In-Hole Vaporization of Liquid Gas for Well Stimulation

Abstract

An illustrative stimulation method includes: displacing a predetermined volume of liquified gas through a wellhead valve into a service tubing string providing access to a stimulation zone of a well; and closing the wellhead valve to confine the liquified gas and pressurize the stimulation zone as the service tubing string vaporizes the liquified gas. An illustrative well configured for stimulation includes: well casing within a borehole; a stainless-steel wellhead with a valve for receiving a liquified gas; and a stainless-steel service tubing string coupled to the valve to receive and vaporize the liquified gas. The service tubing string acts as a heat exchanger, using the downhole temperatures to vaporize the liquified gas.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.