Sealing an undesirable formation zone in the wall of a wellbore

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018347309-A1
Application number	US-201816058071-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 8, 2018
Priority date	Mar 20, 2014
Publication date	Dec 6, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An inflating container filled with formation plugging fluid is deployed at the target zone by a rigless apparatus. The inflating container can be in valved fluid communication with an explosive filled container, the explosive being ignited using a firing mechanism that is attached to the explosive filled container. The explosion expands gases in the explosive filled container which pass into the inflation container and displace the formation plugging fluid into the balloon sections and through the weakened portions of the central balloon to penetrate the walls of the target zone. The expanded central balloon is melted by the heat of the chemical reaction and a portion adheres to the formation wall thereby sealing the undesirable target zone; thereafter, the remaining balloon sections are deflated or ruptured to permit the apparatus to be withdrawn through the production tubing.

First claim

1 . A wellbore tool comprising :
a first container carrying an explosive, wherein an ignition of the explosive causes an expansion of hot gas in the first container; a second container carrying formation plugging fluid, the second container attached to the first container, the second container positioned downhole of the first container, the second container comprising:
an inlet allowing fluid communication between the first container and the second container; and
an outlet positioned around a periphery of the second container to flow the formation plugging fluid out of the second container using the expansion of hot gas; and
an elastomer balloon attached to an outer surface of the second container, the balloon comprising one or more holes around the periphery of the balloon to flow at least a portion of the formation plugging fluid to a wall of a wellbore.

2 . The wellbore tool of claim 1 , further comprising a pressure valve fluidically connecting the first container and the second container via the inlet of the second container, wherein the pressure valve is configured to open when a pressure of the expansion of hot gas is greater than a threshold pressure on the first container.

3 . The wellbore tool of claim 2 , further comprising a floating piston positioned in the second container, the floating piston being fluidically exposed to the expansion of hot gas when the pressure valve is in an open position.

4 . The wellbore tool of claim 3 , wherein the second container comprises a plurality of ways grooved into an inner wall of the second container, wherein the floating piston comprises a plurality of guides positioned in the respective plurality of ways to guide the floating piston through the second container.

5 . The wellbore tool of claim 3 , further comprising a plurality of shearing pins positioned in the second container, the plurality of shearing pins positioned to create an interference preventing movement in the floating piston before the expansion of hot gas is flowed into the second container and to:
open the port after the expansion of hot gas is flowed into the second container; and permit the floating piston to be pushed through the second container.

6 . The wellbore tool of claim 5 , wherein the shear pins have a cross-sectional area and strength so that the shear pins are sheared by the floating piston when moved by the expansion of hot gas.

7 . The wellbore tool of claim 1 , wherein the balloon is a central balloon, wherein the second container comprises:
an uphole balloon attached to the outer surface of the second container uphole of the central balloon; and a downhole balloon attached to the outer surface of the second container downhole of the central balloon.

8 . The wellbore tool of claim 7 , wherein a rate of inflation of each of the uphole balloon and the downhole balloon is greater than a rate of inflation of the central balloon.

9 . A wellbore sealing system comprising:
an uphole inflatable packer secured and positioned uphole of a wellbore sealing tool, the uphole inflatable packer positioned to at least partially fluidically isolate the wellbore sealing tool when in an inflated state; a downhole inflatable packer secured and positioned downhole of the wellbore sealing tool, the downhole inflatable packer positioned to at least partially fluidically isolate the wellbore sealing tool when in an inflated stated; and a wellbore sealing tool comprising:
a first container carrying an explosive, wherein an ignition of the explosive causes an expansion of hot gas in the first container;
a second container carrying formation plugging fluid, the second container attached to the first container, the second container fluidically connected to the first container to receive the expansion of hot gas from the first container and to flow the formation plugging fluid out of the second container using the expansion of hot gas; and
a balloon attached to an outer surface of the second container.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein both the uphole inflatable packer and the downhole inflatable packer each comprises an electric pump in fluid communication with fluid in the wellbore.

11 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the second container comprises a port through which the formation plugging fluid is flowed into the balloon.

12 . A method comprising:
initiating an explosion in a first container carrying an explosive, the first container positioned inside a well formed in a formation, the explosion expanding gas in the first container, wherein an expansion of hot gas flows toward a second container fluidically connected to the first container, the second container carrying formation plugging fluid configured to prevent fluid flow through the formation; and using the expansion of hot gas:
flowing the formation plugging fluid out of the second container into a balloon attached to an outer surface of the second container,
inflating the balloon, wherein at least a portion of the formation plugging fluid is entrapped between an inner wall of the portion of the well and the balloon, and
sealing the portion of the well by melting the inflated balloon.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein initiating the explosion comprises directing a spark toward the explosive.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the explosive is a solid explosive or a compressed flammable gas.

15 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising flowing the expansion of hot gas from the first container into the second container in response to a pressure on the first container satisfying a threshold pressure on the first container.

16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein, using the expansion of hot gas, flowing the formation plugging fluid out of the second container into the balloon attached to the outer surface of the second container comprises:
applying a force on a piston in the second container, the piston causing the formation plugging fluid to flow through a port in the second container into the balloon.

17 . The method of claim 12 , wherein, using the expansion of hot gas, inflating the balloon, wherein at least a portion of the formation plugging fluid is entrapped between the inner wall of the portion of the well and the balloon comprises:
flowing the formation plugging fluid through an opening in the balloon toward the portion of the well, wherein a rate of inflation of the balloon is delayed until at least a portion of the formation plugging fluid has flowed through the opening in the balloon toward the portion of the well.

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Al-Gouhi Alwaleed Abdullah
• Alkhanaifer Nabil S

Classifications

• E21B33/127

  with inflatable sleeve (E21B33/122, E21B33/124 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B33/138

  Plastering the borehole wall; Injecting into the formation · CPC title

• E21B34/10

  operated by control fluid supplied from outside the borehole · CPC title

• E21B33/12 Primary

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

• E21B23/065

  setting tool actuated by explosion or gas generating means · CPC title