Temperature-activated swellable wellbore completion device and method
US8191644B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 7, 2009 |
| Grant date | Jun 5, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 1, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC E)Fixed Constructions
- CPC primaryE21B23/06
- WIPO fieldCivil engineering
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
Disclosed herein is a completion device that includes an interior layer that swells when exposed to a wellbore fluid; and an exterior layer encasing the interior layer and configured to be impermeable to the wellbore fluid at temperatures below an activation depth temperature, and configured to be permeable to the wellbore fluid at temperatures above the activation depth temperature. Also disclosed herein is a method of deploying a completion device that includes encasing an interior layer of the device in a temperature-sensitive exterior layer that is impermeable to a fluid in the wellbore at temperatures below an activation depth temperature; attaching the device on a tube string; inserting the tube string into the wellbore; creating a leak path in the temperature-sensitive exterior layer in response to the device being exposed to the activation depth temperature in the wellbore; and swelling the interior layer with the wellbore fluid.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.