System and Method to Initiate Permeability in Bore Holes Without Perforating Tools

Abstract

A shockwave generator pre-treats one or more production zones within a well to facilitate recovery of liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons from the well. The well may be heated to a particular temperature, w here after a cooling agent is introduced through the shockwave generator which effects a cooling action in the walls of the well and induces cracking which is propagated by the tremors or shocks of the cooling agent as it exits the generator. The initiated cracks may be further propagated using one or more additional stimulation methods, including a freeze-thaw method which is implemented through a subsystem having overlapping components with the shockwave generator subsystem.

1 . A system for introducing fractures into one or more points on the sides of a well bore comprising:
 a component having a length and width, wherein the width at its longest is less than a diameter of the well bore, the component including:
 a first open end; 
 a hollow core for receiving at least one of a liquid or gas therein via the first open end; 
 a second closed end; and 
 a plurality of exit ports located along a periphery between the first open end and the second closed end of the component for facilitating exit of the at least one liquid or gas from the component into the well bore, wherein shockwaves are generated upon exit of the at least one liquid or gas from the component to cause fractures at the one or more points on the sides of the well bore. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the well bore further includes a perforated liner therein and the longest width of the component is less than an inner diameter of the perforated liner. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a shape of a cross section of the width of the component includes at least one angle. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the shape of a cross section of the width of the component is hexagonal. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of a liquid or gas is a heating agent. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of a liquid or gas is a cooling agent. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a pump for introducing the at least one of a liquid or gas into the first open end of the component. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of a liquid or gas causes a temperature differential of at least 50 degrees Celsius within the well bore. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the component is formed of one of the following materials: copper, aluminum, brass, steel, hastelloy, and stainless steel. 
     
     
         10 . A method for introducing fractures at one or more points on the sides of the well bore comprising:
 inserting a shockwave generation device into the well bore;   pumping at least one of a cooling or heating agent into a first open end of the shockwave generation device and through exit ports along a periphery of the shockwave generation device to create:
 shockwaves upon exit of the at least one cooling or heating agent from the shockwave generation device; and 
 a temperature differential of at least 50 degrees Celsius within the well bore; 
   thereby introducing fractures at the one or more points on the sides of the well bore.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising;
 alternately pumping a cooling agent and a heating agent into the first open end of the shockwave generation device to create the temperature differential of at least 50 degrees Celsius.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the well bore includes a perforated liner. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising expanding the introduced fractures using at least one of hydraulic fracturing, acid fracturing and freeze-thaw fracturing. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 creating the temperature differential by heating the well bore to a first temperature by pumping a heating agent through the shockwave generation device and into the well bore; and   cooling the well bore to by pumping a cooling agent having a second temperature through the shockwave generation device and into the well bore.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first temperature is approximately 150 degrees Celsius and the second temperature is approximately −50 degrees Celsius.