# US 10,767,447 B2 · Downhole radial cleanout tool

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- Number: US 10,767,447 B2
- Document ID: US10767447B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/776,026
- Filed: 2016-02-15
- Published: 2018-11-15
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2016-02-15
- Assignees: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
- Applicants: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
- Inventors: Nikhil Manmadhan Kartha; Mark S. Holly
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10767447B2

## CPC

- E21B 37/00: Methods or apparatus for cleaning boreholes or wells (E21B21/00 takes precedence)
- B08B 9/0433: {provided exclusively with fluid jets as cleaning tools}
- E21B 41/0078: {Nozzles used in boreholes (drilling by liquid or gas jets E21B7/18; drill bits with nozzles E21B10/60; perforators using direct fluid action E21B43/114; obtaining a slurry of minerals using nozzles E21B43/29)}
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL

## Abstract

A downhole cleanout tool includes a tool housing have a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, and a filter between the inlet and the outlet. The tool includes a pump that is fluidly coupled to at least the fluid inlet to motivate fluid across the filter. The tool also includes a rotatable housing having a nozzle that is fluidly coupled to the pump outlet. The rotatable housing may rotate about a longitudinal axis of the rotatable housing, and the filter and pump may be disposed within the rotatable housing. Each nozzle may include a nozzle outlet oriented at an angle (a) from a radial axis extending from the longitudinal axis of the rotatable housing to a location where the nozzle outlet intersects the periphery of the rotatable housing such that motivation of fluid through the nozzle results in rotation of the rotatable housing.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A downhole cleanout tool comprising:
a tool housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;
a filter disposed between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet;
a pump having a pump inlet and a pump outlet, the pump being fluidly coupled to at least the fluid inlet to motivate fluid across the filter; and
a rotatable housing having at least one nozzle disposed therein, the nozzle being fluidly coupled to the pump outlet, wherein the pump is disposed within the rotatable housing.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The downhole cleanout tool of claim 1, wherein the rotatable housing comprises a generally cylindrical housing operable to rotate about a longitudinal axis of the rotatable housing,
wherein the filter is disposed within the rotatable housing,
wherein the rotatable housing is coupled to a power source and a supporting cable via a rotatable joint.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The downhole cleanout tool of claim 2, wherein each nozzle comprises a nozzle outlet oriented at an angle (α) from a radial axis extending from the longitudinal axis of the rotatable housing to a location where the nozzle outlet intersects a periphery of the rotatable housing.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The downhole cleanout tool of claim 2, further comprising: a cable, wherein the rotatable joint comprises a slip ring and wherein, the rotatable housing is configured to rotate about the longitudinal axis upon circulation of fluid through the nozzle.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The downhole cleanout tool of claim 1, wherein the filter is a canister filter having:
a filter inlet fluidly coupled to the fluid inlet,
a generally cylindrical body forming a cylindrical cavity, and
a plurality of apertures disposed about the circumference of the cylindrical body, the apertures being fluidly coupled to an annulus between an external surface of the canister filter and an internal surface of the rotatable housing,
wherein the annulus is fluidly coupled to the pump inlet.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The downhole cleanout tool of claim 5, wherein the rotatable housing is coupled to a downhole end of the filter, and wherein the rotatable housing is coupled to a spindle extending from the rotatable housing through the cylindrical cavity of the filter, the spindle comprising an auger.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The downhole cleanout tool of claim 6, wherein the spindle and auger are operable to rotate relative to the generally cylindrical body of the filter when fluid is circulated through the nozzle.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The downhole cleanout tool of claim 1, wherein the rotatable housing comprises a plurality of brushes extending from an external surface of the rotatable housing.

### Claim 9

A method of cleaning a wellbore comprising:
deploying cleanout tool into a well, the cleanout tool comprising a tool housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, a filter disposed between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, a pump having a pump inlet and a pump outlet, the pump being fluidly coupled to at least the fluid inlet, and a rotatable housing having at least one nozzle disposed therein, the nozzle being fluidly coupled to the pump outlet; and
operating the pump to motivate fluid across the filter and through the nozzle,
wherein the pump is disposed within the rotatable housing, and wherein operating the pump causes rotation of the rotatable housing and application of a scrubbing stream of fluid from the nozzle to an inner circumferential surface of the wellbore.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein operating the pump comprises delivering power and an actuation signal to the pump via a supporting cable and a rotatable joint, and wherein the filter is disposed within the rotatable housing, the rotatable housing being coupled to the supporting cable by the rotatable joint.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising orienting each nozzle at an angle (α) from a radial axis extending from a longitudinal axis of the rotatable housing to a location where the centerline of a nozzle outlet intersects a periphery of the rotatable housing.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising dynamically changing the angle (α) upon in response to detecting scaling on the wellbore.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein operating the pump comprises motivating fluid through a filter inlet fluidly coupled to the fluid inlet and through a plurality of apertures disposed about a circumference of filter.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising rotating an auger disposed on a spindle positioned within a cylindrical cavity of the filter in response to rotation of the rotatable housing.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising scrubbing the wellbore with a plurality of brushes extending from an external surface of the rotatable housing.

### Claim 16

A wellbore cleaning system comprising:
a cable; and
a cleanout tool coupled to the cable, the cleanout tool having a control unit coupled to the cable, a rotatable joint, a pump, a filter, a rotatable housing, and a plurality of nozzles having nozzle outlets spaced equidistantly a periphery of the cleanout tool,
wherein the plurality of nozzles are positioned within the rotatable housing, and wherein the pump is disposed within the rotatable housing.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein:
the rotatable housing comprises a generally cylindrical housing operable to rotate about a longitudinal axis of the rotatable housing,
the filter is disposed within the rotatable housing, and
the rotatable housing is electrically coupled to the control unit through the rotatable joint.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein each nozzle comprises a nozzle outlet oriented at an angle (α) from a radial axis extending from a longitudinal axis of the rotatable housing to a location where the nozzle outlet intersects a periphery of the rotatable housing.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein the rotatable housing comprises a plurality of brushes extending from an external surface of the rotatable housing.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, further comprising an auger and spindle positioned within a cylindrical cavity of the filter and rotationally coupled to the rotatable housing, wherein the auger and spindle are operable to rotate within the filter upon rotation of the rotatable housing.