Wave manipulator for use in electrohydraulic fracture stimulations
AssigneeExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company
InventorRainer N. Dahms
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods for electrohydraulic fracture stimulation of formations may include producing an acoustic shock wave having a compressive wave character in a wellbore penetrating a formation and manipulating the acoustic shock wave. The acoustic shock wave may be manipulated in one or more of the following steps: channeling the acoustic shock wave down the wellbore to change a shape of the acoustic shock wave to less spherical; converting the compressive wave character to an expansion wave character; and changing an acoustic impedance of the acoustic shock wave. The acoustic shock wave having the changed shape, the expansion wave character, and the changed acoustic impedance is distributed into the formation.
Claims18
A method comprising:
- producing an acoustic shock wave having a compressive wave character in a wellbore penetrating a formation;
- channeling the acoustic shock wave longitudinally down the wellbore through a cavity containing a gas to change a shape of the acoustic shock wave to a quasi-planar shape;
- converting the compressive wave character to an expansion wave character,
- wherein the compressive wave character is converted to the expansion wave character by reflecting the acoustic shock wave with the compressive wave character off of a solid-gas interface;
- and
- distributing the acoustic shock wave having the planar shape and the expansion wave character in a transverse direction relative to the wellbore and into the formation.
A method comprising:
- producing a spherically radiating acoustic shock wave having a compressive wave character in a wellbore penetrating a formation;
- channeling the acoustic shock wave longitudinally down the wellbore to change a shape of the acoustic shock wave to less spherical;
- converting the compressive wave character to an expansion wave character;
- wherein the compressive wave character is converted to the expansion wave character by reflecting the acoustic shock wave with the compressive wave character off of a solid-gas interface;
- changing an acoustic impedance of the acoustic shock wave;
- and
- distributing the acoustic shock wave having the changed shape, the expansion wave character, and the changed acoustic impedance in a transverse direction relative to the wellbore and into the formation.
A system comprising:
- an electrohydraulic fracturing device capable of producing an acoustic shock wave;
- a wave manipulator coupled to the electrohydraulic fracturing device such that the acoustic shock wave enters the manipulator, wherein the wave manipulator comprises:
- a wave-focusing component containing a gas, the wave-focusing component being capable of channeling the acoustic shock wave along a longitudinal direction of the wave manipulator;
- a wave converter component comprising a reflective solid-gas interface and capable of converting a compressive wave character of the acoustic shock wave to an expansion character;
- and
- a wave distribution component capable of receiving the acoustic shock wave from the wave-focusing component and distributing the acoustic shock wave in a transverse direction of the wave manipulator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.