Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B27/00—Containers for collecting or depositing substances in boreholes or wells, e.g. bailers, baskets or buckets for collecting mud or sand; Drill bits with means for collecting substances, e.g. valve drill bits
  • E21B27/02—Dump bailers, i.e. containers for depositing substances, e.g. cement or acids
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
  • E21B43/02—Subsoil filtering
  • E21B43/04—Gravelling of wells
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B47/00—Survey of boreholes or wells
  • E21B47/10—Locating fluid leaks, intrusions or movements
  • E21B47/11—Locating fluid leaks, intrusions or movements using tracers; using radioactivity

Definitions

• the disclosure relates to systems and methods facilitating outward venting of inflow tracer in a production well such that inflow tracer is prevented from being communicated directly into a base pipe of the production well from a tracer medium configured to emit the inflow tracer.
• tracers have been widely used by the oil industry in production wells to identify which zones are contributing and/or other information associated with a well.
• Exemplary purposes of using tracers installed within tracer carrier systems of production wells include one or more of determining an estimate of a contributing length, inflow profile of oil, specific location(s) of water breakthrough, and/or other purposes. Such information helps to understand the reservoir and waterflood performance.
• tracers are installed inside a sand screen, which means the tracers can diffuse into the base pipe (i.e., inward venting).
• An inward vented system allows the tracer to diffuse into the base pipe during a shut down and in normal steady conditions. As such, the tracers can be detected at Earth's surface regardless of the region where the tracers are installed.
• the space between the sand screen mesh and the outer shroud may be very small meaning that many sand screens might need to be filled with tracers to meet the desired objectives of using the tracers.
• estimating the contributing length can be very difficult as there are always tracers at the surface while another part of the well is contributing upstream of the tracer location.
• the spatial resolution of existing approaches is generally several tens of meters.
• One aspect of the disclosure relates to a system configured to facilitate flushing a localized inflow tracer from a gravel pack surrounding a base pipe of a production well by outwardly venting the inflow tracer.
• the system comprises a base pipe and tracer carrier.
• the base pipe is configured to be disposed within a gravel pack.
• the base pipe includes a non-perforated section disposed adjacent to one or more perforated sections. Individual ones of the one or more perforated sections are configured to communicate production fluid from the gravel pack into the base pipe to facilitate transporting the production fluid to Earth's surface.
• the tracer carrier is configured to be disposed circumferentially about at least a portion of the non-perforated section of the base pipe.
• the tracer carrier is further configured to carry a tracer material.
• the tracer material is configured to release an inflow tracer into production fluid within the gravel pack proximate to the non-perforated section of the base pipe such that the inflow tracer is flushed from the gravel pack into individual ones of the one or more perforated sections of the base pipe and transported with the production fluid.
• the non-perforated section of the base pipe substantially prevents release of the tracer directly from the tracer carrier to within the base pipe.
• Another aspect of the disclosure relates to a method for constructing a system configured to facilitate flushing a localized inflow tracer from a gravel pack surrounding a base pipe of a production well by outwardly venting the inflow tracer.
• the method comprises disposing a tracer material circumferentially about at least a portion of a non- perforated section of a base pipe configured to be disposed within a gravel pack.
• the non-perforated section of the base pipe is adjacent to one or more perforated sections of the base pipe.
• Individual ones of the one or more perforated sections are configured to communicate production fluid from the gravel pack into the base pipe to facilitate transporting the production fluid to Earth's surface.
• the tracer material is configured to release an inflow tracer.
• the method comprises surrounding the tracer material with a perforated shroud configured to communicate the inflow tracer from the tracer material into production fluid within the gravel pack proximate to the non-perforated section of the base pipe such that, in use, the inflow tracer is flushed from the gravel pack into individual ones of the one or more perforated sections of the base pipe and transported with the production fluid.
• a perforated shroud configured to communicate the inflow tracer from the tracer material into production fluid within the gravel pack proximate to the non-perforated section of the base pipe such that, in use, the inflow tracer is flushed from the gravel pack into individual ones of the one or more perforated sections of the base pipe and transported with the production fluid.
• Yet another aspect of the disclosure relates to a method for flushing a localized inflow tracer from a gravel pack surrounding a base pipe of a production well.
• the method comprises installing a base pipe such that the base pipe is disposed within a gravel pack.
• the base pipe includes a non-perforated section disposed adjacent to one or more perforated sections. Individual ones of the one or more perforated sections are configured to communicate production fluid from the gravel pack into the base pipe to facilitate transporting the production fluid to Earth's surface.
• the base pipe has a tracer carrier disposed circumferentially about at least a portion of the non-perforated section of the base pipe.
• the tracer carrier is configured to carry a tracer material.
• the tracer material is configured to release an inflow tracer.
• the method comprises, during production, flushing the inflow tracer within the gravel pack into individual ones of the one or more perforated sections of the base pipe.
• the method comprises transporting the production fluid with the flushed inflow tracers toward the Earth's surface via the base pipe.
• FIG. 1 illustrates a system configured to facilitate outward venting of inflow tracer such that inflow tracer is prevented from being communicated directly into a base pipe of a production well from a tracer medium configured to emit the inflow tracer, in accordance with one or more embodiments.
• FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D illustrate a flush out process of a system having outward vended inflow tracer, in accordance with one or more implementations.
• FIG. 3 illustrates a method for constructing a system configured to facilitate outward venting of inflow tracer such that inflow tracer is prevented from being communicated directly into a base pipe of a production well from a tracer medium configured to emit the inflow tracer, in accordance with one or more embodiments.
• FIG. 4 illustrates a method for outwardly venting inflow tracer such that inflow tracer is prevented from being communicated directly into a base pipe of a production well from a tracer medium configured to emit the inflow tracer, in accordance with one or more embodiments.
• FIG. 1 illustrates a system 100 configured to facilitate outward venting of inflow tracer such that inflow tracer is prevented from being communicated directly into a base pipe of a production well from a tracer medium configured to emit the inflow tracer, in accordance with one or more embodiments.
• An outward vented system may improve technical analysis of a production well as the inflow tracer is flushed from the region surrounding the base pipe, which may include a gravel pack and/or other permeable material. For example, the manner in which the inflow tracer is flushed can help distinguish differences in inflow that would not be seen with an inward vented system.
• some embodiments include a relatively short tracer carrier (e.g., about 5-10 meters), which places the inflow tracer in a highly localized area.
• a relatively short tracer carrier e.g., about 5-10 meters
• Existing approaches that place the tracer in a sand screen can result in the tracer being spread across 50 or more meters of reservoir interval. Having the tracer placed in a relatively short tracer carrier (e.g., about 5-10 meters), which places the inflow tracer in a highly localized area.
• concentrated area can refine special resolution of the technical analysis and can allow for more tracer types to be used. Furthermore, some embodiments facilitate use of tracers having a relatively long lifetime.
• system 100 includes a base pipe 102 configured to be disposed within a gravel pack 104.
• gravel pack 104 forms an annulus about base pipe 102.
• the gravel pack 104 may be replaced partially or wholly by one or more other permeable materials, according to some embodiments.
• the base pipe 102 includes a non-perforated section 106 disposed adjacent to one or more perforated sections 108.
• the non-perforated section 106 of the base pipe 102 is not permeable to liquid.
• the perforated sections 108 are configured to communicate production fluid from the gravel pack into the base pipe to facilitate transporting the production fluid to Earth's surface.
• the production fluid can include one or more of oil, water, and/or other fluids.
• the system 100 includes a tracer carrier 1 10, in accordance with some embodiments.
• the tracer carrier 1 10 is configured to be disposed adjacent to non- perforated section 106 of base pipe 102.
• tracer carrier 1 10 is configured to be disposed circumferentially about at least a portion of non-perforated section 106 of base pipe 102.
• the tracer carrier 1 10 is configured to carry a tracer material 1 12.
• the tracer material 1 12 is configured to release inflow tracer into production fluid within a region of gravel pack 104 proximate to non-perforated section 106 of base pipe 102.
• inflow tracer is released by tracer material 1 12 responsive to production flow and/or a component of the production fluid coming into direct contact with tracer material 1 12.
• tracer carrier 1 10 comprises a perforated shroud 1 14 configured to be disposed circumferentially about at least a portion of non-perforated section 106 of base pipe 102.
• a gap is formed between an inner diameter of perforated shroud 1 14 and non-perforated section 106 of base pipe 102.
• the tracer material 1 12 is disposed within the gap.
• tracer material 1 12 is wrapped around non-perforated section 106 of base pipe 102.
• the perforated shroud 1 14 is configured to communicate inflow tracer from tracer material 1 12 into the production fluid within the gravel pack 104 proximate to non-perforated section 106 of base pipe 102.
• tracer carrier 1 10 has a longitudinal length less than about 10 meters, or even less than about 5 meters.
• at least one slip ring 1 16 is disposed about non-perforated section 106 of base pipe 102.
• the slip ring 1 16 is configured to establish a gap between non-perforated section 106 of base pipe 102 and an inner diameter of perforated shroud 1 14.
• the tracer material 1 12 is disposed within the gap.
• inflow tracer is flushed from gravel pack 104 into individual ones of the one or more perforated sections 108 of base pipe 102 and transported with the production fluid via base pipe 102.
• the inflow tracer is prevented from being flushed directly from tracer carrier 1 10 into base pipe 102 due to a lack of permeability of non-perforated section 106 of base pipe 102.
• the inflow tracer flushed into base pipe 102 and transported with the production fluid is detectable to determine one or more characteristics associated with the production well.
• Exemplary characteristics include one or more of identification of contributing zones of a reservoir, reservoir depletion, reservoir permeability, production fluid properties, expected operating conditions, contributing length, inflow profile of production fluid, location of water breakthrough, reservoir performance, waterflood performance, and/or other characteristics associated with the production well.
• FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D illustrate a flush out process of a system 200 having outward vended inflow tracer 202, in accordance with one or more implementations.
• the system 200 may be the same as or similar to system 100 described in connection with FIG. 1 .
• FIG. 2A illustrates system 200 subsequent to shut in. Shut in describes when a production well is not producing, but is capable of producing.
• inflow tracer 202 is distributed similar as during production.
• FIG. 2B illustrates system 200 after a duration of time since shut in. Such a duration may be several hours or another amount of time.
• the depiction of system 200 in FIG. 2B assumes low flow activity in the gravel pack during shut in.
• inflow tracer 202 is released into the production fluid surrounding the tracer carrier 204, creating a high-concentration tracer shot as inflow tracer release is typically independent from the velocity of surrounding fluids.
• a concentration of inflow tracer within the base pipe remains about the same as for steady state production prior to shut in.
• FIG. 2C illustrates system 200 when production has begun after the shut-in period.
• Arrows 206 indicate a direction of flow of the production fluid being transported by system 200.
• the high-concentration tracer shot will be flushed out through the gravel pack into the base pipe. This flush-out may be observed in technical analysis as a high-concentration peak of inflow tracer that declines over time.
• FIG. 2D illustrates system 200 after a period of stable production. Here, the concentration of inflow tracer stabilizes at a constant level.
• samples of the production fluid are taken at the surface to determine the presence and/or concentration of a particular inflow tracer.
• the tracer response can be analyzed from the samples to understand how that particular inflow tracer was flushed out.
• Using several different types of inflow tracers throughout the producing interval(s) of the production well allows an understanding of the inflow response throughout the production well.
• the space or gap included in exemplary embodiments of the tracer carrier 1 10 allows for a relatively large amount of tracer material to be used so that the inflow tracer can last for a period of time, which might extend to 5 or more years. As such, inflow tests can be repeated periodically to monitor the inflow characteristics with time, in accordance with some embodiments.
• FIG. 3 illustrates a method 300 for constructing a system configured to facilitate outward venting of inflow tracer such that inflow tracer is prevented from being communicated directly into a base pipe of a production well from a tracer medium configured to emit the inflow tracer, in accordance with one or more embodiments.
• the operations of method 300 presented below are intended to be illustrative. In some embodiments, method 300 may be accomplished with one or more additional operations not described, and/or without one or more of the operations discussed. Additionally, the order in which the operations of method 300 are illustrated in FIG. 3 and described below is not intended to be limiting.
• a tracer material (e.g., tracer material 1 12) is disposed circumferentially about at least a portion a non-perforated section (e.g., non-perforated section 106) of a base pipe (e.g., base pipe 102).
• disposing the carrier material circumferentially about at least a portion of the non- perforated section of the base pipe includes wrapping the carrier material around the non-perforated section of the base pipe.
• the base pipe is configured to be disposed within a gravel pack (e.g., gravel pack 104).
• the gravel pack may form an annulus about the base pipe, in some embodiments.
• the non-perforated section of the base pipe is adjacent to one or more perforated sections (e.g., perforated sections 108) of the base pipe.
• Individual ones of the one or more perforated sections are configured to communicate production fluid from the gravel pack into the base pipe to facilitate transporting the production fluid to Earth's surface.
• the tracer material is configured to release an inflow tracer.
• At an operation 304, at least one slip ring (e.g., slip ring 1 16) is disposed about the non-perforated section of the base pipe.
• the at least one slip ring is configured to establish a gap between the non-perforated section of the base pipe and an inner diameter of a perforated shroud (e.g., perforated shroud 1 14).
• the tracer material is disposed within the gap.
• the tracer material is surrounded with the perforated shroud.
• the perforated shroud has a longitudinal length less than about 10 meters.
• the perforated shroud is configured to communicate the inflow tracer from the tracer material into production fluid within the gravel pack proximate to the non-perforated section of the base pipe.
• the inflow tracer is prevented from being flushed directly from the tracer carrier into the base pipe due to a lack of permeability of the non-perforated section of the base pipe.
• FIG. 4 illustrates a method 400 for outwardly venting inflow tracer such that inflow tracer is prevented from being communicated directly into a base pipe of a production well from a tracer medium configured to emit the inflow tracer, in accordance with one or more embodiments.
• the operations of method 400 presented below are intended to be illustrative. In some embodiments, method 400 may be accomplished with one or more additional operations not described, and/or without one or more of the operations discussed. Additionally, the order in which the operations of method 400 are illustrated in FIG. 4 and described below is not intended to be limiting.
• a base pipe (e.g., base pipe 102) is installed such that the base pipe is disposed within a gravel pack (e.g., gravel pack 104).
• the gravel pack may form an annulus about the base pipe, in some embodiments.
• the base pipe includes a non-perforated section (e.g., non-perforated section 106) disposed adjacent to one or more perforated sections (e.g., perforated sections 108). Individual ones of the one or more perforated sections are configured to communicate production fluid from the gravel pack into the base pipe to facilitate transporting the production fluid to Earth's surface.
• the base pipe has a tracer carrier (e.g., tracer carrier 1 10) disposed circumferentially about at least a portion of the non-perforated section of the base pipe.
• the tracer carrier is configured to carry a tracer material (e.g., tracer material 1 12).
• the tracer material is configured to release an inflow tracer.
• the inflow tracer within the gravel pack is flushed into individual ones of the one or more perforated sections of the base pipe.
• a high tracer concentration shot may be transported with the production fluid when the inflow tracer is first flushed from the gravel pack.
• the inflow tracer is prevented from being flushed directly from the tracer carrier into the base pipe due to a lack of permeability of the non-perforated section of the base pipe.
• the production fluid with the flushed inflow tracer is transported toward the Earth's surface via the base pipe.
• the inflow tracer transported with the production fluid is detected to determine one or more characteristics associated with the production well.
• characteristics associated with the production well may include one or more of identification of contributing zones of a reservoir, reservoir depletion, reservoir permeability, production fluid properties, expected operating conditions, contributing length, inflow profile of production fluid, location of water breakthrough, reservoir performance, waterflood performance, and/or other characteristics.
• (32) Although the disclosure has been described in detail for the purpose of illustration based on what is currently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that such detail is solely for that purpose and that the disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover modifications and equivalent arrangements that are within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, it is to be understood that the present disclosure contemplates that, to the extent possible, one or more features of any embodiment can be combined with one or more features of any other embodiment.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Geology (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
• General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
• Geophysics (AREA)
• Earth Drilling (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Indicating Or Recording The Presence, Absence, Or Direction Of Movement (AREA)

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• 2013
  • 2013-03-14 US US14/384,291 patent/US20150041121A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2013-03-14 EP EP13712466.5A patent/EP2825728A2/fr not_active Withdrawn
  • 2013-03-14 WO PCT/US2013/031491 patent/WO2013138622A2/fr not_active Ceased

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