Coiled tubing screen and method of well completion

Details Coiled tubing screen and method of well completion Coiled tubing screen and method of well completion

1999-04-13

2001-07-24

Bagnell, David (Department: 3672)

Wells

Processes

Placing or shifting well part

C166S230000, C166S233000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06263972

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The field of this invention relates to downhole screens preferably delivered on coiled tubing where the tubing can also be expanded against the screen to push it against the wellbore.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In typical completions in the past, metallic screens have been inserted on rigid or coiled tubing into a zone in the wellbore for production. Prior to producing the zone, sand particles were delivered outside the screen in a technique known as gravel packing. Screens have also been used that come prepacked with a sand layer as an alternative to the traditional gravel packing techniques or to be used in conjunction with the placement of sand outside the screen. The gravel packing procedures especially in horizontal completions left uncertainties as to whether the sand had been sufficiently distributed uniformly in the annular space so as to provide an effective gravel pack. Additionally, the gravel packing procedure took valuable time to accomplish and required the use of surface equipment to handle the material for placement in the wellbore. Another disadvantage of traditional gravel packing procedures is that an annular space around the screen had to be left so that the gravel could be placed there. The end result was the inside diameter within the screen was necessarily small to allow for the presence of the annular space. This constriction in size could also adversely affect the production of the formation to the surface.
In using certain drilling techniques, particularly in unconsolidated formations, the drilling mud would form a barrier adjacent the wellbore which cause subsequent plugging when the production began, even with screens and gravel packs being deployed.
A more ideal situation for producing a formation is to leave the wellbore in its drilled state so as to create the least amount of disturbance to the formation which has just been drilled. Traditional techniques leaving an annular gap which would be gravel packed, further involved risks of damaging the formation in the gravel packing process, such as when situations occurred that would allow fluid to convey the gravel to also apply hydraulic forces on the formation as well as incompatibilities between the formation and the fluids used to convey the gravel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One of the objects of the present invention is to allow a well to be produced through a screen without the need for a gravel pack. This objective is accomplished by the placement of an expandable screen that can move radially outwardly when placed at the desired location against the wellbore and be porous enough with sufficient open area to allow production from the formation. Another objective is to be able to easily place the screen in the desired location. This objective is met in one way by using coiled tubing which can be preperforated for a support for the screen. Another objective is to protect the screen during delivery to the desired location in the wellbore by a providing a disposable or removable outer cover which can be disposed of after proper location of the screen in the wellbore. These and other objectives and the manner in which the apparatus and method accomplishes the objectives are further described below in the description of the preferred embodiment.


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