Patent Grant
12173563
Embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein generally relate to downhole tools for oil/gas exploration, and more specifically, to a tubing system that has inner and outer pipes coupled to each other to form plural single units (called herein joint pipe elements) and the joint pipe elements can be attached to each other to be used for well operations.
After a well is drilled to a desired depth (H) relative to the surface, and a casing protecting the wellbore has been installed in the well, cemented in place, and perforated for connecting the wellbore to the subterranean formation, it is time to extract the oil and/or gas. At the beginning of the well's life, the pressure of the oil and/or gas from the subterranean formation is high enough so that the oil flows out of the well to the surface, unassisted, through the casing. Thus, for this stage of the well, no pressure assistance is typically needed to bring the oil to the surface.
However, the fluid pressure of the subterranean formation decreases over time to such a level that the hydrostatic pressure of the column of fluid in the well becomes equal to the formation pressure inside the subterranean formation. In this case, an artificial lift method (i.e., pump method) needs to be used to recover the oil and/or gas from the well. Thus, artificial lift is necessary for this life stage of the well to maximize recovery of the oil/gas.
There are many ways to assist the fluid (oil and/or gas) inside the well for being brought to the surface. One such method is the gas lift, which is typically characterized by having a production tubing, which is installed inside the production casing, strung into a downhole packer. The gas lift method is able to work in both low and high fluid rate applications and works across a wide range of well depths. The external energy introduced to the system for lifting the oil and/or gas is typically added by a gas compressor driven by a natural gas fueled engine. There can be single or multiple injection ports used along the vertical profile of the tubing string for the high-pressure gas lift gas to enter the production tubing. Multiple injection ports reduce the gas lift gas pressure required to start production from an idle well, but introduces multiple potential leak points that impact reliability. Single injection ports (including lifting around open-ended production tubing) are simpler and more reliable, but require higher lift gas pressures to start production from an idle well.
The gas lift method works by having the injected lift gas mixing with the reservoir fluids inside the production tubing and reducing the effective density of the fluid column. Gas expansion of the lift gas also plays an important role in keeping the flow rates above the critical flow velocities to push the fluids to the surface. For this method, the reservoir must have sufficient remaining energy to flow oil and gas into the inside of the production tubing and overcome the gas lift pressures being created inside the production tubing. The ultimate abandonment pressure associated with conventional gas lift methods and apparatus is materially higher than other methods such as rod or beam pumping.
Another method for pumping the fluid from inside the well to the surface is the Rod or Beam pumping, which typically produces the lowest abandonment pressure of any artificial lift method and ends up being the “end of life” choice to produce an oil well through to its economic limit. Rod pumping is characterized by the installation of production tubing, sucker rods and a downhole pump. Rod or Beam Pumping works in low to medium rate applications and from shallow to intermediate well depths. The downhole pump is typically installed in the well at a depth where the inclination from vertical is no greater than typically 15 degrees per 100′ of vertical change, thus, limiting the pump intake to being no deeper than the curve in the heel to the horizontal well. The Rod or Beam Pumping in a deviated section typically has high rates of mechanical failures that creates higher operating expenses and more production downtime. The external energy introduced to the system is typically added through the use of a prime mover driving a gearbox on the “pumping unit.” The prime mover can be an electrically driven motor or a natural gas fueled engine.
Another lifting process uses an Electrical Submersible Pump (ESP) to pump the fluid from the well. This process is characterized by the installation of centrifugal downhole pumps and downhole motors that are electrically connected back to the surface with shielded power cables to deliver the high voltage/amps necessary to operate. ESPs work in medium to high rate applications and from shallow depths to deep well depths. ESPs can be very efficient in a high rate application, but are expensive to operate and extremely expensive to recover and repair when they fail. Failure rates are typically higher for ESPs relative to other artificial lift methods. ESPs do not tolerate solids well so being used in a horizontal well that has been fracture stimulated with sand proppant introduces a likely failure mechanism. ESPs are also not very tolerant of pumping reservoir fluids with a high gas fraction. ESPs are typically only run into the curve/heel of a horizontal well.
Another lifting process uses Hydraulic Jet Pumps (HJPs), which are characterized by the installation of a production tubing, a downhole packer, a jet pump landing sub, and jet pump. Surface facilities associated with a HJP application require a separator and a high pressure multiplex pump. The system creates a pressure drop at the intake of the jet pump (Venturi effect) by circulating high pressure power fluids (oil or water) down the inside of the production tubing. Wellbore fluids and power fluids are then recovered at the surface by flowing up the annulus between the production casing and production tubing. The external energy introduced to the system is typically added through an electrical connection providing high voltage/amps. Some systems can use a natural gas driven prime mover connected to the multiplex pump. HJP's can be used across a wide range of flow rates and across a wide range of well depths, but are not able to be deployed typically past the top part of the curve in a horizontal well. HJP's also generally result in a relatively high abandonment pressure if that is the “end of life” artificial lift method when a well is abandoned.
Still another lifting method is a Plunger Lift, which is characterized by the installation of a production tubing run with a downhole profile and spring installed on the bottom joint of tubing. A “floating” plunger that travels up and down the production tubing acting as a free moving piston removes reservoir fluids from the wellbore. There is typically no external energy required, however, there are variations in this technology where plungers can operate in combination with a gas lift system. Plungers are an artificial lift method that generally only applies to low rate applications. They can be used, however, across a wide range of well depths, but are limited to having the bottom spring installed somewhere in the curve of a horizontal well. Use of a plunger lift also generally results in a relatively high abandonment pressure if that is the “end of life” artificial lift method when a well is abandoned. Plunger applications in horizontals appear to be mostly used in the “gas basins.”
Another lifting method is the Progressive Cavity Pumping (PCP), which is characterized by the use of a positive displacement helical gear pump operated by the rotation of a sucker rod string with a drive motor located on the surface on the wellhead. PCP's are powered by electricity. They are tolerant of high solids and high gas fractions. They are, however, applicable mostly for lower rate wells and have higher failure rates (compared to gas lift) when operated in deviated or horizontal wells.
An artificial lift method that was only applied in the field as a solution to unload gas wells that were offline as a result of having standing fluid levels above the perforations in a vertical well is the Calliope system, which is schematically illustrated in
However, most of the above processes share the same drawback, which is now discussed. To be able to bring the oil to the surface, a production string and an inner string (elements 130 and 140 in
Thus, there is a need to provide a tubing system and method that overcome the above noted problems and offer to the operator of the well a much simplified and economical way to extract the oil from the well.
According to an embodiment, there is a joint pipe element for transporting a fluid in a well. The joint pipe element includes an outer pipe having first threads at a first end; an inner pipe having first threads at a first end, the inner pipe being located inside the outer pipe; and plural lugs located between the outer pipe and the inner pipe. The first threads of the first end of the outer pipe and the first threads of the first end of the inner pipe have the same number of teeth per unit length so that the outer pipe and the inner pipe are connected, simultaneously, by a single rotational motion, to another joint pipe element.
According to another embodiment, there is a tubing system for extracting oil from a well. The tubing system includes a first joint pipe element having an inner pipe fixedly attached to an inside of an outer pipe; and a second joint element having an inner pipe fixedly attached to an inside of an outer pipe. An upstream end of the first joint element is attached to a downstream end of the second joint element with a single rotational motion.
According to yet another embodiment, there is a method for assembling a tubing system for extracting oil from a well, the method including providing a first joint pipe element having an inner pipe fixedly attached to an inside of an outer pipe; providing a second joint element having an inner pipe fixedly attached to an inside of an outer pipe; and connecting an upstream end of the first joint element to a downstream end of the second joint element with a single rotational motion.
According to yet another embodiment, there is a connector for attaching joint pipe elements for forming an artificial lift system for a well. The connector includes a body having a bore that extends along a longitudinal axis; an upstream part having internal threads; a downstream part having internal threads; and a shoulder formed inside the bore. The upstream part is configured to engage with an inner pipe or an outer pipe of a first joint pipe element, and the downstream part is configured to engage with an inner pipe or an outer pipe of a second joint pipe element, so that an inner and an outer tubular string are formed.
According to yet another embodiment, there is an artificial lift system for a well, the system including a connector having a bore that extends along a longitudinal axis; a first joint pipe element having an inner pipe and an outer pipe, the inner pipe being fixedly attached to an inside of the outer pipe and a second joint pipe element having an inner pipe and an outer pipe, the inner pipe being fixedly attached to an inside of the outer pipe. The first joint pipe element and the second joint pipe element are configured to attach to opposite ends of the connector to form an outer tubular string and an inner tubular string.
According to another embodiment, there is a method for forming an artificial lift system for a well, the method including attaching a first end of a connector to a first joint pipe element, wherein the first joint pipe element has an inner pipe and an outer pipe, the inner pipe being fixedly attached to an inside of the outer pipe; and attaching a second end of the connector to a second joint pipe element, wherein the second joint pipe element has an inner pipe and an outer pipe, the inner pipe being fixedly attached to an inside of the outer pipe. The first joint pipe element, the connector, and the second joint pipe element form an outer tubular string and an inner tubular string.
According to still another embodiment, there is a connector for attaching joint pipe elements for forming an artificial lift system for a well. The connector includes an outer body having a bore; an inner body fixedly attached to an inside of the bore; and a bridge that physically connects the outer body to the inner body. Each end of the outer body and the inner body has a corresponding thread.
According to another embodiment, there is a system for attaching joint pipe elements for forming an artificial lift system for a well. The system includes a connector having a bore and an annulus; a first joint pipe element configured to be attached to a first end of the connector with a single rotational motion; and a second joint pipe element configured to be attached to a second end of the connector with another single rotational motion. The connector, the first joint pipe element, and the second joint pipe element form an inner tubular string and an outer tubular string that provide independent flow paths.
According to another embodiment, there is a method for forming an artificial lift system for a well. The method includes attaching by a single rotational motion, a first end of a connector to a first joint pipe element; and attaching by another single rotational motion, a second end of the connector to a second joint pipe element. The connector, the first joint pipe element, and the second joint pipe element form an inner tubular string and an outer tubular string that provide independent flow paths.
According to another embodiment, there is a well servicing tool for moving oil through a well. The tool includes an outer pipe having a bore; an inner pipe extending inside the bore of the outer pipe; and an oil extracting instrument configured to be in fluid communication with the inner pipe. The inner pipe is fixedly attached to the outer pipe so that a torque applied to the outer pipe simultaneously rotates the outer pipe and the inner pipe.
According to yet another embodiment, there is a system for attaching a joint pipe element to a well servicing tool for forming an artificial lift system for a well. The system includes a connector having a bore and an annulus; the joint pipe element configured to be attached to a first end of the connector with a single rotational motion; and the well servicing tool configured to be attached to a second end of the connector with a single rotational motion. The connector, the joint pipe element, and an upstream part of the well servicing tool form an inner tubular string and an outer tubular string that provide independent flow paths.
According to yet another embodiment, there is a system for attaching a joint pipe element to a well servicing tool for forming an artificial lift system for a well. The system includes the joint pipe element; and the well servicing tool configured to be attached directly to an end of the joint pipe element with a single rotational motion. The joint pipe element and an upstream part of the well servicing tool form an inner tubular string and an outer tubular string that provide independent flow paths.
According to another embodiment, there is a method of forming inner and outer tubular strings for a well. The method includes providing a connector that has a bore and an annulus; attaching a joint pipe element to a first end of the connector with a single rotational motion; and attaching a well servicing tool to a second end of the connector with a single rotational motion. The connector, the joint pipe element, and an upstream part of the well servicing tool form the inner tubular string and the outer tubular string, which provide independent flow paths.
According to another embodiment, there is a tubing system configured to lift oil from a well. The system includes a joint pipe element having concentric outer and inner pipes; and a production unit attached to the outer and inner pipes of the joint pipe element by a single rotational motion. The joint pipe element and an upstream part of the production unit form an inner tubular string and an outer tubular string that provide independent flow paths.
According to yet another embodiment, there is a method for connecting a joint tube element to a production unit for extracting oil from a well. The method includes providing a joint pipe element having concentric outer and inner pipes; and attaching each of the outer and inner pipes of the joint pipe element to a production unit by a single rotational motion. The joint pipe element and an upstream part of the production unit form an inner tubular string and an outer tubular string that provide independent flow paths.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate one or more embodiments and, together with the description, explain these embodiments. In the drawings:
The following description of the embodiments refers to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers in different drawings identify the same or similar elements. The following detailed description does not limit the invention. Instead, the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims. The following embodiments are discussed, for simplicity, with regard to a tubing system that includes two tubular strings that are used for lifting a fluid from a horizontal well. However, the embodiments discussed herein are also applicable to a vertical well or to a tubing system that has more than two tubular strings.
Reference throughout the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the subject matter disclosed. Thus, the appearance of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout the specification is not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.
According to an embodiment, a tubing system includes outer and inner tubular strings, where the inner tubular string is located inside the outer tubular string. Each of the inner and outer tubular strings is made of plural pipes. A single pipe of the inner tubular string and a single pipe of the outer tubular string are fixedly attached to each other to form a single unit, which is called herein a joint pipe element. At least one end of the joint pipe element is threaded in a such a way that when connected to another threaded end of another joint pipe element, inner pipes of the two joint pipe elements have matching threads that connect to each other and the outer pipes of the two joint pipe elements also have matching threads that connect to each other, as male/female connectors. This means that by applying a torque to the outer pipe of one joint pipe element to connect it to another outer pipe of another joint pipe element, the inner pipes of these two joint pipe elements automatically are engaging each other, i.e., the threads of the inner and outer pipes are simultaneously mating to each other by applying a rotational motion only to one or both of the outer pipes.
This also means that at least four different pipes, belonging to the two different joint pipe elements, can be connected to each other through a single rotational motion. This further means that the outer tubular string and the inner tubular string are formed simultaneously, by connecting a joint pipe element to another joint pipe element, which is different from the traditional methods that form first the outer tubular string, and then the inner tubular string.
In other words, the outer and inner tubular strings are not formed consecutively or in parallel, as is the practice in the art, but rather they are formed simultaneously, with the inner tubular string located inside the outer tubular string. Thus, in one application, it is possible to install simultaneously two or more pressure autonomous, concentric or partially concentric, tubing strings into the casing of a subsurface well, as one tubular unit, instead of consecutively installed concentrically or in parallel. This process is very efficient and time saving as the operator does not have to manually engage the inner pipes to each other and apply a separate torque to each inner pipes for building up the inner tubular string, in addition to forming the outer tubular string.
Two or more upstream lugs 360 are attached (for example, welded) to the inner pipe 330 as shown in
Lug 360 is in contact with the outer pipe 340 and may be attached to it also by welding. However, in another embodiment, the lugs 360 are welded to the inner pipe 330 and then this assembly is fit-pressed inside the outer pipe 340, with no welding. The lugs 360 may engage with a corresponding shoulder 350 of the outer pipe 340, as discussed later. Because the size of the lugs may be a little larger than the size of the annulus B, by pressing the lugs between the two pipes makes the connection of the inner and outer pipes to be strong, i.e., a torque applied to the outer pipe is transmitted to the inner pipe and thus, the inner pipe cannot rotate relative to the outer pipe or vice versa, and the two pipes act as a single unit under rotation. Other methods for attaching the lugs to the inner and outer pipes may be used. It is noted that the inner pipe cannot rotate relative to the outer pipe for any of the joint pipe elements discussed herein because of these lugs. In this way, the torque applied to the outer pipe of a joint pipe element is conveyed though the lugs to the inner pipe, thus insuring that all the threads in the joint pipe element are sufficiently tightened when forming a tubing system. This is valid irrespective of the manufacturing method selected for forming the joint pipe element, i.e., the lugs are welded, or just pressed, or forged, etc.
Returning to
Still with regard to
For aligning the inner pipe 330 relative to the outer pipe 340, in addition to the upstream lugs 360 discussed above, downstream lugs 370 may be used at the downstream end of the outer and inner pipes. Two or more downstream lugs 370 may be used.
As previously discussed, the threads present in the regions 570 and 572, which correspond to the inner pipes and the outer pipes, respectively, from the two single joint pipe elements 322 and 522, engage simultaneously to each other so that in the field, there is no need to first connect the inner pipes and then the outer pipes. This means that this coupling/assembling operation is now performed in a single step with a single torque being applied to the outer pipe, which is automatically transmitted by the lugs to the inner pipe. The term “simultaneously” is used herein to mean that for at least a period of time during the coupling operation (not necessary the entire period, i.e., the at least a period of time may be less than the entire time period needed to fully engage the two single joint pipe elements), the threads 344 and 548 of the outer pipes are rotatably engaged to each other, and the threads 334 and 538 of the inner pipes are rotatably engaged to each other at the same time. However, in one application, it is possible that the length of one of the threads 344 and 548 is shorter than the other, or the length of one of the threads 334 and 538 is shorter than the other, which means that the threads in one of the regions 570 or 572 may be engaged to each other while the threads in the other one of the regions 570 and 572 are not yet engaged to each other. However, during the coupling operation, it would be a time period when all these threads are engaged to each other by applying a torque to one of the outer pipes.
To achieve the simultaneous connection of the inner and outer pipes of the two joint pipe elements 322 and 522, the first threads 344 of the upstream end 340A of the outer pipe 340 and the first threads 334 of the upstream end 330A of the inner pipe 330 have the same number of teeth per unit length. The term “same number of teeth per unit length” is understood herein to mean that two threads that have the same number of teeth per unit length, when engaged to each other, would fit each other and would achieve a solid connection between them. Thus, this term also covers the situation when the two threads have a same pitch between the teeth or any other description of two different threads that are designed to be compatible with each other. Further, the threads 548 of the end 540B of the outer pipe 540 and the threads 538 of the end 530B of the inner pipe 530 have the same number of teeth per unit length. In one application, the number of teeth per unit length for all the threads of the joint pipe elements 322 and 522 are the same so that the outer pipe and the inner pipe of one joint pipe element are connected, simultaneously, by a single rotational motion, to the outer pipe and inner pipe of the other joint pipe element. The term “single rotational motion” is understood herein as meaning that once two joint pipe elements or, as will be discussed later, a joint pipe element and a connector, or a joint pipe element and a well servicing tool, or a joint pipe element and a production tubing, are placed together and one is rotated relative to another one for any amount of time (or any angle), both the inner pipe and the outer pipe of the joint pipe element engage corresponding threads of the other joint pipe element or connector or tool or production tubing, and this rotational motion is applied only to the outer pipe as the inner pipe follows the same rotational motion as the outer pipe due to the inner pipe's lack of ability to rotate independent of the outer pipe. In other words, because the inner pipe and the outer pipe are fitted as a single unit (for example, due to the upstream lugs, or the downstream lugs or both), it is enough to rotate only the outer pipe to engage the threads of both the outer and inner pipes with corresponding threads of another joint pipe element or connector or well servicing tool or production tubing.
In this regard,
The threads between the upstream and downstream inner pipes and the upstream and downstream outer pipes of the various joint pipe elements are machined so that no pressured gas or liquid is leaking through them. In one application, it is possible to place an O-ring 810 or similar seal, as shown in
In the embodiment shown in
The dual simultaneous, direct, connection between two joint pipe elements 322 and 522, as discussed above, can also be achieved by using a connector part as now discussed.
A joint pipe element 1022 that is configured to connect to a connector 1026 is now discussed with regard to
However, the upstream end 1022A of the joint pipe element 1022 is modified relative to the upstream end of the joint pipe element 322, as now discussed. These modifications are made to accommodate the connector 1026. More specifically, the inner pipe 330 has the upstream end 330A shaped as an inner tubular box 332 that has internal threads 334. The top most part of the inner tubular box 332 is offset by a distance D1 relative to the top most part of the outer pipe 340, along the longitudinal axis X. The outer pipe 340 has the upstream end 340A shaped as an outer tubular pin 342 with external threads 344. The inner tubular box 332 is leading the outer tubular pin 342 along the longitudinal axis X. Similarly, the inner tubular pin 336 of the inner pipe 330 is offset by a distance D2 from the outer tubular pin 346 of the outer pipe 340. However, for the downstream end, the outer tubular pin 346 is leading the inner tubular pin 336 along the longitudinal axis X. Similar to the joint pipe element 322, the distances D1 and D2 may be the same or different or zero.
The upstream lugs 360 located at the upstream end of the joint pipe element 1022 may be optional as a corresponding connector 1026 may achieve their functionality. However, if used, the upstream lugs 360 are attached (e.g., welded) to the outer pipe and the inner pipe may have a shoulder 361 that contacts the lug 360 and prevents the inner pipe to further move inside the outer pipe. The downstream lugs 370 located at the downstream end of the joint pipe element 1022 are similar to those of the joint pipe element 322.
The connector 1026 is shown in
The connector 1026 is shown by itself in
The embodiments discussed above with regard to
In still another embodiment, as illustrated in
Returning to
The embodiments discussed above described a joint pipe element that can be connected either directly to another joint pipe element or indirectly, through a connector, to another joint pipe element. The inner and outer pipes of such joint pipe element may be made of a same material (e.g., a metal, a composite, etc.) or from different materials. The number of teeth of the threads of the inner and outer pipes and the connector are identical so that when one joint pipe element is rotated to another joint pipe element or to the connector, both the inner and outer pipes are engaging with the corresponding inner and outer pipes of the other element or connector. The inner and outer pipes of the above discussed joint pipe elements were shown to be concentric and they can be installed in vertical or horizontal wells. They can be installed with a packer or with no packer.
Plural joint pipe elements connected to each other form the tubing system, which can be seen as including an inner tubular string formed from all the inner pipes of the joint pipe elements, and an outer tubular string formed from all the outer pipes of the joint pipe elements. The tubing system may be used to install production and/or work-over concentric U-tube capability to any depth of the well bore.
In one application, a secondary resilient thread seal ring may be added to one or more of the machined threaded inner and/or outer pipes (see, for example,
In another application, one or more of the joint pipe elements may use an additional “metal to metal” seal. In one variation, a joint pipe element may have the inner tubular string connected by a stab-in seal pin assembly and a corresponding internal seal bore member, as illustrated in
In one embodiment, a joint pipe element may be modified to house a well servicing receiver device such as gas lift mandrels, sliding sleeves and ported landing nipples. These tubular well servicing devices can be physically joined and ported to one or more of the flow areas between the inner pipe and the other conduits in the well, including the well casing and the outer string annulus. Well servicing tools can be installed through the inner pipe of the joint pipe element by using wireline or coiled tubing or they can be pumped down into the inner pipe of the joint pipe element to selectively either block off or control pressure, fluid or gas passage between two or more of the conduits. The tubular well servicing receiver devices may have larger outside diameters (ODs) than the internal diameter (ID) of the surrounding conduit. If this is the case, both can be increased to accommodate the larger OD device and still conform to the concentric end connection profiles of the tubular system and maintain the continuous separate pressure conduits.
The joint pipe elements of the embodiments discussed herein can be installed in a well in which a single tubing string extends from the surface to a hanger nipple with an inner sting continuation of the upper tubing string and an additional outer concentric tubing string extending through a casing/outer tubular packer device. The outer tube can be ported above the packer to allow the casing anulus to connect to the outer and inner pipes of the joint pipe element extended through the packer to provide for production or well servicing devices to any depth of the well in either vertical or horizontal oriented wellbores.
The disclosed joint pipe elements, when attached to the outer and inner tubular strings of a continuous flow venting chamber pump and installed into a well bore, to any desired depth, provide for gas lift capability for producing fluid/gas from an oil well from initial completion to tertiary condition-life of the well production, in either vertical or horizontal wells. This installation could be run with or without a casing packer.
In one application, the joint pipe element can be combined with a hydraulic reciprocating piston pump, or with a hydraulic venturi “jet” piston pump, or with a hydraulic turbine pump, or with a electrical submersible pump (ESP) to provide for producing fluid/gas from a well bore. In another application, the joint pipe elements discussed herein can be combined with a hydraulic reciprocating piston or hydraulic “jet” pump or electrical submersible pump to produce fluid/gas from a well bore, utilizing gas lift to reduce the discharge pressures of the pump to increase production.
In still another application, the plural joint pipe elements may be installed below a single tubing string with a ported inlet device to provide communication from the casing conduit to the B annular conduit above a packer device, which isolates the upper casing area from the lower casing area. This extends the casing conduit to the lower part of the well providing artificial lift deeper in the well bore.
In yet another application, the plural joint pipe elements may be connected upward to a well head landing bowl and made to be compatible with a casing hangar to provide for well head connections to surface conduits for each of the joint pipe element inner string flow area and outer/inner annular flow areas and a separate casing annular flow area.
Various well servicing tools that can be used with the joint pipe element are now discussed in more detail.
The sleeve 2000 is configured to slide up and down along the inner pipe 2230 so that it can open and close a passage 2224 formed between the bore of the inner pipe 2230 and an annulus B formed between the inner pipe 2230 and the outer pipe 2240, i.e., between annulus A and annulus B. In one application, the sliding sleeve 2000 can be opened and closed with a wireline line 2280 that is run from the head of the well. The wireline line 2280 is run into the well until an end of it latches to the sleeve 2000 and then the sleeve can be opened or closed with the wireline line. In this way, fluid communication may be achieved between annulus A and annulus B so that the oil can be lifted to the surface. In one application, a gas is pumped from the surface through annulus B and then enters the annulus A though the passage 2224, which results in a hydrostatic pressure above the oil being reduced. In this way, the oil that enters the downstream end 2222B is moved toward the surface along annulus A.
The well servicing tool 2222 may be modified as shown in
Another well servicing tool 2422 is shown in
If more than one well servicing tool 2450 are used in the same well for further reducing the hydrostatic pressure in the well, both ends of the tool are configured to be identical to the ends of the joint pipe element 1022 so that the upper placed well servicing tools 2450 can be connected at both ends to corresponding joint pipe elements and/or connectors, i.e., they are interconnected between joint pipe elements. The same is true for any well servicing tool discussed herein.
Another well servicing tool 2522 is shown in
When in use, gas is pumped from the surface along annulus B. The gas is directed through a passage 2560, into the annulus A. Because a cross-section area of the passage 2560 is smaller than that of annulus A, a pressure difference (Venturi effect) is formed between the region 2562 where the oil 210 is present, and the region 2564 above that region, and the oil moves upward due to the reduced pressure. Those skilled in the art would understand that any type of hydraulic powered pump may be integrated in the well servicing tool 2522, for example, a jet pump, hydraulic reciprocating piston pump, hydraulic turbine pump as long as a discharge pressure of the tool is smaller than the hydrostatic pressure of the column of fluid above the oil so that the oil production is increased.
In another embodiment illustrated in
When in use, the rod 2651 is actuated to make the powered piston pump 2650 work, which creates a pressure above the pump that is smaller than the pressure below the pump. When this pressure difference is generated, the oil 210 below the pump starts to move upwards, toward the head of the well. More than one powered piston pumps may be located over the tubing system.
In yet another embodiment illustrated in
When in use, electrical power is supplied to the ESP pump 2750, which creates a pressure above the pump that is smaller than the pressure below the pump. When this pressure difference is generated, the oil 210 below the pump starts to move upwards, toward the head of the well. More than one ESP pumps may be located over the tubing system.
Those skilled in the art would understand that the embodiments shown in
The joint pipe elements and/or connectors discussed above may be used for other well related purposes. For example, it is possible to manufacture a dip tube production unit with the concentric dual end of the joint pipe elements so that the dip tube production unit can be attached directly to the tubing systems discussed above. More specifically,
In the embodiment illustrated in
In one application, any of the well servicing tools discussed with regard to
A method for connecting a joint pipe element to another joint pipe element, or a well servicing tool, or a dip tube production unit, or a gas lift production unit, is illustrated in
In one application, the A and/or B annulus of the inner and outer pipes of the joint pipe element may be coated to minimize frictional issues during flow conditions as well as during the initial deployment or subsequent recovery of a given string. In still another application, chemical treatments can be applied throughout the entire wellbore on all exposed surfaces for the casing, inner tubular string, and/or outer tubular string, by either batch or continuous treating methods for corrosion, scale or paraffin/asphaltene inhibition. As an example, a batch treatment could be pumped down the casing and recovered through the inner and outer strings. Continuous treatments could be pumped with the gas lift down the outer string and recovered up through the inner string. Other combinations are possible as well. The treatment system can be incorporated into the surface components of the system 220 or 1020. Circulation is possible between any of the annulus volumes in order to clean or stimulate the well, with or without chemicals.
A method for assembling the joint pipe element 322 shown in
Note that the obtained joint pipe element is advantageous for its efficiency and simplicity in use. Previously, the operator of the well had to lower one by one, each of the outer pipes and to connect each of them to the previous one to form the outer tubular string. Then, the operator of the well had to lower one by one, each of the inner pipes and to connect each of them to the previous one to form the inner tubular string. The inner tubular string had to be lowered inside the outer tubular string, which added more complications as the inner tubular string contacts the outer tubular string during this operation. A large friction force between the outer tubular string and the inner tubular string had to be overcome, especially for long and horizontal wells.
In contrast to this painstakingly slow method, the operator of the well, when supplied with the novel joint pipe elements discussed above, connects at the same time, the inner pipes to the outer pipes, and in addition, there is no need to push the inner tubular string relative to the outer tubular string as the two strings are generated at the same time, with a single rotational movement of one joint pipe element to another joint pipe element. The operator of this tubing system is free of all the problems associated with pushing the inner tubular string into the outer tubular string in a long and/or horizontal well. Further the number of operations for attaching the inner and outer pipes to each other is reduced by half with the novel joint pipe element, which means time and money saved in operating the well.
A method for assembling the joint pipe element 1022 shown in
A method for forming an artificial lift system 1020 for a well is now discussed with regard to
In one application, the method further includes pumping a gas through one of the inner and the outer tubular strings, and receiving oil through another of the inner and the outer tubular strings.
Another method for forming an artificial lift system 1020 for a well is now discussed with regard to
According to still another embodiment, as illustrated in
According to yet another method, as illustrated in
In one application, the method further comprises a step of threading corresponding inner and outer pipes of the production unit, which include concentric ends, to the concentric inner and outer pipes of the joint pipe element, and/or a step of forming, with the inner pipe 330 of the joint pipe element 322 and the inner pipe 2830 of the production unit, the inner tubular string, and/or a step of forming, with the outer pipe 340 of the joint pipe element 322 and the outer pipe 2840 of the production unit, the outer tubular string. In one application, an upstream end of the outer pipe and an upstream end of the inner pipe have threads having a same number of teeth per unit length. The method may also include a step of placing plural lugs between the inner pipe and the outer pipe of the joint pipe element to make the upstream ends concentric. In one application, the plural lugs prevent one of the inner pipe and the outer pipe to independently rotate relative to another of the inner pipe and the outer pipe of the joint pipe element. In another application, a downstream end of the outer pipe and a downstream end of the inner pipe of the joint pipe element have threads having a same number of teeth per unit length as the upstream ends. The method may also include a step of attaching a connector 1026 between the joint pipe element and the production unit, the connector having a first end that connects to the joint pipe element and a second end that connects to the production unit.
Various implementations of the novel concepts discussed herein are now presented in embodiments A to D.
1. A connector (1026) for attaching joint pipe elements for forming an artificial lift system for a well, the connector including:
a body (1027) having a bore (1028) that extends along a longitudinal axis;
an upstream part (1026A) having internal threads (1038);
a downstream part (1026B) having internal threads (1044); and
a shoulder (1050) formed inside the bore (1028),
wherein the upstream part (1026A) is configured to engage with an inner pipe or an outer pipe of a first joint pipe element (1522), and the downstream part (1026B) is configured to engage with an inner pipe or an outer pipe of a second joint pipe element (1022), so that an inner and an outer tubular string are formed. The connector may be implemented with the following variations:
2. A number of teeth per unit length for the upstream part, the inner pipe and the outer pipe of the first joint pipe element, the downstream part, and the inner and the outer pipe of the second joint pipe element, is the same.
3. The outer pipe and the inner pipe of the second joint pipe element simultaneously engage the connector and the inner pipe of the first joint pipe element, respectively, by a single rotational motion.
4. The outer pipe and the inner pipe of the second joint pipe element simultaneously engage the outer pipe of the first joint pipe element and the connector, respectively, by a single rotational motion.
5. An artificial lift system (1020) for a well, the system including:
a connector (1026) having a bore (1028) that extends along a longitudinal axis;
a first joint pipe element (1022) having an inner pipe (330) and an outer pipe (340), the inner pipe (330) being fixedly attached to an inside of the outer pipe (340); and
a second joint pipe element (1522) having an inner pipe (530) and an outer pipe (540), the inner pipe (530) being fixedly attached to an inside of the outer pipe (540),
wherein the first joint pipe element (1022) and the second joint pipe element (1522) are configured to attach to opposite ends of the connector (1026) to form an outer tubular string (1004) and an inner tubular string (1002). The system may be implemented with the following variations:
6. The connector and the first and second joint pipe elements are configured so that a pressure in the inner tubular string is independent of a pressure in the outer tubular string.
7. The outer pipe (340) of the first joint element (1022) is engaged by threads to a first end of the connector (1026).
8. The outer pipe (540) of the second joint element (1522) is engaged by threads to a second end of the connector (1026).
9. The inner pipe (330) of the first joint element (1022) is directly engaged by threads to the inner pipe (530) of the second joint element (1522).
10. The inner pipe (330) of the first joint element (1022) is engaged by threads to a first end of the connector (1026).
11. The inner pipe (530) of the second joint element (1522) is engaged by threads to a second end of the connector (1026).
12. The outer pipe (340) of the first joint element (1022) is directly engaged by threads to the outer pipe (540) of the second joint element (1522).
13. The connector (1026) may include:
a body (1027) having a bore (1028) that extends along a longitudinal axis;
an upstream part (1026A) having internal threads (1038);
a downstream part (1026B) having internal threads (1044); and
a shoulder (1050) formed inside the bore (1028).
14. A number of teeth per unit length for an upstream part of the connector, a downstream part of the connector, the inner pipe and the outer pipe of the first joint pipe element, and the inner pipe and the outer pipe of the second joint pipe element is the same.
15. The outer pipe and the inner pipe of the second joint pipe element simultaneously engage the connector and the inner pipe of the first joint pipe element, respectively, by a single rotational motion.
16. The outer pipe and the inner pipe of the second joint pipe element simultaneously engage the outer pipe of the first joint pipe element and the connector, respectively, by a single rotational motion.
17. The inner pipe and the outer pipe of the first joint pipe element are concentric.
18. The inner pipe and the outer pipe of the second joint pipe element are concentric.
19. A method for forming an artificial lift system (1020) for a well includes:
20. The method may further include:
1. A connector (1726) for attaching joint pipe elements for forming an artificial lift system for a well, the connector including:
2. The outer body has an upstream end (1810) having internal threads (1812), and a downstream end (1820) having internal threads (1820).
3. The inner body has an upstream end (1830) having internal threads (1832), and a downstream end (1840) having internal threads (1842).
4. The bridge has through holes that allow a fluid to move through an annulus formed between the inner body and the outer body.
5. The holes are round.
6. The holes are elongated.
7. The inner body has a bore that is independent of the annulus.
8. The upstream end (1810) of the outer body is configured to engage with an outer pipe of a first joint pipe element (1722), and the upstream end (1830) of the inner body is configured to engage with an inner pipe of the first joint pipe element, simultaneously with the outer pipe.
9. The downstream end (1820) of the outer body is configured to engage with an outer pipe of a second joint pipe element, and the downstream end (1840) of the inner body is configured to engage with an inner pipe of the second joint pipe element, simultaneously with the outer pipe.
10. The inner body, the outer body, and the bridge are formed integrally as a single piece.
11. The bridge prevents the inner body to rotate relative to the outer body.
12. A system (1020) for attaching joint pipe elements for forming an artificial lift system for a well, the system including:
13. An inner pipe (330) of the first joint pipe element (1722), the bore of the connector (1727), and an inner pipe (2130) of the second joint element (2122) form the inner tubular string.
14. An outer pipe (340) of the first joint pipe element (1722), the annulus of the connector (1727), and an outer pipe (2140) of the second joint element (2122) form the outer tubular string.
15. The connector includes:
16. The outer body has an upstream end (1810) having internal threads (1812), and a downstream end (1820) having internal threads (1820), and the inner body has an upstream end (1830) having internal threads (1832), and a downstream end (1840) having internal threads (1842).
17. The bridge has through holes that allow a fluid to move through the annulus formed between the inner body and the outer body.
18. The upstream end (1810) of the outer body is configured to engage with an outer pipe of the first joint pipe element (1722), and the upstream end (1830) of the inner body is configured to engage with an inner pipe of the first joint pipe element, simultaneously with the outer pipe.
19. The downstream end (1820) of the outer body is configured to engage with an outer pipe of the second joint pipe element, and the downstream end (1840) of the inner body is configured to engage with an inner pipe of the second joint pipe element, simultaneously with the outer pipe.
20. The inner body, the outer body, and the bridge are formed integrally as a single piece.
21. A method for forming an artificial lift system (1020) for a well includes:
1. A well servicing tool (2222, 2422, 2522, 2622, 2722) for moving oil through a well, the tool including:
2. An upstream end of the outer pipe and an upstream end of the inner pipe have threads having a same number of teeth per unit length.
3. The upstream end of the outer pipe is concentric to the upstream end of the inner pipe.
4. The tool may further include:
5. The plural lugs prevent one of the inner pipe and the outer pipe to independently rotate relative to another of the inner pipe and the outer pipe.
6. A downstream end of the outer pipe and a downstream end of the inner pipe have threads having a same number of teeth per unit length as the upstream ends.
7. The downstream end of the outer pipe is concentric to the downstream end of the inner pipe.
8. A downstream end of the outer pipe and a downstream end of the inner pipe have no threads.
9. The oil extracting instrument is a sleeve placed inside a bore of the inner pipe to cover a port between the bore and an annulus formed between the inner pipe and the outer pipe.
10. The sleeve is configured to slide to open and close the port.
11. The oil extracting instrument is a gas lift device that includes a gas valve.
12. The oil extracting instrument is a hydraulic pump.
13. The oil extracting instrument is a pump.
14. The oil extracting instrument is an electric submersible pump.
15. A system (1020) for attaching a joint pipe element to a well servicing tool for forming an artificial lift system for a well, the system including:
16. An inner pipe (330) of the joint pipe element (1722), the bore of the connector (1727), and an inner pipe (2230) of the well servicing tool (2222) form the inner tubular string.
17. An outer pipe (340) of the joint pipe element (1722), the annulus of the connector (1727), and an outer pipe (2240) of the well servicing tool (2222) form the outer tubular string.
18. The well servicing tool includes a pump.
19. One of the inner and outer tubular strings is used to pump gas to the well servicing tool and another one of the inner and outer tubular strings is used to extract oil from the well.
20. A system (1020) for attaching a joint pipe element to a well servicing tool for forming an artificial lift system for a well, the system including:
21. The joint pipe element includes concentric inner and outer pipes and the well servicing tool includes corresponding inner and outer pipes that have concentric ends configured to thread to the concentric inner and outer pipes of the joint pipe element.
22. A method of forming inner and outer tubular strings for a well, the method including:
1. A tubing system (220) configured to lift oil from a well, the tubing system including:
2. The production unit includes corresponding inner and outer pipes that have concentric ends configured to attach by threads to the concentric inner and outer pipes of the joint pipe element.
3. The inner pipe (330) of the joint pipe element (322) and the inner pipe (2830) of the production unit form the inner tubular string.
4. The outer pipe (340) of the joint pipe element (322) and the outer pipe (2840) of the production unit form the outer tubular string.
5. The system may further include:
6. An upstream end of the outer pipe and an upstream end of the inner pipe of the joint pipe element have threads having a same number of teeth per unit length.
7. The system may further include: plural lugs located between the inner pipe and the outer pipe of the joint pipe element to make the upstream ends concentric.
8. The plural lugs prevent one of the inner pipe and the outer pipe to independently rotate relative to another of the inner pipe and the outer pipe of the joint pipe element.
9. A downstream end of the outer pipe and a downstream end of the inner pipe of the joint pipe element have threads having a same number of teeth per unit length as the upstream ends.
10. The connector may include:
11. The bridge has through holes that allow a fluid to move through an annulus formed between the inner body and the outer body.
12. The outer body has an upstream end (1810) having internal threads (1812), and a downstream end (1820) having internal threads (1820), and the inner body has an upstream end (1830) having internal threads (1832), and a downstream end (1840) having internal threads (1842).
13. The upstream end (1810) of the outer body is configured to engage with the outer pipe of the first joint pipe element (322), and the upstream end (1830) of the inner body is configured to engage with the inner pipe of the first joint pipe element, simultaneously with the outer pipe.
14. The downstream end (1820) of the outer body is configured to engage with an outer pipe of the production unit, and the downstream end (1840) of the inner body is configured to engage with an inner pipe of the production unit, simultaneously with the outer pipe.
15. The inner body, the outer body, and the bridge are formed integrally as a single piece.
16. The production unit is a dip tube production unit.
17. The production unit is a gas lift production unit.
18. The gas lift production unit has a gas valve located in a wall of an inner tube, and the gas valve is configured to allow gas from the outer tubular string to enter the inner tubular string.
19. A method for connecting a joint tube element to a production unit for extracting oil from a well includes:
20. The method may further include:
21. The method may further include:
22. The method may further include:
23. A downstream end of the outer pipe and a downstream end of the inner pipe of the joint pipe element have threads having a same number of teeth per unit length.
24. The method may further include:
25. The plural lugs prevent one of the inner pipe and the outer pipe to independently rotate relative to another of the inner pipe and the outer pipe of the joint pipe element.
26. An upstream end of the outer pipe and an upstream end of the inner pipe of the joint pipe element have threads having a same number of teeth per unit length as the downstream ends.
27. The method may further include:
The disclosed embodiments provide methods and systems for artificially lifting a formation fluid from a well when the natural pressure of the formation fluid is not enough to bring the formation fluid to the surface. It should be understood that this description is not intended to limit the invention. On the contrary, the exemplary embodiments are intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which are included in the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Further, in the detailed description of the exemplary embodiments, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a comprehensive understanding of the claimed invention. However, one skilled in the art would understand that various embodiments may be practiced without such specific details.
Although the features and elements of the present exemplary embodiments are described in the embodiments in particular combinations, each feature or element can be used alone without the other features and elements of the embodiments or in various combinations with or without other features and elements disclosed herein.
This written description uses examples of the subject matter disclosed to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the same, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the subject matter is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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| PCT/US2019/054387 | 10/3/2019 | WO |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2020/162986 | 8/13/2020 | WO | A |
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