Heat treatment for removal of bauschinger effect or to accelerate cement curing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9303487-B2
Application number	US-201213460199-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2012
Priority date	Apr 30, 2012
Publication date	Apr 5, 2016
Grant date	Apr 5, 2016

Abstract

Materials are delivered within an expanded string before the string is subsequently compressively loaded such that the heat given off by the reaction of the delivered materials raises the fluid temperature in the recently expanded string to temperatures in a range of about 150-300 degrees Centigrade. The materials can be separated for delivery and then allowed to contact to initiate the reaction. Alternatively the materials can be delivered in separate conveyances for more immediate start of the exothermic reaction at the needed location or locations. To the extent there is curing cement about the expanded tubular, then the heat generated also reduces curing time to full setup of the sealing material. The applied heat counteracts or eliminates the Bauschinger effect.

First claim

We claim:

1. A completion method, comprising:
delivering a tubular string to a predetermined subterranean location;
expanding said string;
raising the temperature of well fluid at the subterranean location to a predetermined temperature;
reversing a Bauschinger effect from said expanding with said raising the temperature;
reducing differential compressive loading on said string from formation fluids at the subterranean location during said raising the temperature.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
using an exothermic reaction for raising the temperature.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
raising said temperature after said expanding.

4. A completion method, comprising:
delivering a tubular string to a predetermined subterranean location;
expanding said string;
raising the temperature of well fluid at the subterranean location to a predetermined temperature;
reversing a Bauschinger effect from said expanding with said raising the temperature;
accelerating the curing of a sealing material with said raising the temperature.

5. The method of claim 4 , comprising:
placing said sealing material in an annular space about said tubular string before or after said expanding.

6. The method of claim 5 , comprising:
selecting a predetermined viscosity or density cement taking into account said raising the temperature.

7. The method of claim 5 , comprising:
using cement as said sealing material;
disposing said cement between multiple walls that define said string.

8. A completion method, comprising:
delivering a tubular string to a predetermined subterranean location;
expanding said string;
raising the temperature of well fluid at the subterranean location to a predetermined temperature;
reversing a Bauschinger effect from said expanding with said raising the temperature;
using an exothermic reaction for raising the temperature;
separating reactants that react exothermically when delivering said reactants to a predetermined location in said string.

9. The method of claim 8 , comprising:
pumping a spacer into said string between said reactants for said separation.

10. The method of claim 9 , comprising:
mixing said reactants with a static or dynamic mixer in said string.

11. The method of claim 8 , comprising:
using discrete delivery tubes to separate said reactants during delivery to the predetermined location in said string.

12. The method of claim 11 , comprising:
using coiled tubing with lower end wall perforations for said discrete delivery tubes.

13. A completion method, comprising:
delivering a tubular string to a predetermined subterranean location;
sealing an annular space about said string with a sealing material whose curing rate is responsive to temperature;
raising the temperature of well fluid at the subterranean location with an exothermic reaction involving reactants other than said sealing material to a predetermined temperature to accelerate said curing.

14. The method of claim 13 , comprising:
using cement as said sealing material;
disposing said cement between multiple walls that define said string.

15. A completion method, comprising:
delivering a tubular string to a predetermined subterranean location;
sealing an annular space about said string with a sealing material whose curing rate is responsive to temperature;
raising the temperature of well fluid at the subterranean location with an exothermic reaction involving reactants other than said sealing material to a predetermined temperature to accelerate said curing;
expanding said string;
using an exothermic reaction for said raising the temperature.

16. The method of claim 15 , comprising:
separating reactants that react exothermically when delivering said reactants to a predetermined location in said string.

17. The method of claim 16 , comprising:
pumping a spacer into said string between said reactants for said separation.

18. The method of claim 17 , comprising:
mixing said reactants with a static or dynamic mixer in said string.

19. The method of claim 16 , comprising:
using discrete delivery tubes to separate said reactants during delivery to the predetermined location in said string.

20. The method of claim 19 , comprising:
using coiled tubing with lower end wall perforations for said discrete delivery tubes.

21. The method of claim 16 , comprising:
reversing a Bauschinger effect from said expanding with said raising the temperature.

22. A completion method, comprising:
delivering a tubular string to a predetermined subterranean location;
sealing an annular space about said string with a sealing material whose curing rate is responsive to temperature;
raising the temperature of well fluid at the subterranean location with an exothermic reaction involving reactants other than said sealing material to a predetermined temperature to accelerate said curing;
expanding said tubular string;
placing said sealing material in the annular space about said tubular string before or after said expanding said tubular string.

23. A completion method, comprising:
delivering a tubular string to a predetermined subterranean location;
sealing an annular space about said string with a sealing material whose curing rate is responsive to temperature;
raising the temperature of well fluid at the subterranean location with an exothermic reaction involving reactants other than said sealing material to a predetermined temperature to accelerate said curing;
selecting a predetermined viscosity or density cement taking into account said raising the temperature.

Assignees

• Wilamowitz Elisabeth
• Lehr Joerg
• Baker Hughes Inc

Inventors

• Wilamowitz Elisabeth
• Lehr Joerg

Classifications

• E21B33/14 Primary

  for cementing casings into boreholes · CPC title

• E21B36/008

  using chemical heat generating means · CPC title

• E21B36/00 Primary

  Heating, cooling or insulating arrangements for boreholes or wells, e.g. for use in permafrost zones · CPC title