Wellbore zonal isolation
AssigneeSaudi Arabian Oil Company
InventorsAlwaleed Abdullah Al-Gouhi, Mohamed Nabil Noui-Mehidi, Qais Mohammad Al Hennawi, Fadhil N. Alsayegh
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Abstract
A system and method for sealing permeability of a wellbore zone, including deploying a sealing assembly into the wellbore zone. The sealing assembly includes an expandable metal structure and polymer disposed on the expandable metal structure. The metal structure and polymer are expanded against a wall of the wellbore zone to plug the permeability.
Claims22
A sealing assembly for a zone of a wellbore, comprising:
- a setting tool for rigless deployment of the sealing assembly into the wellbore, the setting tool comprising extendable arms;
- ratchet rings disposed on the extendable arms, the ratchet rings expandable to a diameter of the wellbore;
- an expandable metal structure disposed around the ratchet rings;
- and
- polymer disposed on the expandable metal structure to plug permeability of the wellbore zone, the expandable metal structure to receive electricity from an electricity source to heat the expandable metal structure to melt the polymer to plug the permeability.
An oil-well intervention system for a wellbore zone, comprising:
- a sealing assembly to seal the wellbore zone, comprising:
- a setting tool for rigless deployment of the sealing assembly into the wellbore, the setting tool comprising hydraulic extendable arms;
- ratchet rings disposed on the hydraulic arms, the ratchet rings expandable to a diameter of the wellbore zone and to lock in place in an expanded state;
- an expandable metal structure disposed on the ratchet rings;
- and
- polymer disposed around an outer surface of the expandable metal structure, the expandable metal structure to receive electrical current through a deployment extension from an electrical source to heat the expandable metal structure to melt the flexible polymer to seal permeability in the wellbore zone.
A method of sealing permeability of a wellbore water zone, comprising:
- deploying a sealing assembly into the wellbore water zone, wherein the sealing assembly comprises an expandable metal structure and polymer disposed on the expandable metal structure;
- expanding, via a hydraulic cylinder, the expandable metal structure and polymer against a wall of the wellbore water zone;
- and
- heating the expandable metal structure as expanded to melt the polymer against the wall of the wellbore water zone, wherein heating comprises applying electricity to the sealing assembly to heat the expandable metal structure.
A method of sealing permeability of a wellbore water zone, comprising:
- deploying a sealing assembly into the wellbore water zone, wherein the sealing assembly comprises an expandable metal structure and polymer disposed on the expandable metal structure;
- expanding, via a hydraulic cylinder, the expandable metal structure and polymer against a wall of the wellbore water zone;
- and
- heating the expandable metal structure as expanded to melt the polymer against the wall of the wellbore water zone, wherein heating comprises applying electromagnetic radiation to heat the expandable metal structure, and wherein the expandable metal structure comprises ceramic particles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.