Wellbore dynamic top kill with inserted conduit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9631459-B2
Application number	US-201514861347-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2015
Priority date	Sep 22, 2015
Publication date	Apr 25, 2017
Grant date	Apr 25, 2017

Abstract

Systems, apparatus, and methods for controlling a well blowout comprising: a flow control device such as a blowout preventer on a wellbore, the primary throughbore of the flow control device for introducing control fluid into the primary throughbore portion of the wellbore throughbore to create a pressure drop within the primary throughbore sufficient to overcome the flowing blowout fluid pressure within the primary throughbore and optionally introducing control fluid into the primary throughbore using a conduit inserted directly into the wellbore throughbore to further enhance introduction of control fluid into the wellbore throughbore; and optionally a weighted fluid aperture may be positioned in the wellbore conduit, preferably below the control fluid aperture for introducing a weighted fluid into the wellbore throughbore while control fluid is also being concurrently introduced into the wellbore through the control fluid aperture.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of performing a wellbore intervention operation to reduce an uncontrolled flow of wellbore blowout fluids from a subterranean wellbore, the method comprising:
providing a flow control device, the flow control device engaged proximate a top end of a wellbore conduit that includes a wellbore throughbore, the flow control device including a primary throughbore coaxially aligned with the wellbore throughbore;
providing a control fluid aperture proximate the top end of the wellbore conduit, the control fluid aperture being fluidly connected with the primary throughbore;
providing a weighted fluid aperture in the wellbore throughbore at an upstream location in the wellbore throughbore with respect to the control fluid aperture and with respect to the direction of wellbore blowout fluid flow through the wellbore throughbore;
introducing a control fluid through the control fluid aperture and into the wellbore throughbore while a wellbore blowout fluid flows from the subterranean formation through the wellbore throughbore at a wellbore blowout fluid flow rate, the control fluid comprising carbon dioxide to form hydrates in the wellbore throughbore, whereby the control fluid is introduced into the wellbore throughbore at a control fluid introduction rate that is at least 25% of the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate from the wellbore throughbore prior to introducing the control fluid into the wellbore throughbore; and
introducing a weighted fluid through the weighted fluid aperture and into the wellbore throughbore while pumping the control fluid through the control fluid aperture.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising providing the control fluid aperture in at least one of a blowout preventer and a drilling spool.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising providing the control fluid aperture in or upstream of a well control device and providing the weighted fluid aperture in another wellbore component upstream from the well control device with respect to the direction of flow of wellbore blowout fluid flowing through the wellbore throughbore.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising introducing the control fluid into the primary throughbore at a control fluid introduction rate of at least 50% of the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate prior to introduction of the control fluid into the wellbore throughbore.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising introducing the control fluid into the primary throughbore at a control fluid introduction rate of at least 100% of the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate prior to introduction of the control fluid into the wellbore throughbore.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising introducing the control fluid into the primary throughbore at a control fluid introduction rate of at least 200% of the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate prior to introduction of the control fluid into the wellbore throughbore.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using seawater to prepare the control fluid for introduction into the wellbore throughbore.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising introducing the weighted fluid through the weighted fluid aperture and into the wellbore throughbore when an estimated or determined at least 25% by volume of total fluid flowing through the primary throughbore during introduction of the control fluid into the primary throughbore is control fluid.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising introducing control fluid into the wellbore throughbore at a control fluid introduction rate sufficient to reduce the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate by 25% with respect to the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate through the wellbore throughbore prior to introduction of the control fluid into the wellbore throughbore.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising introducing control fluid into the wellbore throughbore at a control fluid introduction rate sufficient to reduce the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate by at least 50% with respect to the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate through the wellbore throughbore prior to introduction of the control fluid into the wellbore throughbore.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising introducing control fluid into the wellbore throughbore at a control fluid introduction rate sufficient to reduce the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate by at least 75% with respect to the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate through the wellbore throughbore prior to introduction of the control fluid into the wellbore throughbore.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising introducing control fluid into the wellbore throughbore at a control fluid introduction rate sufficient to reduce the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate by at least 90% with respect to the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate through the wellbore throughbore prior to introduction of the control fluid into the wellbore throughbore.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing the control fluid aperture in at least one of (i) a flow control device, and (ii) a location intermediate the flow control device and the wellbore conduit.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising thereafter pumping weighted fluid through the control fluid aperture.

15. An apparatus for performing a wellbore intervention operation to reduce an uncontrolled flow rate of wellbore blowout fluids from a subterranean wellbore, the apparatus comprising:
a flow control device, the flow control device engaged with a top end of a wellbore conduit that includes a wellbore throughbore at a surface location of the wellbore conduit, the flow control device including a primary throughbore that includes the wellbore throughbore, the primary throughbore coaxially aligned with the wellbore throughbore and the primary throughbore comprising internal dimensional variation with respect to the internal diameter of the wellbore conduit;
a control fluid aperture in the top end of the wellbore conduit, the control fluid aperture being fluidly connected with the wellbore throughbore, the control fluid aperture positioned to introduce a control fluid into the primary throughbore to mix with wellbore blowout fluid flowing from the subterranean formation through the wellbore throughbore at a wellbore blowout fluid flow rate;
a weighted fluid aperture in the wellbore throughbore positioned at an upstream location in the wellbore throughbore with respect to the control fluid aperture and with respect to direction of flow of wellbore blowout fluid flowing through the wellbore throughbore, the weighted fluid aperture capable to introduce a weighted fluid into the wellbore throughbore while the control fluid is introduced into the wellbore throughbore through the control fluid aperture; and
means for introducing carbon dioxide into at least one of the control fluid and the weighted fluid to form hydrates in the wellbore throughbore.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the flow control apparatus comprises at least one of a blowout preventer, lower marine riser package, at least a portion of a riser assembly, production tree, drilling spool, and combinations thereof.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the control fluid aperture is fluidly connected with a control fluid conduit and a control fluid pump.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising sizing the control fluid aperture to introduce a control fluid into the wellbore throughbore at a control fluid introduction rate of at least 25% of an estimated or determined wellbore blowout fluid flow rate through the wellbore throughbore that was estimated or determined prior to intro

Assignees

• Nedwed Timothy J
• Converse David R
• Eaton Michael W
• Exxonmobil Upstream Res Co

Inventors

• Nedwed Timothy J
• Converse David R
• Eaton Michael W

Classifications

• E21B41/0007 Primary

  for underwater installations (E21B41/005, E21B41/04, E21B41/06, E21B41/08, E21B41/10 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B33/064

  specially adapted for underwater well heads · CPC title

• E21B33/035

  specially adapted for underwater installations (E21B33/043, E21B33/064, E21B33/076 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B33/068

  having provision for introducing objects or fluids into, or removing objects from, wells (cementing-heads E21B33/05) · CPC title