Fluid displacement stimulation of deviated wellbores using a temporary conduit

Abstract

A method of improving the flow of fluids into or along a deviated wellbore that has a partial or complete obstruction caused by fill particles, comprising removing the fill particles from the obstruction and depositing the fill particles within the wellbore, uphole and/or downhole of the partial or complete obstruction. The method described herein removes obstructions and/or stimulates a well in which productivity has been impaired by the presence of fill in the wellbore. This is accomplished without removing the fill from the wellbore, and therefore avoids the consequent disposal or storage considerations.

1 . A method of removing a partial or complete obstruction in a deviated wellbore, said obstruction being created by fill particles and obstructing the flow of fluids into or along the wellbore, comprising:
 a) deploying a temporary tubular into the wellbore while circulating a displacement fluid down the bore of the temporary tubular and up an annulus between the temporary tubular and an edge of the wellbore;   b) positioning an end of the temporary tubular near the partial or complete obstruction thereby entraining the fill particles in the displacement fluid; and   c) depositing the entrained fill particles within the wellbore uphole and/or downhole of the partial or complete obstruction, to thereby restore the flow of fluids into or along the wellbore.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  in which the wellbore is partially obstructed, and the step of positioning the end of the temporary tubular near the obstruction further comprises positioning the end of the temporary tubular distal to the obstruction. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  in which the wellbore is completely obstructed, and the step of positioning the end of the temporary tubular near the obstruction comprises:
 a) positioning the end of the temporary tubular proximal to the complete obstruction; and 
 b) depositing the entrained fill particles uphole of the obstruction and within the wellbore; 
 and the displacement fluid is circulated from the end of the temporary tubular and up the annulus between the temporary tubular and the edge of the wellbore until an amount of fill particles is removed from the obstruction that enables flow of fluid past the obstruction or that enables the end of the temporary tubular to be positioned distal to the obstruction. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising, while circulating the displacement fluid from the end of the temporary tubular and up the annulus between the temporary tubular and the edge of the wellbore at step (c), moving the end of the temporary tubular closer to the complete obstruction as fill particles are entrained in the displacement fluid. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising positioning the end of the temporary tubular distal to the obstruction. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising, after the end of the temporary tubular is positioned distal to the obstruction:
 a) moving the end of the temporary tubular uphole while circulating the displacement fluid down the bore of the temporary tubular and up the annulus between the temporary tubing and the edge of the wellbore; 
 b) entraining the fill particles in the displacement fluid; and 
 c) depositing the entrained fill particles within the wellbore. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising, after the end of the temporary tubular is positioned distal to the obstruction:
 a) moving the end of the temporary tubular uphole while circulating the displacement fluid down the bore of the temporary tubular and up the annulus between the temporary tubing and the edge of the wellbore; 
 b) entraining the fill particles in the displacement fluid; and 
 c) depositing the entrained fill particles within the wellbore. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the fill particles are deposited uphole of the end of the temporary tubular as the tubular is moving uphole. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the fill particles are deposited uphole of the end of the temporary tubular as the tubular is moving uphole. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising delivering the displacement fluid into the wellbore using a nozzle disposed at the end of the temporary tubular. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising monitoring the depositing of the entrained fill particles with a camera. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising monitoring the depositing of the entrained fill particles in real time, with the camera. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the camera is disposed at the end of the nozzle. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the removing of the partial or complete obstruction stimulates the well to produce fluid. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the fluid comprises water, a hydrocarbon, a gas or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the gas is nitrogen, carbon dioxide, natural gas, air or propane. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the displacement fluid includes a compound that renders the surface of the fill particles hydrophobic. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising deposition of the entrained fill particles in a region of the wellbore in which the angle of deviation is greater than about 60°. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1  comprising using computational fluid dynamics to select an optimum run in hole (RIH) rate, a pull out of hole (POOH) rate and/or a fluid flow rate. 
     
     
         20 . A method of improving the flow of fluids into or along a deviated wellbore that has a partial or complete obstruction caused by fill particles, said obstruction being created by fill particles and obstructing the flow of fluids into or along the wellbore, comprising removing the fill particles from the obstruction and depositing the fill particles within the wellbore, uphole and/or downhole of the obstruction. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein an end of a temporary tubular is positioned near the obstruction, and a displacement fluid is circulated out of the end of the temporary tubular and up the annulus between the temporary tubular and the edge of the wellbore, to entrain the fill particles in the fluid, remove the fill particles from the obstruction and deposit the fill particles within the wellbore uphole and/or downhole of the obstruction. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the fill particles are deposited uphole of the obstruction. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20  in which the wellbore has a partial obstruction, further comprising positioning the end of the temporary tubular distal to the obstruction. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20  in which the wellbore has a complete obstruction, further comprising circulating the displacement fluid out of the end of the temporary tubular and up the annulus between the temporary tubular and the edge of the wellbore until an amount of fill particles is removed from the obstruction that enables the end of the temporary tubular to be positioned distal to the obstruction. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising withdrawing the end of the temporary tubular uphole while the displacement fluid is circulated out of the end of the temporary tubular, to further entrain fill particles and deposit the particles uphole or downhole of the obstruction. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising deposition of the entrained fill particles in a region of the wellbore in which the angle of deviation is greater than about 60°. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising using computational fluid dynamics to select an optimum run in hole (RIH) rate, pull out of hole (POOH) rate and/or fluid flow rate. 
     
     
         28 . A method of removing a partial or complete obstruction in a horizontal wellbore, said obstruction being created by fill particles and obstructing the flow of fluids into or along the wellbore, said horizontal wellbore comprising a heel, a first section uphole of the heel and a second section downhole of the heel, comprising:
 a) deploying a temporary tubular into the wellbore while circulating a displacement fluid down the bore of the temporary tubular and up an annulus between the temporary tubular and an edge of the wellbore;   b) positioning an end of the temporary tubular near the obstruction thereby entraining the fill particles in the displacement fluid; and   c) depositing the entrained fill particles within the second section of the wellbore uphole and/or downhole of the obstruction.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  in which the wellbore has a partial obstruction, and the step of positioning the end of the temporary tubular near the obstruction further comprises positioning the end of the temporary tubular distal to the obstruction. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28  in which the wellbore has a complete obstruction, and the step of positioning the end of the temporary tubular near the obstruction comprises:
 a) positioning the end of the temporary tubular proximal to the complete obstruction; and 
 b) depositing the entrained fill particles uphole of the obstruction; 
 and the displacement fluid is circulated from the end of the temporary tubular and up the annulus between the temporary tubular and the edge of the wellbore until an amount of fill particles is removed from the obstruction that enables flow of fluid past the obstruction or that enables the end of the temporary tubular to be positioned distal to the obstruction. 
 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising, while pulling out of hole (POOH), selecting a POOH rate and/or a fluid flow rate the causes the entrained fill particles to deposit in the wellbore before the heel. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising using computational fluid dynamics to select an optimum run in hole (RIH) rate, POOH rate and/or fluid flow rate. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising monitoring the depositing of the entrained fill particles with a camera. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33  further comprising monitoring the depositing of the entrained fill particles in real time, with the camera.