Hydrates For Well Control

Abstract

Systems, apparatus, and methods for controlling a well blowout comprising: a flow control device such as a blowout preventer on a wellbore, the primary throughbore of the flow control device comprising internal dimensional irregularities creating a non-uniform flow path in the primary throughbore which as sufficient fluid rate may enhance pressure fluid pressure drop therein; a control fluid aperture fluidly connected with the wellbore for introducing a control fluid through a control fluid aperture and into the primary throughbore while wellbore fluid flows through the wellbore; a hydrate component introduction pump for introducing the hydrate inducing component into the control fluid; a hydrate inducing fluid aperture positioned in the wellbore conduit below the control fluid aperture for introducing the hydrate inducing fluid into the wellbore and for combining with the control fluid that includes the hydrate inducing fluid to form a saturated hydrate forming fluid mixture within the primary throughbore while control fluid is also being introduced into the wellbore through the control fluid aperture.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of performing a wellbore intervention operation to reduce an uncontrolled flow of wellbore fluids from a subterranean wellbore, the method comprising:
 providing a flow control device, the flow control device engaged proximate a top end of a wellbore conduit that includes a wellbore throughbore, the flow control device including a primary throughbore coaxially aligned with and included within the wellbore throughbore;   providing a control fluid aperture proximate the top end of the wellbore conduit, the control fluid aperture being fluidly connected with the primary throughbore;   providing a hydrate inducing fluid aperture in the wellbore throughbore at an upstream location in the wellbore throughbore with respect to the control fluid aperture and with respect to the direction of wellbore blowout fluid flow through the wellbore throughbore;   introducing a control fluid through the control fluid aperture and into the wellbore throughbore while the wellbore blowout fluid flows at an uncontrolled rate from the subterranean formation and through the wellbore throughbore at a wellbore blowout fluid flow rate, whereby the control fluid is introduced into the wellbore throughbore at a control fluid introduction rate that is at least 25% of the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate from the wellbore throughbore prior to introducing the control fluid into the wellbore throughbore; and   introducing a hydrate inducing fluid through the hydrate inducing fluid aperture and into the wellbore throughbore while simultaneously introducing the control fluid through the control fluid aperture at the control fluid introduction rate to induce the formation and deposition of hydrates within the wellbore and affect the flow rate of the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate from the wellbore throughbore.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the flow control device comprises at least one of a drilling spool, a blowout preventer, a lower marine riser package, and a riser assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising providing the control fluid aperture in or upstream of the well control device and providing the hydrate inducing fluid aperture in another wellbore component upstream from the well control device with respect to the direction of flow of wellbore blowout fluid flowing through the wellbore throughbore. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising introducing the control fluid into the primary throughbore at a control fluid introduction rate of at least 50% of the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate prior to introduction of the control fluid into the wellbore throughbore. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising introducing the control fluid into the primary throughbore at a control fluid introduction rate of at least 100% of the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate prior to introduction of the control fluid into the wellbore throughbore. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising introducing the control fluid into the primary throughbore at a control fluid introduction rate of at least 200% of the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate prior to introduction of the control fluid into the wellbore throughbore. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising using seawater for control fluid. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising introducing the hydrate inducing fluid through the hydrate inducing fluid aperture and into the wellbore throughbore when an estimated or determined at least 25% by volume of total fluid flowing through the primary throughbore during introduction of the control fluid into the primary throughbore is control fluid. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising creating hydrate formation within the wellbore throughbore with the control fluid. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the hydrate inducing fluid comprises at least one of an alkane and water further comprising introducing carbon dioxide into the control fluid to create hydrates within the wellbore throughbore. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising introducing control fluid into the wellbore throughbore at a control fluid introduction rate sufficient to reduce the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate by 25% with respect to the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate through the wellbore throughbore prior to introduction of the control fluid into the wellbore throughbore. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising introducing control fluid into the wellbore throughbore at a control fluid introduction rate sufficient to reduce the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate by at least 50% with respect to the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate through the wellbore throughbore prior to introduction of the control fluid into the wellbore throughbore. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising introducing control fluid into the wellbore throughbore at a control fluid introduction rate sufficient to reduce the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate by at least 75% with respect to the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate through the wellbore throughbore prior to introduction of the control fluid into the wellbore throughbore. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising introducing control fluid into the wellbore throughbore at a control fluid introduction rate sufficient to reduce the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate by at least 90% with respect to the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate through the wellbore throughbore prior to introduction of the control fluid into the wellbore throughbore. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing the control fluid aperture in at least one of (i) the flow control device, and (ii) a location intermediate the flow control device and the wellbore conduit. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising thereafter introducing hydrate inducing fluid through the control fluid aperture. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus for performing a wellbore intervention operation to reduce an uncontrolled flow rate of wellbore fluids from a subterranean wellbore, the apparatus comprising:
 a flow control device, the flow control device engaged proximate a top end of a wellbore conduit that includes a wellbore throughbore at a surface location of the wellbore conduit, the flow control device including a primary throughbore that includes the wellbore throughbore, the primary throughbore coaxially aligned with the wellbore throughbore;   a control fluid aperture proximate the top end of the wellbore conduit, the control fluid aperture being fluidly connected with the wellbore throughbore, the control fluid aperture positioned to introduce a control fluid into the primary throughbore concurrent with wellbore blowout fluid flowing from the subterranean formation at an uncontrolled rate through the wellbore throughbore at a wellbore fluid flow rate;   a hydrate inducing fluid aperture in the wellbore throughbore positioned at an upstream location in the wellbore throughbore with respect to the control fluid aperture and with respect to direction of flow of wellbore blowout fluid flowing through the wellbore throughbore, the hydrate inducing fluid aperture capable to introduce a hydrate inducing fluid into the wellbore throughbore while the control fluid is introduced into the wellbore throughbore through the control fluid aperture at the control fluid introduction rate.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the flow control apparatus comprises at least one of a blowout preventer, lower marine riser package, at least a portion of a riser assembly, production tree, drilling spool, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the control fluid aperture is fluidly connected with a control fluid conduit and a control fluid pump. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising sizing the control fluid aperture to introduce a control fluid into the wellbore throughbore at a control fluid introduction rate of at least 25% of an estimated or determined wellbore blowout fluid flow rate through the wellbore throughbore that was estimated or determined prior to introduction of the control fluid into the wellbore throughbore. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the control fluid pump and control fluid conduit are capable of introducing control fluid through the control fluid aperture and into the wellbore throughbore at a control fluid introduction rate of at least 50% of the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate through the wellbore throughbore prior to introduction of the control fluid into the wellbore throughbore. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the control fluid pump and control fluid conduit are capable of introducing control fluid through the control fluid aperture and into the wellbore throughbore at a control fluid introduction rate of at least 100% of the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate through the wellbore throughbore prior to introduction of the control fluid into the wellbore throughbore. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the control fluid pump and control fluid conduit are capable of introducing control fluid through the control fluid aperture and into the wellbore throughbore at a control fluid introduction rate of at least 200% of the wellbore blowout fluid flow rate through the wellbore throughbore prior to introduction of the control fluid into the wellbore throughbore. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the weighted fluid aperture is dimensioned to introduce weighted fluid into the wellbore throughbore at a rate whereby the weighted fluid falls through the wellbore fluid. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the hydrate inducing fluid aperture is upstream of the nearest control fluid aperture, by at least three internal diameters of the wellbore conduit throughbore. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the hydrate inducing fluid aperture is upstream of the nearest control fluid aperture, by at least five internal diameters of the wellbore conduit throughbore. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the control fluid comprises at least one of seawater, freshwater, saturated brine, and a drilling mud. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the control fluid further comprises at least one of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, air and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the hydrate inducing fluid comprises at least one of a seawater, saturated brine, drilling mud, and cement. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the control fluid aperture is located in at least one of a blowout preventer and a drilling spool. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising a vessel remotely located with respect to wellbore centerline, the vessel having at least one of the control fluid pump and the hydrate inducing fluid pump. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the hydrate inducing fluid aperture in the wellbore throughbore is provided at an upstream location in the wellbore throughbore with respect to the control fluid aperture and with respect to the direction wellbore blowout fluid flow through the wellbore throughbore.