Wellbore treatment apparatus and method

Abstract

An apparatus for treating a wellbore comprises a downhole component ( 22 ) and a body ( 16 ) mounted on the downhole component ( 22 ) to protect the downhole component. The body ( 16 ) comprises a treating agent and at least a portion of the body ( 16 ) is configured to break up to expose the downhole component ( 22 ) and permit release of the treating agent at a downhole location within a wellbore.

1 . An apparatus for treating a wellbore comprising a downhole component and a body mounted on the downhole component to protect the downhole component, wherein the body comprises a treating agent and at least a portion of the body is configured to break up to expose the downhole component and permit release of the treating agent at a downhole location within a wellbore. 
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein downhole component comprises a support member. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the downhole component comprises a tubular member. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the downhole component comprises a screen member. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the downhole component comprises a sand screen member. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the downhole component comprises a sensor arrangement. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the body is configured to break up upon exposure to a triggering condition. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the triggering condition comprises exposure to a downhole fluid. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the body is at least one of degradable, frangible, friable, dissolvable, wearable, dispersible and diffusible. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the body comprises an elastomer configured to break up to permit release of the treating agent. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the treating agent is encapsulated within the body. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a matrix material, wherein the treating agent is dispersed within the matrix material. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises multiple layers, wherein the treating agent is provided in at least one layer. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a first layer comprising the treating agent and a second layer configured to cover at least a portion of the first layer. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the first layer is at least partially contained within the second layer. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of the second layer is configured to be removable from the first layer to permit release of the treating agent. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of the second layer is configured to break up to be removable from the first layer to permit release of the treating agent. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the treating agent is directly retained within the body. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the treating agent is indirectly retained within the body. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the treating agent is contained within at least one capsule, wherein the at least one capsule is configured to be released by the body. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the treating agent is configured to at least one of modify a downhole condition, and stimulate production from a formation or reservoir. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the treating agent is configured to break up a substance. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein the treating agent is configured to break up a substance to remove or at least reduce blockages from one or more downhole flow paths. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the treating agent is configured to break up at least one of filter cake, particulate material, drill cuttings, rock fragments, organic matter, precipitates, scale, waxes, asphaltenes, emulsions, colloids, gels and multiphase fluids. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the treating agent comprises at least one of a breaker agent, surfactant, amphiphilic compound, acid, phase separator, viscosity modifier, pH modifier and corrosion inhibitor. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the treating agent is configured to be substantially inactive prior to being released from the body. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the body is mounted on an outer surface of the downhole component. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the downhole component is configured to form part of a completion assembly. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the body is configured to function as a centraliser. 
     
     
         30 . A method of treating a wellbore, comprising:
 mounting a body on a downhole component to protect said downhole component, wherein the body comprises a treating agent;   deploying the body and downhole component into a wellbore; and   breaking up at least a portion of the body to expose the downhole component and permit release of the treating agent.   
     
     
         31 . A downhole apparatus comprising:
 a downhole component;   a body at least partially surrounding the downhole component, wherein at least a portion of the body is configured to break up to expose the downhole component.   
     
     
         32 . A downhole method comprising:
 deploying a downhole component within a wellbore, wherein the downhole component is at least partially surrounded by a body; and   at least partially breaking up the body to expose the downhole component.