Apparatus and method for treating zones in a wellbore

Abstract

Apparatus and method for treating zones in a wellbore. The apparatus includes an expandable packer assembly and a sealing element positioned in the treatment assembly above the packer assembly. A communication port is positioned between the sealing element and the packer assembly. A plurality of slips will grippingly engage the well above the port through which treatment fluid is communicated to resist upward force caused by treatment pressure in the well acting on the sealing element. The sealing element may be a cup packer.

1 . A treatment assembly for treating formations intersected by a well comprising:
 an expandable packer element mounted on a packer mandrel and movable between a set position in which the packer element seals against the well and an unset position in which the packer element is spaced from the well;   at least one cup packer connected in the treatment assembly above the expandable packer element for engaging the well;   a ported sub connected in the treatment assembly between the at least one cup packer and the expandable packer element, the treatment assembly defining a flow passage for communicating fluid to the ported sub; and   radially extendable slips for grippingly engaging a casing in the well connected in the treatment assembly above the at least one cup packer.   
   
   
       2 . The treatment assembly of  claim 1 , the at least one cup packer comprising two cup packers connected in the treatment assembly above the ported sub. 
   
   
       3 . The treatment assembly of  claim 1 , the slips comprising hydraulically actuated slips. 
   
   
       4 . The treatment assembly of  claim 3 , further comprising a hold-down head comprising:
 a top sub adapted to be threadedly connected to a tubing;   a hold-down body connected to the top sub, the hydraulically actuated slips being mounted in the hold-down body; and   a bottom sub connected to the hold-down body.   
   
   
       5 . The treatment assembly of  claim 4 , the hold-down body having an upper end and a lower end, and having a longitudinally extending communication port extending from the upper end of the hold-down body in a wall thereof for communicating hydraulic pressure to the radially extendable hold-down slips in the hold-down body. 
   
   
       6 . The treatment assembly of  claim 5 , the top sub having upper and lower ends, wherein the lower end of the top sub and the upper end of the hold-down body define a passage therebetween, hydraulic pressure being communicated into the longitudinally extending communication port through the passage. 
   
   
       7 . The treatment assembly of  claim 6 , further comprising a debris barrier positioned in the passage. 
   
   
       8 . A method of treating a zone intersected by a well comprising the steps of:
 lowering a treatment assembly into the well, the treatment assembly comprising an expandable packer, a downwardly facing cup packer positioned above the expandable packer, and a ported sub positioned between the cup packer and the expandable packer;   expanding the expandable packer in the well to engage the well;   pumping a treating fluid into a selected zone in the well through the ported sub;   applying a radially outwardly directed force to the casing in the well with the treatment assembly to resist movement of the treatment assembly upwardly in the well as the treating fluid is being pumped through the ported sub into the zone.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the radially outwardly directed force is a result of increasing pressure in the treatment assembly. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , the treatment assembly further comprising a hydraulic hold-down head, the applying step comprising radially extending hold-down slips in the hold-down head to engage the casing in the well. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 8 , the applying step comprising radially expanding a hold-down tool positioned in the treatment assembly above the cup packer to engage the well. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising increasing pressure in the treatment assembly to radially expand the hold-down tool to engage the well. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the radially outwardly directed force is applied above the cup packer. 
   
   
       14 . A method of treating multiple zones in a well comprising:
 lowering a treatment assembly into the well to a first position in the well to treat an initial selected zone;   sealingly engaging the well with a sealing element during the lowering steps;   expanding an expandable packer element to engage the well after the treatment assembly has reached the first position in the well;   engaging the well with a plurality of downwardly facing slips below the packer element;   injecting a treating fluid through the treatment assembly between the sealing element and the expandable packer element into the initial selected zone;   grippingly engaging the well with the treatment assembly to resist an upward force applied to the sealing element during the injection step; and   moving the treatment assembly in the well after the initial selected zone has been treated to at least one additional position to treat at least one additional selected zone.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the initial, and the at least one additional selected zone are in a horizontal portion of the wellbore. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 releasing the gripping engagement; and   retracting the expandable packer element prior to the moving step.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising repeating the expanding, injecting, and grippingly engaging steps at the at least one additional selected zone. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the sealing element comprises a downward facing cup-type packer. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 14 , the grippingly engaging step comprising radially expanding a portion of the treatment assembly to grippingly engage the well. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , the radially expanding step comprising communicating fluid pressure from a central passage in the treatment assembly to a passageway defined in a wall of the treatment assembly, wherein the fluid pressure urges a portion of the treatment assembly radially outwardly into engagement with the well. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 14 , the treatment assembly further comprising a hold-down head, wherein the grippingly engaging step comprises radially extending hold-down slips in the hold-down head to engage the well. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 14 , the grippingly engaging step comprising radially extending upwardly facing slips to engage the well above the sealing element. 
   
   
       23 . A tool for treating multiple zones in a wellbore comprising:
 at least one cup packer mounted on a mandrel connected in the tool slips;   an expandable packer assembly connected in the tool below the cup packer, the tool including an injection port positioned between the at least one cup packer and the expandable packer assembly for communicating a treating fluid from the tool into a zone to be treated; and   upwardly facing radially extendable slips positioned above the at least one cup packer for engaging the well and resisting the upward force resulting from the treatment pressure acting on the cup packer.   
   
   
       24 . The tool of  claim 23 , the at least one cup packer comprising a first downward facing cup packer and a second downward facing cup packer, the injection port being positioned between the second downward facing cup packer and the expandable packer assembly. 
   
   
       25 . The tool of  claim 23 , wherein the radially extendable slips comprise a portion of a hydraulic hold-down assembly. 
   
   
       26 . The tool of  claim 25 , the hydraulic hold-down assembly comprising:
 an upper sub; and   a hold-down body connected to the upper sub, the hold-down body having an axial passage therein communicated with a central flow passage defined through the hold-down body, wherein hydraulic pressure communicated through the axial passage will urge the radially extendable slips outwardly into engagement with the well.   
   
   
       27 . The tool of  claim 26 , the upper sub and the hold-down body defining a space therebetween, wherein fluid pressure is communicated from the central flow passage in the hold-down body through the space and into the axial passage. 
   
   
       28 . The tool of  claim 23 , the upwardly facing radially extendable slips being positioned in the tool above the at least one cup packer. 
   
   
       29 . A method of anchoring a treatment tool in a well comprising:
 lowering the treatment tool into the well, the treatment tool defining a longitudinal central flow passage and at least one treatment port for communicating treatment fluid into a zone to be treated;   radially expanding a packer element to contact the well below the treatment port;   radially extending downward facing slips to resist downward movement of the tool;   communicating treatment fluid through the treatment port into the zone to be treated; and   grippingly engaging the well with upwardly facing slips to resist upward movement of the tool during the communicating step.   
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , the grippingly engaging step comprising radially extending a plurality of slips to engage the well above the treatment port. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising applying hydraulic pressure to the slips to radially extend the slips. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 retracting the packer element from contact with the well;   releasing the gripping engagement; and   moving the tool to at least one additional zone in the well to be treated.   
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising sealingly engaging the well above the treatment port as the tool is lowered in the well. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33 , the sealingly engaging step comprising engaging the well with at least one cup packer. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34 , the grippingly engaging step comprising radially extending the upward facing slips to engage the well above the at least one cup packer. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the tool includes a cup packer positioned above the treatment port and a hydraulic hold-down assembly positioned above the cup packer, and wherein the grippingly engaging step comprises increasing pressure to extend the upwardly facing extendable slips in the hold-down assembly to engage the well.