Equipment for laser heating of fluids for injection in wells

Abstract

The object of the invention is to solve the problem of casing and string collapse of production or injection wells, which occurs due to cooling caused by injection of completion fluids into the well, by applying heat to the fluid being injected during operations, such as acid treatments, secondary recovery, scale removal, and inhibiting squeeze. The fluid laser heating equipment was designed to perform the heating of the fluid to be injected into a production or injection well. Before being pumped into the well, the fluid passes through the heating equipment, through a metal coil-shaped tube immersed in hot water, placed inside a tank, a laser system heats the water inside the tank, the water inside the tank exchanges heat with the coil heating the same, and in turn the coil exchanges heat with the fluid passing within it. In this way, the fluid will be at an appropriate temperature for injection into the well.

Claims

1. A system for laser heating of fluids comprising: a tank capable of holding a first fluid, a valve coupled with a front external pipe, a laser configured to heat the first fluid, a control panel in communication with the laser, a valve coupled with a rear external pipe, a cover for accessing the tank, an inlet line coupled with the valve coupled with the front external pipe, an outlet line coupled with the valve coupled with the rear external pipe, and an internal system having spiral-shaped lines, wherein a second fluid flows from the inlet line to the outlet line through the spiral-shaped lines, and wherein the laser is applied to the first fluid via an interior of the spiral-shaped lines.

2. The system for laser heating of fluids according to claim 1, wherein the spiral-shaped lines are submerged in the first fluid inside the tank.

3. The system for laser heating of fluids according to claim 1, wherein the laser heating system includes a laser source.

4. The system for laser heating of fluids according to claim 3, wherein the laser heating system is situated at the center of the spiral-shaped lines.

5. The system for laser heating of fluids according to claim 1, wherein control of heat exchange inside the tank system is performed by the control panel provided with the supervisory system.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the attached drawings, which, in a schematic manner and not limiting the inventive scope, represent examples of its reduction to practice. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 is an external view of the tank of the laser-fluid heating equipment, showing: a tank (1), a valve for accessing the front external manifold (2), a heating system with a laser source (3), a control panel (4), a valve accessing the rear (5) external manifold, cover for accessing the tank (6).

(3) FIG. 2 is an internal view of the tank of the equipment for laser heating of fluids, which shows: a tank (1), a valve for accessing the front external manifold (2), a heating system with a laser source (3), a control panel (4), a valve for accessing the rear external manifold (5), a cover for accessing the tank (6), a water level inside the tank (7), an inlet line to the fluid tank to be heated (8), an outlet line from the heated fluid tank (9), laser radiation designed inside the tank (10), a coil (11).

(4) FIG. 3 shows the coil for exchanging heat with the activated laser system, representing a heating system with a laser source (3) and a coil (11).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) The equipment for laser heating of fluids for injection in wells, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, consists of a tank (1) with an internal heat-exchange system, wherein the heating is generated by utilizing laser radiation (3).

(6) The equipment consists of a tank (1) with an inlet line for the fluid to be heated (8), connected to the external front part of the tank, a valve for accessing the front external manifold (2), an internal system of spiral-shaped lines (11) immersed in water, a heating system powered by a laser source (3), centered relative to the spiral-shaped lines (11), as shown in FIG. 3.

(7) The entire tank (1) is filled with water. On the outer rear of the tank is a heated fluid outlet line (9) for connecting the lines, which are routed to the well, in addition to the valve for accessing the rear external manifold (5). The heat-exchange control within the tank system (1) is performed by the control panel (4), which has a monitoring system installed and coupled to the tank for programming and controlling the heat exchange by means of the laser (3) application, temperature control, adjustment and measurement of the fluid flow.

(8) The fluid to be heated is introduced into the tank (1) through the inlet line (8), and passes through the access valve of the front external manifold (2), where the fluid supply lines or hoses are attached. After passing through the inlet line (8), the fluid enters the tank (1) through the spiral line (11) and traverses the whole length of the spiral line (11). During the passage of the fluid, it is heated by the water contained in the tank (1) at a higher temperature. The heated fluid then passes through the outlet line (9) in order to be aligned in the direction of the well system.

(9) The laser (3) is applied to the water contained in the tank (1) via the interior of the spiral lines (11) in order to improve the efficiency of the heat exchange. A control panel (4) is installed on the outside of the tank (1) in order to control the heating operation.

(10) A software monitor is used for monitoring the heating operation inside the tank, and its purpose is to regulate and measure the heat exchanges inside the tank. The heated fluid inside the tank proceeds through the system lines of the rig or the petroleum exploration unit PEU, then passes through the interior of the completion or production riser, then passes through the interior of the production and/or gas injection lines, through the manifold submarine, the well's production line, at the wet Christmas tree at the well's production column and reaches the reservoir. The control panel's monitoring system is intended to be regulated, such that it calculates the thermal balance of heat exchanges in the production system in order to prevent the temperature of the injected fluid from dropping into a range, which would cause the collapse of the casing, as well as the injection or production column of the well.