Patent ID: 11891883
Assignee: EXXONMOBIL TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
Field: Civil engineering (Other fields)
Classification: CPC E | IPC E

Claim 4:
5. A method comprising:
producing a spherically radiating acoustic shock wave having a compressive wave character in a wellbore penetrating a formation;
channeling the acoustic shock wave longitudinally down the wellbore to change a shape of the acoustic shock wave to less spherical;
converting the compressive wave character to an expansion wave character;
wherein the compressive wave character is converted to the expansion wave character by reflecting the acoustic shock wave with the compressive wave character off of a solid-gas interface;

changing an acoustic impedance of the acoustic shock wave; and
distributing the acoustic shock wave having the changed shape, the expansion wave character, and the changed acoustic impedance in a transverse direction relative to the wellbore and into the formation.