US2024167361A1PendingUtilityA1

Systems for Inter-Fracture Flooding of Wellbores and Methods of Using the Same

63
Assignee: FU XUEBINGPriority: Mar 31, 2020Filed: Feb 1, 2024Published: May 23, 2024
Est. expiryMar 31, 2040(~13.7 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Xuebing Fu
E21B 34/08E21B 33/12E21B 34/10E21B 41/0035E21B 43/305E21B 43/20E21B 43/14
63
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Claims

Abstract

Some systems and methods include a tubular defining a passageway, one or more packers coupled to the tubular, and two or more valves coupled to the tubular. Some such systems are operable by increasing pressure within the passageway such that, responsive to the increasing pressure, one or more first ones of the valves open and fluid flows from the passageway, through the first valve(s), and into one or more first fractures of the wellbore, and reducing pressure within the passageway such that, responsive to the reducing pressure, the first valve(s) close and one or more second ones of the valves open and hydrocarbons flow from one or more second fractures of the wellbore, through the second valve(s), and into the passageway. The first and second valves can be unidirectional valves.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A system for inter-fracture flooding of a wellbore, the system comprising:
 a tubular defining a passageway;   one or more packers coupled to the tubular; and   two or more unidirectional valves coupled to the tubular, the unidirectional valves including:
 one or more first unidirectional valves, each configured to:
 open to permit fluid communication from the passageway to outside of the tubular through the first unidirectional valve; and 
 close to prevent fluid communication from outside of the tubular to the passageway through the first unidirectional valve; and 
 
 one or more second unidirectional valves, each configured to:
 open to permit fluid communication from outside of the tubular to the passageway through the second unidirectional valve; and 
 close to prevent fluid communication from the passageway to outside of the tubular through the second unidirectional valve; 
 
   wherein, for each of the second unidirectional valve(s), at least one of the packer(s) is disposed between the second unidirectional valve and each adjacent one of the first unidirectional valve(s) along the tubular.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second unidirectional valves is configured to open in response to a pressure differential between the passageway and outside of the tubular that acts on the unidirectional valve. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first unidirectional valve(s) is biased closed. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein at least one of the first unidirectional valve(s) is configured to open when pressure in the passageway acting on the first unidirectional valve is at least 1 pound per square inch (psi) higher than pressure outside of the tubular acting on the first unidirectional valve. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the second unidirectional valve(s) is biased closed. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the second unidirectional valve(s) is configured to open when pressure outside of the tubular acting on the second unidirectional valve is at least 1 psi higher than pressure in the passageway acting on the second unidirectional valve. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second unidirectional valves is a check valve. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the packer(s) comprise two or more packers; and   at least two of the packers are disposed between adjacent ones of the first and second unidirectional valves along the tubular.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the packer(s) comprise two or more packers;   wherein:
 the first unidirectional valve(s) comprise two or more first unidirectional valves, and at least two of the first unidirectional valves are disposed between adjacent ones of the packers along the tubular; or 
 the second unidirectional valve(s) comprise two or more second unidirectional valves, and at least two of the second unidirectional valves are disposed between adjacent ones of the packers along the tubular. 
   
     
     
         10 . A method for inter-fracture flooding of a wellbore, the method comprising:
 disposing a tubular having a passageway into the wellbore, the tubular coupled to one or more first valves and one or more second valves;   increasing pressure within the passageway such that, responsive to the increasing pressure, the first valve(s) open and fluid flows from the passageway, through the first valve(s), and into one or more first fractures of the wellbore; and   reducing pressure within the passageway such that, responsive to the reducing pressure:
 the first valve(s) close; and 
 the second valve(s) open and hydrocarbons flow from one or more second fractures of the wellbore, through the second valve(s), and into the passageway. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein:
 one or more packers are coupled to the tubular; and   for each of the second valve(s), at least one of the packer(s) is disposed between the second valve and each adjacent one of the first valve(s) along the tubular.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the packer(s) comprise two or more packers; and   at least two of the packers are disposed between adjacent ones of the first and second valves along the tubular.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first and second valves is a unidirectional valve. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first valve(s) is biased closed. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the second valve(s) is biased closed. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first and second valves is a check valve. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein increasing pressure within the passageway is performed at least by pumping fluid into the passageway. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the pumped fluid comprises a majority, by volume and/or mass, of a gas. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein a formation into which the wellbore extends has an average permeability that is less than approximately 0.5 millidarcies (mD), optionally, less than approximately 0.1 mD. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the wellbore is cased.

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