Casing annulus leakage repair method and system
AssigneeSaudi Arabian Oil Company
InventorsBrett Bouldin, Robert John Turner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for repairing a leak in a cement sheath of a casing of a well. A portion of the inner casing and the cement sheath is removed to create an opening that extends through the inner casing and the cement sheath. A tool is inserted within the inner casing to a location adjacent to the opening and one or more segments of a heat-deforming material that are part of the tool is heated to cause melting of the heat-deforming material. The tool is configured to direct the melted heat-deforming material radially outward into the opening. Once cooled, the heat-deforming material plugs the opening, thereby repairing the leak within the cement sheath.
Claims26
A method for repairing a leak in a casing of a well, wherein the casing comprises an inner casing and an outer casing with a first space formed therebetween, the method comprising:
- removing a portion of the inner casing to create an opening in the inner casing so that the first space is accessible;
- inserting a tubular and an annular packer tool attached to the tubular to a location adjacent to the opening, wherein the annular packer tool surrounds the tubular and comprises one or more segments of heat-deforming material on an outer surface of the annular packer tool;
- inserting a heater into the well and positioning the heater at a location that is internally within the tubular and is adjacent to the annular packer tool;
- activating the heater to a temperature above an activation temperature of the one or more segments of heat-deforming material, thereby causing the heat-deforming material to melt, and wherein the melted heat-deforming material flows into the opening;
- and
- reducing the temperature of the location adjacent to the annular packer tool to below the activation temperature of the heat-deforming material to cause the melted heat-deforming material to solidify within the opening and within the first space.
A method for repairing a leak in a cement sheath of a casing of a well, wherein the casing comprises an inner casing and an outer casing with the cement sheath formed therebetween, the method comprising:
- removing a portion of the inner casing and the cement sheath at a location above the leak to create an opening that extends through the inner casing and extends at least partially within the cement sheath, respectively;
- inserting a tool within the inner casing to a location adjacent to the opening, the tool being positioned radially inward of the inner casing, cement sheath and outer casing, the tool including one or more segments of heat-deforming material disposed along an outer surface of the tool;
- heating the one or more segments of the heat-deforming material to cause the one or more segments of the heat-deforming material to melt and wherein the tool is configured to direct the melted heat-deforming material radially outward into the opening;
- and
- cooling the melted heat-deforming material while the heat-deforming material remains in place within the opening to cause the heat-deforming material to solidify and plug the opening, thereby repairing the leak within the cement sheath.
A system for repairing a leak in a casing of a well, wherein the casing comprises an inner casing and an outer casing, the system comprising:
- an underreamer configured to remove a portion of the inner casing at the location of the leak to create an annular-shaped opening in the inner casing;
- a tubular and an annular packer tool attached to the tubular, wherein the tubular is positioned a location adjacent to the annular-shaped opening, and wherein the annular packer tool comprises one or more segments of heat-deforming material on its outer surface;
- and
- a heater configured to heat the well at the location adjacent to the annular packer tool, to a temperature above an activation temperature of the one or more segments of heat-deforming material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.