Methods and devices for casing and cementing well bores

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10301905-B1
Application number	US-201615372050-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 7, 2016
Priority date	May 18, 2011
Publication date	May 28, 2019
Grant date	May 28, 2019

Abstract

A casing string is augmented with one or more variable flow resistance devices or “vibrating tools” to facilitate advancement of the casing and distribution of the cement in the annulus once the casing is properly positioned. The method includes vibrating the casing string while advancing the casing down the wellbore or while the cement is pumped into the annulus, or both. After the cementing operation is completed, the devices may be drilled out to open the casing string for further operations. The casing string assembly may include a vibrating tool at the end in place of a conventional float shoe or float collar. Multiple vibrating tools can be employed in the casing string, and they may be combined with conventional float shoes and collars. Additionally, vibrating tools in the form of plugs can be pumped down and landed inside the casing string.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for finishing a wellbore comprising:
pumping fluid through a first casing string assembly disposed in the wellbore, wherein the fluid is pumped through a variable flow resistance device comprising a vortex chamber to create alternately building and collapsing vortices that produce pressure changes that generate cyclical hydraulic loading in the casing string, wherein the device comprises an outlet in the vortex chamber positioned so that at least a portion of the fluid exiting the vortex chamber flows out the outlet in a path that is normal to the flow of the alternating vortices.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the variable flow resistance device comprises a switch to alternate the direction of the vortices formed in the vortex chamber.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the variable flow resistance device defines a flow path that includes an inlet and an outlet, and wherein the switch comprises an a jet chamber having first and second control ports, and a nozzle to direct fluid from the inlet into the jet chamber.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the flow path further comprises:
first and second input channels diverging from the jet chamber;
wherein the vortex chamber is continuous with the outlet and has first and second inlet openings and first and second feedback outlets, wherein the first and second inlet openings of the vortex chamber are positioned to direct fluid in opposite, tangential paths into the vortex chamber so that fluid entering the first input inlet opening produces a clockwise vortex and fluid entering the second inlet opening produces a counterclockwise vortex, and wherein the first and second feedback outlets of the vortex chamber are positioned to direct fluid in opposite, tangential paths out of the vortex chamber, whereby fluid in a clockwise vortex will tend to exit through the second feedback outlet and fluid in a counterclockwise vortex will tend to exit through the first feedback outlet;
wherein the first and second inlet openings of the vortex chamber are continuous with the first and second input channels and wherein each of the first and second input channels defines a straight flow path from the jet chamber to the first and second inlet openings, respectively, of the vortex chamber;
a first feedback channel extending from the first feedback outlet of the vortex chamber to the first control port in the jet chamber; and
a second feedback channel extending from the second feedback outlet of the vortex chamber to the second control port in the jet chamber;
whereby fluid from a counter-clockwise vortex passing through the first feedback channel to the first control port will tend to switch fluid flow from the second input channel to the first input channel, and fluid from a clockwise vortex passing through the second feedback channel to the second control port will tend to switch fluid flow from the first input channel to the second input channel.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the variable flow resistance device is in a collar and wherein each end of the collar is adapted for connection as part of the casing string.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the variable flow resistance device is in a shoe having an uphole end and a downhole end, wherein the uphole end of the shoe is connectable as part of the casing string, and wherein the downhole end is open and blunted to facilitate advancement of the leading end of the casing string through the wellbore.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the fluid is circulating fluid and wherein the method further comprises advancing the casing string while the fluid pumping step is performed until the target location for the first casing string assembly is reached.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:
after reaching the target location, cementing the annulus around the first casing string assembly, wherein the cementing step includes pumping cement through the variable flow resistance device to vibrate the first casing string assembly.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
after cementing the annulus, drilling out the at least one vibratory tool.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:
after drilling out the at least one vibratory tool, extending the wellbore.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
after extending the wellbore, deploying a second casing string assembly into the wellbore; and
pumping fluid through the second casing string assembly while advancing the second casing string assembly toward a second target location, wherein the second casing string assembly includes a casing string and at least one vibrating tool, and wherein the fluid is pumped at a rate to operate the at least one vibrating tool to vibrate the second casing string assembly.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising repeating the steps of cementing the annulus and drilling out the vibratory tool.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the fluid is a circulating fluid.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the fluid is cement.

Assignees

• Thru Tubing Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Schultz Roger L
• Johnson Chad A
• Ferguson Andrew M

Classifications

• E21B28/00

  Vibration generating arrangements for boreholes or wells, e.g. for stimulating production ({for fishing for or freeing objects E21B31/005;} for transmitting measuring-signals E21B47/14; for geophysical measurements G01V1/02) · CPC title

• E21B43/10

  Setting of casings, screens, liners {or the like} in wells · CPC title

• E21B33/16

  using plugs for isolating cement charge; Plugs therefor {(stage cementing E21B33/146; spacer compositions C09K8/424)} · CPC title

• E21B33/14 Primary

  for cementing casings into boreholes · CPC title

• E21B33/167

  Cementing plugs provided with anti-rotation mechanisms, e.g. for easier drill-out · CPC title