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US 8,997,865 B2Granted
Process of sealing a breakthrough created during the production of hydrocarbons in a subterranean formation
AssigneeConocoPhillips Company
InventorJohn W. Peirce
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for sealing a breakthrough penetrating an injection well.
Claims16
A process for sealing a breakthrough penetrating a wellbore of an injector well in a subterranean formation comprising:
- a. locating the breakthrough;
- b. inserting a tubing into the wellbore;
- c. injecting a heated liquid through and behind the tubing as the tubing is being inserted into the wellbore;
- d. setting the tubing at the depth of and adjacent to the breakthrough;
- e. heating a plugging substance at the surface to at least 180° F.;
- f. injecting the heated plugging substance into the tubing and pumping the plugging substance through the tubing at a pump rate;
- g. adjusting the pump rate to displace the plugging substance out of the tubing at a temperature above a melting point Fahrenheit temperature of the plugging substance, the temperature above the melting point being limited such that the time required for the plugging substance to solidify once the plugging substance is inside the breakthrough is minimized;
- h. injecting a displacing agent into the tubing;
- i. allowing the plugging substance to solidify;
- j. removing the tubing from the wellbore;
- and
- k. returning the injector well to operations.
9 more elements
A process for sealing a breakthrough penetrating a wellbore of an injector well in a subterranean formation comprising:
- a. locating the breakthrough;
- b. inserting a coil tubing into the injector well;
- c. injecting a heated liquid through and behind the coil tubing as the coil tubing is being inserted into the injector well, wherein the heated liquid is heated water, wherein the heated liquid is dependent on the temperature of the wellbore and melt point of a plugging substance;
- d. setting the coil tubing at the depth of and adjacent to the breakthrough;
- e. heating a plugging substance at the surface to at least 180° F.;
- f. injecting the heated plugging substance into the coil tubing and pumping the plugging substance through the coil tubing at a pump rate;
- g. adjusting the pump rate to displace the plugging substance out of the tubing at a temperature above the melt point Fahrenheit temperature of the plugging substance, the temperature above the melting point being limited such that the time required for the plugging substance to solidify once the plugging substance is inside the breakthrough is minimized, wherein the melting point of the plugging substance is dependent at least partially on the temperature of the wellbore, wherein the plugging substance is a paraffin wax;
- h. injecting the displacing agent into the coil tubing, wherein the displacing agent is heated diesel or water, wherein the temperature of the displacing agent is dependent on the melting point of the plugging substance;
- i. allowing the plugging substance to solidify;
- j. removing the coil tubing from the injector well;
- and
- k. returning the injector well to operation.
9 more elements
A process for sealing a breakthrough penetrating a wellbore of an injector well in a subterranean formation comprising:
- a. locating the breakthrough, wherein the breakthrough is a matrix bypass event;
- b. inserting a tubing into the wellbore, wherein the tubing is coil tubing;
- c. injecting a heated liquid through and behind the tubing as the tubing is being inserted into the wellbore, wherein the temperature of the heated liquid is dependent on the temperature of the wellbore, wherein the heated liquid is diesel or water;
- d. setting the tubing at the depth of and adjacent to the breakthrough;
- e. heating a plugging substance at the surface to at least 180° F.;
- f. injecting the heated plugging substance the tubing, wherein the plugging substance is molten wax, wherein the melting point of the plugging substance is at least partially dependent on the temperature of the wellbore, wherein the melting point of the plugging substance is at least 105° F.;
- g. adjusting a pump rate of the plugging substance to displace the plugging substance out of the tubing at a temperature above the melting point Fahrenheit temperature of the plugging substance, the temperature above the melting point being limited such that the time required for the plugging substance to solidify once the plugging substance is inside the breakthrough is minimized;
- h. injecting a displacing agent into the tubing, wherein the displacing agent is heated diesel or water, wherein the temperature of the displacing agent is dependent on the temperature of the wellbore and the melting point of the plugging substance, wherein the temperature of the displacing agent is at least 105° F.;
- i. allowing the plugging substance to solidify;
- j. removing the tubing from the wellbore;
- and
- k. returning the injector well to operation after at least one day has elapsed.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.