Schlumberger Technology Corporation

Dominique Guillot

Douglas E Miller

Pierre Vigneaux

Rod W Shampine

Francois M Auzerais

Iain Michael Cooper

Jacques J Orban

Tarek M Habashy

Erik B Nelson

Richard Timothy Coates

Agathe Robisson

Claude J Vercaemer

Huilin Tu

Geoffrey Colin Maitland

Benjamin Peter Jeffryes

Philip F Sullivan

Curtis L Boney

Simon James

Kuo-Chiang Chen

Murat Ocalan

Sylvaine Le Roy-Delage

Jonathan Stuart Phipps

Keith Ingram Dismuke

Louise Bailey

Partha Ganguly

Marc J Thiercelin

Jean Desroches

Nathan Wicks

Nicolas Flamant

Dominic McCann

François Auzerais

Hervé Anxionnaz

Phil F Sullivan

Gilbert Lavaure

A predetermined condition in a fluid-filled wellbore system can be detected by generating at least one sound in the wellbore system in response to the condition, such that a detectable change is created in some characteristic of the emitted sound, and detecting the at least one sound and the change, the detection being indicative that the predetermined condition has occurred. Equipment for facilitating detection of the condition can include a trigger operable in response to the condition; a generator operable to emit sound in the borehole and to create a detectable change in some characteristic of the emitted sound in response to the trigger; and at least one sensor operable to monitor the sound and detect the change, the detection being indicative that the predetermined condition has occurred. It is also possible to estimate a value of a property of a fluid-filled wellbore system. This can be accomplished by recording data including at least one of pressure and rate of flow at one or more locations in the wellbore system, and then estimating the value of the property by employing a model for predicting at least one of pressure and rate of flow dependent upon parameters detailing at least one of wellbore system geometry, viscoacoustic properties of the fluid and entrained solids contained in the wellbore system, locations of boundaries and entrained solids, and characteristics and locations of disturbances to pressure and flow in the wellbore system, in order to determine a best prediction of some attribute of the recorded data.

Wireless logging of fluid filled boreholes

Cement plug parameters in a wellbore may be monitored by providing a cable through the cement plug before the cement plug sets. The cable comprises one or more sensors that monitor the parameters, and the sensors are operated to transmit measurement data to the surface. The parameters may include temperature, pressure, conductivity, vibration, acceleration and impedance.

Method for monitoring cement plugs

A value of a property of a fluid-filled wellbore system can be detected. This can be accomplished by recording data including at least one of pressure and rate of flow at one or more locations in the wellbore system, and then estimating the value of the property by employing a model for predicting at least one of pressure and rate of flow dependent upon characteristics and locations of disturbances to pressure and flow in the wellbore system, in order to determine a best prediction of some attribute of the recorded data.

A well treatment tool, comprising: a tool body; a clamping system for locating the tool body in a well; a positioning system for orienting the tool body in the well axially and azimuthally; a reservoir system comprising at least one fluid reservoir in the tool body; and a pumping system for pumping fluid from the reservoir to a region of the well to be treated. The treatment tool can also re-established the isolation performance of the casing, when modified (by drilling) for the treatment. The treatment tool is normally conveyed and controlled via the mean of an electrical wireline cable.

Method and apparatus for well treatment

A self-adaptive cement system includes cement, water and at least one additive that reacts or/and expands in contact with oil and gas. Several chemical products have been identified including rubber alkylstyrene, polynorbornene, resins such precrosslinked substituted vinyl acrylate copolymers and diatomaceous earth. These additives have the effect of making the cement self-healing in the event of physical failure or damage such as micro-annuli. The self healing property is produced by the contact with subterranean hydrocarbon fluids, the potential repair mechanism is thus activated if and when needed in case of start of loss of zonal isolation. In another embodiment, the expansion is deliberately induced by pumping a hydrocarbon fluid in the vicinity of the set cement.

Self adaptive cement systems

Methods and related systems are described for controlling inflow of fluid into a production string. In aspects, the invention provides an inflow control device with a shut-off feature that is operated automatically utilizing swellable materials.

Utilizing swellable materials to control fluid flow

An apparatus for use in a wellbore, made of a casing and an annulus with a fluid within, comprises a reel or wound optic fiber line fixed to an object within the casing, and a light transmitter/receiver device that is able to generate a signal through the optic fiber line and to measure a change of said signal. The optic fiber line is (a) on a first position fixed to a reference point linked to the light transmitter/receiver device, and is (b) on a second position unwound from the reel. The light transmitter/receiver device is able to measure the change of said signal when occurring at the second position, and the apparatus has a system able to measure the flow rate of the fluid exiting the annulus at the surface.

Methods and apparatus for measuring return flow in a well

A field-responsive fluid which enters a semi-solid state in the presence of an energy field is improved by use of a plurality of energy field responsive particles which form chains in response to the energy field. The particles can be (a) composite particles in which at least one field-responsive member having a first density is attached to at least one member having a second density that is lower than the first density, (b) shaped particles in which at least one field-responsive member has one or more inclusions, and (c) combinations thereof. The particles improve the field-responsive fluid by reducing density without eliminating field-responsive properties which afford utility. Further, a multi-phase base fluid including a mixture of two or more substances, at least two of which are immiscible, may be used. The multi-phase base fluid improves the field-responsive fluid because surface tension between the boundaries of the immiscible substances in conjunction with chains formed by field-responsive particles tends to stop or retard creep flow, resulting an improved dynamic or static seal.

Field-responsive fluids

A system for measuring a parameter within a well comprises a first and second apparatus. The first apparatus comprises a first reel of first wound optic fiber line (or fiber) able to be unwound from the first reel and at least a first sensor able to measure the parameter of the well, wherein information on the parameter can be transmitted through the first optic fiber. The second apparatus comprises a second reel of second wound optic fiber line able to be unwound from the second reel, an extremity of the second optic fiber being fixed to a reference point. A light transmitter or receiver device is linked to the reference point and able to generate or detect a light pulse through the second optic fiber line. Means to exchange the light pulse between first and second optic fiber line are also provided.

Method and apparatus for measuring a parameter within the well with a plug

A method of constructing a borehole drilled with a drilling apparatus (), the method comprises: connecting a flexible tubular liner sleeve () around the outside of the drilling apparatus and connecting the sleeve around an upper opening of the borehole so as to pass into the borehole; progressively extending the sleeve into the borehole as drilling progresses while maintaining connection to the drilling apparatus and borehole opening; at a predetermined point in the drilling, expanding the sleeve so as to contact the borehole wall; and setting the sleeve so as to be fixed to the borehole wall after expansion. Apparatus for use in such a method comprises: a flexible, expandable sleeve (); a first connector for connecting the sleeve around the outside of a drilling assembly; and a second connector for connecting the sleeve around the opening of the borehole; wherein the sleeve is arranged to extend through the borehole between the connectors as drilling progresses.

Methods and apparatus for well construction

Tubewaves are used for detection and monitoring of feature state to enhance stimulation operations and remediate failure conditions. For example, proper sealing of perforations may be confirmed based on lack of a reflection of a tubewave by the perforations. Alternatively, at least one of amplitude, frequency, attenuation, dispersion and travel time associated with a tubewave and reflection may be used to determine feature state. If a sealant fails during treatment then the failure condition is indicated by appearance of a tubewave reflection. Consequently, the stimulation operation can be stopped in a timely manner, and remediation by means, for example, of pumping diversion fluid or dropping of balls, can be reinitiated until the difference between the expected responses and responses measured by the instrument along the segment to be stimulated confirm that sealing has taken place and that stimulation of the intended zone can resume. Further, specific remediation steps may be selected based on response of the borehole system to tubewaves. The efficacy of the selected remediation steps may also be determined by response of the borehole system to tubewaves during or after execution of those steps.

Monitoring, controlling and enhancing processes while stimulating a fluid-filled borehole

A method of constructing a well comprising a borehole drilled through underground formations, comprises: positioning at least one device on the outside of the tubular string (e.g. a drill string or casing string), the device being operable to move between first and second configurations; positioning a tubular string in the borehole with the device positioned in the annular space between the tubular string and the borehole wall in its first configuration so as to interact with the tubular string and the borehole while allowing borehole fluid to flow along the annular space and around the device; and operating the device so as to move it from its first configuration to expand into its second configuration in which it substantially fills at least part of the annular space so as to inhibit flow of fluids along the borehole in the space. Apparatus comprises: a string of tubular members; at least one device positioned on the outside of the string, the device being operable to expand between: (i) a first configuration in which, when the tubular string is positioned in the borehole with the device located in the annular space between the tubular string and the borehole wall, interacts with the tubular string and the borehole while allowing borehole fluid to flow along the annular space and around the device; and (ii) a second configuration in which it substantially fills at least part of the annular space so as to prevent flow of fluids along the borehole in the space.

The invention describes a method of lining a well using expandable tubing including the steps of lowering a expandable tubing in a well bore; injecting a sealant composition into said well; letting the sealant composition solidify into a deformable matrix embedding at least a bottom section of said tubing within said well; and expanding the tubing. The invention allows the creation of a high quality seal at the shoe of the expandable casing because the deformable material is highly stressed by the expansion, and it also allows for the rest of the casing to be properly supported and protected by conventional cement, without incurring excessive wait-on-cement times.

Method of cementing expandable well tubing

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

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

Somerville, MA, United States of America

Dominique Guillot