Claims
- 1. A method of gravel packing a wellbore while maintaining said wellbore in an overburdened condition with a completion string having a flow restriction device that restricts flow of gravel and provides a fluid path between said wellbore and inside of said completion string, said method comprising:conveying said completion string in said wellbore to position said fluid flow restriction device adjacent a selected formation while maintaining the wellbore in the overburdened condition, the space between the wellbore and the completion string defining an annulus; setting the completion string to establish a first crossover fluid flow path in said completion string uphole of the fluid flow restriction device while maintaining said wellbore in the overburdened condition, said first crossover fluid flow path allowing fluid supplied to the completion string to pass from said completion string to said annulus; setting the completion string to establish a return fluid path in said completion string while maintaining said wellbore in the overburdened condition, said return fluid path allowing fluid flowing from said selected formation, through said flow restriction device, into said completion string and from said completion string into said annulus uphole of said first crossover fluid flow path; and supplying a fluid mixture containing gravel under pressure to said completion string, thereby causing said mixture to flow into and gravel pack said annulus downhole of said first crossover fluid path.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein setting the completion string to establish the return fluid path includes establishing a second crossover fluid flow path uphole of said first crossover fluid flow path.
- 3. The method of claim 1 further comprising continuing to supply said mixture until an annulus between said formation and said flow restriction device is packed with a desired amount of the gravel.
- 4. The method of claim 1 further comprising setting a first packer in said completion string uphole of said first crossover fluid flow path while maintaining said wellbore under the overburdened condition.
- 5. The method of claim 4 wherein said first packer restricts fluid flow from said annulus below said first packer to the surface.
- 6. The method of claim 5 further comprising setting a second packer between said flow restriction device and said first crossover fluid flow path.
- 7. The method of claim 5 further comprising retrieving a portion of said completion string to the surface leaving said flow restriction device in said wellbore.
- 8. The method of claim 1 wherein setting the completion string to establish a first crossover fluid flow path includes hydraulically opening a valve in said completion string that allows fluid to communicate between said completion string and said annulus.
- 9. A method of gravel packing a wellbore with a completion string while maintaining the wellbore under overburdened condition, said completion string having a flow restriction device, a crossover device uphole of the flow restriction device and a first packer between the crossover device and the flow restriction device and a second packer uphole of the crossover device, wherein the crossover device in a first mode provides a fluid passage to the flow restriction device through the string and in a second mode blocks the fluid flow through the string and allows said fluid to flow into an annulus between the string and the wellbore below said second packer, said method comprising:(a) conveying the completion string in the wellbore to position the flow restriction device adjacent a selected formation location, with the crossover device in said first mode; (b) setting the crossover device to the second mode; (c) setting the second packer, said second packer preventing uphole fluid flow from said crossover device along the annulus below said second packer and channeling uphole fluid flow from said string into said annulus above said second packer; and (d) supplying fluid with gravel to the completion string to gravel pack the annulus around the flow restriction device.
- 10. The method of claim 9 further comprising setting the first packer after completing the annulus gravel pack around the flow restriction device.
- 11. The method of claim 10 further comprising retrieving a portion of the completion string while leaving the flow restriction device and the first packer in the wellbore.
- 12. A well completion string comprising the assembled combination of:(a) a fluid permeable screen; (b) a first well annulus packer above said screen; (c) a first fluid flow crossover port above the first packer; (d) a second well annulus packer above said first crossover port; (e) a second fluid flow crossover port above the second packer; (f) a first internal flow path that is continuous from above said second crossover port to said screen; (g) a second internal flow path that is continuous from said screen to said second crossover port; (h) said first crossover port linking said first flow path with outer surroundings of said string below said second packer; and, (i) said second crossover port linking said second flow path with said outer surroundings above said second packer.
- 13. A well completion string as described by claim 12 having a selectively engaged flow obstruction in said first flow path below said first crossover port.
- 14. A well completion string as described by claim 13 wherein obstruction of the first flow path opens said first crossover port between said first flow path above said obstruction and said surroundings and opens said second crossover port between said second flow path and said surroundings.
- 15. A well completion string as described by claim 14 wherein obstruction of said first flow path also opens said first flow path into said second flow path at a point below said obstruction.
- 16. A well completion string as described by claim 13 wherein said second well annulus packer further comprises a selectively opened bypass flow path between said outer surroundings above said second packer and outer surroundings below said second packer.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application takes priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/093,714 filed Jul. 22, 1998.
US Referenced Citations (13)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Duhon et al., Halliburton Energy Services, “New Completion Techniques Applied to a Deepwater Gulf of Mexico TLP Completion Successfully Gravel Pack an Openhole Horizontal Interval of 2400 Feet,” XP-00212001, OTC Proceedings, 1998 Offshore Technology Conference (13 pages). |
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60/093714 |
Jul 1998 |
US |