Rock Stress Modification Technique
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorsTom Olsen, Tom R. Bratton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A technique involves facilitating fracturing operations along a wellbore extending through a subterranean formation. A stress device is deployed in a wellbore and activated to engage a surrounding wall. The stress device can then be manipulated to create a reduced stress region in the formation at a desired location along the wellbore. The reduced stress region facilitates the controlled formation of a fracture in the formation at the desired location. Furthermore, the stress device can be moved and the process repeated at multiple locations along the wellbore.
Claims24
A method of treating a well, comprising:
- deploying a device into a wellbore;
- engaging a wall of the wellbore with the device;
- manipulating the device to create a reduced stress region in a formation;
- and
- fracturing the formation at the reduced stress region.
A method, comprising:
- deploying a stress device into a generally horizontal section of a wellbore via tubing;
- engaging the stress device with a surrounding wall;
- and
- manipulating the stress device to create a reduced stress region at a desired location in a formation along the horizontal section to enable controlled creation of a transverse fracture in the formation at the desired location.
A system, comprising:
- a tubing;
- a stress device mounted to the tubing for movement along a wellbore, the stress device having a mechanism able to engage and the grip a wellbore wall, wherein the stress device can be manipulated to create a reduced stress region at a selected location in a formation;
- and
- a fracturing system to create a transverse fracture in the formation.
A method, comprising:
- selecting multiple fracture locations along a generally horizontal section of a wellbore;
- delivering a stress device downhole into the wellbore;
- utilizing the stress device to create a reduced stress region in the formation at a first fracture location of the multiple fracture locations;
- fracturing the formation at the reduced stress region created at the first fracture location;
- and
- moving the stress device to sequentially create reduced stress regions and to fracture the formation at the reduced stress regions for each fracture location of the multiple fracture locations.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.