Damping pressure pulses in a well system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9611724-B2
Application number	US-201314909723-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 23, 2013
Priority date	Aug 23, 2013
Publication date	Apr 4, 2017
Grant date	Apr 4, 2017

Abstract

A damper is provided for a well system. The well system utilizes a pressure pulse generator in the wellbore to generate a pressure pulse through fluid, such as treatment fluid, in the wellbore. The damper is received in the wellbore to damp transmission of the pressure pulse through the fluid while also allowing fluid to flow through the wellbore between a terranean surface and a location adjacent the pressure pulse generator. In certain instances, the damper allows flow of fluid past the damper while damping transmission of the pressure pulse through the fluid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A well system, comprising:
a pressure pulse generator in a wellbore to generate a pressure pulse of specified characteristics through fluid in the wellbore;
a damper in the wellbore to damp transmission of the pressure pulse through the fluid while allowing fluid to flow between a terranean surface and a location adjacent the pressure pulse generator; and
the damper comprises a gas slug in the fluid of characteristics to produce a specified degree of damping of the pressure pulse.

2. The well system of claim 1 , where the gas slug comprises foam.

3. The well system of claim 1 , where the damper comprises a generally radially protruding baffle in the fluid of characteristics to produce a specified degree of damping of the pressure pulse while allowing fluid to flow through the wellbore between the terranean surface and the location adjacent the pressure pulse generator.

4. The well system of claim 3 , where the baffle is conical.

5. The well system of claim 3 , where the baffle is carried by a working string residing in the wellbore, the working string comprising the pressure pulse generator.

6. The well system of claim 3 , where the baffle is carried by a casing of the wellbore.

7. The well system of claim 3 , where the baffle comprises a rigid main body and a flexible lip around a perimeter of the rigid main body.

8. The system of claim 1 , where the pressure generated by the pressure pulse generator is approximately ten times greater than a pressure of the fluid in the wellbore.

9. The system of claim 1 , where the fluid comprises at least one of a fracturing fluid, an acidizing fluid, or a water flood fluid.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the damper is positioned above the pressure pulse generator.

11. A method, comprising:
receiving a damper into a wellbore;
damping transmission, through a fluid in the wellbore, of a pressure pulse generated by a pressure pulse generator in the wellbore while allowing fluid to flow between a terranean surface and a location adjacent the pressure pulse generator; and
wherein receiving the damper into a wellbore comprises receiving a gas slug into the fluid, the gas slug of characteristics selected to produce a specified degree of damping of the pressure pulse.

12. The method of claim 11 , where receiving the gas slug comprises receiving a gas slug comprising foam.

13. The method of claim 11 , comprising receiving the gas slug into the fluid at the terranean surface at a time selected to communicate the gas slug to a location adjacent the pressure pulse generator when the pressure pulse generator emits the pressure pulse.

14. The method of claim 11 where receiving a damper into a wellbore comprises receiving a generally radially extending baffle in the fluid that is configured to produce a specified degree of damping of the pressure pulse.

15. The method of claim 14 , where receiving a generally radially extending baffle in the fluid comprises at least one of receiving the baffle carried by a working string comprising the pressure pulse generator or receiving the baffle carried by a casing of the wellbore.

16. The method of claim 14 , comprising allowing flow of the fluid past the baffle while generating the pressure pulse.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the pressure pulse generated by the pressure pulse generator is approximately ten times greater than a pressure of the fluid in the wellbore.

18. A method, comprising:
receiving a damper into a wellbore, the damper including a gas slug;
damping transmission, through a fluid in the wellbore, of a pressure pulse generated by a pressure pulse generator in the wellbore while allowing fluid to flow between a terranean surface and a location adjacent the pressure pulse generator;
fracturing a subterranean zone about the wellbore to communicate between two axially spaced apart locations; and
sealing the wellbore between the axially spaced apart locations.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc
• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Hunter Timothy Holiman
• Cavender Travis Wayne

Classifications

• E21B43/26

  by forming crevices or fractures · CPC title

• E21B41/00 Primary

  Equipment or details not covered by groups E21B15/00 - E21B40/00 · CPC title

• E21B43/003 Primary

  Vibrating earth formations · CPC title

• E21B28/00

  Vibration generating arrangements for boreholes or wells, e.g. for stimulating production ({for fishing for or freeing objects E21B31/005;} for transmitting measuring-signals E21B47/14; for geophysical measurements G01V1/02) · CPC title