Acoustic well cleaner

Patent · Tue Jan 21 00:00:00 EST 1997

OSTI ID:870789

Sharma, Mukul M ^[1]

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1. Dept. of Petroleum Engr. Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX 78712

A method and apparatus are disclosed for cleaning the wellbore and the near wellbore region. A sonde is provided which is adapted to be lowered into a borehole and which includes a plurality of acoustic transducers arranged around the sonde. Electrical power provided by a cable is converted to acoustic energy. The high intensity acoustic energy directed to the borehole wall and into the near wellbore region, redissolves or resuspends the material which is reducing the permeability of the formation and/or restricting flow in the wellbore.

• DOE Contract Number: 9-XQ2-Y1169-1
• Assignee: Maki, Jr., Voldi E. (11904 Bell Ave., Austin, TX 78759-2415);Sharma, Mukul M. (Dept. of Petroleum Engr. Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX 78712)
• Patent Number(s): US 5595243
• Application Number: 08/544,409
• OSTI ID: 870789
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

acoustic
cleaner
method
apparatus
disclosed
cleaning
wellbore
near
region
sonde
provided
adapted
lowered
borehole
plurality
transducers
arranged
electrical
power
cable
converted
energy
intensity
directed
wall
redissolves
resuspends
material
reducing
permeability
formation
restricting
flow
acoustic transducer
electrical power
acoustic energy
restricting flow
borehole wall
acoustic transducers
transducers arranged
energy directed
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