CONTROL LINE CLIP

Abstract

A sand screen having a shroud with a channel for routing of a control line and associated methods and systems. The sand screen has a control line clip to secure the control lines within the channel. The control line clip supports the weight of the control lines and reduce axial movement of the control lines. The control line clip has sides that flex and return to the original shape when inserted into holes in the channel. The control line clip has retaining members that secure the control line clip within the channel.

Description

BACKGROUND

In many oil and gas well applications, a borehole is drilled into the earth and subsequently completed with equipment, i.e. a completion, to facilitate production of desired fluids from a reservoir. The completion may comprise various types of sand control equipment, e.g. sand screen filters, which block the inflow of sand as the oil and/or gas flow into the completion.

The completion may be assembled by connecting sand screen joints and deploying the sand screen joints downhole into the wellbore to a desired well zone. In a variety of applications, the wellbore may comprise multiple well zones and several sand screen joints may be disposed along each of the well zones. Within each well zone, the individual sand screen joints may comprise inflow ports through which the well fluid flows into the interior of the completion equipment for production to the surface.

Additionally, control lines may be run along the completion from the surface to the toe of the well. While the control lines may be clamped to some sections of the completion, the control lines positioned within channels formed in or coupled to sand screens or shrouds of the sand screen joints to prevent damage to the control lines. Accordingly, it is necessary to retain the control lines within the channels of the sand screen joints.

SUMMARY

One embodiment of the invention is a sand screen joint for use with a control line. The sand screen joint includes a shroud having a channel extending longitudinally across the shroud and one or more control line clips extending through openings in the shroud to retain the control line within the channel. The one or more control line clips comprising a top portion, two sides adjacent the top portion, wherein the sides are resilient; and wherein the top portion and two sides create a groove configured to retain the control line. The sides have an end portion with retaining members, wherein the retaining members secures the one or more control line clips to the shroud. The one or more control line clips may have one or more slots in the sides for the purpose of uninstalling the one or more control line clips with a tool by flexing the sides outward. the one or more control line clips may at least support at least a portion of the weight of the control line or reduce axial movement of the control line. The one or more control line clips does not extend radially beyond the channel formed in the shroud, reducing the possibility of damaging the control lines or the one or more control line clips. The shroud is a partial shroud that does not fully encompass the sand screen joint.

A completion system according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure includes a control line and a sand screen joint. The sand screen joint includes a shroud having a channel extending longitudinally across the shroud and one or more control line clips extending through openings in the shroud to retain the control line within the channel. The one or more control line clips comprising a top portion, two sides adjacent the top portion, wherein the sides are resilient; and wherein the top portion and two sides create a groove configured to retain the control line. The sides have an end portion with retaining members, wherein the retaining members secures the one or more control line clips to the shroud. The one or more control line clips may have one or more slots in the sides for the purpose of uninstalling the one or more control line clips with a tool by flexing the sides outward. the one or more control line clips may at least support at least a portion of the weight of the control line or reduce axial movement of the control line. The one or more control line clips does not extend radially beyond the channel formed in the shroud, reducing the possibility of damaging the control lines or the one or more control line clips. The shroud is a partial shroud that does not fully encompass the sand screen joint.

A method for completing a well according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure includes positioning a control line within a channel of a shroud of a sand screen joint. Retaining the control line within the channel via one or more control line clips extending through openings in the shroud to at least support at least a portion of the weight of the control line or reduce axial movement of the control line. Engaging the control line with a groove created by a top portion and two sides of the one or more control line clips.

Flexing the sides to align with the opening in the shroud and applying a pushing force to allow the sides to enter the openings and return back to an original configuration. Utilizing retaining members positioned at an end portion of the sides to enter the opening in the shroud. The one or more control line clips can be removed by inserting a tool in one or more slots on the sides of one or more control line clips and applying a force to flex the sides outwardly aligning the retaining members with the opening and lifting the one or more control line clips away from the shroud. The one or more control line clips does not extend radially beyond the channel formed in the shroud, reducing the possibility of damaging the control lines or the one or more control line clips.

However, many modifications are possible without materially departing from the teachings of this disclosure. Accordingly, such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure as defined in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Certain embodiments of the disclosure will hereafter be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements. It should be understood, however, that the accompanying figures illustrate the various implementations described herein and are not meant to limit the scope of various described technologies. The drawings are as follows:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a well system according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a sand screen joint according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a clip according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional diagram of a shroud with an engaged clip according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the shroud according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the clip engaging the shroud according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 is an end view of the sand screen joint with a partial shroud according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 8 is an end view of the sand screen joint with centralizers and a partial shroud according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, numerous details are set forth to provide an understanding of some embodiments of the present disclosure. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that that embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without these details and that numerous variations or modifications from the described embodiments may be possible.

In the specification and appended claims: the terms “connect,” “connection,” “connected,” “in connection with,” “connecting,” “couple,” “coupled,” “coupled with,” and “coupling” are used to mean “in direct connection with” or “in connection with via another element.” As used herein, the terms “up” and “down,” “upper” and “lower,” “upwardly” and “downwardly,” “upstream” and “downstream,” “uphole” and “downhole,” “above” and “below,” and other like terms indicating relative positions above or below a given point or element are used in this description to more clearly describe some embodiments of the disclosure.

Referring now to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 is a well system 100 that includes a wellbore 102 having a deviated wellbore section 104 extending into a formation 106 containing hydrocarbon fluids. Depending on the application, the wellbore 102 may comprise one or more deviated wellbore sections 104, e.g. horizontal wellbore sections, which may be cased or un-cased. In the example illustrated, a tubing string 108 is deployed downhole into wellbore 102 and comprises a downhole well completion 110 deployed in the deviated, e.g. horizontal, wellbore section 104.

The downhole well completion 110 may be constructed to facilitate production of well fluids and/or injection of fluids. By way of example, the downhole well completion 110 may comprise at least one sand screen joint 112, e.g. a plurality of screen assemblies 112. Each sand screen joint 112 may include a shroud, e.g. a sand screen, 114 that cover a screen filter through which fluid may enter the corresponding sand screen joint 112 for production to a suitable location, e.g. a surface location. For example, hydrocarbon well fluids may flow from formation 106, into wellbore 102, and into the screen assemblies 112 via the shrouds 114. In some embodiments, the downhole well completion 110 also may comprise a plurality of packers 116 which may be used to isolate sections or zones 118 along the wellbore 102.

Turning now to FIG. 2, FIG. 2 is a sand screen joint 212, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The sand screen joint 212 includes control line clips 200 embedded in the shroud 202 at various positions of the sand screen joint 212. The control line clips 200 retain control lines 204 (e.g., conduits for electrical wires, hydraulic fluid, or fiber optic lines) in a channel 306 of the shroud, shown more clearly below in FIG. 2, to prevent the control lines 204 from protruding outside of the shroud 202. The control line 204 may be used to power or communicate with, collectively referred to as telemetering, a device placed in the well. The devices may include any device commonly controlled by a control line in a well, such as intelligent completion devices, valves, meters, sensors, gauges, and other devices. The channel 306 is an indented area in the shroud 202 that extends along its length linearly, helically, or in other traversing paths. Additionally, as described in more detail below, the control line clips 200 may support at least a portion of the weight of the control lines 204 and/or reduce axial movement of the control lines 204.

Turning now to FIG. 3, FIG. 3 is a perspective view the clip 200. The control line clip 200 is a spring retaining clip. The control line clip 200 consists of a top section and two sides adjacent the top section. The sides of the control line clip 200 are spring loaded and resilient. The spring loaded sides allow the clip 200 to flex and snap back into the original configuration. The sides have an end portion with retaining members 208. The retaining members 208 secures the clip 200 to the shroud 202. The top section and sides of the control line clip 200 create a groove. As shown in FIG. 3, the groove may be rectangular however other shapes are considered based on the shape of the control lines 204.

The control line clip 200 has at least one slot 206 in both sides of the clip. The slots may be used to pry open the spring loaded sides of the control line clip 200 after the clip 200 has been engaged with the shroud 202. A tool may be inserted into the slots flex the spring loaded sides to pry the control line clip 200 from the shroud 202.

Turning now to FIG. 4, FIG. 4 is a partial, cross-sectional view of a shroud 302 with the control line clip 200 installed. The control line clip 200 extends through openings 400 in the shroud 302, shown in FIG. 4, and retains the control lines 204 within the shroud 302 while supporting at least a portion of the weight of the control lines 204 via the control line clip 200. Supporting at least a portion of the weight of the control lines reduces axial sag of the control line, which, if left unaddressed, may cause the control line 204 to extend outside of the channel. As shown in FIG. 4, the control line clip 300 does not extend radially beyond a channel 306 formed in the shroud 302, reducing the possibility of damaging the control lines 304 or control line clips 300, while also not increasing the diameter of the sand screen joint 112. The retaining members 208 retain the control line clip 200 in place.

Turning now to FIG. 5, FIG. 5 illustrates the shroud 302 and the channel 306. Additionally, FIG. 5 illustrates openings 400 are within the channel 306 of the shroud 302. In operation, FIG. 6 is a perspective view the control line clip 200 being inserted into the openings 400 retaining the control line 204 after the control line 204 is placed in the channel 306. To install the control line clip 200, the control line clip 200 must be aligned with the openings 400 in the shroud 302. A pushing force is applied to the control line clip 200 causing the sides to flex outwardly around the control line. The pushing force will allow the retaining member 208 to enter the opening 400 and return the clip 200 back to the original shape and clasp around the underneath of the channel 306 as shown in FIG. 4. To remove the control line clip 200, a tool is inserted into the slots 206 on the sides of the clip 200. A force is applied causing the sides of the control line clip 200 to flex outwardly aligning the retaining members 208 with the opening 400. A lifting force is applied to the control line clip 200 removing the control line clip 200 from the shroud 302.

In one or more embodiments, the shroud 302 may be a partial shroud, as shown in FIG. 7, that does not fully encompass the sand screen joint 212. In other embodiments, the shroud may fully encompass the sand screen joint. The sand screen joint will include a screen 502 and base pipe 504 with openings. As used herein, the term “screen” refers to wire wrapped screens, mechanical type screens and other filtering mechanisms typically employed with sand screens. In one or more embodiments, the sand screen joint may include centralizers 602, as shown in FIG. 8.

As used herein, a range that includes the term between is intended to include the upper and lower limits of the range; e.g., between 50 and 150 includes both 50 and 150. Additionally, the term “approximately” includes all values within 5% of the target value; e.g., approximately 100 includes all values from 95 to 105, including 95 and 105. Further, approximately between includes all values within 5% of the target value for both the upper and lower limits; e.g., approximately between 50 and 150 includes all values from 47.5 to 157.5, including 47.5 and 157.5.

Although a few embodiments of the disclosure have been described in detail above, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible without materially departing from the teachings of this disclosure. Accordingly, such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure as defined in the claims. It is also contemplated that various combinations or sub-combinations of the specific features and aspects of the embodiments described may be made and still fall within the scope of the disclosure. It should be understood that various features and aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be combined with, or substituted for, one another in order to form varying modes of the embodiments of the disclosure. Thus, it is intended that the scope of the disclosure herein should not be limited by the particular embodiments described above.

Claims

1. A sand screen joint for use with a control line, the sand screen joint comprising: a shroud having a channel extending longitudinally across the shroud; andone or more control line clips extending through openings in the shroud to retain the control line within the channel.

2. The sand screen joint of claim 1, wherein one or more control line clips comprising a top portion, two sides adjacent the top portion, wherein the sides are resilient; and wherein the top portion and two sides create a groove configured to retain the control line.

3. The sand screen joint of claim 2, wherein sides have an end portion with retaining members, wherein the retaining members secures the one or more control line clips to the shroud.

4. The sand screen joint of claim 2, wherein the one or more control line clips comprises one or more slots in the sides for the purpose of uninstalling the one or more control line clips with a tool by flexing the sides outward.

5. The sand screen joint of claim 1, wherein the one or more control line clips may at least support at least a portion of the weight of the control line or reduce axial movement of the control line.

6. The sand screen joint of claim 1, wherein the one or more control line clips does not extend radially beyond the channel formed in the shroud, reducing the possibility of damaging the control lines or the one or more control line clips.

7. The sand screen joint of claim 1, wherein the shroud is a partial shroud that does not fully encompass the sand screen joint.

8. A completion system comprising: a control line; anda sand screen joint comprising: a shroud having a channel extending longitudinally across the shroud; andone or more control line clips extending through openings in the shroud to retain the control line within the channel.

9. The completion system of claim 8, wherein one or more control line clips comprising a top portion, two sides adjacent the top portion, wherein the sides are resilient; and wherein the top portion and two sides create a groove configured to retain the control line.

10. The sand screen joint of claim 9, wherein sides have an end portion with retaining members, wherein the retaining members secures the one or more control line clips to the shroud.

11. The completion system of claim 9, wherein the one or more control line clips comprises one or more slots in the sides for the purpose of uninstalling the one or more control line clips with a tool by flexing the sides outward.

12. The completion system of claim 8, wherein the one or more control line clips may at least support at least a portion of the weight of the control line or reduce axial movement of the control line.

13. The completion system of claim 8, wherein the one or more control line clips does not extend radially beyond the channel formed in the shroud, reducing the possibility of damaging the control lines or the one or more control line clips.

14. The completion system of claim 8, wherein the shroud is a partial shroud that does not fully encompass the sand screen joint.

15. A method for completing a well, the method comprising: positioning a control line within a channel of a shroud of a sand screen joint;retaining the control line within the channel via one or more control line clips extending through openings in the shroud to at least support at least a portion of the weight of the control line or reduce axial movement of the control line.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein retaining the control line within the one or more control line clips further comprises engaging the control line with a groove created by a top portion and two sides of the one or more control line clips.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein retaining the control line within the one or more control line clips further comprises flexing the sides to align with the opening in the shroud and applying a pushing force to allow the sides to enter the openings and return back to an original configuration.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein retaining the control line within the one or more control line clips further comprises utilizing retaining members positioned at an end portion of the sides to enter the opening in the shroud.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more control line clips can be removed by inserting a tool in one or more slots on the sides of one or more control line clips and applying a force to flex the sides outwardly aligning the retaining members with the opening and lifting the one or more control line clips away from the shroud.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more control line clips does not extend radially beyond the channel formed in the shroud, reducing the possibility of damaging the control lines or the one or more control line clips.