Abstract:
A method of treating a formation includes, running a first string having at least one first port into a completion string having a plurality of second ports, flowing treating fluid through the first string, and flowing treating fluid through the at least one first port and through at least one of the plurality of second ports and into the formation

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Conventional systems for treatment of earth formations, such as acidizing, in downhole industries typically employ coiled tubing. Coiled tubing is run into a borehole and treatment is performed on one zone of the formation at a time. After treatment of a zone is completed the coiled tubing is moved to align with the next zone and the process is repeated until all desired zones have been treated. This process is time consuming because of the serial nature. Additionally, coiled tubing is unable to reach the toe of wells with long horizontal or highly deviated sections. The maximum flow rate through the coiled tubing is limited because of the flow area available. As such, industry is receptive to new systems and methods that alleviate any of the foregoing concerns. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
       [0002]    Disclosed herein is a method of treating a formation. The method includes, running a first string having at least one first port into a completion string having a plurality of second ports, flowing treating fluid through the first string, and flowing treating fluid through the at least one first port and through at least one of the plurality of second ports and into the formation. 
         [0003]    Further disclosed herein is a treatment and completion system. The system includes, a completion string positioned within a borehole in an earth formation, a first string runnable within the completion string, having a plurality of first ports distributed along the first string that are configured to be in fluidic communication with a plurality of second ports along the completion string. The plurality of first ports are independently settable to a different flow restriction, and a plurality of seals distributed along the first string or the completion string are configured to seal to the other of the first string and the completion string to isolate the plurality of first ports from one another such that treating fluid can be pumped through the first string and through the plurality of first ports and through the plurality of second ports to treat a plurality of zones of a formation simultaneously. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]    The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike: 
           [0005]      FIG. 1  depicts a schematic of a treating system disclosed herein; and 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  depicts a schematic of an alternate treating system disclosed herein. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0007]    A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures. 
         [0008]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a treating system disclosed herein is illustrated at  10 . The treating system  10  includes a first string  14  referred to herein is a treating string that is runnable within a completion string  18 . The treating string  14  includes a plurality of first ports  22  referred to herein as treating ports that are distributed along the treating string  14 . The treating ports  22  are configured to be in fluidic communication with second ports  26  that are distributed along the completion string  18 . Each of the plurality of treating ports  22  is independently settable to a different flow restriction level. The ports  22  and  26  can be simply openings of selected sizes and shapes including perforations, slots and round holes, for example. The ports  22  can also include flow control devices that include restrictors such as annular tortuous flow paths like mazes and helical flow paths, for example. They can also include movable portions such as sleeves to alter restriction of flow therethrough including completely closing flow through one or more of the ports  22 ,  26 . A plurality of seals  30  are distributed along the treating string  14  or the completion string  18  and are configured to seal to the completion string  18 . Sealing of the seals  30  isolates each of the plurality of treating ports  22  from one another within the completion string  18 . Similarly, seals  32 , such as packers, for example, sealingly engage between the completion string  18  and a borehole  50  within an earth formation  38  thereby creating separate zones  34  along the borehole  50 . The seals  38  may be aligned with the seals  30  to allow an operator to control flow of fluid through specific ports  22  and through specific ports  26  and into the formation  38  simultaneously. The foregoing structure allows for greater control of injection flow rates along the borehole  50  than is permitted with conventional systems. 
         [0009]    The treating system  10  allows for customization of flow restriction through each of the treating ports  22  along the treating string  18 . These adjustments can be configured to account for various characteristics and differences between the zones  34 . These differences can be due to variations in permeability between the different zones  34 , for example. They can also be due to where along the completion string  18  (i.e. relative locations along the completion string  18 ) each of the treating ports  22  will be located. Flow restriction of the treating ports  22  near a heal  42  of the completion string  18  will likely need to be set at a higher flow restriction level than the treating ports  22  near a toe  46  of the completion string  18  to balance flow of treating fluid between the zones  34  near the heal  42  with the zones  34  near the toe  46 . 
         [0010]    The treating string  14 , unlike conventional treating systems that employ coiled tubing, uses sections of pipe that are connected together in an end-to-end fashion. As such, the treating string  14  can be run through a full length of the completion string  18  regardless of how highly deviated the completion string  18  may be, including when the deviated portion of the completion string  18  is completely horizontal. 
         [0011]    Additionally, the inner diameter that defines a flow area through the treating string  14  can be significantly larger than conventional coiled tubing treating lines. As such, treating fluids, such as acid for acidizing the formation  38 , for example, can be injected at higher flow rates. These higher flow rates can be beneficial when treating fluid needs to be pumped deep into one or more of the zones  34  including those that have low permeability or are far from the heal. The high flow rates possible allow for treating a plurality of the zones  34  simultaneously, up to and including all the zones  34  along the borehole  50 . 
         [0012]    In addition to the treating ports  22  being independently customized for flow restriction to the specific desired needs of the zones  34  that will be treated via the treating ports  22 , the treating ports  22  can work together in pairs with the second ports  26 . Knowing specific distinctive features about second ports  26  allows an operator to customize the treating ports  22  to work in concert with the second-ports  26 . This is helpful since some or all of the second ports  26  may be simply slotted openings in a base pipe (as in the present embodiment). In a hydrocarbon recovery application, for example, after injecting a treating fluid, the treating string  14  may be left in place during production of hydrocarbons. In this embodiment employing inflow control devices as the ports  22  can allow for more complete emptying of hydrocarbon from all of the zones  34  than would occur without the inflow control devices  22  being present. Additionally, the inflow control devices delay water breakthrough in highly permeable zones  34  that would likely produce water much earlier if the inflow control devices  22  were not present. Alternately the treating string  14  can be removed from the completion string  18  and hydrocarbons produced through the completion string  18  alone. In yet another embodiment a third string (not shown) could be run into the completion string  18  and production carried out through both the completion string  18  and the third string. 
         [0013]    In one embodiment of the treating system  10  the flow restriction levels of the treating ports  22  are adjustable after being run into the completion string  18 . Control lines  54  in operable communication with actuators  58  at each of the treating ports  22  can adjust the flow restriction of each of the treating ports  22  as desired in real time. This real time adjustment can include completely closing of the treating ports  22  to thereby allow operators to alter flow rates as well as the total amount of treating fluid supplied to the particular zones  34 . 
         [0014]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , an alternate embodiment of a treating system disclosed herein is illustrated at  110 . The treating system  110  differs from the system  10  in that instead of treating all of the zones  34  simultaneously, only a subset of the full number of the zones  34  is treated at one time. In the embodiment illustrated three of the zones  34  are treated at one time, although any number of the zones  34  could be included in a subset in an alternate embodiment. As illustrated, the first three zones  34  being treated are those nearest the toe  46 . After this first treatment is completed a treating string  114  employed within the completion string  18  is moved toward the heal  42  to align three treating ports  122  thereon with the next three second ports  26  and treating fluid is supplied therethrough. This is repeated until all of the zones  34  have been treated. 
         [0015]    The system  110  uses just two seals  130 , one on either side of the two outer-most treating ports  122 . Although embodiments can use one of the seals  130  between any of the treating ports  122  as each application dictates. 
         [0016]    While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. Also, in the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. do not denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item.