US 4,393,932 A · Method and apparatus for uniformly packing gravel around a well casing or liner

Abstract

A method and apparatus for uniformly packing gravel around the perforated region of an oil or water well casing or liner. Sonic elastic wave energy generated by means of an orbiting mass oscillator is transmitted down a pipe string to the region of a perforated well casing or liner around which gravel has been poured to prevent sand and other foreign material from entering the liner or casing or clogging up the apertures thereof. The sonic energy vibrationally excites the gravel to effect the fluidization thereof with a resultant uniform distribution of the gravel around the casing without any voids therein. When the gravel has been so uniformly distributed and the sonic energy is discontinued, the gravel tends to pack down firmly and uniformly around the casing.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A method for uniformly packing gravel around the perforated region of a well liner comprising the steps of

installing a casing through overburden to a fluid producing formation,
installing a liner at the bottom end of said casing in said formation, said liner having apertures therein for passing said fluid to the interior thereof,
pouring gravel into the region surrounding said liner to inhibit the flow of foreign material through said apertures into the interior of said liner,
generating high level sonic elastic wave energy, and
coupling said sonic energy to the gravel through an elastic column coupled to the liner to effect the fluidization thereof and the resultant uniform distribution and compaction of said gravel without voids therein around the liner.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for uniformly packing gravel around a well casing or liner

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for uniformly packing gravel around a well casing or liner

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8