Steerable Acid Tunneling System

Abstract

Systems and methods for acid tunneling within a wellbore include a whipstock and a steerable acid tunneling arrangement which is run into the wellbore. The acid tunneling arrangement is azimuthally and angularly oriented by the whipstock. Information relating to the direction of tunnel development is sensed and provided to a controller at surface and can be used to map the tunnel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for conducting acid tunneling within a wellbore, the system comprising:
 a whipstock having an angled landing surface;   an acid tunneling arrangement to be run into the wellbore and having an acid tunneling tool to direct acid injection in a desired tunneling direction, the acid tunneling tool being azimuthally oriented within the wellbore by the whipstock landing surface as the acid tunneling tool is brought into contact with the landing surface;   the acid tunneling tool having an acid injection wand to directs acid toward the desired tunneling direction, the wand further being angularly oriented with respect to a vertical by disposal upon the landing surface.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a sensor operably associated with the wand to sense azimuth and/or orientation of the wand; and 
 a controller operably associated with the sensor to receive from the sensor a signal indicative of the sensed information. 
 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the acid tunneling tool is contained within an acid tunneling bottom hole assembly; and 
 the bottom hole assembly is affixed to a running string for disposing the bottom hole assembly into the wellbore. 
 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the acid tunneling bottom hole assembly further comprises:
 a caliper which is configured to detect a diameter and/or topological information regarding a tunnel being formed and provide a signal indicative of the detected information to a controller. 
 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the acid tunneling bottom hole assembly further comprises:
 a pulsating tool which creates pressure waves within acid being pumped to the acid tunneling tool. 
 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the controller is operably associated with the sensor by tube wire. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the controller is operable to map or model a tunnel created within a formation surrounding the wellbore. 
     
     
         8 . A method for acid tunneling comprising:
 securing a whipstock within a wellbore, the whipstock presenting an angled landing surface;   disposing an acid tunneling arrangement into the wellbore, the acid tunneling arrangement having an acid tunneling tool with a wand having a nozzle to inject acid in a desired acid tunneling direction;   contacting the angled landing surface with the acid tunneling tool to azimuthally orient the acid tunneling tool within the wellbore;   angularly orienting the wand within the wellbore by further lowering the acid tunneling tool onto the landing surface; and   forming a lateral tunnel from the wellbore by injecting acid through the wand.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising the step of detecting azimuthal and angular orientation of the wand with a sensor. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising the step of detecting a diameter and/or topological information regarding the lateral tunnel with a caliper. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising the step of creating a three-dimensional representation of the lateral tunnel to map or model the lateral tunnel. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising the step of radially enlarging a portion of the lateral tunnel by increasing acid concentration within the injected acid. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising the step of radially enlarging a portion of the lateral tunnel by:
 pulling the nozzle of the acid tunneling tool away from a distal tunnel end; and 
 injecting acid to cause radial enlargement of a portion of the wellbore proximate the nozzle. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising the step of adjusting acid concentration and/or acid flow rate to optimize tunnel length creation.