Claims
- 1. The method of conveying a completion string to a desired formation depth within a wellbore, said completion string having a packer, a screen, and a cross-over tool for directing fluid flow into one of at least three flow paths, said method comprising the steps of:a. setting said packer in said wellbore above said screen, said packer isolating a first well annulus from a second well annulus; and b. maintaining an overburden pressure within said wellbore throughout a well completion process below said packer before, during and after setting said packer.
- 2. The method of conveying a completion string as described by claim 1 wherein said second well annulus is gravel packed.
- 3. The method of conveying a completion string as described by claim 1 wherein said cross-over tool directs fluid flow along a first flow path from a fluid flow bore within said completion string into said second well annulus.
- 4. The method of conveying a completion string as described by claim 3 wherein said cross-over tool directs fluid flow along a second flow path from said fluid flow bore into said first well annulus.
- 5. The method of conveying a completion string as described by claim 4 wherein said second well annulus is gravel packed along said first flow path.
- 6. The method of conveying a completion string as described by claim 4 wherein fluid filtrate from said second well annulus gravel packing is returned along said second flow path.
- 7. The method of conveying a completion string as described by claim 6 wherein fluid filtrate from said second well annulus gravel packing passes through said screen into said second flow path.
- 8. A method of completing a well into a predetermined earth formation having a natural hydrostatic pressure, comprising the steps of:a. conveying a tubular completion string along a wellbore into a predetermined formation while continuously maintaining a positive overburden pressure throughout said wellbore, the positive overburden pressure being equal to or greater than the natural hydrostatic pressure, said completion string having an internal flow bore, an annulus packer, a cross-over device and a fluid production screen; b. setting said packer to separate a first wellbore annulus from a second wellbore annulus with said production screen positioned in said second annulus; c. the cross-over device being aligned to a first position of fluid communication between said first and second annuli while said packer is being set to separate said first and second annuli; and d. the overburden pressure condition being continuously maintained in both wellbore annuli before, during and after the packer setting procedure.
- 9. A method of completing a well as described by claim 8 wherein fluid communication between said internal flow bore and either of said annuli is substantially terminated while said packer is being set.
- 10. A method of completing a well as described by claim 9 wherein said cross-over device is aligned to a second position that substantially terminates fluid communication between said first and second annuli and fluid communication is permitted from said flow bore into said second annulus.
- 11. A method of completing a well as described by claim 10 wherein fluid pressure is applied to said second annulus from said flow bore of a magnitude that is greater than the natural hydrostatic pressure of a formation penetrated by said second annulus.
- 12. A method of completing a well as described by claim 11 wherein fluid pressure is externally applied to said first annulus simultaneous with said second annulus pressure, the magnitude of said first annulus pressure being greater than the magnitude of said second annulus pressure.
- 13. A method of completing a well as described by claim 12 wherein positive pressure within said wellbore is applied to an interface between the wellbore and the formation penetrated by said wellbore.
- 14. A method of conveying a completion string to a desired formation depth within a wellbore, said completion string having a packer and a screen, said method comprising the steps of:a. setting said packer in said wellbore above said screen; and b. communicating fluid into the wellbore below the packer to maintain an overburden pressure within said wellbore below said packer before, during and after setting the packer.
- 15. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of communicating fluid into the wellbore below the packer comprises directing fluid through a bypass flow channel into the annulus below the packer.
- 16. The method of claim 14 wherein the wellbore below the packer is gravel packed.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/550,439 that was filed on Apr. 17, 2000 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,382,319 and is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/550,439 is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/359,245 that was filed on Jul. 22, 1999 and issued May 15, 2001 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,801 and is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,801 is related to and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/093,714, filed on Jul. 22, 1998, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
US Referenced Citations (17)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
WO 0005484 |
Feb 2000 |
WO |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (3)
Entry |
Porter, Hollis P., Petroleum Dictionary for Office, Field and Factory, 1948, The Gulf Publishing Company, Fourth Edition, p. 131.* |
Tver, David F., The Petroleum Dictionary, 1980, Van Nostrand Reinhold Company Inc., p. 168.* |
Duhon et al., Halliburton Energy Services, ANew Completion Techniques Applied to a Deepwater Gulf of Mexico TLP Completion Successfully Gravel Pack an Openhole Horizontal Interval of 2400 Feet,@ XP-002120001, OTC Proceedings, 1998 Offshore Technology Conference (13 pages). |
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60/093714 |
Jul 1998 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/550439 |
Apr 2000 |
US |
Child |
10/102983 |
|
US |
Parent |
09/359245 |
Jul 1999 |
US |
Child |
09/550439 |
|
US |