Real time steerable acid tunneling system
AssigneeBaker Hughes, A Ge Company, LLC
InventorsSilviu Livescu, Thomas J. Watkins
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An acid tunneling system for forming lateral tunnels from a central wellbore. The acid tunneling system includes an acid tunneling tool having an acid injection nozzle which can be steered and oriented in response to downhole parameters that are detected and sent to surface in real time.
Claims16
A steerable acid tunneling system for creating lateral tunnels in a subterranean formation surrounding a wellbore, the steerable acid tunneling system comprising:
- an acid tunneling tool having a wand with a nozzle for injecting acid into the formation and at least one articulable joint for angularly bending the wand within the wellbore;
- one or more sensors for detection of at least one downhole parameter and transmission of a signal indicative of the at least one downhole parameter to surface;
- and
- wherein the acid tunneling tool is steered by a pulsating tool within the bottom hole assembly which creates pressure pulses that are transmitted to the acid tunneling tool to cause the at least one articulable joint to flex the wand in real time response to the at least one downhole parameter detected in order to inject acid in a particular direction.
A steerable acid tunneling system for creating lateral tunnels in a subterranean formation surrounding a wellbore, the steerable acid tunneling system comprising:
- an acid tunneling tool having a wand with a nozzle for injecting acid into the formation and at least one articulable joint for angularly bending the wand within the wellbore;
- one or more sensors for detection of at least one downhole parameter and transmission of a signal indicative of the at least one downhole parameter to surface;
- wherein the at least one downhole parameter is at least one of a group consisting of pressure, temperature, tool inclination, axial spacing from a casing collar, alkalinity/acidity, gamma, and acoustics;
- wherein the acid tunneling tool is steered by a pulsating tool within the bottom hole assembly which creates pressure pulses that are transmitted to the acid tunneling tool to cause the at least one articulable joint to flex the wand in real time response to the at least one downhole parameter detected in order to inject acid in a particular direction.
A method of steering an acid tunneling system in real time within a wellbore to create a lateral tunnel from the wellbore, the method comprising the steps of:
- running an acid tunneling system into a wellbore, the acid tunneling system having an acid tunneling tool with a wand having a nozzle for injecting acid into the formation and at least one articulable joint for angularly bending the wand within the wellbore;
- detecting at least one downhole parameter with one or more sensors and transmitting a signal indicative of the at least one downhole parameter to surface in real time;
- steering the acid tunneling tool to a desired location for forming a lateral tunnel by transmitting pressure pulses from a downhole pulsating tool to the acid tunneling tool to cause the at least one articulable joint to flex the wand;
- and
- flowing acid to the acid tunneling tool to inject the acid into a formation at the desired location to form the lateral tunnel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.