Claims
- 1. An apparatus for effecting the sequential gravel packing of a plurality of vertically spaced production zones within a subterranean well having casing in place therein, comprising: primary sealing means adapted for setting in the casing at a position above the production zones; a plurality of sets of production screens and valve means selectively movable between open and closed positions, said sets being equal in number to the production zones, and carriable in said well with the primary sealing means, said sets extending in series below the primary sealing means; production zone isolation means connected between each said set and expansible into sealing engagement with the casing intermediate the adjacent production zones; and a tubular control mandrel carriable on a conduit in the well with said primary sealing means and movable within all said sets, said control mandrel including: a single unitary cross-over tool for diverting downward flowing gravel carrying fluid from the interior of said control mandrel to the exterior thereof through at least one radial port; a plurality of vertically spaced sealing means on said cross-over tool for successively isolating each said set from the others when said radial port of said cross-over tool is positioned in axial proximity to each valve means; said cross-over tool further defining an axial passage for upwardly flowing return fluid from the production screen of said isolated set communicating with the annulus surrounding said cross-over tool at a position above said sealing means; means on said control mandrel for opening said valve means by longitudinal movement of said control mandrel in a first direction and closing said valve means by longitudinal movement of said control mandrel in a second direction; and means for supplying gravel carrying fluid to the interior of said control mandrel, whereby each successive production zone may be gravel packed by successively moving said conduit and said control mandrel to cooperate with each of said sets, without retrieving said conduit from within said well during said sequential gravel packing of said well.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each said valve means is positioned above the production screen of each set, a seal bore being defined in each said set between the production screen and said valve means, said seal bore cooperating with at least one of said vertically spaced sealing means, whereby gravel carrying fluid is diverted from the interior of said control mandrel through said cross-over port means and said valve means to the exterior of said production screen and is isolated from the other production zones.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a tell-tale screen connected in each said set below the production screen, the spacing between the sliding sleeve and the said tell-tale screen of each set being substantially identical.
- 4. An apparatus for effecting the sequential gravel packing of a plurality of vertically spaced production zones within a subterranean well having casing in place therein, comprising: primary sealing means adapted for setting in the casing at a position above the uppermost production zone; a plurality of sets of production screens and a series of connected radially ported sleeves, said sets being equal in number to the production zones, connected in series below the primary seaing means and carriable in said well with said primary sealing means; said ported sleeve including shiftable means for opening and closing said radial port; production zone isolation means connected between each set and expansible into sealing engagement with the casing intermediate the adjacent production zone; means defining a first seal bore connected between each said ported sleeve and said production screen; means defining a second seal bore connected below each said production screen; a tubular control mandrel insertable through all said sets and carriable on a conduit in the well with said primary sealing means, said control mandrel including: a single unitary cross-over tool for diverting downwardly flowing gravel carrying fluids from the interior of said control mandrel to the exterior thereof through at least one radial passage; a plurality of vertically spaced sealing means on said cross-over tool cooperable with said seal bores for successively isolating each said set from the others when said radial passage of said cross-over tool is successively positioned in axial proximity to each said ported sleeve; said cross-over tool further defining an axial passage for upwardly flowing return fluid from the production screen of said isolated set communicating with the annulus surrounding said cross-over tool at a position above said sealing means; means on said control mandrel for operating said shiftable means to port open position by downward movement of said control mandrel; and means for supplying gravel carrying fluid to the interior of said control mandrel whereby the lowermost and each successive upper production screen may be gravel packed by successively moving said conduit and control mandrel to cooperate with each of said sets without retrieving said conduit from within said sell during sequential gravel packing of said well.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the lengths of each production zone are substantially identical, and further comprising a tell-tale screen connected in each said set below the production screen, the spacing between the ported sleeve and the tell-tale screen of the set being substantially identical.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 170,494, filed July 21, 1980, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
170494 |
Jul 1980 |
|