Wells – Submerged well – Means removably connected to permanent well structure
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-08
2001-07-24
Bagnell, David (Department: 3673)
Wells
Submerged well
Means removably connected to permanent well structure
C166S368000, C166S075120, C166S267000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06263970
ABSTRACT:
FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a device designed to equip the fluid production wellhead, in order to isolate the solid particles carried by this fluid. In particular, the invention relates to a device of this type that can be used for example on a gaseous or liquid hydrocarbon production well, when brought into production, or for the filtering of the completion fluid.
In various situations such as perforations through the “tubing,” the start-up of a well or certain areas of a well is accompanied by the production of cuttings and, more generally, solid particles. These may damage the valves of the production shaft and of the production collector, as well as the overall installations through which the fluid circulates. Furthermore, the fluids that are produced (completion fluid, effluent, etc . . . ) must be eliminated or treated while they contain the cuttings or particles.
Therefore, it would be particularly advantageous to have a system that is capable of ensuring the separation by filtration of the fluids that are produced in such situations, even before they pass through the valves of the production shaft, so as to protect the installations through which the fluid travels. In this manner, it would be possible to recycle the completion fluids and send the effluents directly to production.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,106,562 relates to a device for controlling the flow of fluid and debris in a production wellhead that comprises a device for separating and accumulating the debris. The device is comprised of an external housing formed by an accumulation chamber, an evacuation conduit that communicates with the chamber to allow for the passage of the fluid while preventing the passage of debris, and means of accessing it in order to make the periodic removal of accumulated debris easier. The device as set forth in this patent is used in particular to control the flow of fluids coming from a geothermal water vapor production well.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The purpose of the present invention is to answer this need by proposing a device designed to equip the production wells, upstream from the valves of the production shaft, and to isolate the solid particles present in the produced fluid before it passes through these valves.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
With this end in view, the object of the present invention is a device designed to equip the fluid production wellhead, upstream from the valves through which this fluid passes, in order to isolate the solid particles it carries, where this device comprises:
a closed casing capable of being made integral with an element of the wellhead;
a sleeve attached, and made watertight, on the internal wall of fluid the production body upstream from the equipped lateral exit(s) of said valves, where this sleeve is separated from the internal wall of the tube by a first annular space and projects inside the casing so as to lead the fluid produced by the well to it;
a cylindrical partition arranged inside the casing around said sleeve, from which it is separated by a second annular space, where this partition rests, in a watertight fashion, against the upper part of the sleeve and against the base of the casing and is arranged in such a way in relation to the latter that the first and second annular spaces are in communication;
the first openings arranged in the upper part of the partition above the sleeve, in order to allow for the passage of the fluid brought through the latter into the volume that separates the partition from the external part of the casing;
the second openings, arranged in the lower part of the partition, where these second openings are separated, in a watertight fashion, from those arranged in the upper part of this partition and where they allow for the passage of the fluid from the volume that separates the partition from external part of the casing to the second annular space;
and a filter arranged inside the casing on the periphery of the lower part of the partition, facing the second openings, where this filter is arranged so that all the fluid that enters through the first openings of the partition into the volume that separated this partition from the external part of the casing passes through the filter before entering the second annular volume through the second openings of the partition, the debris and solid matter transported by the fluid that is produced thus being isolated by the filter and settling by gravity at the base of the volume that separates the filter from the external part of the casing.
This device could be mounted by any means known in the field on any wellhead element, for example above the cleaning valve of the production shaft.
The filter could be made of any type of screen and its mesh size will be adapted to the size of the solid particles that we wish to eliminate. Preferably it will be removable.
Advantageously a drilling will be provided on the lower part of the casing to eliminate the debris and solid particles that have accumulated at the base of the volume that separates the partition from the external part of the casing.
The latter may also be equipped with any auxiliary measuring device, for example pressure gauges that make it possible to check the pressure before starting the operations and before dismantling the equipment.
Lifting lugs can be provided on the casing to make it easier to handle the device.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1767958 (1930-06-01), Berg
patent: 1858241 (1932-05-01), Giles
patent: 3744565 (1973-07-01), Brown
patent: 3893918 (1975-07-01), Favret, Jr.
patent: 4106562 (1978-08-01), Barnes et al.
patent: 5232475 (1993-08-01), Jepson
patent: 6062313 (2000-05-01), Moore
patent: 136 369 (1985-04-01), None
patent: 486 976 (1992-05-01), None
patent: 2 676 088 (1992-11-01), None
patent: WO82/04405 (1982-12-01), None
Bagnell David
Lagman Frederick L.
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
Total Fina S.A.
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