Method and Apparatus for Evaluating the Potential Effectiveness of Refracing a Well

Abstract

A method for evaluating the potential effectiveness of refracing a previously fracked oil/gas well is accomplished by isolating a plurality of previously fracked zones of an oil/gas well in a formation and measuring the fluid flow rates from the isolated zones using a three phase flow meter positioned within the well at or near the previously fracked zones. The zones may be isolated by an isolation assembly which includes two packers connected by a perforated pipe and attached to a tubular positioned within the well.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of evaluating the potential effectiveness of refracing a producing oil/gas well that has already been fracked at a plurality of zones along the length of the well comprising:
 a) isolating a first producing, previously fracked zone in the well,   b) measuring the oil, water, or gas flow rate, from the producing zone.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further including the step of isolating two or more previously fracked zones and measuring the oil flow rate flow from each previously fracked zone. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the previously fracked zone is isolated by placing a packer within the well at the beginning and end of the zone. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the oil, water, or gas flow rate is obtained by placing a three phase flow meter in tubing located within the well, the tubing including a perforated pipe positioned between the packers. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the oil, water, or gas is produced using a jet pump positioned within the production tubing. The method of  claim 5  wherein the packers are either of the inflatable type or mechanical type and a portion of power fluid for the jet pump is diverted to set the packers. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the well is a horizontal well. 
     
     
         8 . Apparatus for evaluating the potential effectiveness of refracing a previously fracked well comprising:
 c) tubing adapted to be inserted into a well,   d) a three stage flow meter, positioned within the tubing , and   e) an isolation assembly connected to the tubing and adapted to isolate a producing zone of the well.   
     
     
         9 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the isolation assembly includes two packers connected together by a perforated pipe. 
     
     
         10 . Apparatus claimed in  claim 9  further including a jet pump positioned within the tubing for producing fluid from the isolated producing zone of the well. 
     
     
         11 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the packers are of the inflatable type, a power fluid conduit for the jet pump, and a branch power fluid conduit connected between the inflatable packers and the power fluid conduit. 
     
     
         12 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the three stages flow meter includes temperature and pressure gauges. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  further including measuring the temperature and pressure of fluid within the previously fraced zone.