Zonal Isolation of Telescoping Perforation Apparatus with Memory Based Material
OwnerEdgar Van Sickle, Eugene Rattermaninventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for isolating formation zones preferably with a memory based material formed into an expansion element, with an outer diameter larger than a borehole, adjacent to a radially telescoping perforation element, converting the memory based expansion element to a stable, smaller, run-in diameter, running it into the borehole, then allowing the memory based material to expand and seal against the borehole wall. Expansion can be enhanced by expanding a mandrel on which the expansion element is formed. The expansion element separates two or more groups of outwardly radially telescoping perforation elements, to isolate formation zones and allow the perforation elements to access the isolated zones.
Claims25
A method for isolating formation zones of a well, said method comprising:
- forming an expansion element of memory based material on a base element, said expansion element having an original outer diameter larger than a selected borehole diameter;
- providing at least one radially telescoping perforation element on said base element;
- reducing the diameter of said memory based material to an interim outer diameter smaller than said selected borehole diameter;
- stabilizing said memory based material at said interim outer diameter;
- running said base element into a borehole to align said radially telescoping perforation element with a selected formation zone;
- and
- allowing said memory based material to radially expand to seal between said base element and said borehole, to thereby isolate said selected formation zone.
A tool for accessing isolated formation zones of a well, said tool comprising:
- a tubular body;
- and
- a substantially cylindrical expansion element formed on said tubular body, said expansion element being formed of memory based material, said expansion element having first and second stable states;
- at least one radially telescoping perforation element on said tubular body adjacent to said expansion element, said at least one perforation element being adapted to access at least one selected formation zone;
- wherein said memory based material in said first stable state has a first outer diameter larger than the diameter of the borehole of said well;
- wherein said memory based material is selectively convertible to said second stable state at a second outer diameter smaller than said borehole diameter;
- and
- wherein said memory based material is selectively convertible back to said first stable state at said first outer diameter.
A downhole completion method, comprising:
- delivering a tubular housing to a predetermined location downhole;
- providing valving on said tubular to selectively allow flow through a wall that defines said housing to go through in a filtered or unfiltered condition;
- isolating said valving in at least one producing zone in the wellbore;
- expanding said tubular when located downhole;
- treating said producing zone using the unfiltered position of said valving;
- producing said producing zone with said valving in the filtered position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.