Steam-impulse pressure generator for the treatment of oil wells

Abstract

A steam-impulse pressure generator includes a burnable membrane separating (1) a heat-generating device, which is an hermetic enclosure, the cavity of which is filled with heat-generating blocks, from (2) a steam-kinetic chamber, which is a non-hermetic, open enclosure, with windows (nozzles), evenly distributed over the entire surface, with the minimum dynamic resistance for an exit of the steam-water mixture, while offering as much interference as possible against the melted material exiting into the well. High temperature melt coming from the main body makes direct contact with the borehole fluid causing a hydrodynamic disturbance of high-intensity in the form of series of steam-pressure pulses, which penetrates into the bottom-hole formation zone (“BFZ”) and improves the filtration properties of the rock formation not only and not so much by the removal of the wax, paraffin and resin depositions, but rather because of layer microruptures in the BFZ.

1 . A steam-impulse pressure generator for the treatment of oil wells of the type containing an hermetic enclosure having a cavity containing a working agent; a depressurization system having a rupturable membrane; an element of initiation of the working agent mounted inside the enclosure, characterized in that:
 the working agent consists of compressed high-energy powder mixture in the form of separate blocks with raised thermal emission, about 7.5 MJ/kg of heat;   the hermetic enclosure, with the working agent located in it, comprises a single unit with the element of initiation and fusible membrane;   the depressurization system of the case by its melting comprises a circular metallic membrane having a calibrated thickness;   and wherein the generator further comprises:   a protective assembly for guiding melted combustion product into a steam-kinetic chamber, the protective assembly including a burnable membrane;   a non-hermetically sealed steam-kinetic chamber, as much as possible open enclosure, with windows (nozzles), evenly distributed over its entire surface;   an adapter, compatible with geophysical connectors, integrated with a discharge module and calibrated protection system of well logging cable and geophysical connectors from sharp pressure and temperature jumps; and   an electronic switch, node connector, for switching several pressure generators lowered into the well.   
     
     
         2 . The steam-impulse pressure generator according to  claim 1 , wherein the working agent, with adjustable rate of combustion, upon burning forms molten products with a temperature not lower than 2350 K. 
     
     
         3 . The steam-impulse pressure generator according to  claim 1 , wherein the generator contains a sealed enclosure designed for gasless mixture combustion with low pressure, and the adapter is a universal protective adapter, for protection of cable head from sharp pressure and temperature jumps; the geometrical dimensions of which allow its application in the well with installed tubing. 
     
     
         4 . The steam-impulse pressure generator according to  claim 1 , wherein the depressurization system of the case is located in its bottom part and includes a burnable, metallic membrane of calibrated thickness, structurally combined with the assembly of the protective guiding unit for melt supply. 
     
     
         5 . The steam-impulse pressure generator according to  claim 1 , wherein the protective assembly for melt supply into the steam-kinetic chamber through a bore (with calibrated diameter) and with burnable diaphragm (membrane), providing protection of heat-generating blocks inside the steam-impulse pressure generator case from moisture, and also providing optimum melt supply into the steam-kinetic chamber and protecting the main hull of steam-impulse pressure generator from burns. 
     
     
         6 . The steam-impulse pressure generator according to  claim 1 , wherein the steam-kinetic chamber is configured to be a non-hermetic, as much as possible open enclosure, with holes (nozzles), evenly distributed over the entire outside surface, to provide minimal dynamic resistance against the exit of a vapor-gas mixture, while offering as much interference as possible against the solid material exiting into the well, providing an optimum combination of indicators of “transparency” (α=0.5-0.6) and shielding. 
     
     
         7 . The steam-impulse pressure generator according to  claim 1 , wherein the universal adapter constructively integrates the discharge module and a calibrated protection system of well logging cable and cable head from sharp pressure and temperature jumps. 
     
     
         8 . The steam-impulse pressure generator according to  claim 1 , further comprising a dual-circuit system for remote combustion initiation of heat-generating blocks, comprising the outer circuit with a high voltage spark-arc generator and an internal circuit with discharge module, installed on one single heat-generating block, which generates a plasma arc, initiating the combustion of heat-generating blocks inside the case of steam-impulse pressure generator. 
     
     
         9 . The steam-impulse pressure generator according to  claim 8  wherein the discharge module is designed in form of a board, one side of which is electrically connected to the steam-impulse pressure generator case, the other side of which is directly connected with central conductor of the universal adapter. 
     
     
         10 . A steam-impulse pressure generator for the treatment of oil wells, comprising:
 an hermetic enclosure having a cavity;   a working agent located within the cavity, the working agent comprising a high-energy powder mixture with raised thermal emission;   an element of initiation of the working agent mounted inside the cavity;   wherein the hermetic enclosure comprises a single unit with the element of initiation and a fusible membrane;   a depressurization system having a rupturable membrane and including a circular metallic membrane having a calibrated thickness;   a steam-kinetic chamber;   a protective assembly for guiding melted combustion product from the hermetic enclosure into the steam-kinetic chamber, the protective assembly including a burnable membrane;   wherein the steam-kinetic chamber includes a plurality of openings distributed over its outside surface to vent gaseous products of combustion;   an adapter, compatible with a geophysical connectors; and   an actuator for initiating the steam impulse pressure generator after it has been lowered into a well.   
     
     
         11 . The steam-impulse pressure generator according to  claim 10  wherein the working agent comprises a compressed high-energy powder mixture in the form of separate blocks with raised thermal emission. 
     
     
         12 . The steam-impulse pressure generator according to  claim 11  wherein the working agent produces about 7.5 MJ/kg of heat after being ignited. 
     
     
         13 . The steam-impulse pressure generator according to  claim 10 , wherein the working agent, with adjustable rate of combustion, upon burning forms molten products with a temperature not lower than 2350 K. 
     
     
         14 . The steam-impulse pressure generator according to  claim 10  wherein the adapter is integrated with a discharge module and calibrated protection system of well logging cable and geophysical connectors from sharp pressure and temperature jumps. 
     
     
         15 . The steam-impulse pressure generator according to  claim 10  wherein the adapter comprises a universal protective adapter, for protection of the cable head from sharp pressure and temperature jumps and wherein the geometrical dimensions of the generator allows its application in the well with installed tubing. 
     
     
         16 . The steam-impulse pressure generator according to  claim 10 , wherein the depressurization system of the case is located in its bottom part and includes a burnable, metallic membrane of calibrated thickness, structurally combined with the assembly of the protective guiding unit for melt supply. 
     
     
         17 . The steam-impulse pressure generator according to  claim 10  wherein the protective assembly is configured to guide melt into the steam-kinetic chamber through a bore (with calibrated diameter), and includes a burnable diaphragm (membrane), providing protection of working agent inside the steam-impulse pressure generator case from moisture, and also providing optimum melt supply into the steam-kinetic chamber and protecting the main hull of steam-impulse pressure generator from burns. 
     
     
         18 . The steam-impulse pressure generator according to  claim 10 , wherein the steam-kinetic chamber is configured to be a non-hermetic, as much as possible open enclosure, with holes (nozzles), evenly distributed over the entire outside surface, to provide minimal dynamic resistance against the exit of a vapor-gas mixture, while offering as much interference as possible against the solid material exiting into the well, providing an optimum combination of indicators of “transparency” (α=0.5-0.6) and shielding. 
     
     
         19 . The steam-impulse pressure generator according to  claim 10 , wherein the adapter integrates the discharge module and a calibrated protection system of well logging cable and cable head from sharp pressure and temperature jumps. 
     
     
         20 . The steam-impulse pressure generator according to  claim 10 , further comprising a dual-circuit system for remote combustion initiation of the working agent, comprising an outer circuit with a high voltage spark-arc generator and an internal circuit with discharge module, installed on one single heat-generating block, which generates a plasma arc to initiate the combustion of working agent inside the steam-impulse pressure generator.