Wellbore dynamic top kill

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10087697-B2
Application number	US-201514861343-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2015
Priority date	Sep 22, 2015
Publication date	Oct 2, 2018
Grant date	Oct 2, 2018

Abstract

Systems, apparatus, and methods for controlling a well blowout comprising: a flow control device such as a blowout preventer on a wellbore, the primary throughbore of the flow control device comprising internal dimensional irregularities creating a non-uniform flow path in the primary throughbore which as sufficient fluid rate may enhance pressure fluid pressure drop therein; a control fluid aperture fluidly connected with the wellbore for introducing a control fluid through a control fluid aperture and into the primary throughbore while wellbore fluid flows through the wellbore; a weighted fluid aperture positioned in the wellbore conduit below the control fluid aperture for introducing a weighted fluid into the wellbore while control fluid is also being introduced into the wellbore through the control fluid aperture.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of performing a wellbore intervention operation to reduce an uncontrolled flow of wellbore fluids from a subterranean wellbore, the method comprising:
providing a flow control device, the flow control device engaged proximate a top end of a wellbore conduit that includes a wellbore throughbore, the flow control device including a primary throughbore coaxially aligned with and included within the wellbore throughbore;
providing a control fluid aperture proximate the top end of the wellbore conduit, the control fluid aperture being fluidly connected with the primary throughbore;
providing a weighted fluid aperture in the wellbore throughbore at an upstream location in the wellbore throughbore with respect to the control fluid aperture and with respect to the direction of wellbore blowout fluid flow through the wellbore throughbore;
introducing a control fluid through the control fluid aperture and into the wellbore throughbore while the wellbore blowout fluid flows at an uncontrolled rate from the subterranean formation and through the wellbore throughbore at a wellbore blowout fluid flow rate, whereby the control fluid is introduced into the wellbore throughbore at a control fluid introduction rate that is at least 25% of the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate from the wellbore throughbore prior to introducing the control fluid into the wellbore throughbore; and
introducing a weighted fluid through the weighted fluid aperture and into the wellbore throughbore while simultaneously introducing the control fluid through the control fluid aperture at the control fluid introduction rate until the weighted fluid introduced through the weighted fluid aperture and into the wellbore throughbore hydrostatically stops flow of the wellbore blowout fluid from the subterranean wellbore.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising providing the control fluid aperture in at least one of a blowout preventer and a drilling spool.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising providing the control fluid aperture in or upstream of the well control device and providing the weighted fluid aperture in another wellbore component upstream from the well control device with respect to the direction of flow of wellbore blowout fluid flowing through the wellbore throughbore.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising introducing the control fluid into the primary throughbore at a control fluid introduction rate of at least 50% of the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate prior to introduction of the control fluid into the wellbore throughbore.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising introducing the control fluid into the primary throughbore at a control fluid introduction rate of at least 100% of the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate prior to introduction of the control fluid into the wellbore throughbore.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising introducing the control fluid into the primary throughbore at a control fluid introduction rate of at least 200% of the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate prior to introduction of the control fluid into the wellbore throughbore.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using seawater for control fluid.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising introducing the weighted fluid through the weighted fluid aperture and into the wellbore throughbore when an estimated or determined at least 25% by volume of total fluid flowing through the primary throughbore during introduction of the control fluid into the primary throughbore is control fluid.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising creating hydrate formation within the wellbore throughbore with the control fluid.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising introducing carbon dioxide into the control fluid to create hydrates within the wellbore throughbore.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising introducing control fluid into the wellbore throughbore at a control fluid introduction rate sufficient to reduce the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate by 25% with respect to the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate through the wellbore throughbore prior to introduction of the control fluid into the wellbore throughbore.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising introducing control fluid into the wellbore throughbore at a control fluid introduction rate sufficient to reduce the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate by at least 50% with respect to the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate through the wellbore throughbore prior to introduction of the control fluid into the wellbore throughbore.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising introducing control fluid into the wellbore throughbore at a control fluid introduction rate sufficient to reduce the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate by at least 75% with respect to the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate through the wellbore throughbore prior to introduction of the control fluid into the wellbore throughbore.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising introducing control fluid into the wellbore throughbore at a control fluid introduction rate sufficient to reduce the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate by at least 90% with respect to the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate through the wellbore throughbore prior to introduction of the control fluid into the wellbore throughbore.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing the control fluid aperture in at least one of (i) the flow control device, and (ii) a location intermediate the flow control device and the wellbore conduit.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising thereafter introducing weighted fluid through the control fluid aperture.

Assignees

• Nedwed Timothy J
• Converse David R
• Eaton Michael W
• Exxonmobil Upstream Res Co

Inventors

• Nedwed Timothy J
• Converse David R
• Eaton Michael W

Classifications

• E21B33/035 Primary

  specially adapted for underwater installations (E21B33/043, E21B33/064, E21B33/076 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B33/064 Primary

  specially adapted for underwater well heads · CPC title

• E21B33/068

  having provision for introducing objects or fluids into, or removing objects from, wells (cementing-heads E21B33/05) · CPC title