Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
74 words
A device for manipulating ferrofluids in a wellbore annulus between a pipe or casing and walls of a well, comprising: (a) means for generating a plurality of alternating magnetic fields distributed in a radial manner, said fields extending into a ferrofluid in the wellbore annulus separating the casing and walls of a subterranean formation; and (b) means for moving said plurality of magnetic fields relative to the ferrofluid, to facilitate movement of the ferrofluid.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
74 words
A device for manipulating ferrofluids in a wellbore annulus between a pipe or casing and walls of a well, comprising: (a) means for generating a plurality of alternating magnetic fields distributed in a radial manner, said fields extending into a ferrofluid in the wellbore annulus separating the casing and walls of a subterranean formation; and (b) means for moving said plurality of magnetic fields relative to the ferrofluid, to facilitate movement of the ferrofluid.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
68 words
A device for manipulating ferrofluids in a wellbore annulus between a pipe or casing and walls of a well, comprising: (a) a permanently magnetized casing for generating at least one magnetic field, said field extending into a ferrofluid in the wellbore annulus separating the casing and walls of a subterranean formation; and (b) means for moving said casing relative to the ferrofluid, to facilitate movement of the ferrofluid.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
68 words
A device for manipulating ferrofluids in a wellbore annulus between a pipe or casing and walls of a well, comprising: (a) a permanently magnetized casing for generating at least one magnetic field, said field extending into a ferrofluid in the wellbore annulus separating the casing and walls of a subterranean formation; and (b) means for moving said casing relative to the ferrofluid, to facilitate movement of the ferrofluid.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
A device as defined by claim 2, in which a plurality of magnetic fields are alternatingly distributed in a radial manner around the casing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A device as defined by claim 2, in which a plurality of magnetic fields are alternatingly distributed in an axial manner along the casing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
A device as defined by claim 1 in which the magnetic field generating means comprises an array of permanent magnets and the magnetic field moving means comprises means to move said array with respect to the ferrofluid.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
A device as defined by claim 5 in which the north and south poles of the array of permanent magnets are alternatingly distributed in a radial manner around the casing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
A device as defined by claim 5 in which the north and south poles of the array of permanent magnets are alternatingly distributed in an axial manner along the casing.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
96 words
A device for manipulating ferrofluids in a wellbore annulus between a ferromagnetic casing and walls of a well, comprising: (a) means for generating a first magnetic field in a first direction in the ferromagnetic casing; (b) means for generating a second magnetic field in a second direction forming a non-zero angle with said first magnetic field, said second magnetic field extending into a ferrofluid in the wellbore annulus separating the casing and walls of a subterranean formation; and (c) means for moving said second magnetic field relative to the ferrofluid, to facilitate movement of the ferrofluid.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
96 words
A device for manipulating ferrofluids in a wellbore annulus between a ferromagnetic casing and walls of a well, comprising: (a) means for generating a first magnetic field in a first direction in the ferromagnetic casing; (b) means for generating a second magnetic field in a second direction forming a non-zero angle with said first magnetic field, said second magnetic field extending into a ferrofluid in the wellbore annulus separating the casing and walls of a subterranean formation; and (c) means for moving said second magnetic field relative to the ferrofluid, to facilitate movement of the ferrofluid.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
A device as defined by claim 8, in which the first magnetic field generating means comprises a solenoid.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
72 words
A method for manipulating ferrofluids in a wellbore annulus between a pipe or casing and walls of a well, comprising the steps of: (a) generating a plurality of alternating magnetic fields distributed in a radial manner and extending into a ferrofluid in the wellbore annulus separating the casing and walls of a subterranean formation; and (b) moving said plurality of magnetic fields relative to the ferrofluid, to facilitate movement of the ferrofluid.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
72 words
A method for manipulating ferrofluids in a wellbore annulus between a pipe or casing and walls of a well, comprising the steps of: (a) generating a plurality of alternating magnetic fields distributed in a radial manner and extending into a ferrofluid in the wellbore annulus separating the casing and walls of a subterranean formation; and (b) moving said plurality of magnetic fields relative to the ferrofluid, to facilitate movement of the ferrofluid.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
70 words
A method for manipulating ferrofluids in a wellbore annulus between a pipe or casing and walls of a well, comprising the steps of: (a) generating at least one magnetic field by a permanently magnetized casing, said magnetic field extending into a ferrofluid in the wellbore annulus separating the casing and walls of a subterranean formation; and (b) moving said casing relative to the ferrofluid, to facilitate movement of the ferrofluid.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
70 words
A method for manipulating ferrofluids in a wellbore annulus between a pipe or casing and walls of a well, comprising the steps of: (a) generating at least one magnetic field by a permanently magnetized casing, said magnetic field extending into a ferrofluid in the wellbore annulus separating the casing and walls of a subterranean formation; and (b) moving said casing relative to the ferrofluid, to facilitate movement of the ferrofluid.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as defined by claim 11, in which a plurality of magnetic fields are alternatingly distributed in a radial manner around the casing.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as defined by claim 11, in which a plurality of magnetic fields are alternatingly distributed in an axial manner along the casing.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method as defined by claim 10 in which the magnetic field generating step is performed by an array of permanent magnets and the magnetic field moving step is performed by moving said array with respect to the ferrofluid.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
55 words
A method as defined by claim 14 in which, in the magnetic field generating step, the north and south poles of the permanent magnets are alternatingly distributed in a radial manner around the casing, and in the magnetic field moving step the array is rotated around an axis coincident with the axis of the casing.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
58 words
A method as defined by claim 14 in which, in the magnetic field generating step, the north and south poles of the array of permanent magnets are alternatingly distributed in an axial manner along the casing, and in the magnetic field moving step the array is axially displaced along an axis coincident with the axis of the casing.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
93 words
A method for manipulating ferrofluids in a wellbore annulus between a ferromagnetic casing and walls of a well, comprising the steps of: (a) generating a first magnetic field in a first direction in the ferromagnetic casing; (b) generating a second magnetic field in a second direction forming a non-zero angle with said first magnetic field, said second magnetic field extending into a ferrofluid in the wellbore annulus separating the casing and walls of a subterranean formation; and (c) moving said second magnetic field relative to the ferrofluid, to facillitate movement of the ferrofluid.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
93 words
A method for manipulating ferrofluids in a wellbore annulus between a ferromagnetic casing and walls of a well, comprising the steps of: (a) generating a first magnetic field in a first direction in the ferromagnetic casing; (b) generating a second magnetic field in a second direction forming a non-zero angle with said first magnetic field, said second magnetic field extending into a ferrofluid in the wellbore annulus separating the casing and walls of a subterranean formation; and (c) moving said second magnetic field relative to the ferrofluid, to facillitate movement of the ferrofluid.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as defined by claim 17, in which in the first magnetic field generating step, the first magnetic field is generated by a solenoid
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
42 words
A device as defined by claim 6 in which the permanent magnets are attached to the outside of the casing and the magnetic field moving means comprises means to rotate the casing around an axis coincident with the axis of the casing.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as defined by claim 15, in which the permanent magnets are attached to the outside of the casing.