Optimum perforation design and technique to minimize sand intrusion
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorsFrederic J. Guinot, Simon G. James, Brenden M. Grove, Panos Papanastasiou
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Abstract
The present Invention relates to novel devices and methods to minimize the production of sand in subterranean environments; in particular, in poorly consolidated formations, sand is often co-produced along with the desired fluid (e.g., oil); sand production is undesirable, hence in the present Invention, elliptically shaped perforations of a particular orientation are created in the casing (or directly into the formation in the case of an uncased wellbore) that lines wellbore drilled through the formation, to improve near-wellbore stability of the formation, hence minimizing sand intrusion.
Claims31
A method comprising shaping an exterior of a case of a shaped charge to have an elliptical profile;
- and using the case to shoot at least one elliptically shaped perforation into a well casing or an uncased hole.
A method comprising shaping an exterior of a case of a shaped charge to have a non-circular profile;
- and using the case to shoot at least one non-circular perforation into a geologic formation to form a perforation tunnel, wherein said perforation:
- has its major axis substantially parallel to a plane perpendicular to an axis defined by the perforation tunnel;
- and
- said major axis is substantially aligned in a direction of maximum compressive stress in said plane.
The method of claim wherein said major axis of said perforation deviates not more than 15° from another axis defined by the direction of maximum compressive stress.
A method comprising shaping an exterior of a case of a shaped charge to have an elliptical profile;
- and using the case to shoot at least one elliptically shaped perforation into a geologic formation to form a perforation tunnel, said perforation:
- has its major axis substantially parallel to a plane perpendicular to an axis defined by the perforation tunnel;
- and
- said major axis is substantially aligned in a direction of maximum compressive stress in said plane.
A method comprising shaping an exterior of a case of a shaped charge to have an elliptical profile;
- and using the case to shoot at least one elliptically shaped perforation using a perforating gun having a suitably modified case exterior, wherein said perforation:
- has its major axis substantially parallel to a plane perpendicular to an axis defined by the perforation tunnel;
- and
- said major axis is substantially aligned in a direction of maximum compressive stress in said plane.
An apparatus comprised of a perforating gun in turn comprised of a shaped charge to shoot a perforation in a casing placed inside a wellbore comprising a liner, explosive, and case, an exterior of said case having an elliptical profile to produce an elliptically shaped perforation.
A method comprising shaping an exterior of a case of a shaped charge to have an elliptical profile;
- and using the case to shoot substantially elliptically shaped perforations into said formation thereby forming a perforation tunnel, said perforations orientated to maximize the stability of said formation contiguous to said perforation tunnel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.