Method and apparatus for selective down hole fluid communication
View Patent ↗Methods and apparatus for perforating a formation in a wellbore without perforating a well bore casing. The methods and apparatus include an external casing perforating device configured so as not to perforate the casing. The interior of the perforating device serves as a fluid flow path between the casing and the formation following perforation and a valve in the casing selectively opens and closes the flow path.
1. An apparatus for penetrating a formation and selectively establishing fluid communication with the formation, comprising:
a casing having at least one aperture through a wall thereof and comprising a valve member positioned interior of the casing and having a first position wherein the aperture is obstructed and a second position wherein the aperture is open; and
at least one energetic device positioned exterior of the casing and configured to penetrate a formation surrounding the casing without penetrating the casing.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the valve member comprises a sliding sleeve.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a fluid flow path between an interior of the energetic device and the aperture.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising a connector sealing contact between the energetic device and an exterior of the casing, the connector including at least a portion of the flow path.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the energetic device comprises a perforating gun.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising explosive perforating charges orientated to aim away from the casing.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the energetic device includes a fluid flow path there through following a perforating, by the energetic device, of the formation surrounding the casing.
8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the energetic device comprises a manifold.
9. The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising at least one connector surrounding an exterior of the casing and the at least one aperture and having at least a portion of the flow path there through.
10. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the perforating gun comprises a conduit.
11. The apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising a perforating charge support structure wherein the perforating charges and the support structure are disintegratable upon a functioning of the perforating gun.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the casing and the energetic device are connected as an assembly prior to lowering into a well bore.
13. A method for selectively establishing fluid communication between an interior of a casing and a formation of interest, comprising:
penetrating the formation of interest while not perforating the casing, using an energetic device; and
opening a fluid flow path between the formation of interest and an interior of the casing through an annulus between the formation and the casing.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the penetrating comprises perforating with a perforating gun.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the penetrating comprises penetrating the annulus.
16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the opening comprises opening a valve.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the valve comprises a sliding sleeve.
18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the opening comprises fracturing the formation.
19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the opening comprises fracturing the formation by fluid pressure initiated by the energetic device.
20. The method of claim 13 , further comprising flowing a fluid through the fluid flow path.
21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising flowing a fluid through the energetic device.
22. The method of claim 20 , wherein flowing the fluid comprises flowing a treatment fluid from the interior of the casing to the formation of interest.
23. The method of claim 13 , further comprising pumping treatment fluid under pressure into the formation of interest through the fluid flow path.
24. The method of claim 13 , further comprising closing the fluid flow path.
25. The method of claim 14 , further comprising disintegrating an interior structure of the perforating gun.
26. The method of claim 13 , further comprising lowering the casing and the energetic device as an integrated assembly into a well bore.
27. A method for selectively establishing fluid communication between an interior of a casing and a formation of interest, comprising:
penetrating the formation of interest while not perforating the casing, using an energetic device; and
opening a fluid flow path between the formation of interest and the casing using a fluid pressure generator.
28. The method of claim 27 , wherein opening further comprises opening the fluid flow path to the interior of the casing by opening a valve.
29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the valve comprises a sliding device.
30. The method of claim 27 , wherein opening comprises fracturing the formation of interest.
31. The method of claim 27 , wherein opening comprises fracturing an annulus between the formation of interest and the casing.
32. The method of claim 27 , further comprising pumping treatment fluid under pressure into the formation of interest through the fluid flow path.