The present invention relates generally to fluid flow control assemblies for facilitating subterranean fluid production and, more particularly (although not necessarily exclusively), to valves in assemblies that can control fluid flow direction downhole.
Hydrocarbons can be produced through a wellbore traversing a subterranean formation. In some cases, the formation may be unconsolidated or loosely consolidated. Particulate materials, such as sand, from these types of formations may be produced together with the hydrocarbons. Production of particulate materials presents numerous problems. Examples of problems include particulate materials being produced at the surface, causing abrasive wear to components within a production assembly, partially or fully clogging a production interval, and causing damage to production assemblies by collapsing onto part or all of the production assemblies.
Sand control screens can be used to provide stability to a formation to prevent or reduce collapses and to filter particulate materials from hydrocarbon fluids. In a typical sand control screen implementation, such as a gravel or “frac” pack, a completion assembly is run on a service tool downhole. The completion assembly includes a screen, shear sub, blank pipe, a packer assembly, and a bull plug or sump packer seal assembly. The packer is set and the completion assembly is released from the packer. The service tool is manipulated to obtain proper positioning to control fluid flow downhole.
For example, the service tool can be manipulated into a “circulating, live-annulus position” to allow fluid slurry to be pumped into the annulus area formed between the screen and the base pipe. The slurry can include a liquid carrier and particulate material, such as gravel or other proppant. The flow path for slurry to be pumped downhole can include a work string, a crossover port in the completion assembly, a closing sleeve port in the assembly, and a lower annulus between the screen and the base pipe. The particulate material can be deposited in the lower annulus area to form a gavel pack. The gravel pack can be highly permeable for the flow of hydrocarbon fluids but can block the flow of the fine particulate materials carried in the hydrocarbon fluids. The liquid carrier can then flow into the formation or inside of the screen and up the wash pipe where it can be returned through the top port into an upper annulus area.
The service tool can then be manipulated into a “squeeze or test position” in which a seal above the top port is sealed in a packer assembly to stop return flow and force the fluid that is pumped downhole into the formation. The packer can be tested using pressure in the upper annulus.
The service tool can also be manipulated into a “reverse-out position” in which the top port and the crossover port are repositioned to be above the packer. Fluid circulation can occur at the top of the packer, either forward (e.g. down the work string) or reverse (e.g. down the upper annulus). The completion assembly can include a reverse ball check that can prevent fluid losses down the wash pipe into the formation. The service tool is then removed from the bore and the bore is prepared for installation of an uphole production tubing assembly.
Although effective, such implementations require at least two trips downhole—one to set the sand control screen via a work string, and a second to run a production tubing assembly. Furthermore, mechanically positioning the service tool accurately can be difficult, particularly at great depths, such as 25,000 or more feet below sea level, and at high wellbore angles. In addition, components such as a service tool, an upper extension, a closing sleeve, and a casing, may be subjected to erosion during sand control pumping, or otherwise may experience erosion and fail to function properly.
Therefore, assemblies are desirable that can reduce the number trips downhole, facilitate downhole positioning, and/or decrease effects of erosion in a downhole environment.
Certain embodiments of the present invention are directed to fluid flow control assemblies that are capable of being disposed in a bore and that include valves that are actuated via controls from a component positioned at or near the surface to control direction of fluid flow downhole.
In one aspect, a fluid flow control assembly is described that includes at least one actuator and valves. The actuator can receive signals from a surface component. The valves can be in communication with the actuator and can be controllably actuated by the actuator in accordance with the signals to control direction of fluid flow in the bore.
In another aspect, a method is described for preparing a bore for hydrocarbon production. Production tubing is run in the bore. The production tubing includes a screen, a fluid flow control assembly, and a packer assembly. The fluid flow control assembly includes at least one actuator that can receive signals from a surface component and includes valves in communication with the actuator. In response to signals received from the surface component, the fluid flow control assembly is configured to a circulating position by actuating the valves to an open position to allow slurry to flow to the screen and at least some of the liquid carrier of the slurry to return to an upper portion of the bore. The slurry can also include particulate material. In response to signals received from the surface component, the fluid flow control assembly is configured to a production mode position by actuating the valves to a closed position to allow hydrocarbons to flow to the upper portion of the bore.
In another aspect, a fluid flow control assembly is described that includes at least one actuator and valves in communication with the actuator. The actuator can receive signals from a surface component. The valves can be controllably actuated by the actuator in accordance with the signals to control direction of fluid flow in the bore to allow a packer to be set, slurry to be circulated to a screen, and hydrocarbons to be produced, through a single trip in the bore.
These illustrative aspects and embodiments are mentioned not to limit or define the invention, but to provide examples to aid understanding of the inventive concepts disclosed in this application. Other aspects, advantages, and features of the present invention will become apparent after review of the entire application.
Certain aspects and embodiments of the present invention relate to fluid flow control assemblies that are capable of being disposed in a bore, such as a wellbore, of a subterranean formation for use in producing hydrocarbon fluids from the formation. The fluid flow control assemblies can include valves that are actuated via controls from a component positioned at or near the surface to control direction of fluid flow downhole.
A fluid flow control assembly according to some embodiments may be a bottom hole assembly that can be run into a wellbore using production tubing such that gravel packing and running the production assembly can be completed in a single trip into the wellbore. For example, uphole completion equipment can be run with a fluid flow control assembly in the same trip. The tubing can be spaced and an associated tubing hanger can be landed in a tubing spool prior to packer setting and pumping slurry or other materials for fluid flow control. The fluid flow control assembly can include one or more valves that are controllable by a component positioned at or close to the surface. The valves can be controlled by applying hydraulic pressure through control lines that can be conduits reserved for such pressure control, using electrical signals received from an electrical conductor, using pressure pulse, acoustic, other forms of telemetry, or using a combination of these and other methods.
Fluid flow control assemblies according to some embodiments can be disposed in a bore with a screen assembly. The screen assembly may include a non-perforated portion of a base pipe with an annular flow between disposed between an outer diameter of the base pipe and an inner diameter of a screen. The screen assembly can also include a sleeve positioned at a bottom of the screen. The sleeve can take fluid returns during sand placement, for example, and can include one or more additional production sleeves that are spaced in the screen interval. The production sleeves can be opened for well production. The sleeve and production sleeves may be manual or remotely actuated to open.
Certain fluid flow control assembly embodiments can be used to create a multi-zone system and to control fluid flow in a wellbore without requiring a tubing to be manipulated mechanically. Such sand assemblies may reduce the number of drill pipe trips and the number of service assemblies needed to complete a production interval, potentially saving time and costs. Some embodiments can improve safety by allowing gravel pack pumping with the tubing hanger in place, rather than through a blowout preventer. Furthermore, use of a fluid flow control assembly according to some embodiments can isolate the formation after gravel packing to prevent fluid loss and to reduce time to clean up the well.
These illustrative examples are given to introduce the reader to the general subject matter discussed here and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosed concepts. The following sections describe various additional embodiments and examples with reference to the drawings in which like numerals indicate like elements, and directional descriptions are used to describe the illustrative embodiments but, like the illustrative embodiments, should not be used to limit the present invention.
A tubing string 112 extends from the surface within wellbore 102. The tubing string 112 can provide a conduit for formation fluids to travel from the substantially horizontal section 106 to the surface. Fluid flow control assemblies 114 and screens 116 are positioned with the tubing string 112 in the substantially horizontal section 106. The screens 116 are shown in an extended position. In some embodiments, screens 116 are sand control screen assemblies that can receive hydrocarbon fluids from the formation, direct the hydrocarbon fluids for filtration or otherwise, and stabilize the formation 110.
A sump packer 118 can be positioned downhole from the screens 116. The sump packer 118 can provide positive depth correlation, and can provide debris management during well perforation. The fluid flow control assemblies 114 are positioned between packers 120 and screens 116 and are in communication with a surface component through a control line 122. The fluid flow control assemblies 114 can each include at least one valve that is controllable by the surface component via the control line 122 to control fluid flow at the fluid flow control assemblies 114.
The fluid flow control assembly 202 is positioned with respect to a screen 216 that is capable of providing support to a perforated formation 218 at a production interval of the base pipe 214. Sump packer 220 is positioned below the screen 216. A wash pipe 222 is positioned in an inner diameter of the base pipe 214.
The fluid flow control assembly 202 can include various subassemblies that can be capable of controlling fluid flow downhole in response to controls received from a surface component via a communication medium such as (but not limited to) control line 224. The fluid flow control assembly 202 can include an upper extension 226 and a crossover portion 228 having ports 230A-B through which fluid flow can be controlled by valves 232A-B. The valves 232A-B can be coupled to one or more actuators 234A-B that can be hydraulically or electrically actuated, in response to control signals received from the surface component via the control line 224, to cause the valves 232A-B to open or close. In some embodiments, the actuators 234A-B are configured to open one or more of the valves 232A-B partially, in addition to being able to open and close the valves 232A-B. In other embodiments, the fluid flow control assembly 202 can include one actuating device that is capable of controlling the valves 232A-B.
Although
Valves 232A-B can be any type of device that can controllably block fluid flow. Examples of valves 232A-B include an inner diameter closure mechanism, a gravel exit port closing sleeve, and a return and reversing valve. Inner diameter closure mechanism can include a ball or a sleeve, or both. Various types of valves can be used, including (but not limited to) HS interval control valve (“ICV”), HVC-ICV, and LV-ICV, all available from WellDynamics.
Fluid flow control assemblies according to certain embodiments can be used to reduce the number downhole trips required to run a packing assembly and prepare the well for production.
The fluid flow control assembly 302 includes ports that are associated with valves 304A-C. The valves 304A-C can be actuated by actuating devices 305A-C in response to control signals, such as hydraulic or electrical signals, received from a surface component via control line 306.
After the production tubing 308 is run downhole, a packer in the packer assembly 310 can be set and tested via various techniques that can include increasing pressure experienced by the packer assembly 310. Prior to setting and testing the packer, valves 304A-C can be actuated to the closed position as shown in
After the packer is set and tested, valves 304A-C can be actuated to the open position as shown in
After packing the area external to the production tubing 308 and internal to the screen, valves 304B-C can be actuated to the closed position in response to hydraulic or electrical control signals received via control line 306 to cause the fluid flow control assembly 302 to be configured into a “squeeze” position as shown in
Valve 304A can be actuated to the closed position and valve 304C can be actuated to the open position in response to hydraulic or electrical control signals received via control line 306 to cause the fluid flow control assembly 302 to be configured in a reverse position as shown in
The valves 304A-C can be actuated to a production mode position depicted in
Various techniques can be implemented to allow valves according to various embodiments of the present invention to communicate with and be controlled by components positioned at or close to a surface, such as components that are controlled by an operator. In some embodiments, the fluid flow control assembly includes a control module that communicates with the surface component over a communication medium, such as a control line, the production tubing, or wirelessly such as via acoustic telemetry techniques. The control module can interpret the signals and actuate the valves to an open or closed position according to the signals.
Examples of suitable wireless communication techniques include (i) using a strain sensor capable of detecting changes in internal pressure that strain the pope and a series of internal pressure changes within the pipe, as controlled by a surface component; (ii) using a pressure sensor to detect pressure changes imposed by the surface component; (iii) using a sonic sensor or hydrophone to detect sound signatures through the casing or well fluid as generated by the surface component; (iv) using a Hall effect or other magnetic field-type sensor that can receive a signal from a wiper or dart; (v) receiving radio frequency identification (“RFID”) signals through fluid; (vi) sensing change in a magnetic field; (vii) sensing an acoustic change caused by an acoustic source in a wiper or dart that is pumped through the inner diameter of the tubing; and (viii) using ionic sensors.
During production, valves 304A-C may continue to be controllably actuated to facilitate hydrocarbon production.
The foregoing description of the embodiments, including illustrated embodiments, of the invention has been presented only for the purpose of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Numerous modifications, adaptations, and uses thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of this invention.
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