It is often useful in hydrocarbon production to deliver chemicals into the well assembly for well treatment. Such well treatment chemicals can, for example, be useful in reducing corrosion, reducing the formation of scale, reducing the formation of emulsions, or a combination thereof. Over the years, there have been various ways of delivering such well treatment chemicals. In some situations, these chemicals are simply delivered down an annulus of the well.
While this method is simple and direct, when the well is deep, hot, or a combination thereof, sometimes the well treatment chemicals fail to reach the desired locations at the bottom portion of the well. This is sometimes caused by the mere contact of the chemicals with the casing walls of the well when the well treatment chemicals are traveling downward. Such contact can reduce the well treatment chemical solvent and cause the active chemical to collect on the casing walls. Additionally, when the well is hot, the active chemical can begin to decompose as some of the well treatment chemical solvent evaporates or remains on the casing walls.
Previous attempts to solve this have included using a container that collects the well treatment chemicals with another fluid or solvent. The container is rotatably mounted upon an axle that is off center such that when the fluid reaches a predetermined level, the container tips and discharges its contents. The container then must be repositioned to start collecting the well treatment chemicals again.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds