Claims
- 1. An apparatus for both drilling and completing a well from the surface of the earth at a well site to a target subsurface reservoir, said apparatus comprising:
- a tubular string extending from a source of pressurized drilling fluid at the surface of the well site, down within a well bore toward the subsurface reservoir, for conducting said drilling fluid from said fluid source to a lower end of said string, and for conducting reservoir fluid from the reservoir to the surface;
- a drill bit carried by said string adjacent said lower end thereof for drilling the well bore;
- a completion assembly carried by said string above said bit; and
- at least one aperture in said completion assembly, said at least one aperture being capable of selective opening or closing to give said completion assembly two alternative modes of operation, with a first said mode comprising a drilling mode in which said at least one aperture is selectively closed so that said drilling fluid flows through said completion assembly to said drill bit without passing through said aperture to the well bore, and with a second said mode comprising a completion mode in which said at least one aperture is selectively opened to enable reservoir fluid to flow through said at least one aperture into said completion assembly and up said tubular string to the surface.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a production sensor on said string adjacent to said completion assembly for determining properties of the reservoir during production of reservoir fluid from the reservoir.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said completion assembly is remotely actuatable to move through its modes of operation.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a moveable closure member in said completion assembly for closing said aperture, said closure member being movable by actuation remote from said completion assembly for opening or closing said aperture.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a removable closure member in said completion assembly for closing said aperture, said closure member being removable from said aperture by actuation remote from said completion assembly for opening said aperture.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a connector sub connectable on said string above said completion assembly, said connector sub being selectively operable between a first mode of operation in which an upper portion of said string above said connector sub is connected to a lower portion of said string below said connector sub, and a second mode of operation in which said upper portion of said string is released from said lower portion of said string, thereby allowing removal of said upper portion of said string from the well bore while retaining said lower portion of said string in the well bore.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said connector sub is selectively operable in a third mode of operation in which a second tubular string lowered into the well bore can be connected to said lower portion of said first tubular string in the well bore.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:
- a bottom hole drilling assembly connectable to said first tubular string; and
- a drill motor in said drilling assembly, said drill motor being operable by said drilling fluid, said drill motor being releasably connected to said bit for rotating said bit, and said drill motor being connected to said upper portion of said first tubular string for enabling the retrieval of said drill motor from the well bore when said upper portion of said first tubular string is removed from the well bore.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:
- an orientation sensor on said first tubular string adjacent to said bottom hole drilling assembly and said completion assembly, for determining positional properties of said string; and
- a telemetry unit for receiving signals from said orientation sensor and transmitting data to the surface of the well site;
- wherein at least said telemetry unit is connected to said upper portion of said first string, allowing retrieval of said telemetry unit from the well bore when said upper portion of said first string is removed from the well bore.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:
- a formation evaluation sensor on said first tubular string adjacent to said bottom hole drilling assembly and said completion assembly, for determining properties of the subsurface reservoir; and
- a telemetry unit for receiving signals from said formation evaluation sensor and transmitting data to the surface of the well site;
- wherein at least said telemetry unit is connected to said upper portion of said first string, allowing retrieval of said telemetry unit from the well bore when said upper portion of said first string is removed from the well bore.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a production sensor on said string adjacent to said completion assembly for determining properties of the reservoir during production of reservoir fluid from the reservoir, said production sensor being connected to said lower portion of said string, allowing retention of said production sensor in the well bore when said upper portion of said string is removed from the well bore.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said connector sub is selectively operable in a desired said mode of operation in response to actuation remote from said connector sub.
- 13. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a selectively settable anchor on said lower portion of said string, said anchor being operable between a first mode of operation in which said anchor is spaced from the wall of the well bore, thereby allowing movement of said string through the well bore and a second mode of operation in which said anchor engages the wall of the well bore for securing said lower portion of said string in place in the well bore.
- 14. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a selectively settable seal member on said lower portion of said string, said seal member being operable between a first mode of operation in which said seal member is spaced from the wall of the well bore, thereby allowing fluid flow between the annulus above said seal member and the annulus below said seal member, and a second mode of operation in which said seal member engages the wall of the well bore, thereby blocking fluid flow between the annulus at said upper portion of said string and the annulus at said lower portion of said string in the well bore.
- 15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a movable plug member in said lower portion of said string for selectively closing said string to fluid flow into and out of said lower portion of said string.
- 16. A method of drilling and completing a well in a target subsurface reservoir, comprising:
- providing a tubular string connected to a source of pressurized drilling fluid, a drill bit attached to a lower end of said string for drilling a well bore, and a completion assembly on said string above said bit, said completion assembly being selectively operable in two modes of operation, a first said mode constituting a drilling mode in which said completion assembly contains the flow of said drilling fluid in said string, thereby directing said drilling fluid to said bit, while blocking the flow of said drilling fluid to the well bore around said completion assembly, and a second said mode of operation constituting a completion mode in which said completion assembly has an exterior opening enabling the flow of reservoir fluids from a subsurface reservoir into said completion assembly and thence into said tubular string;
- putting said completion assembly in said first mode of operation;
- directing said drilling fluid under pressure into said tubular string;
- rotating said drill bit and lowering said tubular string into the earth to form a well bore;
- drilling and positioning the well bore so that said completion assembly is positioned relative to a target subsurface reservoir; and
- putting said completion assembly in said second mode of operation to allow reservoir fluids to enter said completion assembly and said tubular string.
- 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:
- providing a connector sub on said tubular string above said completion assembly, said connector sub being selectively operable between a first mode of operation in which an upper portion of said string above said connector sub is connected to a lower portion of said string below said connector sub, and a second mode of operation in which said upper portion of said string is released from said lower portion of said string;
- detaching said upper portion of said string from said lower portion of said string;
- removing said upper portion of said string from the well bore, thereby leaving said lower portion of said string in the well bore;
- lowering a second tubular string into the well bore; and
- connecting said second string to said lower portion of said first tubular string in the well bore.
- 18. The method of claim 17, wherein said drilling and positioning of the well bore further comprises:
- drilling a main access well bore;
- drilling a first lateral well bore from said main access well bore;
- positioning said first string in said first lateral well bore;
- removing said upper portion of said first string while retaining said lower portion of said first string in said first lateral well bore;
- drilling a second lateral well bore from said main access well bore, using a second well bore string comprising an upper portion and a second lower portion; and
- removing said upper portion of said second string while retaining said lower portion of said second string in said second lateral well bore.
- 19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:
- providing a drill motor in said tubular string, said drill motor being connected to said upper portion of said string; and
- retrieving said drill motor when said upper portion of said string is removed from the well bore.
- 20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:
- providing a sensor on said lower portion of said string;
- providing a telemetry unit on said upper portion of said string;
- putting said telemetry unit in communication with said sensor and in communication with the surface of the well site; and
- retrieving said telemetry unit with said upper portion of said string.
- 21. The method of claim 17, further comprising:
- providing a production sensor on said lower portion of said string; and
- retaining said production sensor with said lower portion of said string in the well bore, upon retrieval of said upper portion of said string.
- 22. The method of claim 17, further comprising:
- providing a selectively settable anchor on said lower portion of said string; and
- setting said anchor against the wall of the well bore to secure said lower portion of said string in the well bore.
- 23. The method of claim 16, further comprising:
- providing a selectively settable seal member on said lower portion of said string; and
- setting said seal member against the wall of the well bore to seal against fluid flow between said upper portion and said lower portion of said string in the well bore.
- 24. The method of claim 16, wherein putting said completion assembly in said second mode of operation to allow reservoir fluids to enter said completion assembly further comprises:
- providing a closure member in said lower portion of said string; and
- positioning said closure member to close said lower portion of said string to prevent fluid communication in and out of said lower portion of said string.
- 25. The method of claim 16, further comprising:
- pumping gravel slurry downhole to pack the lower portion of the well bore; and
- returning slurry fluid to the surface through said completion assembly.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This is a continuation patent application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/528,574, filed on Sep. 15, 1995, and entitled "Method of Drilling and Completing Wells", which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/343,814, filed on Nov. 22, 1994, and entitled "Method of Drilling and Completing Wells", now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (26)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Smith, R.C., et al., The Lateral Tie-Back System: The Ability to Drill and Case Multiple Laterals; pp. 55-64; Feb. 15, 1994; IADC/SPE Drilling Conference, Dallas, Texas. |
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
528574 |
Sep 1995 |
|
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
343814 |
Nov 1994 |
|