Method of gravel packing a subterranean well

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein said gel is removed from said first group of apertures by breaking the gel to a liquid.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein said first group of apertures are located above said second group of apertures when said liner is positioned within the well.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 further comprising: positioning a wash pipe within said liner thereby defining a second annulus therebetween, said immobile gel being positioned in said second annulus.

Claim 6

The method of claim 4 wherein said gel is removed from said first group of apertures by breaking the gel to a liquid.

Claim 7

The method of claim 4 wherein the gel comprises a carboxylate-containing polymer crosslinked with a chromic carboxylate complex crosslinking agent.

Claim 8

The method of claim 6 wherein the polymer is an acrylamide polymer.

Claim 9

The method of claim 7 wherein the polymer is a polymer selected from polyacrylamide or partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide, and the crosslinking agent comprises a chromic acetate complex.

Claim 10

The method of claim 1 wherein said liner has a screen secured thereto and positioned to cover said first and said second group of apertures, said immobile gel positioned between said screen and said liner.

Claim 11

The method of claim 9 wherein said gel is removed from said first group of apertures by breaking the gel to a liquid.

Claim 12

The method of claim 9 wherein the gel comprises a carboxylatecontaining polymer crosslinked with a chromic carboxylate complex crosslinking agent.

Claim 13

The method of claim 11 wherein the polymer is an acrylamide polymer.

Claim 14

The method of claim 12 wherein the polymer is a polymer selected from polyacrylamide or partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide, and the crosslinking agent comprises a chromic acetate complex.

Claim 15

In a method of gravel packing a well bore in a subterranean fluid-producing zone wherein a tubular liner having apertures therein is positioned within the well bore so as to define a first annulus therebetween, a crossover tool is provided for directing a slurry of gravel to the first annulus, and a wash pipe is positioned within the liner so as to define a second annulus therebetween, the improvement comprising: providing an immobile gel above a predetermined point along the length of the liner to block the apertures above said predetermined point against the flow of fluid therethrough, leaving unblocked the apertures in the liner below said predetermined point, the immobile gel containing a gel breaker capable of breaking the gel to liquid form; introducing a slurry comprising gravel suspended in a fluid into the first annulus, the fluid of the slurry flowing through the unblocked apertures and into the wash pipe and the gravel of the slurry being deposited in the first annulus; allowing the gel breaker to break the immobile gel to a liquid; and removing the liquid from the block apertures.

Claim 16

In a method of gravel packing a well bore in a subterranean fluid-producing zone wherein a tubular liner having apertures therein is positioned within the well bore so as to define a first annulus therebetween, a crossover tool is provided for directing a slurry of gravel to the first annulus, and a wash pipe is positioned within the liner so as to define a second annulus therebetween, the improvement comprising: providing an immobile gel above a predetermined point along the length of the liner to block the apertures above said predetermined point against the flow of fluid therethrough, leaving unblocked the apertures in the liner below said predetermined point, the immobile gel containing a gel breaker capable of breaking the gel to liquid form; introducing a slurry comprising gravel suspended in a fluid into the first annulus, the fluid of the slurry flowing through the unblocked apertures and into the wash pipe and the gravel of the slurry being deposited in the first annulus; allowing the gel breaker to break the immobile gel to a liquid; and removing the liquid from the block apertures.

Claim 17

The method of claim 14 wherein said immobile gel is positioned within the second annulus.

Claim 18

The method of claim 15 wherein the step of providing the immobile gel comprises: introducing a liquid composition capable of gelling to an immobile state into the second annulus, said liquid composition containing a gel breaker, and allowing the liquid composition to gel.

Claim 19

The method of claim 14 wherein the tubular liner has a screen secured thereto which covers the apertures, said immobile gel being positioned between the exterior of said screen and the interior of said tubular liner.

Claim 20

The method of claim 17 wherein the step of providing the immobile gel comprises: introducing a liquid composition capable of gelling to an immobile state between the screen and the liner, said liquid composition containing a gel breaker, and allowing the liquid composition to gel.

Claim 21

The method of claim 14 wherein the gel comprises a carboxylate-containing polymer crosslinked with a chromic carboxylate complex crosslinking agent.

Claim 24

The method of claim 20 wherein said annular space is between said liner and said wash pipe.

Claim 25

The method of claim 21 wherein said annular space is sealed at a point intermediate the length thereof to divide the annular space into an upper portion and a lower portion.

Claim 26

The method of claim 20 wherein a screen is secured to said liner to cover said first and said second group of apertures, said annular space being between the exterior of said screen and the interior of said liner.

Claim 27

The method of claim 20 wherein the gravel pack liner is positioned in the well bore after said immobile gel has matured.

Claim 28

The method of claim 20 wherein the immobile gel is caused to revert to the liquid by a gel breaker included in a liquid composition from which said immobile gel is matured.