Stimulation systems and methods

Abstract

Oil stimulation systems enable vibrations, including strong vibrations, to be transmitted towards the productive formation, via the rock matrix, from the exterior of a well casing with minimal attenuation from a component with a greater toughness than the contacted rock. In-situ amplification for the vibration transmission counters attenuation and stimulates oil flow within a productive formation.

There is claimed: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 a production well in communication with a productive formation,   a vibration source above a rock matrix, configured to introduce vibrations in a vibrations direction, and   a solid base between the vibration source and the rock matrix, below the vibration source as compared to the vibrations direction, acting as a vibration transmission point to the rock matrix,   wherein the vibration source has a downhole vibrating part disposed within a well casing,   wherein the base is located downhole,   wherein the base has a part in contact with the downhole vibrating part, an area of said contact between the part of the base and the downhole vibrating part defining a first respective active section area,   wherein the downhole vibrating part and the base vibrate freely relative to the well casing,   wherein at least a portion of the base is disposed exterior of the well casing,   wherein the portion of the base part exterior of the well casing contacts the rock matrix, said contacts defining a contacted part of the rock matrix, an area of said contact between the portion of the base part and the contacted part of the rock matrix defining a second respective active section area,   wherein the base has a respective toughness greater than the toughness of the contacted part of the rock matrix, and   wherein the second respective active section area exceeds the first respective active section area.   
     
     
         2 . A system according to  claim 1  which further includes a vibrations process-dedicated well wherein the vibration source vibrating part is introduced through the process-dedicated well casing. 
     
     
         3 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the base is connected to the well casing using at least a coupling which allows relative motion on the direction parallel to the vibration direction between the base and the well casing. 
     
     
         4 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the vibration source is an apparatus introduced through the well casing and set at downhole level with the vibrating part placed over the base or coupled to the base. 
     
     
         5 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the base includes a loose section of the well casing. 
     
     
         6 . A system according to the  claim 2   wherein the vibration source and the base are coupled to the process dedicated well casing and vibrate with it,   wherein the vibration source generates vertical vibrations, wherein the base has at least one transverse section area exceeding the transverse section area of the casing.   
     
     
         7 . A system according to the  claim 6   wherein the interior of the process dedicated well casing is filled in the area above the base,   wherein the base has at least one transverse section area exceeding the transverse section area of the cylinder having as radius the outer diameter of the casing.   
     
     
         8 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the vibration source has the vibrations generator disposed at one of a higher level in the well and at the Earth's surface, and coupled with the downhole vibrating part. 
     
     
         9 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the base is a tool provided with at least a deployable part adapted to extend or expand into the rock in a direction lateral to a direction of the vibrations. 
     
     
         10 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the base is adapted to drill a path in the rock matrix. 
     
     
         11 . A system comprising:
 a production well in communication with a productive formation,   a vibration source, and   a solid base acting as a vibration transmission point to the soil;   wherein:
 the productive formation is between 50 m and 250 m below the Earth's surface, 
 the vibration source has a vibrating part over the base, and in contact with the base, 
 the base is located at least in part in the exterior of the well casing, 
 the base has at least a part located underground, in contact with the soil, 
 the base has a respective toughness greater than a respective toughness of the soil in contact with the base, 
 the base part in contact with the soil has a transverse section area exceeding the transverse section area of the vibrating part in contact with the base, 
 the vibration source is adapted to generate vibrations with a peak force in excess of 50 kN. 
   
     
     
         12 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the vibration source is a controlled vibration source. 
     
     
         13 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the vibration source is a part of a mobile equipment. 
     
     
         14 . A system for stimulating the oil production from a reservoir using vibrations whose vibration transmission to the rock is realized from a composite material volume with a respective toughness greater than the toughness of the rock in contact with the composite material volume, the composite material volume being created from an operation on the rock, including one of a rock toughening operation and a rock consolidation operation. 
     
     
         15 . A system according to the  claim 14  wherein the composite material volume has a respective strength greater than a strength of the rock in contact with the composite material volume. 
     
     
         16 . A system according to  claim 14  wherein the composite material volume includes a reinforcement. 
     
     
         17 . A system according to  claim 16  wherein the reinforcement is introduced through the well casing. 
     
     
         18 . A system according to  claim 17  wherein the reinforcement is provided with at least one interior hole, and at least one perforation and serves as injector for the operation on the rock. 
     
     
         19 . A system according to  claim 18  wherein the reinforcement is provided with a deployable part adapted to deploy in the rock in a direction lateral to a direction of the vibrations. 
     
     
         20 . A system according to  claim 19  wherein the deployable part is provided with at least one interior hole connected to the reinforcement hole, and at least one perforation, acting also as an injection point for the operation on the rock. 
     
     
         21 . A system according to  claim 9  wherein the deployable part is adapted to lock in a deployed position. 
     
     
         22 . A system for stimulating oil production using vibrations, comprising a source component, located in a well casing of a production well, below a liquid level of the production well, the source component being adapted to output, in the production well casing, a flow of one of gas and foam, below the liquid level. 
     
     
         23 . A system according to the  claim 22  wherein the source component is autonomous. 
     
     
         24 . A system according to the  claim 22  wherein the source component is configured to output exhaust of a pneumatic activation device. 
     
     
         25 . A system, intended for use in stimulating oil production, comprising:
 surface equipment,   oil lifting equipment adapted to lift oil to the surface equipment, and   a vibration component, adapted to generate vibrations for stimulating the production of the oil;   wherein at least one of the oil lifting and the surface equipment have a vibration proof construction, and   wherein the vibration proof construction includes one or more of tubing and pump dampers, flexible connections, snubbers, shock absorbers, and vibration proof fasteners.   
     
     
         26 . A method for stimulating the production of oil using vibrations, comprising:
 providing a plurality of vibration process-dedicated wells aligned over or lateral to a horizontal part of a production well; and   sequentially applying a vibration process to the plurality of vibration process-dedicated wells;   wherein the sequential application of the vibration process comprises generating vibrations from a vibration source mounted on equipment adapted to be mobile equipment.   
     
     
         27 . A method for stimulating the production of oil using vibrations, comprising:
 providing a plurality of vibration process-dedicated wells aligned over or lateral to a horizontal part of a production well;   applying a vibration process to the plurality of vibration process-dedicated wells;   wherein the application of the vibration process comprises generating vibrations from a plurality of vibration sources each dedicated to a respective one of the plurality of vibration-process wells.