Wells – Processes – Operating valve – closure – or changeable restrictor in a well
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-25
2003-11-11
Tsay, Frank S. (Department: 3672)
Wells
Processes
Operating valve, closure, or changeable restrictor in a well
C166S233000, C166S236000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06644412
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an apparatus and a method of controlling the flow of hydrocarbons into and/or out of a string of tubing disposed in a wellbore. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus and a method of controlling the flow of hydrocarbons into a string of tubing that can be regulated remotely.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1
shows a cross-sectional view of a typical hydrocarbon well
10
. The well
10
includes a vertical wellbore
12
and, thereafter, using some means of directional drilling like a diverter, a horizontal wellbore
14
. The horizontal wellbore
14
is used to more completely and effectively reached formations bearing oil or other hydrocarbons. In
FIG. 1
, the vertical wellbore
12
has a casing
16
disposed therein while the horizontal wellbore
14
has no casing disposed therein.
After the wellbore
12
is formed and lined with casing
16
, a string of production tubing
18
is run into the well
10
to provide a pathway for hydrocarbons to the surface of the well
10
. The well
10
oftentimes has multiple hydrocarbon bearing formations, such as oil bearing formations
20
,
21
,
22
and/or gas bearing formations
24
. Typically, packers
26
are used to isolate one formation from another. The production tubing
18
includes sections of wellscreen
28
comprising a perforated inner pipe (not shown) surrounded by a screen. The purpose of the wellscreen is to allow inflow of hydrocarbons into the production tubing
18
while blocking the flow of unwanted material. To recover hydrocarbons from a formation where there is casing
16
disposed in the wellbore, such as at formations
20
and
21
, perforations
30
are formed in the casing
16
and in the formation to allow the hydrocarbons to enter the wellscreen
28
through the casing
16
.
In open hole wellbores, to prevent the collapse of the formation around the wellscreen
28
, a gravel packing operation is performed. Gravel packing involves filling the annular area
32
between the wellscreen
28
and the wellbore
12
,
14
with sized particles having a large enough particle size such that the fluid will flow through the sized particles and into the wellscreen
28
. The sized particles also act as an additional filtering layer along with the wellscreen
28
.
FIG. 2
shows a cross-section view of a typical gravel packing operation in a horizontal wellbore
14
. The sized particles are pumped at high pressures down the tubing
18
as a slurry
34
of sand, gravel, and liquid. The slurry
34
is directed into the annular area
32
by a cross-over tool
36
. A second tubing (not shown) is run into the inner diameter of the production tubing
18
in order to block the apertures of the perforated inner pipe of the wellscreen
28
. The second tubing prevents the liquid of the slurry
34
from flowing into the wellscreen
28
. Thus, the slurry can be directed along the entire length of the wellscreen
28
. As the slurry
34
fills the annular area
32
, the liquid portion is circulated back to the surface of the well through tubing
18
, causing the sand/gravel to become tightly packed around the wellscreen
28
.
Referring back to
FIG. 1
, because the hydrocarbon bearing formations can be hundreds of feet across, horizontal wellbores
14
are sometimes equipped with long sections of wellscreen
28
. One problem with the use of these long sections of wellscreen
28
is that a higher fluid flow into the wellscreen
28
may occur at a heel
40
of the wellscreen
28
than at a toe
42
of the wellscreen
28
. Over time, this may result in a “coning” effect in which fluid in the formation tends to migrate toward the heel
40
of the wellscreen
28
, decreasing the efficiency of production over the length of the wellscreen
28
. The “conning” effect is illustrated by a perforated line
44
which shows that water from a formation bearing water
46
may be pulled through the wellscreen
28
and into the tubing
18
. The production of water can be detrimental to wellbore operations as it decreases the production of oil and must be separated and disposed of at the surface of the well
10
.
In an attempt to address this problem, various potential solutions have been developed. One example is a device which incorporates a helical channel as a restrictor element in the inflow control mechanism of the device. The helical channel surrounds the inner bore of the device and restricts fluid to impose a more equal distribution of fluid along the entire horizontal wellbore. However, such an apparatus can only be adjusted at the well surface and thereafter, cannot be re-adjusted to account for dynamic changes in fluid pressure once the device is inserted into a wellbore. Therefore, an operator must make assumptions as to the well conditions and pressure differentials that will be encountered in the reservoir and preset the helical channel tolerances according to the assumptions. Erroneous data used to predict conditions and changes in the fluid dynamics during downhole use can render the device ineffective.
In another attempt to address this problem, one method injects gas from a separate wellbore to urge the oil in the formation in the direction of the production wellbore. However, the injection gas itself tends to enter parts of the production wellbore as the oil from the formation is depleted. In these instances, the gas is drawn to the heel of the horizontal wellbore by the same pressure differential acting upon the oil. Producing injection gas in a hydrocarbon well is undesirable and it would be advantageous to prevent the migration of injection gas into the wellbore.
In still another attempt to address this problem, a self-adjusting flow control apparatus has been utilized. The flow control apparatus self-adjusts based upon the pressure in the annular space in the wellbore. The flow control apparatus, however, cannot be selectively adjusted in a closed or open position remotely from the surface of the well.
Therefore there is a need for an apparatus and a method which controls the flow of fluid into a wellbore. There is a further need for an apparatus and method which controls the flow of fluid into a production tubing string which may be remotely regulated from the surface of the well while the apparatus is in use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to an apparatus and a method of controlling the flow of hydrocarbons into and/or out of a string of tubing disposed in a wellbore. More particularly, the invention relates to a remotely regulatable apparatus and a method of controlling the flow of hydrocarbons into a string of tubing.
In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a tubular member having at least one aperture formed in a wall thereof. The aperture provides fluid communication between an outside and an inside of the tubular member. A sleeve is disposed radially outward of the tubular member to selectively restrict the flow of fluid through the aperture. The sleeve is selectively movable between a first position and a second position to control a flow of fluid between the outside and the inside of the tubular member. The apparatus further comprises a movement imparting member for imparting movement to the sleeve.
In another embodiment, the apparatus comprises a tubular member having at least one aperture formed in a wall thereof. The aperture provides fluid communication between an outside and an inside of the tubular member. A sleeve is disposed radially outward of the tubular member. The sleeve is selectively movable between a first position and a second position to control the flow of fluid between the outside and the inside of the tubular member. The apparatus further comprises a electromechanical device adapted to impart movement to the sleeve and further comprises a control line adapted to supply an electrical current to the device from a remote location.
In still another embodiment, the apparatus comprises a tubular member having at least one aperture formed in a wall thereof
Bode Jeffrey
Fishbeck Craig
Hill Tom
Moser, Patterson & Sheridan L.L.P.
Tsay Frank S.
Weatherford / Lamb, Inc.
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