# US 10,865,622 B2 · Device and method for cleaning a wellbore equipment

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- Number: US 10,865,622 B2
- Document ID: US10865622B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/148,914
- Filed: 2018-10-01
- Published: 2019-04-04
- Granted: 2020-12-15
- Earliest claimed: 2017-10-02
- Assignees: Blue Spark Energy Inc.
- Applicants: Blue Spark Energy Inc.
- Inventors: Charles Fensky; Robert Harries; Steve Petten
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10865622B2

## CPC

- E21B 37/00: Methods or apparatus for cleaning boreholes or wells (E21B21/00 takes precedence)
- E21B 37/10: Well swabs
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS

## Abstract

The invention relates to an electrical discharge generating device for cleaning an equipment arranged in a wellbore of a subterranean formation in order to improve the recovery of formation fluids and/or gases, said electrical discharge generating device comprising a discharge unit for generating at least one electrical discharge that propagates at least one shock wave for cleaning from said equipment, wherein said electrical discharge generating device further comprises a retaining module configured for retaining a volume of liquid in order to immerse the discharge unit.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electrical discharge generating device for cleaning an equipment arranged in a wellbore of a subterranean formation in order to improve the recovery of formation fluids and/or gases, said electrical discharge generating device comprising a discharge unit for generating at least one electrical discharge that propagates at least one shock wave for cleaning said equipment, wherein said electrical discharge generating device further comprises a retaining module;
wherein said retaining module comprises a retaining element fixed to the bottom part of the body of the device via a rod or a shaft and configured to retain a liquid in order to immerse the discharge unit when positioned in a wellbore;
wherein the retaining module comprises a retaining element configured to retain a liquid in order to immerse the discharge unit when positioned in a wellbore;
wherein the retaining element is fixed to the bottom part of the body of the device via a rod or a shaft.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A device according to claim 1, wherein the retaining element is made of a plastic material.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A device according to claim 1, wherein the retaining element is a cone, the vertex of which pointing downwards, extending under the bottom part of the body of the device and configured to retain a liquid in order to immerse the discharge unit when positioned in a wellbore.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A device according to claim 1, wherein the retaining element comprises a plurality of rings configured to retain a liquid in order to immerse the discharge unit when positioned in a wellbore.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A device according to claim 1, wherein the retaining element is an inflatable element extending from the bottom part of the body and configured to retain a liquid in order to immerse the discharge unit when positioned in a wellbore.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A device according to claim 1, wherein, said electrical discharge generating device comprising a body and said body comprising a bottom part, said bottom part being shaped so as to retain a liquid in order to immerse the discharge unit when positioned in a wellbore.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

A device according to claim 6, wherein the bottom part is made of a plastic material.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

A device according to claim 6, wherein the bottom part may be made of a metal material.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

A device according to claim 6, wherein the bottom part comprises a cone shaped portion, the vertex of which pointing downwards, configured to retain a liquid in order to immerse the discharge unit when positioned in a wellbore.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

A device according to claim 6, wherein the bottom part comprises a plurality of rings configured to retain a liquid in order to immerse the discharge unit when positioned in a wellbore.

### Claim 11 (depends on 6)

A device according to claim 6, wherein the bottom part comprises an inflatable element configured to retain a liquid in order to immerse the discharge unit when positioned in a wellbore.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

A method for cleaning an equipment arranged in a wellbore of a subterranean formation using an electrical discharge generating device in order to improve the recovery of formation fluids and/or gases, said electrical discharge generating device comprising a discharge unit for generating at least one electrical discharge that propagates at least one shock wave for cleaning said equipment, wherein, the device according to claim 1, is configured for retaining a volume of liquid in order to immerse the discharge unit, the method comprises the steps of positioning the device next to a wellbore equipment, filling a liquid in the wellbore so that retaining module retains a volume of liquid in order to immerse the discharge unit, and generating at least one electrical discharge into said retained liquid that propagates at least one shock wave for cleaning said equipment.