Zonal isolation utilizing cup packers

摘要

Zone isolation is a leading concern for operators that wish to fluidly treat a well. Typically in an open hole packers hydraulically actuated solid body packers have been are deployed at particular intervals along the wellbore to provide zonal isolation of various formations or portions of a formation. By isolating the various zones valves may be selectively opened or closed to treat a particular zone independently of the remainder of the well. In an improvement over the past procedures a cup style packer that is particularly useful in open hole may now be used.

主权项

1. A method for treating a well comprising:
running a tubing string into an uncased, non-vertical section of a wellbore, the tubing string comprising:
at least a first port and a second port
wherein the first port and the second port are longitudinally separated along the tubing string,at least a first sliding sleeve and a second sliding sleeve
wherein the first sliding sleeve has a seat with a first diameter, the first sliding sleeve positioned relative to the first port and moveable relative to the first port between (i) a closed port position wherein a fluid can pass the seat and flow downhole of the first sliding sleeve and (ii) an open port position permitting fluid flow through the first port from the tubing string and sealing against fluid flow past the seat and downhole of the first sliding sleeve,further wherein the second sliding sleeve has a seat with a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, the second sliding sleeve positioned relative to the second port and moveable relative to the second port between (i) a closed port position wherein the fluid can pass the seat and flow downhole of the second sliding sleeve and (ii) an open port position permitting fluid flow through the second port from the tubing string inner bore and sealing against fluid flow past the seat and downhole of the second sliding sleeve,at least one cup packer mounted on the tubing string between the first port and the second port,
wherein the at least one cup packer has at least a first set of two directional elements aligned in a first direction and a second set of two directional elements aligned in a second direction;wherein the at least one cup packer isolates the first port from the second port in both of the first direction and the second direction;wherein the tubing string is run into the wellbore with the at least one cup packer in an unset position such that an annulus between the tubing string and a well bore wall is open, expanding radially outward the cup packer to seal against the wellbore wall in the uncased, non-vertical section of the wellbore, and create a first annular wellbore segment below the cup packer adjacent to the first port and a second annular wellbore segment above the cup packer adjacent to the second port; conveying a ball through the tubing string to pass through the first sliding sleeve to land in and seal against the seat of the second sliding sleeve moving the second sliding sleeve to the open port position permitting fluid flow through the second port; and pumping the fluid through the second port and into the second annular wellbore segment.