US 5,287,741 AGranted

Methods of perforating and testing wells using coiled tubing

AssigneeHalliburton Company

InventorsRoger L. Schultz, Gary O. Harkins

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Abstract

Methods of draw-down and build-up testing on existing production wells are disclosed. The testing may be accomplished without removing the production tubing string from the well. The production of the well is shut down and then a coiled tubing test string is run down into the production tubing string. The coiled tubing test string includes a coiled tubing string, a tester valve carried by the coiled tubing string, and a test packer carried by the coiled tubing string. The test packer is set within one of the casing bore and the production tubing bore above perforations which communicate the casing bore with a subsurface formation. Draw-down and build-up testing of the subsurface formation can then be accomplished by opening and closing the tester valve to selectively flow well fluid up through the coiled tubing string or shut in the coiled tubing string. After the draw-down/build-up testing is completed, the coiled tubing test string is removed from the well and production of the well is resumed up through the production tubing bore of the production tubing string. Optionally, the coiled tubing test string may carry a perforating gun to perforate a new zone of the well which may then be tested.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of testing a subsurface zone of a production well, said well having a casing set in a borehole intersecting said subsurface zone, said casing having a casing bore, said well further having a production tubing string received within said casing and having a production tubing bore, and a production facet sealing between said casing bore and said production tubing string above said subsurface zone, said well having previously been on production by flowing well fluid up through said production tubing bore, said method comprising:

(a) shutting down production of said well through said production tubing bore;
(b) leaving said production tubing string in place in said well and running a coiled tubing test string downward into said production tubing string, said coiled tubing test string including a coiled tubing string, a tester valve carried by said coiled tubing string for controlling flow of well fluid from said subsurface zone up through said production tubing bore, and a test packet carried by said coiled tubing string;
(c) setting said test packer within one of said casing bore and said production tubing bore above said subsurface zone;
(d) opening and closing said tester valve to perform draw-down and build-up tests on said subsurface zone by selectively flowing well fluids therefrom up through said coiled tubing string and then shutting in said coiled tubing string;
(e) after step (d), removing said coiled tubing test string from said production tubing string;
and
(f) resuming production of said well up through said production tubing bore.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.