Patent Application
20120312523
Completion systems in most wells employ multiple tubings to make up a tubing string in order to bring production fluid from downhole to surface or surface fluids to a downhole location. For desired fluid movement to enter or leave the tubing from or to the annulus between an exterior of the tubing and the formation wall, at least one of the tubing includes a valve that may be actuated hydraulically, pneumatically, electrically, mechanically, or a combination thereof, either by surface intervention or by intelligent systems in a downhole environment or uphole. When a downhole intelligent system is used to selectively control the valve, the tubing is specially provided with access channels or other modifications to incorporate the intelligent control device and its necessary connections resulting in increased cost of the string.
A modular control system includes a control module removably attachable to an exterior of a downhole tool; and a controlled device, the controlled device providing a function for the downhole tool, the controlled device controlled by the control module.
A modular control system includes a control module removably attachable to an exterior of a downhole tool; and a clamshell packoff including a tubular member split along its wall substantially from one longitudinal end to another longitudinal end and having a longitudinally extending aperture sized to accommodate the control module and downhole tool.
The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike:
A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures.
With reference to
Between a pair of adjacent tubings 14, a tubing coupling 16 may be arranged. The tubings 14 are connected to both sides of the tubing coupling 16 via threads. This connection at the tubing coupling 16 is called a tubing joint. The tubing coupling 16 includes a first end 18 and a second end 20. The tubing coupling 16 includes an inner aperture that, when arranged with the tubings 14, may share the same longitudinal axis of the string 12. Adjacent the first end 18 of the tubing coupling 16, the tubing coupling 16 may include a first section 22 having a first diameter, and adjacent the second end 20 of the tubing coupling 16, the tubing coupling 16 may include a second section 24 having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter. Both sections 22, 24 may have a larger diameter than the tubings 14. Between the first and second ends 18, 20 of the tubing coupling 16, a transition section 26 may be formed that transitions the first section 22 to the second section 24. A fluid entry port 28 is formed through the tubing coupling 16, such as through the transition section 26, which provides for fluid entry into the string 12, although the flow between the interior of the string 12 and an exterior of the string 12 may be in either direction, such as into the interior of the string 12 for entry of production fluids or exiting to the exterior of the string 12 if the tubing string 12 is delivering a solvent or other fluids through the fluid entry port 28. Also, an aperture 30 may be provided through the tubing coupling 16 for a line 32 (such as a tubing encapsulated conductor (“TEC”) or other control or monitoring line), such as through the transition section 26. The tubing coupling 16 may also include longitudinally extending channels 34, 36 sized to receive aperture blocks 38, as shown for example in
The actuator and valve assembly 50 is provided adjacent the first end 18 of the tubing coupling 16 to control opening or closing of the fluid entry port 28 on the tubing coupling 16 between the annulus and the interior of the string 12. Portions of the actuator and valve assembly 50 may pass through an interior of the tubing coupling 16 to interact and control the fluid entry port 28. The actuator and valve assembly 50 is positionable at an exterior of a tubing 14, and may include a longitudinal axis that is parallel to but offset from the longitudinal axis of the tubing 14. The actuator and valve assembly 50 may be supported adjacent a tubing 14 by supports 52 and 54 which include an aperture for receiving the actuator and valve assembly 50 therein and a curved outer surface on a bottom portion thereof for interfacing with a curved outer surface of the tubing 14. The supports 52, 54 may also support the actuator and valve assembly 50 at a selected distance from the tubing 14, so that the actuator and valve assembly 50 can be properly aligned between the tubing coupling 16 and an electronics module 60, which will be further described below. The line 32 may extend through the aperture 30 of the tubing coupling 16 and to the actuator and valve assembly 50. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that a valve assembly included in the actuator and valve assembly 50 allows or prevents fluid migration from or to a zone surrounding the tubing coupling 16 or area adjacent the string 12 where the valve assembly is located. The actuator and valve assembly 50 includes an actuator that may be connected to the valve assembly for actuation of the valve assembly. The valve assembly may be actuated by the actuator by one or more electric, hydraulic, pneumatic, and mechanical systems either by surface intervention or by intelligent systems in a downhole environment or uphole. In an exemplary embodiment described herein, the actuator and valve assembly 50 is actuated electrically using an encapsulated conductor from surface and a clamped on control module, such as an electronics module 60.
The electronics module 60 may be provided with adjustable components for controlling and maximizing production, where the adjustments may be completed automatically or via operator intervention, or by a combination thereof. While the electronics module 60 includes electronics for controlling a controllable device, the module 60 may include any necessary elements other than electronics to control the controllable device. The electronics module 60 is clamped/attached exteriorly of the tubing 14, rather than integrated within a tubing 14, thus enabling the intelligent flow control device 10 to be usable with standard tubing 14 without the need for specialized tubing 14 having accommodations for electronics, conductors, connectors, etc. The line 32 may pass through the electronics module 60, with the electronics module 60 including an aperture for passing the line 32 therethrough. The electronics module 60 includes a housing 62 having a first end 64 and a second end 66. The housing 62 may include an inner surface 68 shaped to partially surround and hug the tubing 14 and an outer surface 70. The inner surface 68 of the housing 62 may have a radius of curvature, which substantially matches a radius of curvature of an exterior surface of the tubing 14. The outer surface 70 may also be curved so as to fit within the annulus between the tubing string 12 and the borehole. The second end 66 of the housing 62 includes a wall 72 formed between the inner surface 68 and the outer surface 70 of the housing 62. The actuator and valve assembly 50 may be connected to the wall 72 at the second end 66 of the housing 62, such that the actuator and valve assembly 50 are connected between the wall 72 at the second end 66 of the housing 62 and a wall at the first end 18 of the tubing coupling 16. The housing 62 may include panels 74 on the outer surface 70 for accessing electronic components or other components within the electronics module 60. The housing 62 of the electronics module 60 may further include a first side 76 and a second side 78 (
While it would be within the scope of these embodiments to connect the electronics module 60 to the tubing 14 in a variety of manners, in one exemplary embodiment, the electronics module 60 is clamped onto the tubing 14. At least one clamp 80 may be provided that attaches the first side 76 of the housing 62 to the second side 78 of the housing 62, thereby clamping the housing 62 to the tubing 14. The clamp 80 includes a curved inner surface sized to partially accommodate the tubing 14 therein when attached to the first and second sides 76, 78 of the housing. The clamp 80 includes a first end 82 attachable to the first side 76 of the housing 62 and a second end 84 attachable to the second side 78 of the housing 62. In an exemplary embodiment, the first end 82 of the clamp 80 may be permanently and/or pivotally attached to the housing 62, while the second end 84 is removable from the housing 62. In an alternative exemplary embodiment, both ends 82, 84 of the clamp 80 may be secured to the housing 62 after the housing 62 is aligned on a desired section of the tubing 14. The clamp 80 may be one large clamp attached to the housing 62, or multiple clamps 80 attached to the housing 62, where the number and size of the clamps 80 depends on the size of the housing 62 of the electronics module 60. The clamps 80 may include grooves 86 on an exterior surface thereof for receiving the aperture blocks 38, in which case the longitudinally extending channels 34, 36 in the tubing coupling 16 and the grooves 86 on the clamps 80 are aligned for receiving and supporting the aperture blocks 38 therethrough.
The clamped on electronics module 60 and actuator and valve assembly 50 provide intelligent flow control to the string 12, thus providing an intelligent completion string using a standard string 12. The intelligent completion string may include one or more intelligent control devices and one or more sensors for temperature, pressure, flow rate, chemical composition, etc. to enhance controllability of flow control into or out of the string 12. The intelligent completion string provided with one or more relevant sensors may query incoming fluid for composition and if not acceptable may execute a program in a downhole processor, which may be stored in the electronics module 60, to determine an appropriate action and then take action, such as closing the fluid entry port 28 using the actuator and valve assembly 50. The electronics module 60 may include a communication capability for communication with a remote location including but not limited to a surface location. It will be understood that both communication and control may be carried out by wire conductor, optic fiber conductor, acoustically, hydraulic line, or wirelessly, wherein any of the associated components may be included in the housing 62 of the electronics module 60 and the encapsulated conductor may include any of the necessary wire, lines, or fibers.
Due to the elements of the intelligent flow control device 10 being easily assembled onto existing tubing 14 of a string 12, the intelligent flow control device 10 described herein provides for a low cost alternative to systems that are integrated within tubing. Also, due to the attachment system, the flow control device 10 may be made up on the rig floor while making up the tubing 14 to the tubing coupling 16. For functionalities other than flow control such as, but not limited to, sensing and the like, the electronics module 60 or other control module having the housing 62 and securement features such as clamps 80, may be secured to the string 12 or other downhole tool, providing the intelligent flow control device 10 with modular capabilities. The electronics module 60 functions as a control module, and is connectible to any number of controllable devices for use with a downhole tool, such as the string 12, where one of the controlled devices can include the actuator and valve assembly 50.
Turning now to
In one exemplary embodiment, the clamshell packoff 100 is split into longitudinal sections, so that it can be easily equipped onto the intelligent flow control device 10 as needed. While two half sections are illustrated, additional longitudinal sections are also within the scope of these embodiments. The longitudinal split is inclusive of any split extending substantially from one longitudinal end to another longitudinal end. The packoff elements 102 may be provided on longitudinal sections 106, 108 of a mandrel 104 for supporting the packoff elements 102 onto the string 12. In one exemplary embodiment, a first mandrel 106 is sized to cover the housing 62 of the electronics module 60, the valve and actuator assembly 50, and a top half of the first section 22 of the tubing coupling 16, while a second mandrel 108 is sized to cover the clamps 80 and a bottom half of the tubing coupling 16. The mandrel 104 need not cover the transition section 26 of the tubing coupling 16 so that the fluid entry port 28 remains accessible to the annulus. Because the housing 62 and actuator and valve assembly 50 and top half of the first section 22 of the tubing coupling 16 are thicker than the clamps 80 and the bottom half of the tubing coupling 16, the first mandrel 106 may include thinner sections than the second mandrel 108. First and second edges of the first mandrel 106 are alignable with first and second edges of the second mandrel 108 to provide a substantially uninterrupted and uniform outer tubular surface of the mandrel 104. This outer tubular surface of the mandrel 104 provides a base surface for the packoff elements 102. While the mandrel 104 may have a length extending from the tubing coupling 16 to at least the first end 64 of the housing 62, the swellable elements 102 need not extend the same length as the mandrel 104. In an embodiment including two longitudinal sections of packoff elements 102, a first element 110 is disposed on the first mandrel 106 and a second element 112 is disposed on the second mandrel 108. Because the first and second mandrels 106, 108 are differently sized to accommodate the intelligent flow control device 10, the first and second swellable elements 110, 112 have a substantially uniform thickness, although varying thicknesses are within the scope of these embodiments. For connecting the first element 110 and first mandrel 106 to the second element 112 and second mandrel 108, a first edge 114 of the first element 110 may include engagement features that engage with engagement features of a first edge 116 of the second element 112, and a second edge 118 of the first element 110 may engage with engagement features of a second edge 120 of the second element 112. In one exemplary embodiment, the engagement features may include tongues 122 on one edge and correspondingly sized apertures 124 on an engaging edge, or alternatively tongue and grooves, intermeshing teeth, snap features, clamps, other clamshell style locking features, and other retainment elements. The longitudinal sections of the packoff elements 102 are inclusive of any sections extending substantially from one longitudinal end to another longitudinal end including, but not limited to, straight, curved, helical, and jagged splits.
In another exemplary embodiment of the clamshell packoff 130, as shown in
An exemplary embodiment of a clamshell packoff 150 is shown in
While packoffs have been described in combination with the valve assembly 50, control module 60, and tubing string 12, it should be understood that the packoffs described herein could also be used in combination with the control module 60 and a different controllable device, other than valve assembly 50, on a downhole tool other than the tubing string 12.
In another exemplary embodiment, a second flow control device, such as one including a second actuator and valve assembly and a second tubing coupling, is connected to the first end 64 of the electronics module 60, so that the first flow control device 50, 16 is actuated by the same module 60 as the second flow control device. When there is a flow control device on either side of the electronics module 60, then the clamshell style packoff arrangement will create isolation of two zones with a flow control device in each zone. With reference to
Thus, the modular control system described herein includes any combination of a control module, a controllable device, and a packoff for use with a downhole tool, and the exact components of the system can be determined by the actual downhole tool and its intended use. The modular control system provides advantages over prior art downhole tools that are already outfitted to meet a particular intended use as the modular control system is suitable for use with a variety of standard downhole tools without expensive modifications thereto.
While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. Also, in the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. do not denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item.
