Method and system for monitoring and controlling fluid movement through a wellbore

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11396805-B2
Application number	US-201916721920-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2019
Priority date	Aug 28, 2014
Publication date	Jul 26, 2022
Grant date	Jul 26, 2022

Abstract

A method for moving fluid through a pipe in a wellbore includes placing at least two different fluids in the pipe and in an annular space between the pipe and the wellbore. Fluid is pumped into the pipe at a rate to achieve a desired set of conditions. Using a predetermined volume distribution of the annular space, an axial position of each of the at least two fluids in the annular space during the pumping the displacement fluid is calculated.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
during pumping of fluid into a borehole via a conduit in fluid communication with an annulus, defined in part by the conduit and defined in part by a formation that defines the borehole, to advance flow of cement in the annulus, receiving sensor-based measurements;
based on at least a portion of the measurements, determining an effective density exerted by at least the cement against the formation;
performing an effective density comparison between a predetermined effective density and the determined effective density;
determining a pressure profile with respect to depth based at least in part on the effective density;
performing a pressure comparison of at least one warning pressure to the pressure profile; and
based on the pressure comparison or the effective density comparison, issuing a notification.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising determining a top of the cement position in the annulus.

3. The method of claim 2 , comprising displaying the top of the cement to a display.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising, based at least in part on the top of cement position in the annulus, issuing a notification as to a maximum flow rate for the pumping of fluid.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the notification comprises an instruction to adjust the pumping of fluid.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the instruction to adjust is an instruction to decrease a flow rate of the pumping of fluid.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the notification comprises an instruction to adjust the pumping of fluid.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the instruction to adjust decreases a flow rate of the pumping of fluid.

9. The method of claim 1 , comprising determining that cement flow in the annulus is laminar, non-laminar or laminar and non-laminar.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein, for the conduit being eccentered in the borehole, determining if laminar cement flow and non-laminar cement flow exists in the annulus.

11. The method of claim 1 , comprising determining a range of flow rates for the pumping of fluid for improving cement bonding without fracturing the formation.

12. The method of claim 11 , comprising issuing control instructions to maintain the flow rate for the pumping of fluid within the range.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the range comprises flow rates for turbulent cement flow in the annulus.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein, for a deceleration phase, the range comprises flow rates for laminar cement flow in the annulus.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein, the effective density is an equivalent circulating density.

16. The method of claim 1 , comprising displaying the effective density with respect to depth to a display.

17. The method of claim 1 , comprising displaying a graphic of the annulus and a dynamic representation of cement in the annulus with respect to depth.

18. The method of claim 1 , comprising display a graphic of the annulus and at least one indicator as to flow of cement in the annulus, wherein the at least one indicator comprises a laminar flow indicator, a non-laminar flow indicator or a laminar flow indicator and a non-laminar flow indicator.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the annulus is eccentric.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the eccentricity varies with respect to depth.

21. A system comprising:
a processor;
memory; and
machine-readable instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to instruct the system to:
during pumping of fluid into a borehole via a conduit in fluid communication with an annulus, defined in part by the conduit and defined in part by a formation that defines the borehole, to advance flow of cement in the annulus, receive sensor-based measurements;
based on at least a portion of the measurements, determine an effective density exerted by at least the cement against the formation;
perform an effective density comparison between a predetermined effective density and the determined effective density;
determine a pressure profile with respect to depth based at least in part on the effective density;
perform a pressure comparison of at least one warning pressure to the pressure profile; and
based on the pressure comparison or the effective density comparison, issue a notification.

Assignees

• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Erge Oney
• Hildebrand Ginger Vinyard
• Kotovsky Wayne

Classifications

• E21B47/047 Primary

  Liquid level (measuring depth or liquid level using radioactive markers E21B47/053) · CPC title

• E21B47/005 Primary

  Monitoring or checking of cementation quality or level · CPC title

• E21B47/06

  Measuring temperature or pressure · CPC title

• E21B33/13 Primary

  Methods or devices for cementing, for plugging holes, crevices or the like · CPC title

• E21B33/12

  Packers; Plugs (used for cementing E21B33/134, E21B33/16) · CPC title