US 11,697,988 B2
Method and apparatus for generating artificial permeability during completion phase
Abdulrahman K. Aleid, Dhahran (SA)
Assigned to SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, Dhahran (SA)
Filed by SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, Dhahran (SA)
Filed on Sep. 21, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/481,067.
Prior Publication US 2023/0086593 A1, Mar. 23, 2023
Int. Cl. E21B 44/02 (2006.01); E21B 25/00 (2006.01); E21B 49/06 (2006.01); E21B 43/112 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 44/02 (2013.01) [E21B 25/00 (2013.01); E21B 43/112 (2013.01); E21B 49/06 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for improving permeability of a formation, comprising:
arranging a drilling tool in a wellbore of a well, in proximity to a formation zone identified for drilling;
drilling, using one or more side drill bits of the drilling tool, one or more paths into the formation zone based on a drilling program, wherein the one or more side drill bits are coupled to a running base pipe of the drilling tool via tubes;
accessing real-time sensor data pertaining to at least one of a reservoir parameter, a formation parameter, or a tool condition parameter, the real-time sensor data being captured by one or more sensors inside the well;
updating, using one or more hardware processors, the drilling program based on the real-time sensor data;
adjusting the drilling of the one or more paths based on the updated drilling program;
expanding a tube of a particular side drill bit of the one or more side drill bits outward toward the formation to arrange the particular side drill bit in proximity of the formation zone; and
pushing, using a pressure buildup in the drilling tool, the tube outward toward the formation to cause the particular side drill bit to cut into the formation, the pushing of the tube resulting in an expansion of the tube to a length of the tube,
wherein the length of the tube is determined based on a drilling path calculated for the particular side drill bit.