WO2014092714A1 - Construction de garniture étanche capable de gonfler - Google Patents

Construction de garniture étanche capable de gonfler Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2014092714A1
WO2014092714A1 PCT/US2012/069589 US2012069589W WO2014092714A1 WO 2014092714 A1 WO2014092714 A1 WO 2014092714A1 US 2012069589 W US2012069589 W US 2012069589W WO 2014092714 A1 WO2014092714 A1 WO 2014092714A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
swellable
seal element
modulus
elasticity
packer
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2012/069589
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Kristian Andersen
Original Assignee
Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. filed Critical Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
Priority to PCT/US2012/069589 priority Critical patent/WO2014092714A1/fr
Publication of WO2014092714A1 publication Critical patent/WO2014092714A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B33/00—Sealing or packing boreholes or wells
    • E21B33/10—Sealing or packing boreholes or wells in the borehole
    • E21B33/12—Packers; Plugs
    • E21B33/1208—Packers; Plugs characterised by the construction of the sealing or packing means

Definitions

  • This disclosure relates generally to equipment utilized and operations performed in conjunction with a subterranean well and, in one example described below, more particularly provides for swellable packer construction.
  • a swellable packer may be used to seal off an annular space in a well.
  • a swellable packer typically includes a swellable material which swells in the well, so that a seal element of the packer displaces into sealing contact with a well surface.
  • FIG. 1 is a representative partially cross-sectional view of a system and associated method which can embody principles of this disclosure.
  • FIG. 2 is a representative cross-sectional view of a swellable packer that may be used in the system and method of FIG. 1, and which can embody the principles of this disclosure .
  • FIG. 3 is a representative cross-sectional view of another example of the swellable packer.
  • FIG. 1 Representatively illustrated in FIG. 1 is a system 10 for use with a subterranean well, and an associated method, which system and method can embody principles of this disclosure.
  • system 10 and method are merely one example of an application of the principles of this disclosure in
  • a packer 12 is connected in a tubular string 14 positioned in a wellbore 16.
  • the wellbore 16 is lined with casing 18 and cement 20, but in other examples the wellbore could be uncased or open hole.
  • the packer 12 is used to seal off an annulus 22 formed radially between the tubular string 14 and the casing 18.
  • the packer 12 includes a swellable seal element 24 which swells radially outward into sealing contact with an interior surface of the casing 18.
  • the seal element 24 may sealingly contact a surface of an earth formation 26 penetrated by the wellbore. Any well surface may be sealingly contacted by the seal element 24, and so it should be understood that the scope of this disclosure is not limited to any particular well surface being contacted by the seal element.
  • the sealing contact and swelling of the seal element 24 results from contact between a swellable material of the seal element and an activating agent in the well.
  • the swellable material swells when it is
  • a particular activating agent e.g., oil, gas, other hydrocarbons, water, acid, other chemicals, etc.
  • the activating agent may already be present in the well, or it may be introduced after installation of the packer 12 in the well, or it may be carried into the well with the packer, etc.
  • the swellable material could instead swell in response to exposure to a particular temperature, or upon passage of a period of time, or in response to another stimulus, etc.
  • swell and similar terms (such as "swellable") are used herein to indicate an increase in volume of a swellable material. Typically, this increase in volume is due to incorporation of molecular components of the activating agent into the swellable material itself, but other swelling mechanisms or techniques may be used, if desired. Note that swelling is not the same as expanding, although a seal material may expand as a result of swelling.
  • a seal element may be extended radially outward by longitudinally compressing the seal element, or by inflating the seal element. In each of these cases, the seal element is
  • the seal element extends outward, but does not swell.
  • the activating agent which causes swelling of the swellable material is in this example preferably a
  • the swellable material swells when a fluid 28 comprises the activating agent (e.g., when the fluid enters the wellbore 16 from the formation 26 surrounding the wellbore, when the fluid is circulated to the packer 12 from the earth's surface, when the fluid is released from a chamber carried with the packer, etc.).
  • the seal element 24 seals off the annulus 22 and applies a gripping force to the inner surface of the casing 18 (or a surface of the formation 26 if uncased) .
  • the activating agent which causes swelling of the swellable material could be comprised in any type of fluid.
  • the activating agent could be naturally present in the well, it could be conveyed with the packer 12, or it could be conveyed separately or flowed into contact with the
  • the swellable material may have a substantial portion of cavities therein which are
  • the swellable material used in the seal element 24 swells by diffusion of hydrocarbons into the swellable material, or in the case of a water swellable material, by the water being absorbed by a super-absorbent material (such as cellulose, clay, etc.) and/or through osmotic activity with a salt-like material.
  • Hydrocarbon-, water- and gas-swellable materials may be combined, if desired.
  • predetermined activating agent may be used in keeping with the principles of this disclosure.
  • the swellable material could also swell in response to contact with any of multiple activating agents.
  • the swellable material could swell when contacted by hydrocarbon fluid, or when contacted by water.
  • Modulus of elasticity is a tendency of a substance to be deformed elastically when a force is applied to it.
  • the elastic modulus of a substance is a slope of its stress—strain curve in an elastic deformation region. A stiffer material will have a higher elastic modulus.
  • the large difference in elastic modulus between the base pipe and the seal element in conventional swellable packers can be detrimental to their differential pressure holding capabilities. For example, shear failures can occur at or near the interface between the swellable material and the base pipe.
  • swellable materials with relatively high elastic modulus typically do not have favorable swelling capabilities (such as, rate or total amount of swelling upon exposure to an activating agent, etc.).
  • swellable materials with relatively low elastic modulus are generally used in conventional swellable packers. These low elastic modulus materials contribute to the large elastic modulus difference mentioned above, which results in shear failures.
  • FIG. 2 an example of the packer 12 is representatively illustrated in an enlarged scale cross-sectional view. The packer 12 may be used in the FIG. 1 system 10 and method, or it may be used in other systems and methods .
  • the packer 12 includes a
  • the end rings 32 may be attached to the base pipe 30 in any manner.
  • the end rings 32 could be clamped onto, welded to, integrally formed with, molded onto, bonded to, threaded onto, or otherwise secured to the base pipe 30 .
  • the end rings 32 may not be used.
  • the seal element 24 may be retained on the base pipe 30 in any manner.
  • the seal element 24 may be retained longitudinally between the end rings 32 , molded onto the base pipe 30 , bonded to the base pipe, slipped onto the base pipe, wrapped onto the base pipe, etc.
  • the scope of this disclosure is not limited to any particular technique for positioning or retaining the seal element 24 on the base pipe 30 .
  • the seal element 24 in this example includes layers 34 , 36 , 38 of respective swellable materials 40 , 42 , 44 .
  • a modulus of elasticity of each of the swellable materials 40 , 42 , 44 is different.
  • the inner layer 40 has a greater modulus as compared to the middle layer 42
  • the middle layer 42 has a greater modulus as compared to the outer layer 44 .
  • the modulus of the seal element 24 decreases in a direction radially outward from the base pipe 30 .
  • the swellable material 40 having the greatest modulus is positioned adjacent the base pipe 30 (e.g., forming an interior inner surface 46 of the seal element 24 in contact with the base pipe), so that the difference in modulus between the base pipe and the
  • the swellable material 44 having the least modulus is positioned on an exterior of the seal element 24 (e.g., forming an outer surface 48 of the seal element which contacts a well surface), so that the better swelling characteristics of the material can be used for sealingly contacting the well surface.
  • layers 40 , 42 , 44 are depicted in FIG. 2 as being cylindrical and having substantially equal
  • the seal element 24 comprises a swellable material 50 which has a modulus that varies across its thickness.
  • the modulus of the swellable material 50 decreases in a direction radially outward from the base pipe 30 .
  • a relatively high modulus portion of the swellable material 50 is positioned adjacent the base pipe 30 (in order to reduce the difference in modulus between the material and the base pipe), and a relatively low modulus portion of the swellable material is positioned toward the outer surface 48 of the seal element 24 (which sealingly contacts a well surface).
  • a swellable packer 12 for use in a subterranean well is provided to the art by the above disclosure.
  • the packer 12 can include a base pipe 30 and a swellable seal element 24.
  • the seal element 24 can have a modulus of elasticity which decreases in a direction outward from the base pipe 30.
  • a maximum modulus of elasticity of the swellable seal element 24 may be adjacent the base pipe 30.
  • the swellable seal element 24 may include multiple layers 34, 36, 38 of swellable materials 40, 42, 44.
  • the modulus of elasticity can be greater in an inner one of the layers 34, as compared to an outer one of the layers 38.
  • the modulus of elasticity of the layers 34, 36, 38 preferably decreases in succession in the direction outward from the base pipe 30.
  • the swellable seal element 24 may comprise a swellable material 50, and the modulus of elasticity may decrease in the swellable material 50 in the direction outward from the base pipe 30.
  • a method of constructing a packer 12 for use in a subterranean well is also described above. In one example, the method can comprise: providing a swellable seal element 24 for the packer 12, the swellable seal element 24 having a modulus of elasticity which decreases from an interior to an exterior of the seal element 24.
  • the method can also include securing the seal element 24 to a base pipe 30, with the modulus of elasticity of the seal element 24 decreasing in a direction outward from the base pipe 30.
  • a system 10 for use with a subterranean well can include a swellable packer 12 comprising a swellable seal element 24 which swells and sealingly contacts a well surface (e.g., an inner surface of the casing 18, a surface of the formation 26, etc.).
  • the seal element 24 may have a modulus of elasticity which decreases in a direction toward the well surface.
  • structures disclosed as being separately formed can, in other examples, be integrally formed and vice versa.

Landscapes

  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Geology (AREA)
  • Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
  • Consolidation Of Soil By Introduction Of Solidifying Substances Into Soil (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne une garniture étanche capable de gonfler dans un puits souterrain pouvant comprendre un tuyau de base et un élément d'étanchéité en mesure de gonfler, l'élément d'étanchéité ayant un module d'élasticité qui va en diminuant dans une direction allant vers l'extérieur depuis le tuyau de base. L'invention concerne aussi un procédé de construction d'une garniture étanche à des fins d'utilisation dans un puits souterrain pouvant comprendre l'étape consistant à mettre en oeuvre un élément d'étanchéité capable de gonfler pour la garniture étanche, l'élément d'étanchéité capable de gonfler ayant un module d'élasticité qui va en diminuant depuis un intérieur jusqu'à un extérieur de l'élément d'étanchéité. Un système de puits peut comprendre une garniture étanche capable de gonfler comprenant un élément d'étanchéité capable de gonfler qui gonfle et entre en contact de manière étanche avec une surface du puits, l'élément d'étanchéité ayant un module d'élasticité qui va en diminuant dans une direction allant vers la surface du puits.
PCT/US2012/069589 2012-12-13 2012-12-13 Construction de garniture étanche capable de gonfler WO2014092714A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US2012/069589 WO2014092714A1 (fr) 2012-12-13 2012-12-13 Construction de garniture étanche capable de gonfler

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US2012/069589 WO2014092714A1 (fr) 2012-12-13 2012-12-13 Construction de garniture étanche capable de gonfler

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2014092714A1 true WO2014092714A1 (fr) 2014-06-19

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PCT/US2012/069589 WO2014092714A1 (fr) 2012-12-13 2012-12-13 Construction de garniture étanche capable de gonfler

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WO (1) WO2014092714A1 (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9267352B1 (en) 2012-09-12 2016-02-23 Alaskan Energy Resources, Inc. Swell packer with end rings and cutters
US9611715B1 (en) 2012-09-12 2017-04-04 Alaskan Energy Resources, Inc. Isolation liner incorporating a drill pipe with swell packers

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4781249A (en) * 1984-04-04 1988-11-01 Completion Tool Company Progressively inflated packers
US20070151724A1 (en) * 2006-01-05 2007-07-05 Schlumberger Technology Corporation System and Method for Isolating a Wellbore Region
US20090139707A1 (en) * 2007-06-06 2009-06-04 Baker Hughes Incorporated Swellable Packer with Back-Up Systems
US20090242189A1 (en) * 2008-03-28 2009-10-01 Schlumberger Technology Corporation Swell packer
US20110120733A1 (en) * 2009-11-20 2011-05-26 Schlumberger Technology Corporation Functionally graded swellable packers

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4781249A (en) * 1984-04-04 1988-11-01 Completion Tool Company Progressively inflated packers
US20070151724A1 (en) * 2006-01-05 2007-07-05 Schlumberger Technology Corporation System and Method for Isolating a Wellbore Region
US20090139707A1 (en) * 2007-06-06 2009-06-04 Baker Hughes Incorporated Swellable Packer with Back-Up Systems
US20090242189A1 (en) * 2008-03-28 2009-10-01 Schlumberger Technology Corporation Swell packer
US20110120733A1 (en) * 2009-11-20 2011-05-26 Schlumberger Technology Corporation Functionally graded swellable packers

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9267352B1 (en) 2012-09-12 2016-02-23 Alaskan Energy Resources, Inc. Swell packer with end rings and cutters
US9611715B1 (en) 2012-09-12 2017-04-04 Alaskan Energy Resources, Inc. Isolation liner incorporating a drill pipe with swell packers

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