12728results about "Flushing" patented technology

Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a polycrystalline diamond or diamond-like element with greatly improved wear resistance without loss of impact strength. These elements are formed with a binder-catalyzing material in a high-temperature, high-pressure (HTHP) process. The PCD element has a body with a plurality of bonded diamond or diamond-like crystals forming a continuous diamond matrix that has a diamond volume density greater than 85%. Interstices among the diamond crystals form a continuous interstitial matrix containing a catalyzing material. The diamond matrix table is formed and integrally bonded with a metallic substrate containing the catalyzing material during the HTHP process. The diamond matrix body has a working surface, where a portion of the interstitial matrix in the body adjacent to the working surface is substantially free of the catalyzing material, and the remaining interstitial matrix contains the catalyzing material. Typically, less than about 70% of the body of the diamond matrix table is free of the catalyzing material.

An acid fracturing method is provided in which the acid is generated in the fracture by hydrolysis of a solid acid-precursor selected from one or more than one of lactide, glycolide, polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, a copolymer of polylactic acid and polyglycolic acid, a copolymer of glycolic acid with other hydroxy-, carboxylic acid-, or hydroxycarboxylic acid-containing moieties, and a copolymer of lactic acid with other hydroxy-, carboxylic acid or hydroxycarboxylic acid-containing moieties. The solid acid-precursor may be mixed with a solid acid-reactive material to accelerate the hydrolysis and / or coated to slow the hydrolysis. Water-soluble liquid compounds are also given that accelerate the hydrolysis. The method ensures that the acid contacts fracture faces far from the wellbore.

In one embodiment, a method for drilling a wellbore includes an act of drilling the wellbore by injecting drilling fluid through a tubular string disposed in the wellbore, the tubular string comprising a drill bit disposed on a bottom thereof. The drilling fluid exits the drill bit and carries cuttings from the drill bit. The drilling fluid and cuttings (returns) flow to a surface of the wellbore via an annulus defined by an outer surface of the tubular string and an inner surface of the wellbore. The method further includes an act performed while drilling the wellbore of measuring a first annulus pressure (FAP) using a pressure sensor attached to a casing string hung from a wellhead of the wellbore. The method further includes an act performed while drilling the wellbore of controlling a second annulus pressure (SAP) exerted on a formation exposed to the annulus.

The present invention provides reduced-density coated particulates and methods for enhancing the transport of such particulates into well bores and fractures, and for enhancing the conductivity and permeability of subterranean formations using such particulates, and for sand control treatments using such particulates. The reduced-density, coated particulates of the present invention generally comprise particulate having a surface and a coating wherein the surface comprises a porous or partially hollow geometry and coating is capable of trapping a fluid between the particulate's surface and the coating.

Degradable material assisted diversion (DMAD) methods for well treatment, DMAD treatment fluids, and removable plugs for DMAD in downhole operations. A slurry of solid degradable material is injected into the well, a plug of the degradable material is formed, a downhole operation is performed around the plug diverter, and the plug is then degraded for removal. Degradation triggers can be temperature or chemical reactants, with optional accelerators or retarders to provide the desired timing for plug removal. In multilayer formation DMAD fracturing, the plug isolates a completed fracture while additional layers are sequentially fractured and plugged, and then the plugs are removed for flowback from the fractured layers. In DMAD fluids, an aqueous slurry can have a solids phase including a degradable material and a fluid phase including a viscoelastic surfactant. The solids phase can be a mixture of fibers and a particulate material.

An improved concentrated surfactant formulation and process for the recovery of residual oil from subterranean petroleum reservoirs, and more particularly an improved alkali surfactant flooding process which results in ultra-low interfacial tensions between the injected material and the residual oil, wherein the concentrated surfactant formulation is supplied at a concentration above, at, or, below its CMC, also providing in situ formation of surface active material formed from the reaction of naturally occurring organic acidic components with the injected alkali material which serves to increase the efficiency of oil recovery.

Proppants having added functional properties are provided, as are methods that use the proppants to track and trace the characteristics of a fracture in a geologic formation. Information obtained by the methods can be used to design a fracturing job, to increase conductivity in the fracture, and to enhance oil and gas recovery from the geologic formation. The functionalized proppants can be detected by a variety of methods utilizing, for example, an airborne magnetometer survey, ground penetrating radar, a high resolution accelerometer, a geophone, nuclear magnetic resonance, ultra-sound, impedance measurements, piezoelectric activity, radioactivity, and the like. Methods of mapping a subterranean formation are also provided and use the functionalized proppants to detect characteristics of the formation.

The present invention relates to methods and compositions for creating and using particulate materials having treating agents absorbed thereon and coated with a degradable coating material. One embodiment of a method of the present invention provides a method treating to a subterranean formation comprising placing a coated, treated particulate into a subterranean formation wherein the coated, treated particulate comprises a particulate material having a treating agent placed thereon and a substantially complete layer of a degradable coating material coated placed thereon over the treating agent.

The present invention relates to lightweight high strength microsphere containing ceramic particles having controlled microsphere placement and / or size and microsphere morphology, which produces an improved balance of specific gravity and crush strength such that they can be used in applications such as proppants to prop open subterranean formation fractions. Proppant formulations are further disclosed which use one or more microsphere containing ceramic particles of the present invention. Methods to prop open subterranean formation fractions are further disclosed. In addition, other uses for the microsphere containing ceramic particles of the present invention are further disclosed, as well as methods of making the microsphere containing ceramic particles.

A method having the following steps: running a circulation valve comprising a reactive material into the well bore on the casing; reverse-circulating an activator material in the well bore until the activator material contacts the reactive material of the circulation valve; reconfiguring the circulation valve by contact of the activator material with the reactive material; and reverse-circulating a cement composition in the well bore until the reconfigured circulation valve decreases flow of the cement composition. A circulation valve for cementing casing in a well bore, the valve having: a valve housing connected to the casing and comprising a reactive material; a plurality of holes in the housing, wherein the plurality of holes allow fluid communication between an inner diameter of the housing and an exterior of the housing, wherein the reactive material is expandable to close the plurality of holes.

A system and method for controlling formation pressures during drilling of a subterranean formation utilizing a selectively fluid backpressure system in which fluid is pumped down the drilling fluid return system in response to detected borehole pressures. A pressure monitoring system is further provided to monitor detected borehole pressures, model expected borehole pressures for further drilling and control the fluid backpressure system.

The present invention contemplates a choke control system that provides for local and off-site monitoring and control of the annulus flow pressure of a well. The choke control system includes a choke manifold connected to at least one choke and its associated actuator; a variety of instrumental drilling sensors, pump stroke counter switches, and choke position indicators; a local choke and hydraulic pressure control console; and a programmable controller in communication with the local choke and hydraulic pressure control console. The programmable controller handles the logical operations of the choke control system, including processing instrument measurements and operator input data to produce control signals for operating the choke, the choke actuator and the various valves associated with the choke manifold. The programmable controller is typically either an electronic digital computer and / or a programmable logic controller (PLC). The present invention further contemplates the two-way communication between the choke control system and the Internet via a satellite linkage.

A method for well treatment by forming a temporary plug in a fracture, a perforation, a wellbore, or more than one of these locations, in a well penetrating a subterranean formation is provided, in which the method of well treatment includes: injecting a slurry comprising a degradable material, allowing the degradable material to form a plug in a perforation, a fracture, or a wellbore in a well penetrating a formation; performing a downhole operation; and allowing the degradable material to degrade after a selected time such that the plug disappears.

According to the present invention, a composition and method for hydraulically fracturing a subterranean formation is provided. The composition comprises an aqueous mixture of a hydrated polysaccharide, preferably a galactomannan gum, the hydrated polysaccharide having a plurality of bonding sites; a crosslinking agent for crosslinking the hydrated polysaccharide at the bonding sites at the conditions of the subterranean formation with a polyvalent metal ion to form a polyvalent metal crosslink, thereby increasing the viscosity of the hydrated polysaccharide; and a controlled solubility compound for releasing a chelating agent for controllably breaking the polyvalent metal crosslink and bonding with the polyvalent metal ion released by breaking the crosslink, thereby decreasing the viscosity of the hydrated polysaccharide. The method comprises the steps of injecting the above-described composition into the subterranean formation at fracturing pressures; allowing the controlled solubility compound to begin breaking the polyvalent metal crosslink, thereby reducing the viscosity of the hydrated polysaccharide and yielding a lower viscosity fluid; and removing the lower viscosity fluid from the subterranean formation.

Apparatus and methods for a deployment valve used with an underbalanced drilling system to enhance the advantages of underbalanced drilling. The underbalanced drilling system may typically comprise elements such as a rotating blow out preventer and drilling recovery system. The deployment valve is positioned in a tubular string, such as casing, at a well bore depth at or preferably substantially below the string light point of the drilling string. When the drilling string is above the string light point then the upwardly acting forces on the drilling string become greater than downwardly acting forces such that the drilling string begins to accelerate upwardly. The deployment valve has a bore sufficiently large to allow passage of the drill bit therethrough in the open position. The deployment valve may be closed when the drill string is pulled within the casing as may be necessary to service the drill string after drilling into a reservoir having a reservoir pressure. To allow the drill string to be removed from the casing, the pressure produced by the formation can be bled off and the drill string removed for servicing. The drill string can then be reinserted, the pressure in the casing above the deployment valve applied to preferably equalize pressure above and below the valve and the drill string run into the hole for further drilling.

It was found that the addition of polymers to viscoelastic surfactant base system allows to adjust the rheological properties of the base fluid. Depending in particular on one side of the ratio of the concentration of added polymer and the concentration of viscoelastic surfactant and on the other side of the molecular weight of the added polymer, the same polymer—or the same type of polymer—may perform different functions such as viscosity enhancer, viscosity breaker or viscosity-recovery enhancer.

A method of the preparation and utilization of polymerized alpha-hydroxycarboxylic-acid-coated proppants for gravel pack and removal of filter cake that was deposited by reservoir drilling fluid. In a preferred example, polyglycolic-acid-coated sand is used to replace conventional gravel pack sand typically used for gravel packing. Under downhole conditions, the acidic by-product generated from the hydration of polyglycolic-acid-coated sand can break down acid-soluble and / or acid-breakable components embedded in the filter cake. This reaction enhances the filter cake removal and the flow of hydrocarbon from the producing formation. The polyglycolic-acid-coated sand may be produced by polymerizing a glycolic acid with a natural or synthetic proppant like 20-40 mesh commercial sand, at temperatures of about 210° F. or higher.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for handling tubulars and drilling with tubulars such as casing into a formation. In one aspect of the invention, the apparatus comprises a circulating head and a cementing head operatively connectible to a gripping member. The circulating head is used to circulate drilling fluid while drilling with casing, and the cementing head is used to cement the casing string within the formation at a desired depth. The present invention also relates to methods and apparatus for isolating a tensile load from a drilling apparatus rotated by a top drive. In one aspect, the present invention provides a load isolator apparatus having an isolator body operatively connected to the top drive and a torque body at least partially disposed in the isolator body. In operation, the bearing assembly transfers the tensile load from the torque body to the isolator body.

Methods are presented to induce a screenout during a subterranean formation fracturing or combined fracturing and gravel packing treatment having a viscoelastic surfactant-based carrier fluid by laying down a filter cake at least a portion of which is a base-soluble material, injecting proppant slurry, and causing hydrolysis and dissolution of the solid base-soluble material by adding base so that leak-off increases, the concentration of proppant in the fracture increases, and the proppant screens out. A method of gravel packing with a viscoelastic surfactant-based carrier fluid by laying down a filter cake at least a portion of which is a base-soluble material, injecting gravel, and causing hydrolysis and dissolution of the solid base-soluble material by adding base. Methods of slowing or accelerating the hydrolysis and dissolution are given, and addition of bridging-promoting materials is included.

A system and method of drilling and / or perforating uses a laser beam to remove material, such as to perforate the casing, cement and formation or drill a well bore. The system and method can further or alternately encompass material analysis that can be performed without removing the material from the well bore. The analysis can be performed apart from or in connection with drilling operations and / or perforating the casing, cement and formation. The analysis can be used in a feed back loop to adjust material removal, adjust material analysis, determine the location of future material removal, and for other uses.

A sealant composition for servicing a wellbore comprising at least one gel system, a leak off prevention material and water.

This invention relates to improved methods for completing wells in unconsolidated subterranean zones. More specifically, the present invention relates to cement compositions useful in subterranean applications, and more particularly, to permeable cement compositions and methods for forming consolidated permeable cement masses in well bores to prevent sand influx into the well bores with produced fluids. In one embodiment, the permeable cement compositions of the present invention comprise a hydraulic cement, water, and a degradable material capable of undergoing an irreversible degradation downhole.

A floating rig or structure for drilling in the floor of an ocean using a rotatable tubular includes a seal housing having a rotatable seal connected above a marine riser fixed to the floor of the ocean. The seal rotating with the rotating tubular allows the riser and seal housing to maintain a predetermined pressure in the system that is desirable in underbalanced drilling, gas-liquid mud systems and pressurized mud handling systems. A flexible conduit or hose is used to compensate for the relative movement of the seal housing and the floating structure since the floating structure moves independent of the seal housing. A method for use of the system is also disclosed.

The present invention relates to aqueous based tackifier fluids and their use in stabilizing particulates in propped fractures. Some embodiments of the present invention provide methods of creating a proppant pack in a subterranean formation, comprising introducing an aqueous servicing fluid comprising proppant particulates, wherein at least some of the proppant particulates are at least partially coated with an aqueous tackifier compound, into a subterranean fracture; and, activating the aqueous tackifier compound so as to form a proppant pack. Other embodiments provide methods of stabilizing a proppant pack comprising introducing an aqueous tackifier compound to at least a portion of an existing proppant pack; and, activating the aqueous tackifier compound so as to stabilize the proppant pack. Other embodiments provide servicing fluids comprising proppant particulates and an aqueous fluid wherein at least some of the proppant particulates are at least partially coated with an aqueous tackifier compound.

Methods and compositions are disclosed for controlled addition of components that decrease the viscosity of the viscoelastic surfactant fluids or for controlled changes in the electrolyte concentration or composition of the viscoelastic surfactant fluids. One aspect of the invention relates to the use of internal breakers with a delayed activation. Another aspect of the invention relates to the use of precursors that release a breaking system such as alcohol by a process such as melting, slow dissolution, reaction with a compound present in the fluid or added to the fluid during or after the step of injecting, rupture of an encapsulating coating and de-adsorption of a breaking agent absorbed into solid particles. In another aspect of the invention, alcohols are included in a pad to reduce the low-shear viscosity and reduce the resistance to flow of the treatment fluids during a desired phase of the treatment.

The present invention provides compositions and methods for enhancing subterranean well productivity by enhancing fracture conductivity. A method of increasing the conductivity of a fracture in a portion of a subterranean formation comprising providing a slurry comprising a fracturing fluid, a degradable material, and proppant particulates coated with a tackifying agent; allowing the degradable material to become at least temporarily attached to the tackifying agent coated onto the proppant particulates so as to avoid substantial segregation of the degradable material from the proppant particulates within the slurry; introducing the slurry to the fracture and allowing the proppant particulates and degradable material to form a substantially uniform particulate pack; and, allowing the degradable material to degrade and produce a particulate pack having voids therein.

A petroleum well having a well casing, a production tubing, a source of time-varying current, a downhole chemical injection device, and a downhole induction choke. The casing extends within a wellbore of the well. The tubing extends within the casing. The current source is located at the surface. The current source is electrically connected to, and adapted to output a time-varying current into, the tubing and / or the casing, which act as electrical conductors for providing downhole power and / or communications. The injection device having a communications and control module, a chemical container, and an electrically controllable chemical injector. The communications and control module is electrically connected to the tubing and / or the casing. The chemical injector is electrically connected to the communications and control module, and is in fluid communication with the chemical container. The downhole induction choke is located about a portion of the tubing and / or the casing. The chemical injector is electrically connected to the communications and control module, and is in fluid communication with the chemical container. The downhole induction choke is located about a portion of the tubing and / or the casing. The induction choke is adapted to route part of the electrical current through the communications and control module by creating a voltage potential between one side of the induction choke and another side of the induction choke. The communications and control module is electrically connected across the voltage potential. Also, a method is provided for controllably injecting a chemical into the well downhole, which may be used to: improve lift efficiency with a foaming agent, prevent deposition of solids with a paraffin solvent, improve a flow characteristic of the flow stream with a surfactant, prevent corrosion with a corrosion inhibitor, and / or prevent scaling with scale preventers.