Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company

Eog Resources, Inc.

Geoffrey Steiner

Randy C Tolman

Timothy G Benish

Kris J Nygaard

Nathan Rodriguez

A production inlet assembly for use within a subterranean wellbore. The production inlet assembly includes a landing sub that affixable within the wellbore, and a sand catcher including a chamber that is configured to receive particulates separated from formation fluids that enter the production inlet assembly. The production inlet assembly also includes a telescoping joint coupled between the landing sub and the sand catcher that is permitted to translate axially along the landing sub.

Production inlet assemblies for a subterranean wellbore

Fluid plugs as downhole sealing devices and methods include providing a stimulating fluid to a casing conduit that is defined by the production casing to stimulate a portion of a subterranean formation within which the production casing extends. The methods further may include providing a sealing fluid to the casing conduit, providing a sealing device to the casing conduit, and flowing the sealing fluid and the sealing device to a perforated section of the production casing. The methods further may include locating the sealing device on a perforation, generating a fluid plug within the perforated section of the production casing by increasing a viscosity of the sealing fluid, and retaining the sealing device proximate the perforation with the fluid plug.

Fluid plugs as downhole sealing devices and systems and methods including the same

Flow control assemblies for downhole operations and systems and methods including the same are disclosed herein. The systems include a flow control assembly that is configured to control a fluid flow between a casing conduit and a subterranean formation. The flow control assembly includes a housing that includes a housing body that defines at least a portion of the casing conduit. The housing also includes an injection conduit, which extends between the casing conduit and the subterranean formation, and a ball sealer seat, which defines a portion of the injection conduit. The flow control assembly further includes a hydraulically actuated sliding sleeve that controls a fluid flow through the injection conduit. The methods include pressurizing a portion of the casing conduit, transitioning the hydraulically actuated sliding sleeve from a closed configuration to an open configuration, stimulating the subterranean formation, and receiving a ball sealer on the ball sealer seat.

Flow control assemblies for downhole operations and systems and methods including the same

Methods for stimulating a subterranean formation comprising providing a stimulating fluid stream to a casing conduit that is defined by a production casing that extends within the subterranean formation to increase a fluid pressure within the casing conduit. The methods further include locating an isolation device on an isolation sleeve to fluidly isolate a downhole portion of the casing conduit from an uphole portion of the casing conduit and opening an injection port that is associated with the isolation sleeve to permit an injection port fluid flow into the subterranean formation. The methods also include sealing the injection port and creating an uphole perforation in the uphole longitudinal section of the production casing responsive to the fluid pressure exceeding the threshold perforating pressure.

Systems and methods for stimulating a multi-zone subterranean formation

Flow control assemblies comprise a housing that includes a housing body that defines a housing conduit, an injection conduit that extends through the housing body, and a ball sealer seat. The ball sealer seat defines a portion of the injection conduit, is defined on an inner surface of the housing, and is sized to receive a ball sealer to restrict fluid flow from the casing conduit through the injection conduit. The flow control assemblies further include a sliding sleeve that is located within the housing conduit and defines an isolation ball seat. The flow control assemblies also include a retention structure that is configured to retain the sliding sleeve in a first configuration and to selectively permit the sliding sleeve to transition from the first configuration to a second configuration.

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Castle Rock, CO, United States of America

Geoffrey Steiner