Wells – Processes – Parallel string or multiple completion well
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-19
2001-11-06
Dang, Hoang (Department: 3672)
Wells
Processes
Parallel string or multiple completion well
C166S050000, C166S117600
Reexamination Certificate
active
06311776
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to subsurface well equipment and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for simultaneously setting two production tubings in a well having at least one lateral well bore.
2. Description of the Related Art
To make production of hydrocarbons more economical, it has become commonplace for oil and gas companies to drill and complete one or more lateral, or branch, well bores, each extending from a main wellbore running to the earth's surface. After the main and lateral well bores have been drilled, the standard prevailing practice is to complete the lateral and main wells separately. This requires separate trips into the well to set the necessary tools and production tubing, each trip resulting in significant costs in time and money. The present invention has been developed to reduce these costs. As will be explained below, in broad terms, the present invention achieves this objective by doing in one trip what heretofore has been done in two.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a broad aspect, the invention is a downhole well tool for use within a well casing having a locking slot, an orienting profile, an alignment slot, and a lateral well bore window, the tool comprising: a body member having a first and a second longitudinal bore extending therethrough, a diverter member extending therefrom and having a diverter surface, the second longitudinal bore extending through the diverter member; an outwardly-biased orienting key movably secured to the body member and engageable with the orienting profile and the alignment slot; an outwardly-biased locking key movably secured to the body member and engageable with the locking slot, the diverter surface being aligned with the lateral well bore window when the orienting key is engaged with the alignment slot and the locking key is engaged with the locking slot; a first production tubing extending through the first longitudinal bore and aligned with the diverter surface; and a second production tubing extending through the second longitudinal bore, one of the first and second production tubings being releasably secured to the body member. Another feature of this aspect of the invention is that the second production tubing is releasably secured to the diverter member. Another feature of this aspect of the invention is that a lower end of the diverter member is cone-shaped. Another feature of this aspect of the invention is that the orienting and locking keys are outwardly biased by at least one spring. Another feature of this aspect of the invention is that the orienting key is disposed for radial movement within a first recess in the body member. Another feature of this aspect of the invention is that the locking key is disposed for movement within a second recess in the body member. Another feature of this aspect of the invention is that the locking key is hingedly attached to the body member. Another feature of this aspect of the invention is that the locking key is shearably disconnectable from the body member. Another feature of this aspect of the invention is that the body member includes a locking profile remotely engageable with a well tool for disengaging the well tool from the casing. Another feature of this aspect of the invention is that the diverter member extends upwardly from the body member, and the locking slot, orienting profile and alignment slot are disposed in the well casing below the lateral well bore window. Another feature of this aspect of the invention is that the diverter member extends downwardly from the body member, and the locking slot, orienting profile and alignment slot are disposed in the well casing above the lateral well bore window.
In another aspect, the invention may be a downhole well tool for use within a well casing having a lateral well bore window, the tool comprising: a discriminator connected within the well casing and having a locking slot, an orienting profile, and an alignment slot; a body member having a first and a second longitudinal bore extending therethrough, a diverter member extending therefrom and having a diverter surface, the second longitudinal bore extending through the diverter member; an outwardly-biased orienting key movably secured to the body member and engageable with the orienting profile and the alignment slot; an outwardly-biased locking key movably secured to the body member and engageable with the locking slot, the diverter surface being aligned with the lateral well bore window when the orienting key is engaged with the alignment slot and the locking key is engaged with the locking slot; a first production tubing extending through the first longitudinal bore and aligned with the diverter surface; and a second production tubing extending through the second longitudinal bore, one of the first and second production tubings being releasably secured to the body member. Another feature of this aspect of the invention is that the second production tubing is releasably secured to the diverter member. Another feature of this aspect of the invention is that a lower end of the diverter member is cone-shaped. Another feature of this aspect of the invention is that the orienting and locking keys are outwardly biased by at least one spring. Another feature of this aspect of the invention is that the orienting key is disposed for radial movement within a first recess in the body member. Another feature of this aspect of the invention is that the locking key is disposed for movement within a second recess in the body member. Another feature of this aspect of the invention is that the locking key is hingedly attached to the body member. Another feature of this aspect of the invention is that the locking key is shearably disconnectable from the body member. Another feature of this aspect of the invention is that the body member includes a locking profile remotely engageable with a well tool for disengaging the well tool from the casing. Another feature of this aspect of the invention is that the diverter member extends upwardly from the body member, and the discriminator is connected to the well casing below the lateral well bore window. Another feature of this aspect of the invention is that the diverter member extends downwardly from the body member, and the discriminator is connected to the well casing above the lateral well bore window.
In another aspect, the present invention may be a downhole well tool for use within a well casing having a lateral well bore window, the tool comprising: a body member having a first and a second longitudinal bore extending therethrough; a first production tubing extending through the first longitudinal bore; a second production tubing extending through the second longitudinal bore, the first and second production tubings being coupled together so as to restrict relative longitudinal movement therebetween, one of the first and second production tubings being releasably secured to the body member; means for diverting the first production tubing through the lateral well bore window; and means for aligning the diverting means with the lateral well bore window.
In still another aspect, the present invention may be a method of completing a well having a main well bore and at least one lateral well bore, the method comprising: positioning a completion assembly in the main well bore, the completion assembly comprising at least a first and a second production tubing and a tubing diverter; simultaneously lowering the first and second production tubings, guided by the tubing diverter, the first production tubing being lowered into the at least one lateral well bore, and the second production tubing being lowered into one of the main well bore and another lateral well bore.
In another aspect, the present invention may be a method of completing a well having a main well bore and at least one lateral well bore, the method comprising: setting a first packer in the at least one lateral well bore, the first packer having a polished bore receptacle extending therefrom and bei
Coon Robert J.
Milligan, Jr. Clay W.
Pringle Ronald E.
Camco International Inc.
Dang Hoang
Goldstein & Polasek, LLP
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