Wells – Processes – Placing or shifting well part
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-10
2004-06-08
Tsay, Frank (Department: 3672)
Wells
Processes
Placing or shifting well part
C166S117600, C166S050000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06745845
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to oil and gas exploration, and in particular to isolating certain subterranean zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration.
During oil exploration, a wellbore typically traverses a number of zones within a subterranean formation. Some of these subterranean zones will produce oil and gas, while others will not. Further, it is often necessary to isolate subterranean zones from one another in order to facilitate the exploration for and production of oil and gas. Existing methods for isolating subterranean production zones in order to facilitate the exploration for and production of oil and gas are complex and expensive.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations of the existing processes for isolating subterranean zones during oil and gas exploration.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus is provided that includes a zonal isolation assembly including: one or more solid tubular members, each solid tubular member including one or more external seals, one or more perforated tubular members coupled to the solid tubular members, one or more flow control valves operably coupled to the perforated tubular members for controlling the flow of fluidic materials through the perforated tubular members, one or more temperature sensors operably coupled to one or more of the perforated tubular members for monitoring the operating temperature within the perforated tubular members, one or more pressure sensors operably coupled to one or more of the perforated tubular members for monitoring the operating pressure within the perforated tubular members, and one or more flow sensors operably coupled to one or more of the perforated tubular members for monitoring the operating flow rate within the perforated tubular members, a shoe coupled to the zonal isolation assembly, and a controller operably coupled to the flow control valves, the temperature sensors, the pressure sensors, and the flow sensors for monitoring the temperature, pressure and flow sensors and controlling the operation of the flow control valves. At least one of the solid tubular members and the perforated tubular members are formed by a radial expansion process performed within the wellbore.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of isolating a first subterranean zone from a second subterranean zone in a wellbore is provided that includes positioning one or more solid tubulars within the wellbore, the solid tubulars traversing the first subterranean zone, positioning one or more perforated tubulars within the wellbore, the perforated tubulars traversing the second subterranean zone, radially expanding at least one of the primary solid tubulars and perforated tubulars within the wellbore, fluidicly coupling the perforated tubulars and the solid tubulars, preventing the passage of fluids from the first subterranean zone to the second subterranean zone within the wellbore external to the solid tubulars and perforated tubulars, monitoring the operating temperatures, pressures, and flow rates within one or more of the perforated tubulars, and controlling the flow of fluidic materials through the perforated tubulars as a function of the monitored operating temperatures, pressures, and flow rates.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of extracting materials from a producing subterranean zone in a wellbore, at least a portion of the wellbore including a casing, is provided that includes positioning one or more solid tubulars within the wellbore, positioning one or more perforated tubulars within the wellbore, the perforated tubulars traversing the producing subterranean zone, radially expanding at least one of the solid tubulars and the perforated tubulars within the wellbore, fluidicly coupling the solid tubulars with the casing, fluidicly coupling the perforated tubulars with the solid tubulars, fluidicly isolating the producing subterranean zone from at least one other subterranean zone within the wellbore, fluidicly coupling at least one of the perforated tubulars with the producing subterranean zone, monitoring the operating temperatures, pressures, and flow rates within one or more of the perforated tubulars, and controlling the flow of fluidic materials through the perforated tubulars as a function of the monitored operating temperatures, pressures, and flow rates.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a system for isolating a first subterranean zone from a second subterranean zone in a wellbore is provided that includes means for positioning one or more solid tubulars within the wellbore, the solid tubulars traversing the first subterranean zone, means for positioning one or more perforated tubulars within the wellbore, the perforated tubulars traversing the second subterranean zone, means for radially expanding at least one of the solid tubulars and perforated tubulars within the wellbore, means for fluidicly coupling the perforated tubulars and the solid tubulars, means for preventing the passage of fluids from the first subterranean zone to the second subterranean zone within the wellbore external to the solid tubulars and perforated tubulars, means for monitoring the operating temperatures, pressures, and flow rates within one or more of the perforated tubulars, and means for controlling the flow of fluidic materials through the perforated tubulars as a function of the monitored operating temperatures, pressures, and flow rates.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a system for extracting materials from a producing subterranean zone in a wellbore, at least a portion of the wellbore including a casing, is provided that includes means for positioning one or more solid tubulars within the wellbore, means for positioning one or more perforated tubulars within the wellbore, the perforated tubulars traversing the producing subterranean zone, means for radially expanding at least one of the solid tubulars and the perforated tubulars within the wellbore, means for fluidicly coupling the solid tubulars with the casing, means for fluidicly coupling the perforated tubulars with the solid tubulars, means for fluidicly isolating the producing subterranean zone from at least one other subterranean zone within the wellbore, means for fluidicly coupling at least one of the perforated tubulars with the producing subterranean zone, means for monitoring the operating temperatures, pressures, and flow rates within one or more of the perforated tubulars, and means for controlling the flow of fluidic materials through the perforated tubulars as a function of the monitored operating temperatures, pressures, and flow rates.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus is provided that includes a zonal isolation assembly including: one or more solid tubular members, each solid tubular member including one or more external seals, one or more perforated tubular members each including radial passages coupled to the solid tubular members, and one or more solid tubular liners coupled to the interior surfaces of one or more of the perforated tubular members for sealing at least some of the radial passages of the perforated tubular members, and a shoe coupled to the zonal isolation assembly. At least one of the solid tubular members and the perforated tubular members are formed by a radial expansion process performed within the wellbore, and the solid tubular liners are formed by a radial expansion process performed within the wellbore.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of isolating a first subterranean zone from a second subterranean zone in a wellbore is provided that includes positioning one or more solid tubulars within the wellbore, the solid tubulars traversing the first subterranean zone, positioning one or more perforated tubulars each including one or more radial passages within the wellbore, the perforated tubulars traversing the second subterranean zone, radially expanding
Brisco David Paul
Cook Robert Lance
Ring Lev
Waddell Kevin
Haynes and Boone LLP
Mattingly Todd
Shell Oil Company
Tsay Frank
LandOfFree
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