Wave stimulation

摘要

According to some embodiments, a borehole deployable apparatus is described that can be used to generate strong vibrations in a subterranean rock formation. In some embodiments, the apparatus accelerates a mass using mechanisms built into the tool and causes the mass to strike the borehole wall. The mechanisms can control the mass acceleration, and the frequency of strikes. In some embodiments, the apparatus is designed for use in the field of petroleum recovery where the vibrations are used to create or re-establish a flow rate for the fluids in the formation.

主权项

1. A system for generating vibrations in a subterranean rock formation, the system comprising:
a tool body adapted to be deployable in a wellbore; a translatable mass member mounted to the tool body such that the mass member is able to translate along a first direction towards an interior surface of the wellbore when the tool body is deployed in the wellbore; a contacting surface oriented to contact the interior surface of a wellbore; an actuator subsystem mounted within the tool body and fixed to the mass member and configured to translationally accelerate in said first direction towards the interior surface of the wellbore such that the contacting surface imparts energy into the interior surface of the wellbore when the tool body is deployed in the wellbore thereby generating vibrations within a subterranean rock formation surrounding the wellbore so as to stimulate production from the formation; and a second translatable mass member mounted within the tool body and having a contacting surface oriented with respect to the tool body to strike a second interior surface of the wellbore when the tool body is deployed in the wellbore.