Method and apparatus for wellbore fluid treatment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9303501-B2
Application number	US-201514928980-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2015
Priority date	Nov 19, 2001
Publication date	Apr 5, 2016
Grant date	Apr 5, 2016

Abstract

A method for fracturing a hydrocarbon-containing formation includes running a tubing string into an open hole and uncased, non-vertical section of the wellbore, and expanding first, second, and third solid body packers until each sets and seals against the wellbore wall. The method also includes applying a first pressure within the tubing string inner bore such that the hydraulically actuated sliding sleeve moves from a closed port position to an open port position without engaging any fluid conveyed sealing device. The method also includes conveying a sealing device through the tubing string, passing through a first sliding sleeve and landing in and sealing against a second sliding sleeve's seat moving the second sliding sleeve to an open port position permitting fluid flow through a second port. And the method includes pumping fracturing fluid through the second port and into an annular wellbore segment to fracture the hydrocarbon-containing formation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for fracturing a hydrocarbon-containing formation accessible through a wellbore, the method comprising:
running a tubing string into an open hole and uncased, non-vertical section of the wellbore, the tubing string having a long axis and an inner bore and comprising:
a first port opened through a wall of the tubing string,
a second port opened through the tubing string wall, the second port downhole from the first port along the long axis of the tubing string,
a third port opened through the tubing string wall, the third port downhole from the second port along the long axis of the tubing string,
a first sliding sleeve having a seat with a first diameter, the first sliding sleeve positioned relative to the first port and moveable relative to the first port between (i) a closed port position wherein fluid can pass the seat of the first sliding sleeve and flow downhole of the first sliding sleeve and (ii) an open port position permitting fluid flow through the first port from the tubing string inner bore and sealing against fluid flow past the seat of the first sliding sleeve and downhole of the first sliding sleeve,
a second sliding sleeve having a seat with a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, the second sliding sleeve positioned relative to the second port and moveable relative to the second port between (i) a closed port position wherein fluid can pass the seat of the second sliding sleeve and flow downhole of the second sliding sleeve and (ii) an open port position permitting fluid flow through the second port from the tubing string inner bore and sealing against fluid flow past the seat of the second sliding sleeve and downhole of the second sliding sleeve,
a first solid body packer mounted on the tubing string to act in a position uphole from the first port along the long axis of the tubing string, the first solid body packer operable to seal about the tubing string and against a wellbore wall in the open hole and uncased, non-vertical section of the wellbore,
a second solid body packer mounted on the tubing string to act in a position between the first port and the second port along the long axis of the tubing string, the second solid body packer operable to seal about the tubing string and against the wellbore wall in the open hole and uncased, non-vertical section of the wellbore,
a third solid body packer mounted on the tubing string to act in a position offset from the second port along the long axis of the tubing string and on a side of the second port opposite the second solid body packer, the third solid body packer operable to seal about the tubing string and against the wellbore wall in the open hole and uncased, non-vertical section of the wellbore, and
a hydraulically actuated sliding sleeve in a position offset from the third solid body packer along the long axis of the tubing string on a side of the third solid body packer opposite the second port, the hydraulically actuated sliding sleeve being positioned relative to the third port and moveable relative to the third port between (i) a closed port position in which the hydraulically actuated sliding sleeve covers the third port and (ii) an open port position in which the hydraulically actuated sliding sleeve exposes the third port to the tubing string inner bore to permit fluid flow through the third port from the tubing string inner bore,
wherein the tubing string is run into the wellbore with the first, second, and third solid body packers each in an unset position;

expanding radially outward the first, second, and third solid body packers until each of the first, second, and third solid body packers sets and seals against the wellbore wall in the open hole and uncased, non-vertical section of the wellbore,
wherein the first, second, and third solid body packers, when expanded, secure the tubing string in place in the wellbore and create a first annular wellbore segment between the first and second solid body packers, a second annular wellbore segment between the second and third solid body packers, and a third annular wellbore segment downhole of the third solid body packer,
wherein the first annular wellbore segment is substantially isolated from fluid communication with the second annular wellbore segment by the second solid body packer,
wherein the second annular wellbore segment is substantially isolated from fluid communication with the third wellbore segment by the third solid body packer, and
wherein the first, second, and third annular wellbore segments provide access to the hydrocarbon-containing formation along the wellbore wall in the open hole and uncased, non-vertical section of the wellbore;

applying a first pressure within the tubing string inner bore such that the hydraulically actuated sliding sleeve moves from the closed port position to the open port position without the hydraulically actuated sliding sleeve engaging any fluid conveyed sealing device;
conveying a fluid conveyed sealing device through the tubing string to pass through the first sliding sleeve and to land in and seal against the seat of the second sliding sleeve thereby moving the second sliding sleeve to the open port position and permitting fluid flow through the second port; and
pumping fracturing fluid through the second port and into the second annular wellbore segment to fracture the hydrocarbon-containing formation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the first, second, and third solid body packers is a hydraulically actuated packer, and wherein the expanding radially outward each of the first, second, and third solid body packers comprises, before moving the hydraulically actuated sliding sleeve to the open port position, applying a packer setting pressure within the tubing string inner bore to actuate each of the first, second, and third solid body packers.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first pressure used to actuate the hydraulically actuated sliding sleeve is greater than the packer setting pressure.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydraulically actuated sliding sleeve comprises a fluid actuated piston.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the fluid actuated piston is secured by a shear pin having a shear threshold.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the applying the first pressure is sufficient to establish a force exerted on the shear pin that exceeds the shear threshold of the shear pin.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after the hydraulically actuated sliding sleeve is moved from the closed port position to the open port position, pumping fracturing fluid through the third port and into the third annular wellbore segment to fracture the hydrocarbon-containing formation.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluid conveyed sealing device comprises a ball.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the third port is proximate to a lower end of the tubing string.

Assignees

• Packers Plus Energy Serv Inc

Inventors

• Fehr Jim
• Themig Daniel Jon

Classifications

• E21B43/14 Primary

  Obtaining from a multiple-zone well · CPC title

• E21B33/124

  Units with longitudinally-spaced plugs for isolating the intermediate space · CPC title

• E21B43/25

  Methods for stimulating production {(by vibrating earth formations E21B43/003)} · CPC title

• E21B34/12

  operated by movement of casings or tubings · CPC title

• E21B34/10

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