Schlumberger Technology Corporation

Claude J Vercaemer

Jacques J Orban

Benjamin Peter Jeffryes

Iain Michael Cooper

Michael Charles Sheppard

William Lesso

Hubertus V Thomeer

Dominique Guillot

Peter Allan Goode

Rod W Shampine

Pierre-Yves Corre

Craig David Johnson

Christopher Del Campo

Erik B Nelson

Matthew R Hackworth

Nitin Y Vaidya

John E Edwards

Marc J Thiercelin

Philippe Hocquet

Charles Woodburn

Sami Iskander

Gerhard Schoonderbeek

Kian Rasa

Ronan Le Gloahec

Gilbert Lavaure

Douglas J Pferdehirt

Terry G Greene

This invention relates to the construction of well such as oil and gas wells using techniques based on drilling small lateral wells from a main well. The problem of narrow pressure window is solved by the use of constructions techniques that are based on the use of lateral boreholes, i.e. secondary boreholes that are drilled a main borehole, wherein a method of constructing a well comprises drilling a main borehole extending from the surface through one or more underground formations, drilling a plurality of lateral boreholes extending from the main borehole into surrounding formations, wherein the lateral boreholes are substantially shorter and of smaller diameter than the main borehole; and wherein each lateral borehole is separated from its neighboring lateral boreholes by a relatively short distance. Drilling of the lateral boreholes can be for to extend 5-60 meters from the main borehole with a diameter in the range 3.8-10 cm by the lateral boreholes at an axial spacing of less than a few meters in the main borehole. Drilling of more than one lateral borehole can be done at the same depth in the main borehole with a trajectory that deviates from the main borehole by less than 10&#xb0; or with trajectories that extend in a plane that does not contain the main borehole.

Well construction using small laterals

An apparatus for modifying the wall surface of a borehole drilled through an underground formation. The apparatus comprises a tool body that can be introduced into the borehole using a conveyance system so as to be moveable along the borehole, and one or more members arranged so as to be able to be urged against, and moved across at least part of the borehole wall in order to work the surface thereof and modify its properties. A method of modifying the wall surface comprises positioning the tool body in the borehole at a location of interest using the conveyance system, urging the members against the borehole wall with sufficient force to modify the properties of the surface thereof, and moving the members across the surface of the borehole wall.

Apparatus and methods for well-bore wall surface finishing

A system for coring an underground formation surrounding a borehole, comprising: a tool body that can be positioned in the borehole near the formation to be cored, the tool body including a motor; a rotary drive head connected to the motor; a rotary tool connected to the rotary drive head and one end and carrying a drill bit at the other end; a drive mechanism including an operable anchor for anchoring in the borehole and an axial drive for advancing tool body and the rotary tool; and a guide for urging the rotary tool laterally from the borehole into the surrounding formation; wherein the rotary tool is a tubular coring tool conveying an annular drill bit.

Intelligent controlled process for well lateral coring

A subpart of a drill string is described having an outer circumferential surface which is contoured and adapted to engage the wall of the borehole with a small angle of attack while exerting during rotary drilling operations an compacting pressure on mud cake and/or cuttings present in the annulus between the drill string and the borehole.

Wellbore consolidating tool for rotary drilling application

An apparatus includes a base pipe and a fluid control material. The base pipe includes openings, and the fluid control material is mounted to the pipe to control fluid communication through the openings of the pipe. The fluid control material has a permeability that may be changed to selectively control the communication of well fluid through the openings.

Downhole flow control with selective permeability

Wellbore consolidating tool for rotary drilling applications

The present invention generally relates to an apparatus and methods for improving the stability of a wellbore during drilling operations using a rotary drill string. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for enhancing the performance of the filter or mud cake layer on the wall of the wellbore as a protective and isolating layer.

A method of forming a seal circumferentially about a liner having pre-formed openings that is positioned in a wellbore includes the steps of running a perforating device and a seal applicator into the slotted liner, the seal applicator carrying a sealing fluid and a pumping mechanism, creating an aperture through the slotted liner at the region by activating the perforating device and pumping the sealing fluid from the seal applicator through the aperture and circumferentially about the liner to form a sealing plug in the annulus between the slotted liner and the wellbore.

Method of sealing an annulus surrounding a slotted liner

A technique that is usable with a subterranean well includes communicating a fluid into a region of the well and monitoring a level of the fluid communicated via a downhole sensor. The communication is controlled in response to the monitoring.

Instrumented packer

A method for stabilising an unconsolidated zone () of a borehole, by forming a region of the borehole having enlarged diameter () in the unconsolidated zone; positioning a fluid-filled casing () in the borehole the liner having a pipe () extending therethrough into a lower portion; pumping cement from the surface inside the pipe so as to exit the liner at the lower portion and flow upwards to fill the annulus () formed between the outside of the liner and the borehole in the unconsolidated zone; withdrawing the pipe () from the casing while pumping fluid therethrough so as to maintain the liner substantially fluid-filled and to displace cement above the liner in the adjacent region; drilling through the cement and liner in the unconsolidated zone after the cement has set.

Borehole stabilisation

An expandable device, such as a sand screen, is used in a wellbore. The expandable device comprises an expandable base pipe and a filter layer that facilitates expansion of the device while maintaining filtering capability.

Expandable systems that facilitate desired fluid flow

A system and method is provided for utilizing both a wellbore completion and a formation treatment system. The formation treatment system comprises a bypass that directs well treatment fluid around the wellbore completion. The bypass protects the wellbore completion from potentially corrosive or erosive well treatment fluids which, in turn, allows the wellbore completion to remain downhole during the introduction of well treatment fluids.

System and method for treating wells

A technique for facilitating the use of a variety of completion elements in a wellbore environment. The technique utilizes an insertion guide disposed within an open-hole section of a wellbore. The insertion guide may be radially expanded towards the surrounding formation to remove excess annular space. The expansion of the insertion guide further allows the use of a completion element having a greater diameter than would otherwise be afforded.

Technique utilizing an insertion guide within a wellbore

A method of sealing an annulus surrounding a slotted liner in a well includes the steps of generating a magnetic field in the annulus in a region to be sealed; and injecting into the region a sealing fluid including magnetic particles such that the fluid is confined to fill the annulus in the region to be sealed by the interaction of the magnetic particles and the magnetic field.

Growing community of inventors

Neuilly/s/Seine, France

Claude J Vercaemer