Pneumatic well tool for stimulation of petroleum formations
AssigneePrice Compressor Company, Inc.
InventorBilly F. Price
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pneumatic well tool for fracturing or enlarging perforations in a subsurface formation so that the petroleum in the formation more freely flows. The tool takes the form of an elongate tool body or sonde which is lowered by a wireline into the well bore to a desired depth adjacent the formation of interest. A fluid chamber in the sonde in fluid communication with the fluid in the well bore is filled with a quantity of well bore fluid. Periodically, a pneumatic pressure source in the sonde exerts pressure on the fluid chamber to force fluid from the chamber into the well bore, thus creating a sudden pressure surge which increases the ability of fluid to flow from the perforated formation.
Claims7
An apparatus for stimulating the flow of petroleum from a perforated subsurface formation adjacent a fluid-filled well bore, comprising:
- a generally cylindrical housing body adapted to be in the well bore adjacent the subsurface formation;
- means defining a fluid chamber within said housing,
- said means comprising a flexible tubular member supported in said housing body within an annular pressure chamber formed as a space between said tubular member and said housing body;
- said fluid chamber being formed within said tubular member and in fluid communication with fluid in said well bore;
- and
- pneumatic actuation means to force fluid from said fluid chamber into the well bore and perforated formation to cause fracturing of the subsurface formation.
A method of stimulating the flow of petroleum from a perforated subsurface formation adjacent a fluid-filled well bore, comprising the steps of:
- (a) positioning a fluid chamber within a well bore adjacent a formation of interest;
- (b) allowing the fluid chamber to fill with a quantity of well bore fluid;
- (c) forcing the well bore fluid from the fluid chamber into the well bore and the perforated subsurface formation;
- and
- fracturing the perforated subsurface formation with the well bore fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.