US-12624603-B2 - Methods for real-time optimization of coiled tubing cleanout operations using downhole pressure sensors

US12624603B2US 12624603 B2US12624603 B2US 12624603B2US-12624603-B2

Abstract

Systems and methods presented herein facilitate coiled tubing cleanout operations, and generally relate to estimating reservoir pressure prior to the coiled tubing cleanout operations (e.g., while the wellbore is shut-in). For example, a method includes acquiring, via one or more downhole sensors of a coiled tubing system at least partially disposed within a wellbore, downhole data of the coiled tubing system; identifying, via a processing and control system, a density profile of fluids disposed within the wellbore based at least in part on the acquired downhole data; interpreting, via the processing and control system, the density profile of the fluids disposed within the wellbore; and estimating, via the processing and control system, a reservoir pressure of a reservoir through which the wellbore extends based at least in part on the interpreted density profile of the fluids disposed within the wellbore.

Inventors

Dongkeun Lee
Philippe Michel Jacques Tardy
PAVEL SPESIVTSEV

Assignees

SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20230809

Claims (14)

1 . A method, comprising: acquiring, via one or more downhole sensors of a coiled tubing system at least partially disposed within a wellbore, downhole data of the coiled tubing system; identifying, via a processing and control system, a density profile of fluids disposed within the wellbore based at least in part on the acquired downhole data; interpreting, via the processing and control system, the density profile of the fluids disposed within the wellbore; estimating, via the processing and control system, a reservoir pressure of a reservoir through which the wellbore extends based at least in part on the interpreted density profile of the fluids disposed within the wellbore; and estimating, via the processing and control system, the reservoir pressure based at least in part on a downhole pressure acquired by a downhole pressure gauge (DHPG) of the coiled tubing system, a true vertical depth of the DHPG of the coiled tubing system, a true vertical depth of a bottom hole assembly (BHA) of the coiled tubing system, and the interpreted density profile of the fluids disposed within the wellbore.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the recited steps of the method are performed prior to a coiled tubing cleanout operation performed by the coiled tubing system while the wellbore is shut-in.
3 . The method of claim 1 , comprising automatically adjusting, via the processing and control system, at least one adjustable operating parameter of the coiled tubing system based at least in part on the estimated reservoir pressure.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the interpreted density profile of the fluids disposed within the wellbore is determined as a function of a density measured by changes in the true vertical depth of the BHA of the coiled tubing system during an initial run in hole (RIH), a density measured by changes in the true vertical depth of the BHA of the coiled tubing system during the initial RIH corrected by wellbore pressure variations, and a density measured by changes in the true vertical depth of the BHA of the coiled tubing system during the initial RIH corrected by variations in the downhole pressure acquired by the DHPG of the coiled tubing system.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the interpreted density profile of the fluids disposed within the wellbore is determined as a function of a density measured by changes in the true vertical depth of the BHA of the coiled tubing system during an initial run in hole (RIH) corrected by wellbore pressure variations, and a density calculated based at least in part on a hydrostatic difference between the BHA of the coiled tubing system and the DHPG of the coiled tubing system.
6 . A processing and control system, comprising: one or more processors configured to execute processor-executable instructions stored in memory media of the processing and control system, wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the processing and control system to: identify a density profile of fluids disposed within a wellbore based at least in part on downhole data acquired via one or more downhole sensors of a coiled tubing system at least partially disposed within the wellbore; interpret the density profile of the fluids disposed within the wellbore; estimate a reservoir pressure of a reservoir through which the wellbore extends based at least in part on the interpreted density profile of the fluids disposed within the wellbore; and estimate the reservoir pressure based at least in part on a downhole pressure acquired by a downhole pressure gauge (DHPG) of the coiled tubing system, a true vertical depth of the DHPG of the coiled tubing system, a true vertical depth of a bottom hole assembly (BHA) of the coiled tubing system, and the interpreted density profile of the fluids disposed within the wellbore.
7 . The processing and control system of claim 6 , wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the processing and control system to perform the recited steps prior to a coiled tubing cleanout operation performed by the coiled tubing system while the wellbore is shut-in.
8 . The processing and control system of claim 6 , wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the processing and control system to automatically adjust at least one adjustable operating parameter of the coiled tubing system based at least in part on the estimated reservoir pressure.
9 . The processing and control system of claim 6 , wherein the interpreted density profile of the fluids disposed within the wellbore is determined as a function of a density measured by changes in the true vertical depth of the BHA of the coiled tubing system during an initial run in hole (RIH), a density measured by changes in the true vertical depth of the BHA of the coiled tubing system during the initial RIH corrected by wellbore pressure variations, and a density measured by changes in the true vertical depth of the BHA of the coiled tubing system during the initial RIH corrected by variations in the downhole pressure acquired by the DHPG of the coiled tubing system.
10 . The processing and control system of claim 6 , wherein the interpreted density profile of the fluids disposed within the wellbore is determined as a function of a density measured by changes in the true vertical depth of the BHA of the coiled tubing system during an initial run in hole (RIH) corrected by wellbore pressure variations, and a density calculated based at least in part on a hydrostatic difference between the BHA of the coiled tubing system and the DHPG of the coiled tubing system.
11 . A method, comprising: acquiring, via one or more downhole sensors of a coiled tubing system at least partially disposed within a wellbore, downhole data of the coiled tubing system prior to a coiled tubing cleanout operation performed by the coiled tubing system while the wellbore is shut-in; identifying, via a processing and control system, a density profile of fluids disposed within the wellbore based at least in part on the acquired downhole data; interpreting, via the processing and control system, the density profile of the fluids disposed within the wellbore; estimating, via the processing and control system, a reservoir pressure of a reservoir through which the wellbore extends based at least in part on the interpreted density profile of the fluids disposed within the wellbore; and estimating, via the processing and control system, the reservoir pressure based at least in part on a downhole pressure acquired by a downhole pressure gauge (DHPG) of the coiled tubing system, a true vertical depth of the DHPG of the coiled tubing system, a true vertical depth of a bottom hole assembly (BHA) of the coiled tubing system, and the interpreted density profile of the fluids disposed within the wellbore.
12 . The method of claim 11 , comprising automatically adjusting, via the processing and control system, at least one adjustable operating parameter of the coiled tubing system based at least in part on the estimated reservoir pressure.
13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the interpreted density profile of the fluids disposed within the wellbore is determined as a function of a density measured by changes in the true vertical depth of the BHA of the coiled tubing system during an initial run in hole (RIH), a density measured by changes in the true vertical depth of the BHA of the coiled tubing system during the initial RIH corrected by wellbore pressure variations, and a density measured by changes in the true vertical depth of the BHA of the coiled tubing system during the initial RIH corrected by variations in the downhole pressure acquired by the DHPG of the coiled tubing system.
14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the interpreted density profile of the fluids disposed within the wellbore is determined as a function of a density measured by changes in the true vertical depth of the BHA of the coiled tubing system during an initial run in hole (RIH) corrected by wellbore pressure variations, and a density calculated based at least in part on a hydrostatic difference between the BHA of the coiled tubing system and the DHPG of the coiled tubing system.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is the National Stage Entry of International Application No. PCT/US2023/029801, filed on Aug. 9, 2023, which claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/370,876, entitled “Methods for Real-Time Optimization of Coiled Tubing Cleanout Operations Using Downhole Pressure Sensors,” filed Aug. 9, 2022, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. BACKGROUND The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for optimizing coiled tubing cleanout operations using downhole pressure sensors. The present disclosure is related in general to wellsite equipment such as oilfield surface equipment including, but not limited to, pressure pumping equipment, mixing equipment and the like, downhole tools and assemblies, coiled tubing (CT) tools and assemblies, slickline tools and assemblies, wireline tools and assemblies, and the like. This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present techniques, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as an admission of any kind. Coiled tubing is a technology that has been expanding its range of applications since its introduction to the oil industry in the 1960s. Its ability to pass through completion tubulars, as well as the wide array of tools and technologies that can be used in conjunction with it, make it a very versatile technology. A typical coiled tubing apparatus includes surface pumping facilities, a coiled tubing string mounted on a reel, a method to convey the coiled tubing into and out of the wellbore, such as an injector head or the like, and surface control apparatus at the wellhead. Coiled tubing has been utilized for performing well treatment and/or well intervention operations in existing wellbores such as, but not limited to, hydraulic fracturing operations, matrix acidizing operations, milling operations, perforating operations, cleanout operations, coiled tubing drilling operations, nitrogen kick-off operations, fishing operations, zonal isolation operations, and so forth. Coiled tubing cleanout operations are utilized to transport particles and fill from a wellbore to the wellbore surface. Sources of the particles and fill may include formation sand from the reservoir, proppant used for hydraulic fracturing, debris from workovers, and organic scale, among other sources. Coiled tubing cleanout operations can be relatively complex operations that, in order to successfully accomplish transporting particles and fill to the wellbore surface, need to account for various factors for success that include, but are not limited to, wellbore hydraulics, movement of the coiled tubing, reservoir flow and coupling between the wellbore and the reservoir, nitrified fluids injection, solid transport, phase changes, and temperature evolution and distribution along the wellbore. It remains desirable to provide improvements in oilfield surface equipment and/or downhole assemblies and methods of using such equipment or assemblies such as, but not limited to, methods for optimizing coiled tubing operations including, but not limited to, cleanout operations. SUMMARY A summary of certain embodiments described herein is set forth below. It should be understood that these aspects are presented merely to provide the reader with a brief summary of these certain embodiments and that these aspects are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Certain embodiments of the present disclosure include a method that includes acquiring, via one or more downhole sensors of a coiled tubing system at least partially disposed within a wellbore, downhole data of the coiled tubing system. The method also includes identifying, via a processing and control system, a density profile of fluids disposed within the wellbore based at least in part on the acquired downhole data. The method further includes interpreting, via the processing and control system, the density profile of the fluids disposed within the wellbore. In addition, the method includes estimating, via the processing and control system, a reservoir pressure of a reservoir through which the wellbore extends based at least in part on the interpreted density profile of the fluids disposed within the wellbore. Certain embodiments of the present disclosure also include a processing and control system having one or more processors configured to execute processor-executable instructions stored in memory media of the processing and control system. The processor-executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the processing and control