Water injection regulation system and method for water injection well

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12529282-B2
Application number	US-202218834784-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2022
Priority date	Feb 28, 2022
Publication date	Jan 20, 2026
Grant date	Jan 20, 2026

Abstract

A water injection regulation system for water injection well has a float limiting device (A) provided at a wellhead configured to release and capture a float; a ground water delivery device (B) having an outlet in communication with the float limiting device (A), and is configured to inject water into well through the float limiting device (A); and a plurality of downhole water distribution devices, each arranged in a target layer and outside a sidewall of a water-injection string, and configured to monitor production data of the target layer. The float is configured to receive a water distribution instruction to regulate water distribution of each downhole water distribution device, enter the water-injection string ( 11 ) with water flow, and float upwards to the wellhead after completing data collection. Each downhole water distribution device is configured to exchange the production data with the water distribution instruction carried by the float.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A water injection regulation system for a water injection well, comprising:
a float limiting device provided at a wellhead of the well, which is configured to release a float upon receiving an activation instruction, and to capture the float floating up to the wellhead; a ground water delivery device, which has an outlet in communication with an interior of the float limiting device, and is configured to inject water into the well through the float limiting device; and a plurality of downhole water distribution devices, each of which is arranged in a target layer and outside a sidewall of a water-injection string, and configured to monitor production data of the target layer, wherein the float is configured to receive a water distribution instruction to regulate water distribution of each downhole water distribution device, enter the water-injection string with water flow after being released, and float upwards to the wellhead after data collection is completed, and each of the plurality of downhole water distribution devices is configured to transmit the production data to and receive the water distribution instruction from the float when detecting the float to perform water distribution regulation according to the water distribution instruction.

2 . The water injection regulation system according to claim 1 , wherein the float limiting device comprises:
a wellhead device in communication with an outlet of the ground water delivery device, wherein a bottom portion of the ground water delivery device is in communication with the wellhead for accommodating the float at the wellhead; a capture device provided at an upper end portion of the wellhead device for restricting and releasing the float; and a wellhead signal-exchange device, which is arranged on the capture device and outside the wellhead device, and configured to communicate with the float so that the float receives the water distribution instruction, and to access the production data collected by the float.

3 . The water injection regulation system according to claim 2 , wherein the wellhead signal-exchange device is further configured to communicate with the capture device, for sending the activation instruction to the capture device, detecting whether the float is close to the capture device in real time, and generating a capture instruction when the float is detected, thereby sending the capture instruction to the capture device.

4 . The water injection regulation system according to claim 1 , wherein the float comprises:
a pressure-bearing housing; a first signal transceiver device provided within the pressure-bearing housing, and configured to continuously emit a first detection signal; a first data storage and processing device provided within the pressure-bearing housing, which is connected to the first signal transceiver device, and is configured to communicate, when approaching the downhole water distribution device arranged in the target layer, with said downhole water distribution device in a wireless manner through the first signal transceiver device, thereby realizing data transmission between the float and one or more of the plurality of downhole water distribution devices; and an insulating filling portion within the pressure-bearing housing.

5 . The water injection regulation system according to claim 4 , wherein the downhole water distribution device comprises:
a water distribution body provided on a sidewall of the water-injection string, wherein the water distribution body has an upper interface and a lower interface; a water injection outlet in communication with the water-injection string and arranged on a sidewall of the water distribution body; a second signal transceiver device; a second data storage and processing device, which is connected to the second signal transceiver device and configured to communicate in a wireless manner with the float when the first detection signal is detected, thereby realizing information exchange between the water distribution instruction and the production data; and a power device, which is connected to both the water injection outlet and the second data storage and processing device, and is configured to regulate a flow rate and/or a size of the water injection outlet according to the water distribution instruction.

6 . The water injection regulation system according to claim 1 , wherein the water injection regulation system further comprises an anti-escape device, which is provided at a bottom of the string and is configured to restrict the float at the bottom of the string after the float passes through the plurality of downhole water distribution devices with water flow.

7 . The water injection regulation system according to claim 6 , wherein a through hole is formed between a top portion and a bottom portion of the anti-escape device along its center axis, wherein each of longitudinal edges on both sides of the through hole in its axial cross-section has a parabolic shape with an opening facing outward, the through hole having a minimum inner diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the float, and a maximum inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the float.

8 . The water injection regulation system according to claim 1 , wherein the ground water delivery device comprises:
a first water injection line, an outlet thereof being in communication with a sidewall of the wellhead device in the float limiting device, wherein the first water injection line is configured to be in communication with the wellhead device and is blocked from the sidewall of the wellhead device; and a second water injection line, which has a first end in communication with a sidewall of the first water injection line, and a second end in communication with the sidewall of the wellhead device in the float limiting device and configured to be in communication with the wellhead device, wherein a communication between the first water injection line and the wellhead device is switched to a communication between the second water injection line and the wellhead device according to the capture instruction sent by the float limiting device.

9 . The water injection regulation system according to claim 8 , wherein the ground water delivery device further comprises:
a first injection valve arranged adjacent to an inlet of the first water injection line; a second injection valve within the second water injection line; and a third injection valve arranged adjacent to the outlet of the first water injection line.

10 . The water injection regulation system according to claim 1 , wherein the float limiting device is further configured to monitor a dynamic pressure in the water injection regulation system to determine a timing when the float reaches the bottom of the string, based on which an instruction to stop water injection is generated to cause a water injection device to stop water injection.

11 . The water injection regulation system according to claim 10 , wherein the float is further configured to move, after the water injection device stops water injection, from the bottom of the string to the wellhead in still water under buoyancy.

12 . A water injection regulation method for a water injection well, performed by means of the water injection regulation system according to claim 1 , wherein the water injection regulation method comprises steps of:
connecting the ground water delivery device with the float limiting device, and injecting water into the well through the float limiting device; receiving, by the float, a water distribution instruction to regulate water distribution for each of the plurality of downh

Assignees

• China Petroleum & Chem Corp
• Sinopec Exploration & Prod Res Inst

Inventors

• Zeng Hao
• Wang Haibo
• Ke Wenqi
• Yang Lihong
• Cen Xueqi
• Tang Jingfei
• Li Xiaolong

Classifications

• E21B47/26

  Storing data down-hole, e.g. in a memory or on a record carrier · CPC title

• E21B47/138

  Devices entrained in the flow of well-bore fluid for transmitting data, control or actuation signals · CPC title

• E21B43/20

  Displacing by water · CPC title

• E21B34/02

  in well heads · CPC title

• E21B34/14

  operated by movement of tools, e.g. sleeve valves operated by pistons or wire line tools {(E21B34/066 takes precedence)} · CPC title