Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
  • E21B43/02—Subsoil filtering
  • E21B43/04—Gravelling of wells

Definitions

• a prior art gravel pack assembly 20 illustrated in Figure 1A extends from a packer 14 downhole from casing 12 in a borehole 10, which is a horizontal open hole.
• the slurry moves out the crossover port 32 and into the annulus.
• the carrying fluid in the slurry then leaks off through the formation and/or through the screen 25.
• the screen 25 prevents the gravel in the slurry from flowing into the screen 25.
• the fluids passing alone through the screen 25 can then return through the crossover port 34 and into the annulus above the packer 14.
• the gravel pack operation When the alpha wave of the gravel pack operation is done, the gravel then begins to collect in stages (not shown) of a beta wave. This forms along the upper side of the screen 25 starting from the toe and progressing to the heel of the screen 25. Again, the fluid carrying the gravel can pass through the screen 25 and up the wash pipe 40. To complete the beta wave, the gravel pack operation must have enough fluid velocity to maintain turbulent flow and move the gravel along the topside of the annulus. To recirculate after this point, operators have to mechanically reconfigure the crossover tool 30 to be able to washdown the pipe 40.
• FIG. 1 B shows an example assembly 20 having shunts 50 and 52 (only two of which are shown).
• the shunts 50/52 for transport and packing are attached eccentrically to the screen 25.
• the transport shunts 50 feed the packing shunts 52 with slurry, and the slurry exits from nozzles 54 on the packing shunts 52.
• the gravel packing operation can avoid areas of high leak off in the borehole 10 that would tend to cause bridges to form and impair the gravel packing.
• Prior art gravel pack assemblies 20 for both techniques of Figures 1 A-1 B have a number of challenges and difficulties.
• the crossover ports 32/34 may have to be re-configured several times.
• the slurry pumped at high pressure and flow rate can sometimes dehydrate within the assembly's crossover tool 30 and associated sliding sleeve (not shown). If severe, settled sand or dehydrated slurry can stick to service tools and can even junk the well.
• the crossover tool 30 is subject to erosion during frac and gravel pack operations, and the crossover tool 30 can stick in the packer 14, which can create extremely difficult fishing jobs.
• An excess slurry disposal apparatus and method of a gravel pack operation disposes of excess slurry from an inner string into the annulus around a gravel pack assembly.
• the apparatus has a body with a body passage communicating from a heel to a toe, and part of the body towards the toe can have a shoe track with a float shoe.
• the body can be any part of the gravel pack assembly disposed at some point in the borehole and does not necessarily need to be disposed at the shoe track. Nevertheless, reference may be made to the body being at or part of a shoe track for convenience.
• the shoe track (i.e., body) defines flow ports communicating the body passage outside the shoe track to the surrounding borehole annulus.
• First seats disposed inside the shoe track's passage allow seals on the inner string to seal the string's outlet ports in fluid communication with the track's flow ports.
• a bypass disposed on the shoe track communicates the body passage on one side of the flow ports to the other side.
• this bypass can be an internal conduit or passage
• bypass can be an external conduit, such as a shunt tube, disposed outside the shoe track and extending from the one side of the flow ports to the other.
• a closure is disposed on the shoe track and can control or selectively open and close fluid communication through the flow ports.
• the closure can be a check valve, a sliding sleeve, a rotating sleeve, a rupture disk, a screen, etc.
• a sliding sleeve for example, the closure can be moved by a shifting tool on the inner string to open or close fluid communication through the flow ports. Movement of the sleeve can also open and close fluid communication through the bypass.
• bypass can always remain open and allow for fluid flow therethrough.
• the screen prevents at least some particulates in the fluid returns from passing into the shoe track so the gravel will fill the borehole annulus around the shoe track.
• the fluid Once inside the shoe track, the fluid returns bypass uphole of the sealed outlet ports and flow ports by going uphole through the bypass around the flow ports. At this point, the fluid returns can pass uphole in the gravel pack assembly.
• the shoe track can have a float shoe at the track's toe.
• the inner string can be moved to a selective position in the shoe track to seal one of its seals on one of the shoe track's seats. This isolates the tool's outlet portions to the float shoe so washdown fluid can be pumped out of the shoe track and around the borehole annulus.
• the apparatus having the shoe track can include other components for gravel pack operations.
• parts of the apparatus uphole of the shoe track can have additional flow ports, seats, and screens.
• the inner string can be moved to selective positions in the apparatus to seal the string's outlet ports with these other flow ports, and the inner string can communicate slurry from the outlet ports to the borehole annulus.
• the flow of slurry at these other flow ports can be used to gravel or frac pack the borehole around different portions of the apparatus in a toe-to-heel gravel packing operation. Some of these different portions of the apparatus can also be isolated from one another with packers or the like.
• Figs. 1 A-1 B illustrate gravel pack assemblies according to the prior art.
• Fig. 2 shows a gravel pack assembly according to the present disclosure having screen sections separated by packers.
• Figs. 3A-3B show portions of the gravel pack assembly in Fig. 2 during a washdown operation.
• Figs. 4A-4B show portions of the gravel pack assembly in Fig. 2 during filling of the annulus around the shoe track.
• Fig. 5 shows another gravel pack assembly according to the present disclosure having screen sections separated by packers and having a bypass assembly disposed on the shoe track.
• Fig. 6A shows portions of the gravel pack assembly in Fig. 5 during a washdown operation.
• Fig. 6B shows a representative end-section of the bypass assembly of Fig. 5 with a sliding sleeve, bypass channels, and flow ports.
• Figs. 6C-1 and 6C-2 show a representative cross-section of the bypass assembly of Fig. 5 with the sliding sleeve able to open and close both the bypass channels and flow ports.
• Fig. 7 shows portions of the gravel pack assembly in Fig. 5 during a sand disposal operation.
• Figs. 8A-8B show portions of the gravel pack assembly in Fig. 5 having alternative bypass channels.
• Figs. 9A-9B show portions of the gravel pack assembly in Fig. 5 having bypass channels in the form of exterior conduits.
• Figs. 10A-10C show how the disclosed bypass assembly can be incorporated into one of the gravel pack sections of an assembly.
• Fig. 1 1 shows another gravel pack assembly having a bypass assembly according to the present disclosure.
• Figure 2 shows a gravel pack assembly 100 having a liner 170 extending from a liner hanger 14 and having several gravel pack sections 102A-C separated by isolating elements 104.
• the assembly 100 segments several compartmentalized reservoir zones so that multiple gravel or frac pack operations can be performed separately in each zone.
• the isolating elements 104 and gravel pack sections 102A-C are deployed into the well in a single trip.
• the isolating elements 104 referred to herein as packers for convenience, can have one packer or a combination of packers to isolate the gravel pack sections 102A-C from one another.
• Any suitable packers can be used and can include hydraulic or hydrostatic packers 106 and swellable packers 107, for example, used alone or in combination with one another as shown.
• Each gravel pack section 102A-C can be similar to the gravel pack assemblies disclosed in incorporated U.S. Pat. Appl. No. 12/913,981 .
• each gravel pack section 102A-C has two screens 140A-B, alternate path devices or shunts 150, and housings 130A-B with flow ports 132A-B, although any of the other disclosed variations can be used.
• each section 102A-C can have other components disclosed in incorporated U.S. Pat. Appl. No. 12/913,981 .
• various details on how a service tool is used to set a packer on the liner hanger 14 and how other steps are performed are discussed in detail in the incorporated U.S. Pat. Appl. No. 12/913,981 , so they are not repeated here.
• an inner string 1 10 initially deploys in the first gravel pack section 102A and performs a washdown. After washdown and setting of the packers 104, the assembly 100 can commence with gravel or frac pack operations.
• the string's outlet ports 1 12 with its seals 1 14 isolate in fluid communication with the lower flow ports 132A in the first gravel pack section 102A to gravel or frac pack the surrounding zone in a toe-to-heel configuration.
• the inner string 1 10 can again be moved so that the outlet ports 1 12 isolates to upper flow ports 132B connected to the shunts 150. Slurry pumped down the inner string 1 10 can then fill the annulus around the lower end of the first gravel pack section 102A. Operations can then proceed with similar steps being repeated up the hole for each of the gravel pack sections 102B-C separated by the packers 104.
• a bypass 200A Downhole, a bypass 200A is disposed near the float shoe 122 and can allow circulated fluid to pass to the borehole annulus during this process.
• the bypass assembly 200A can be a check valve, a screen portion, a movable sleeve, or other suitable device that allows flow of returns and not gravel from the borehole annulus to enter the assembly 100.
• the bypass assembly 200A as a screen portion can have any desirable length along the shoe track 120 depending on the
• the bypass 200A (if a screen or the like) can allow the circulated fluid to flow out of the shoe track 120 and into the borehole annulus, as circulated fluid is also allowed to pass out of the float shoe 122. If the bypass 200A uses a check valve that allows fluid returns into the shoe track 120, fluid flow out of the bypass 200A can be restricted during washdown. If the bypass 200A uses a movable sleeve, fluid flow in and out of the bypass 200A can be restricted during washdown by having the sleeve closed, which can be done with a suitable shifter on the inner string 1 10, for example.
• gravel packing can then be performed by moving the inner string 1 10 to the flow ports 132A to gravel pack the borehole annulus from toe-to-heel. After gravel packing at this first position, the inner string 1 10 can then be moved to the next flow ports 132B to further gravel pack the annulus around the shoe track and/or to dispose of excess slurry from the inner string 1 10.
• operators can evacuate excess slurry from the inner string 1 10 during gravel packing operations.
• the exterior space outside the shoe track 120 provides a volumetric space for disposing of any excess gravel remaining in the inner string 1 10 after gravel packing one or more sections 102A-B. Operators may also intentionally gravel pack around the shoe track 120 as opposed to using it for disposing of excess slurry.
• the shoe track 120 has the float shoe 122 that allows fluid flow out of the shoe track 120 and prevents flow into the shoe track 120, a path for return fluids is needed when slurry is pumped into the borehole annulus around the shoe track 120 to dispose of the excess slurry from the inner string 1 10.
• Figures 4A-4B show portions of the assembly 100 set up for sand disposal.
• operators deploy the inner string 1 10 to the second flow ports 132B on the gravel pack section 102A having the shoe track 120. This can be done after operators have reached sandout while pumping slurry at the section's first flow ports 132A in the first ported housing 130A or after gravel packing has been performed on other gravel pack sections (e.g., sections 102B-C on the assembly 100 of Figure 2). In any event, operators perform a sand disposal operation to clear the inner string 1 10 of excess slurry or to intentionally gravel pack around the shoe track 120.
• the slurry can flow directly out of the flow ports 132B and into the surrounding annulus if desired. This is possible if one or more of the flow ports 1 32B communicate directly with the annulus and do not communicate with one of the alternate path devices or shunt 150. All the same, the slurry can flow out of the flow ports 132B and into the alternate path devices or shunts 150 for placement elsewhere in the surrounding annulus. As shown here, the shunts 150 can deliver the slurry toward the toe around the shoe track 120. Although shunts 1 50 are depicted in a certain way, any desirable arrangement and number of transport and packing devices for an alternate path can be used to feed and deliver the slurry.
• this second stage of pumping slurry may be used to further gravel pack the borehole 10.
• pumping the slurry through the shunts 150 enables operators to evacuate excess slurry from the string 1 10 to the borehole annulus around the shoe track 120 without reversing flow in the string from the main flow direction (i.e., toward the string's ports 1 12). This is in contrast to the typical practice of reversing the direction of flow by pumping fluid down an annulus to evacuate excess slurry from a string.
• the shunts 150 attached to the ported housing 130B above the lower screen section 140A can be used to dispose of excess gravel from the inner string 1 10 around the shoe track 120 (and optionally inside the shoe track 120 itself).
• the slurry travels from the outlet ports 1 12, through flow ports 132B, and through the shunts 150. From the shunts 150, the slurry then passes out side ports or nozzles 154 in the shunts 150 and fills the annulus around shoe track 120. This provides the gravel packing operation with an alternate path different from the assembly's primary path of toe-to-heel packing of the annulus with gravel.
• the shunts 150 carry the slurry down the lower screen section 140A so a wash pipe does not need to be disposed in the shoe track 120.
• the bypass assembly 200A disposed in the assembly 100 near the float shoe 122 allows fluid during this process to enter the assembly 100.
• the bypass assembly 200A can be a check valve, a screen portion, a sleeve, or other suitable device that allows the flow of fluid returns and not gravel from the borehole to enter the assembly 100.
• the bypass assembly 200A can have any desirable length along the shoe track 120 depending on the implementation so that the depicted size of the bypass assembly 200A is merely meant to be a representation.
• operations may reach a "sand out" condition or a pressure increase while pumping slurry at the flow ports 132B.
• a valve, rupture disc, or other closure device 156 in the shunts 150 can open so the gravel in the slurry can then fill inside the shoe track 120 after evacuating excess gravel around the shoe track 120. In this way, operators can evacuate more excess gravel inside the shoe track 120. As this occurs, fluid returns can pass out the lower screen section 140A, through the packed gravel, and back through upper screen section 140B to travel uphole.
• the lower ported housing 130A or other portions of the gravel pack assembly 100 can have a bypass, another shunt, or the like, which can be used to deliver fluid returns past the seals 1 14 and seats 134 and uphole. Details of other bypass assemblies according to the present disclosure are discussed later.
• FIG. 5 shows another gravel pack assembly 100 having a liner 170 extending from a liner hanger 14 and having several gravel pack sections 102A-C separated by packers 104 disposed in a borehole 10.
• this gravel pack assembly 100 can be similar to that discussed previously and to those disclosed in incorporated U.S. Pat. Appl. No. 12/913,981 .
• the assembly 100 has another embodiment of a shoe track 120 having a bypass assembly 200B at the end of the gravel pack assembly 100.
• the bypass assembly 200B and shoe track 120 can be a separate section on the gravel pack assembly 100, being separated from the gravel pack sections 102A-B by one or more packers 104.
• the bypass assembly 200B can be incorporated into the gravel pack section 102A at the end of the assembly 100 without being separate from the section 102A in a way similar to the other bypass arrangement of Figures 3A-3B and 4A-4B.
• the bypass assembly 200B has flow ports 210, a screen 220, and a bypass channel 230.
• the flow ports 210 communicate with the borehole annulus.
• internal seats 214 are disposed uphole and downhole of the flow ports 210 for engaging seals of the inner string as discussed below.
• a reverse arrangement could also be used in which internal seals disposed uphole and downhole of the flow ports 210 can engages seats of the inner string.
• the bypass assembly 200B also has a closure 240 as shown.
• the closure 240 can selectively open and close fluid communication through the flow ports 210. When closed, for example, the closure 240 prevents fluid returns, annulus fluids, gravel, and the like from passing back into the shoe track 120 during washdown, production, or other operations. When opened, however, the closure 240 allows slurry to pass out of the flow ports 210 so gravel can pack around the shoe track 120 in the borehole annulus.
• controlling fluid communication can be achieved merely by the positioning the seals on the inner string within the bypass assembly 200B (or by the positioning ports on the inner string relative to seals on the bypass assembly 200B).
• closure 240 could be used to control or selectively open and close fluid communication through the flow ports 210.
• the closure 240 can include a sliding sleeve, a rotating sleeve, a screen, a check valve allowing flow out but not into the shoe track 120, a rupture disk, or other device for selectively
• the closure 240 is a sliding sleeve that can be shifted opened and closed relative to the flow ports 210. Shifting of the sliding sleeve 240 can be achieved using a shifting tool 1 16 known in the art.
• bypass channels 230 in this arrangement are internal channels or passages that are defined in the bypass assembly 200B and bypass the seats 214 and the flow ports 210.
• FIG. 6B shows a representative end-section of the bypass assembly 200B with the bypass channels 230 and outlet ports 210 offset around the circumference of the bypass assembly 200B.
• Other configurations could be used.
• the sliding sleeve 240 can move inside the assembly 200B to open or close the flow ports 210.
• the bypass channels 230 may always remain open, while the flow ports 210 can be opened and closed.
• movement of the sliding sleeve 240 can also open and close fluid communication through the bypass channels 230.
• Figures 6C-1 and 6C-2 shows representative cross- sections of the bypass assembly 200B with the sliding sleeve 240 movable in the assembly 200B.
• the sleeve 240 as shown in Figure 6C-1 When the sleeve 240 as shown in Figure 6C-1 is moved to close the flow ports 210, a portion of the sleeve 240 closes off the channels 230 in the assembly 200B.
• the channels 230 can run longitudinally through the assembly 200B and can have a portion that runs circumferentially.
• a valve, stem, or other member 241 of the sleeve 240 can close off fluid communication through the circumferential portion of the channel 230.
• the valve 241 of the sleeve 240 opens fluid communication of the channels 230 in the assembly 200B.
• Figures 6C-1 and 6C-2 are merely representative of one way to open and close fluid communication for both the flow ports 210 and the channels 230 with the movement of the sleeve 240.
• Figures 6C-1 and 6C-2 are merely representative of one way to open and close fluid communication for both the flow ports 210 and the channels 230 with the movement of the sleeve 240.
• those skilled in the art will appreciate that various sub assemblies, seals, and the like would be needed to construct the representations and will also appreciate that other arrangements could be used to open and close the flow ports 210 and channels 230 with a sliding sleeve or other closure 240 according to the present disclosure.
• the screen 220 in Figure 6A can be any suitable screen for use downhole and can be a wire-wrapped screen, a slotted liner, a mesh screen, etc. Moreover, the screen 220 can have any desirable length along the shoe track 120 depending on the
• FIG. 6A the assembly 100 with the shoe track 120 and bypass assembly 200B is shown set up for an initial washdown operation.
• the inner string 1 10 deploys in the shoe track 120, and one of the seals 1 14 on the end of the inner string 1 10 seals inside the shoe track 120 against the downhole seat 214.
• Operators pump washdown fluid through the inner string 1 10, and the circulated fluid passes the check valve 126 in the float shoe 122 and passes out the shoe's ports 124.
• the fluid As the circulated fluid flows out the float shoe 122, the fluid then passes up the annulus and around the unset packer of the liner hanger 14 uphole on the assembly 100.
• the circulated fluid may also flow out of the bypass assembly's screen 220, which may not be an issue during the washdown procedure.
• the closed sleeve 240 on the shoe track 120 closes off the flow ports 210 on the shoe track 120. Additionally, the closed sleeve 240 can close off communication through the bypass channel 230 if arranged to do so.
• FIG 7 the assembly 100 with the shoe track 120 and bypass assembly 200B is shown set up for a sand disposal operation.
• operators preferably evacuate excess slurry from the inner string 1 10 after gravel packing one or more sections (102) and can use the exterior space outside the shoe track 120 for disposing of any slurry remaining in the inner string 1 10.
• the inner string's seals 1 14 locate and seal on the seats 214 uphole of the bypass screen 220 in the sand disposal position.
• the seals 1 14 can use elastomeric or other types of seals disposed on the inner string 1 10, and the seats 214 can be polished seats or surfaces inside the shoe track 120 to engage the seals 1 14.
• Slurry is pumped through the inner string 1 10, and the pumped slurry exits from the string 1 10 and passes through the ports 1 12 and 210, which direct the slurry into the borehole annulus. As this occurs, the slurry begins to fill the annulus around the float shoe 120. (A shunt 150 or the like could be used to direct the slurry if desired.)
• bypass channels 230 allow the fluid returns to flow up from the shoe track 120 and past the closure 240, the seats 214, and the flow ports 210. This allows the fluid returns to go around the engaged seals 1 14 and seats 214, circumventing the flow out the inner string 210.
• the bypass channels 230 can always be opened, or they can be opened and closed by movement of the sleeve 240. In other words, shifting of the sliding sleeve 240 can open and close fluid communication through the bypass channel 230 as well as the flow ports 210.
• bypass channels 230 can be protected with sand screens (not shown). As is known, sand capable of collecting above the inner string 1 10 could cause the string 1 10 to stick. Therefore, addition of a screen at the entrance of the bypass channels 230 could further prevent sand from flowing up into the space above the closing sleeve 240.
• the bypass channels 230 can be one or more channels defined in the housing of the assembly 200B bypassing the seats 214, ports 210, and the sliding sleeve 240.
• the sleeve 240 can be accessed by tool movement and an appropriate shifter 1 16 on the inner string 1 10 to move it relative to the outlet ports 210 between opened and closed positions.
• the shifter 1 16 may be positioned elsewhere on the string 1 10 other than its position diagrammed in the Figures, and the shifter 1 16 may be able to open and close the sleeve 240 in opposing directions using features well known in the art.
• the bypass assembly 200B can uses a number of different types of bypass channels. As shown in Figures 8A-8B, for example, channels 232 for the bypass assembly 200B can have a different configuration and can be defined in part of the seats 214. In another alternative shown in Figures 9A-9B, channels 234 can use shunt tubes or other conduits disposed externally to the shoe track 120 to allow the fluid returns to flow outside of the ports 210 and the sleeve 240 and then back into the space between the inner string 1 10 and the shoe track 120. With the benefit of the present disclosure, it will be appreciated that these and other configurations can be used for the bypass channels.
• the entrances to the channels 232 in Figures 8A- 8B have gun drilled holes 233 formed transverse to the face of the downhole seat 214.
• the inner string 1 10 can be positioned in the bypass assembly 200B with the downhole seal 1 14 positioned uphole of the gun-drilled holes 233 for the channels 232.
• the holes 233 of the channels 232 can receive fluid returns entering the screen 220 during sand disposal so the channels 232 can bypass the outlet ports 210 and seals 1 14 as before.
• the inner string 1 10 can position with the downhole seal 1 14 downhole of the gun-drilled holes 233, essentially isolating the channels 232 from the lower portion of the shoe track 120. In this position, the holes 233 of the channels 232 can receive fluid exiting the inner string's ports 1 12 without passing to the shoe track 120. Moreover, reverse flow can communicate fluid from uphole in the assembly 100, to the channels 232, and into the inner string's ports 1 12.
• the versatility of this configuration can have a number of advantageous for other procedures, such as cleaning out components, performing chemical injection, and other operations available in the art.
• the shunt tube channels 234 of Figure 9A with their inlets 235 disposed in the downhole seat 214 can offer similar benefits as the channels 232 of Figures 8A-8B.
• the shunt tube channels 234 of Figure 9B show how the inlets 235 can be positioned a distance down the shoe track 120, which may enable the inlets 235 to avoid interference from any components of the inner string 1 10 disposed in the bypass assembly 200B.
• bypass assembly 200B has been shown on the end of the gravel pack assembly 100 at the shoe track 120, it will be
• a gravel pack section 102 as in Figures 2 or 5 which lacks a shoe track and float shoe, can include features of the disclosed bypass assembly 200B.
• the body of such a section 102 may be similar to that shown previously, but would lack a float shoe at its end so that the inner passage could communicate with another downhole gravel pack section 102.
• Figures 10A-10B show how a bypass assembly 200C can be incorporated into one of the gravel pack sections 102B of an assembly 100.
• the assembly 100 has many of the same components discussed previously so they are not addressed again.
• the gravel pack sections such as section 102B shown in detail, includes a bypass assembly 200C according to the present disclosure incorporated into the lower ported housing 130A.
• the other section 102A has a bypass assembly 200C along with a float shoe.
• the section 102B includes the lower ported housing 130A with flow ports 132A, a lower screen section 140A, an upper ported housing 130B with flow ports 132B, shunt tubes 150, and an upper screen section 140B, which are arranged similar to previous arrangements.
• the lower housing 130A includes a bypass screen 220 and bypass channels (i.e., shunt tube channels 234 in this depiction).
• the flow ports 132A on the housing 130A have seats 214 and a closure or sliding sleeve 240
• the inner string's outlet ports 1 12 can be isolated with the flow ports 132A while the sliding sleeve 240 is open. Slurry pumped down the inner string 1 10 can flow out of the ports 1 12 and 132A to gravel pack the borehole annulus around this section 102B. Slurry will flow uphole to gravel pack around the screen sections 140A-B in a toe-to-heel configuration. Some slurry may flow downhole with fluid returns coming through bypass screen 220 and passing through the bypass channels 234.
• the inner string 1 10 can be lifted to the next stage so that the outlet ports 1 12 communicate with the upper flow ports 132B, which communicate with the shunt tubes 150.
• the shunt tubes 150 may terminate in the borehole annulus 150 and may not communicate internally into the assembly near the toe of this gravel pack section 102B as in previous examples.
• string 1 10 With string 1 10 in this position, slurry pumped through the inner string 1 10 travels into the shunt tubes 150 and into the borehole annulus near the toe of this gravel pack section 102B to pack this toe section or evacuate excess slurry.
• fluid returns from this second stage can enter the assembly 100 through the bypass screen 220, flow up the section 102B, and bypass the isolated outlet ports 1 12 and flow ports 132B.
• the fluid returns can go out of the screen section 140A and back in through screen section 140B as in previous arrangements (i.e., Fig. 4B).
• the upper ported housing 130B in this assembly 100 can have a similar arrangement of bypass channels 236 for a more direct path for the fluid returns to bypass the isolated ports 1 12 and 132B.
• FIG. 1 1 shows another gravel pack assembly 100' having a liner hanger 170 extending from a liner hanger 14 and having a screen 145 separated by a packer 104.
• a bypass assembly 200D similar to those disclosed previously, is disposed uphole of the screen 145.
• a shoe track 120 at the end of the assembly 100' can have an internal seat 124 so the inner string 1 10 can seal one of its seals 1 14 thereon and circulate washdown fluid out the float shoe 122. After washdown, the inner string 1 10 can be lifted to the bypass assembly 200D uphole of the screen 145 and set up for gravel packing operations.
• the closure 240 is opened (with a shifter 1 16 or the like), and the seals 1 14 on the inner string 1 10 seal with the seats 214 inside the assembly 200D.
• Operators pump slurry down the inner string 1 10, and the slurry passes out the ports 1 12 and 210 to gravel pack around the screen 145 in a conventional heel-to-toe configuration.
• Fluid returns pass through the screen 140 and travel up to the bypass assembly 200D.
• the fluid returns pass into the channels, which are shown here as shunt tube channels 234 although other configurations could be used. Eventually, the fluid returns can pass up the liner 170 and into the casing 12.
• the sliding sleeve 240 can then be closed to prevent fluid communication with the borehole annulus during production.
• the shunt tube channels 234 can remain as they are because they would simply operate to convey production fluid or the like along the assembly 100'.
• the bypass assembly 200D can operate as an external crossover tool disposed on the screen assembly 100' itself. This arrangement can greatly simplify the typical components needed to gravel pack a borehole in a conventional heel-to- toe configuration.
• the assembly 100' can have any number of screens 145 and bypass assemblies 200D disposed along its length.
• various packer arrangements can be used between sections of screens 145 and bypass assemblies 200D to

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