally of the casing at spaced apart locations above and below the perforated zone; so that, communication between the perforated zone and another zone spaced apart from the perforated zone can be determined by a gamma ray survey of the borehole.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
104 words
In a borehole having a casing cemented therein with the cement filling the annulus formed between the borehole wall and the casing, wherein the caSing and cement have been perforated adjacent a potential production zone, apparatus for locating the presence of passageways formed externally of the casing and longitudinally of the borehole, comprising: a first and a second isotope; means affixing said isotopes externally of the casing at spaced apart locations above and below the perforated zone; so that, communication between the perforated zone and another zone spaced apart from the perforated zone can be determined by a gamma ray survey of the borehole.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the means affixing the first isotope externally of the casing includes a collar, means forming a depression in said collar, a vehicle which is soluble in well fluid, said isotope being admixed with said vehicle and placed in said collar.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the half-life of said first isotope and the half-life of said second isotope differ from one another an amount which can be measured with a gamma ray survey.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-11-11 | 1978-05-13 | 1978-11-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-11-11 | 1982-05-13 | 1982-11-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-11-11 | 1986-05-13 | 1986-11-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |