Single trip wellbore cleaning and sealing system and method
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsPhilippe Quero, Harley Jones
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A downhole tool for cleaning and sealing a wellbore includes a wash tool configured at a downhole end of the downhole tool to generate pulses of a first fluid at a first frequency and a first pressure for washing a target interval of a wellbore. The downhole tool further includes a plugging tool configured uphole or downhole from the wash tool to generate pulses of a second fluid at a second frequency and a second pressure for depositing a sealing plug at the target interval of the wellbore. The second fluid has a higher viscosity than the first fluid, the second frequency is lower than the first frequency, and the second pressure is higher than the first pressure.
Claims20
A downhole tool, comprising:
- a wash tool configured at a downhole end of the downhole tool to generate pulses of a first fluid at a first frequency and a first pressure for washing a target interval of a wellbore;
- and
- a plugging tool configured uphole or downhole from the wash tool to generate pulses of a second fluid at a second frequency and a second pressure for depositing a sealing plug at the target interval of the wellbore,
- wherein:
- the second fluid has a higher viscosity than the first fluid;
- the second frequency is lower than the first frequency;
- and
- the second pressure is higher than the first pressure.
A method for sealing a wellbore using a downhole tool, comprising:
- washing a target interval of a wellbore with pulses of a first fluid at a first frequency and a first pressure generated by a wash tool at a downhole end of the downhole tool;
- and
- depositing a sealing plug made of a solidified second fluid at the target interval with pulses of the second fluid at a second frequency and a second pressure generated by a plugging tool configured uphole from the wash tool,
- wherein:
- the second fluid has a higher viscosity than the first fluid;
- the second frequency is lower than the first frequency;
- and
- the second pressure is higher than the first pressure.
A plugging tool for depositing a sealing plug at a target interval of a wellbore, comprising:
- a low frequency generator for generating pulses of a high viscosity fluid, wherein the low frequency generator comprises:
- a piston including a piston base, a piston shaft and a piston head, wherein the piston is configured to move laterally along a length of the low frequency generator;
- a stabilizer configured near a neck portion of the piston between the piston head and the piston base, wherein the stabilizer is configured to allow lateral movement of the piston shaft while supporting the shaft;
- and
- a spring positioned between the piston base and the piston head such that the spring pushes against the piston base away from an opening of the low frequency generator at a downhole end of the low frequency generator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.