This application claims priority to Brazilian Application No. 10 2020 013873 1, filed on Jul. 7, 2020, and entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD OF INTELLIGENT ELECTRICAL COMPLETION IN RESERVOIRS THAT ALLOW OPEN-HOLE COMPLETION,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The present invention describes a system and method for applying multiple inflow and outflow control zones in an open hole uncoupled completion.
The hydraulic control technology currently used limits the number of remotely controlled zones to three: the physical space occupied, the number of penetrations in the Tubing Hanger (component installed at the wellhead, responsible for the mechanical support of the production string), and the operational complexity at the installation and workover (well work) of a string containing multiple packers (downhole plugs) and control lines in a coated and perforated well. The hydraulic actuator control of the valves is dependent on the Wet Christmas Tree (WCT) Subsea Control Module (SCM) and the monitoring system shares electrical power and communication with the WCT's SCM.
Due to the high potential for fluid loss during drilling and completion operations of pre-salt wells, the completion method now requires the use of an uncoupled bottom completion system and the need for expandable open hole packers to ensure selectivity, plus mechanical valves to isolate the well during installation of the lower completion. In this method, only the top completion has remotely controlled valves, limiting the number of zones by the maximum number of concentric annuli. The limit becomes two zones in a well with a reservoir phase of 8½″ and three in a well with a reservoir phase of 12′¼″. Larger diameter alternatives are rendered unfeasible by the cost and complexity of drilling.
The expandable packer is a downhole plug, whose function is to ensure selectivity (isolation) between production or injection areas. The equipment is characterized by having an expandable metal-elastomer sleeve with a sealing area much larger than those found in other types of packers.
Stimulation in wells using both configurations described above is limited by the large extension of the zones and limited accessibility to handling the formation.
The stimulation operation minimizes damage due to well construction operations and ensures a minimum acceptable productivity or injectivity for the well in each zone. The Brazilian Pre-Salt is typically characterized by being treated with acid (acidification).
The high scaling potential, characteristic of pre-salt wells, is also a problem for completion operations, either because of increased flow restrictions or because of the difficulty of intelligent completion equipment projects in ensuring the minimization of scaling adhesion (prevention), or its mechanical removal (mitigation).
Another recurring issue for intelligent completion equipment, especially for valves, is reliability in the life cycle of a well.
The basic principles of this invention are: flexibility in the use of a downhole fault-tolerant automation network which, through a busbar architecture, allows a number of nodes limited only by the available electrical power; the use of a proximity coupler, which allows the use of an uncoupled bottom completion system; the use of an electric actuator based on an axial magnetic flux motor; the use of cage- (annular/string) or ball- (string/string) type flow control valves.
Document PI0506114A discloses a procedure for completing drilled wells. In general, it seeks to improve the level of efficient control over fluid flow coming from or directed to one or more formations. Unlike this invention, it does not refer to the type of valve, or to the axial magnetic flux motor of the actuators, in addition to the system being different.
Document WO2016049726A1 reveals an intelligent completion system in one or several production zones, including mechanisms and devices capable of promoting safer, more efficient, and more economically viable well exploration. Unlike the invention, it does not refer to the use of a proximity coupler for uncoupled bottom completion, or an electric actuator based on an axial magnetic flux motor. Furthermore, the method proposed by the invention is different.
Document WO2016175827A1 consists of a completion assembly used in an open hole section for exploration, and specifically an intelligent completion assembly based on remotely fed casing. Unlike the present invention, it does not mention a downhole fault-tolerant automation network or a proximity coupler, in addition to the system being different.
The documents found in the state of the art do not have the unique characteristics that will be presented in detail below.
The present invention relates to a system and method for applying multiple inflow and outflow control zones in an open hole uncoupled completion.
The system and method, which are the purposes of this invention, can handle, for example, the complexity and limitations of hydraulic control found in carbonate reservoirs in the Brazilian Pre-Salt, characterized by high pressures and flows, large vertical extensions of the reservoir, high scaling potential, and high potential for losses during drilling and completion operations.
The present invention will be described in greater detail below, with reference to the attached figures which, in a schematic and non-limiting way, represent examples of its realization. The figures are:
Electric Intelligent Completion with lower open hole uncoupled completion, the purpose of this invention is characterized by the subsystems shown in
The subsystems that comprise the Intelligent Electric Completion shown in
The installation of the Intelligent Electrical Completion is divided into two parts, as shown in
The installation sequence done in two runs is presented below.
The example sequence presented is for a well with 4 (four) producing or injecting zones. This means 4 (four) intervals that will be stimulated. Thus, the process is repeated for each zone: upper, upper intermediate, lower intermediate, and lower. Only one zone receives treatment at a time; therefore, only one valve is open, and the others remain closed.
The Intelligent Electrical Completion, the purpose of this invention, is divided into SCS (Supervision and Control System), characterized by a fault-tolerant network automated distributed system, and TCS (Telemetry and Control System) subsystems.
The SCS consists of a set of power-over-communication modems, point-multipoint type, from the surface to the completion subsea control module (COMP-SCM), which they make the electricity supply and communication of the network nodes transparent to the physical subsea layout, as shown in
In the well, the TCS serves as a gateway, an intelligent passage between different environments, allowing not only control and data access, but the conversion of the network into an industry-standard network, enabling the integration of network nodes regardless of the manufacturer.
The workover TCS is used in the installation, formed by a version of the TCS equipped with a wireless telemetry module, battery module, and superior PC. The workover telemetry and control system (TCS) is used only during installation of completion, or during a workover to allow intelligent completion to function in conjunction with the Working Column.
The PC (Proximity Coupler) enables uncoupled bottom completion, allowing electricity supply and communication at installation and re-entry of the intelligent electrical completion.
The WMS (Well Monitoring System) is comprised of punctual or almost-distributed pressure and temperature sensors (jargon used in the industry to characterize a set of sensors in a series, typically in a number greater than 10). As they are nodes on the automation network, connectivity and interoperability are guaranteed.
The FCS (Flow Control System) comprises a valve actuated by an AFPM (Axial Flux Permanent Magnet) spiral motor, as shown in
The fault-tolerant automation network barring is shown in
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2020 013873 1 | Jul 2020 | BR | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
6012015 | Tubel | Jan 2000 | A |
20140083684 | Tips | Mar 2014 | A1 |
20180030810 | Saldanha | Feb 2018 | A1 |
20180156013 | Arsalan | Jun 2018 | A1 |
20190032481 | Lerner | Jan 2019 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
PI0506114 | Sep 2006 | BR |
2016049726 | Apr 2016 | WO |
2016175827 | Nov 2016 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20220010676 A1 | Jan 2022 | US |