NO179379B - Method for controlling production fluid extraction from a production well - Google Patents

Description

This invention generally relates to methods and equipment for drilling holes in the subsoil, injecting high-pressure and low-pressure fluids into multi-line pipes and monitoring parameters in the well to control the drilling or production operations and thereby optimize efficiency.

Basic well drilling operations have not changed over time in that a number of interconnected drill pipes forming a drill string are rotated together with a drill bit in the soil formation. During drilling, it is necessary to measure various drilling parameters, such as drilling formation, deviation, temperature, pH etc. Because the drill string rotates, in many cases several thousand meters below the earth's surface, obtaining real-time information from down the well has been a constant problem.

For example, the drilling operation is most efficient when the formation properties are known to the drilling operator. For the different types of formations, such as rock, soil or fluids and gases, it may be desirable to change the surface operations to effectively handle the type of formation that the bit is currently encountering. Traditionally, the formation pieces that are cut by the drill bit are drilled into the hole in the annulus around the drill string using fluids that are pumped down through the drill pipe. Examination of these bits, however, provides unreliable information about the formation currently being drilled as it may take a long time for the bits to reach the surface.

From e.g. US 3 419 092 it is known that a drill pipe with two passages in the form of inner and outer concentric tubes can be used to pump aerated drilling fluid down a conductor to reduce the hydrostatic pressure at the drill bit and thereby increase the speed of the cuttings which are moved upwards to surface in the other pipeline. In this way, the cut pieces representing the type of formation being drilled will arrive at the surface more quickly and the drilling operations can then possibly be modified accordingly. Although fluid transport to the various concentric lines in an Ellenburg-type drill pipe is relatively uncomplicated, the number of such lines that can be used is limited for practical reasons in the drill pipe construction.

In US 2 951 680 it is recognized that a non-concentric multi-conductor drill pipe can be used to increase the number of wires. To make room for fluid transport, however, the transition of the fluid passage from the lines to the end of the drill pipe is rolled up into conventional concentric, circular passages. As a result, the transport of the different fluids to the respective lines according to the Camp drill pipe will be provided with the result that the pipe became more complicated to manufacture and thus more expensive.

Professionals have thus realized the advantage of using multi-conductor drill pipes, but such pipes have not been widely used for several reasons. A disadvantage of connecting such pipes together is the way in which the conductors in one pipe are attached to the conductors in another pipe. Conventional fasteners include "0" rings or angular sealing rings (US 2,951,680) or traditional gaskets (US 3,077,358). Due to the type of seal used and the manner in which such seals are used, the seals can withstand a fluid differential pressure of generally less than 525 kg/cm<2>.

It is therefore clear that there is a need for a high-pressure, multi-conductor drill pipe where the number of conductors is not limited and where the construction or manufacture of the pipe is not unnecessarily complicated or expensive.

Moreover, there is a required need to monitor the drilling operations in the well, and immediately transmit the results up from the well and combine the transmission medium with the drill pipe in such a way that the fluid carrying capacity of the drill pipe is not seriously compromised.

It is therefore proposed to use the central hole in the drill pipe as a chamber where an electrical conductor is placed. An example of such an embodiment is shown in US 2 795 397 and US 3 904 840. According to this embodiment, however, the conductor's insulation is exposed to the drilling fluid and possibly expensive shielding must be used.

Another problem with the use of electrical conductors in the fluid-carrying hole is the insulation between the fluids and the electrical connections that connect the lengths of wire together. Elaborate and unusual techniques have been used to circumvent this problem. The problem is further increased by the fact that the connection between the conductors from one drill pipe to another becomes worse in the pipe types that require one part to be screwed into the other. In US 2 798 358 this is dealt with by increasing the cable length so that it can be twisted together with the pipe. In other cases, e.g. in US 3,879,097 a substantial part of the electrical cable is carried in the center hole, except that the ends and the cable are led through the side wall of the pipe to annular contacts on the pipe ends. The number of wires is naturally limited when such a technique has to be used.

Examples of earlier devices for connecting several wires at the pipe ends are shown in US 2,750,569. In this patent, the electric cable is passed through the fluid-carrying hole. This means that the cable, like the connector, is exposed to the corrosive or corroding forces of the drilling fluid.

Other considerations in well drilling that contribute to the total cost relate to the composition of the drilling mud. The sludge must be periodically adjusted with different materials and chemicals to change its density, viscosity or other properties. This change can only be made gradually as the mud circulates from the area around the drill bit upwards through the surface equipment. In some cases, such as in the case of an imminent blowout, the density of the sludge must change very quickly to prevent this from occurring. Consequently, many blowouts cannot be avoided with known techniques. A need has thus arisen for a drill string construction that enables an immediate change in the drilling mud pressure to control blowouts and otherwise improve drilling.

After the drilling operation has been completed, there is a need to monitor the parameters in the well during the production phase, for the management of the well. Conventional well casings have until now largely been fitted into the wellbore, but have been poorly suited to provide channels for lines, gases or liquids that can be pumped upwards, apart from the fluid. As an emergency solution, the telemetry cable has been attached to the outside of the casing using metal or plastic bands and led down the well to telemetry equipment. It is also known to use auxiliary pipes on the outside of the casing to produce artificial lift in the well.

This means that a need has arisen for a well casing with several conductors through which the production fluid can be pumped as well as accommodate telemetry cables and to carry solutions, antifreeze and a number of other fluids.

With the method according to the present invention, it is possible to monitor several parameters from the outside of the well, this is achieved with the method as it is defined with the features stated in the claim.

It has been made possible to improve the drilling process as high-pressure fluids can be independently injected into one or more conduit pipes in the drill pipe, e.g. to simultaneously erode the formation, clean and cool the bit or the path of the bit at the same time as other low-pressure fluids in other conduits are combined in the well with gases in further other conduits to reduce the hydrostatic pressure in the well. At the same time, sensors for the drill bit or pipe can provide information to the monitoring equipment regarding temperature, pressure, deviations, etc., as the information can be used immediately to change the drilling operation.

Such information can further e.g. is used to control the pressure applied to the annulus or sludge and prevent a blowout. Furthermore, if a potential blowout were to be detected, a pump could be activated to apply pressure to counteract the excessive upward flow in the center channel of the drill pipe. In addition, one side of the invention includes an annular accumulator which can adjust the pressure exerted on the fluid in the borehole annulus and thereby maintain a given pressure on the annulus fluid. The possibility of applying pressure to the annulus in the direction of the well has the effect that the density of the mud is increased at the bottom of the well without the mud having to be recycled and materials added to increase its weight.

Reference is now made to a more detailed description of the invention's construction and operation with reference to the accompanying drawings, where figure 1 generally shows the equipment at the top and bottom of the well used to carry out the invention's various properties, figure 2 shows a side view of part of two drill pipes which are connected and partially cut away to show the threaded connection between the pipes and the coupling collar, Figure 3a shows a cross section of the multi-conductor pipe along 3-3 in Figure 2, Figure 3b shows a cross-section of an alternative embodiment of the multi-conductor pipe and shows circular peripheral wires located peripherally around the center conduit, figure 3c shows a cross-section of yet another embodiment of a tube showing an outer tube, an inner tube forming a center conduit and several other tubes forming conduits peripherally around the inner center tube, figure 3d shows a cross-section of another embodiment of the multi-line pipe and shows a set of line pipes in a line pipe in the drill pipe in Figure 3a , Figure 4 shows a cross-section of connected multi-conductor pipes seen through the coupling collar at 4-4 in Figure 2, Figure 5 shows an isometric view of the pipe seal and an intermediate electrical contact fixed therein, Figure 6 shows a cross-section at the connection between the connected pipes and shows the seal and the intermediate electrical contact, Figure 7 shows a cross-section of interconnected pipe channels with the electrical wires, connectors and contacts, Figures 8-10 show cross-sections along 8-8, 9-9 and 10-10 in Figure 7, Figure 11 shows an isometric exploded view of part of the pipe end sections to be connected with the seal, Figure 12 shows that front side view of an example of a well derrick showing the gooseneck swivel and the drill pipe suspended in it, Figure 13 shows a cross section from the side of the gooseneck swivel and shows the location of fluid and electrical commutators on the pipe part together with the drill pipe drive equipment, Figure 14 shows an isometric view of the fluid advantage manifold ng and the commutator shaft with part of the manifold cut away in a quarter to show the inlet ports of the shaft in fluid communication with the annular groove of the manifold, Figure 15 shows a bottom view of the adapter of Figure 14 and shows how two or more conduits can be united with a single commutator channel, Figure 16 shows a side cross-section of the fluid commutator and shows the connection between the ring groove of the manifold and the inlet ports of the respective shafts, and the connection through the channels of the shaft to the pipe section, figure 17 shows the electrical slip rings on the pipe shaft with the corresponding brushes for transmitting the electrical signals to or from the drill pipe cables, figure 18 shows a side plan view of a transition piece according to the invention with sensor equipment, Figure 19 shows a transition piece in cross section to show a blocked section of a fluid conduit used to accommodate sensors and telemetry equipment in the well with crossing openings around the blocked conduit section, Figure 20 shows symbolically, the components of it annular accumulator for applying a desired pressure to the drilling fluid in the annular region of the well, Figure 21 shows a partial view of the multi-string drill pipe and an attached drill bit that uses a high velocity fluid in some string pipes to cut the formation and clean the drill bit, and shows other low pressure fluids in others line pipe to carry the cut pieces up and around the annular area, figure 22 shows another view similar to figure 21, where a gas is sent under pressure down a line pipe in the drill pipe and vented in the well to reduce the hydrostatic pressure, figure 23 shows a drilling operation using a reverse circulation and liquid and gas core drilling technique, Figure 24 shows a simplified illustration of a multiline casing used as a casing, Figure 25 shows a cross section 25-23 of a multiline casing of Figure 24, Figure 26 shows an end view 26-26 of the bottom of a piece of casing in Figure 24, Figure 27 shows a cross-sectional side view of a piece of casing a removed from the pump section of the multiline pipe, and Figure 28 shows a partial cross-section of the end of the casing piece through the sensing chamber.

Referring now to the figures, figure 1 shows the general aspects of the methods and equipment according to the invention. As shown, the invention includes the multi-conductor drill pipe which is generally referred to as 10 and which is driven by the multi-fluid gooseneck swivel 12. The drill bit 14 may be one of the many varieties available to erode the subsurface formation 16 to drill a well.

Various sensors in the well, such as temperature sensor 18 or pH sensor 20 can be used in the drill bit 14 to collect data in the well and transfer this to the monitoring equipment 22 on the surface through wires in the drill pipe (not shown in figure 1). An electrical power source 23 can also be provided to supply power to the drill bit's sensors and control electrical tools in the well as needed.

A fluid pump 24 supplies high or low pressure fluid to a fluid commutator 26 in the gooseneck swivel. Other similar pumps can also be used so that different fluids at the same or different pressures can be pumped down into the well to improve the drilling techniques which until now have not been possible to achieve. In a similar way, a compressor 28 supplies a gas, e.g. nitrogen, to the fluid commutator 26 for distribution to desired conduit pipes 30 in the drill pipe. When the center line pipe 32 in the drill pipe is used as a channel for the formation bits that are carried upwards in liquid or gas, such bits are carried by the gooseneck tubing 34 to the cyclone separator 36 which separates the bits from the returned drilling fluid. The liquid pump 38 is also connected to the gooseneck hose 34 to pump fluid from a source (not shown) down through the central conduit 32 to drill, or alternatively to counteract unwanted fluid flow in such a conduit due to a blowout in the well. The pump 38 can alternatively be used to pump cement or other sealing material into the well to seal the well. A valve 40 is automatically closed when the pump 38 is activated so that the pumped material does not enter the separator 36.

Depending on the desired drilling procedure, a deadline pump 42 is provided to pump drilling fluid into the well's annular opening 44. An annular accumulator 46 maintains a desired pressure on the annular fluid in the well.

From the foregoing, it is clear that the invention enables different choices and alternatives to optimize the drilling operation based on the existing conditions. From the following discussion, it will appear even more clearly that the invention will provide an advantage in well drilling that has not been discovered until now.

With reference now to figure 2, a connected pipe section is shown and in particular a drill pipe which forms part of the drill string and in particular the device with which the sections of the drill pipe are connected together. Figure 2 shows a drill pipe in which several conduit pipes, one of which is shown with reference number 30, pass evenly through the drill pipe and thus evenly over the tool connection 48 from one pipe 50 to another pipe 52 which is attached thereto. Each such conduit pipe is rectilinear in nature, despite the fact that the extended portions 54 and 56 of the drill pipes as shown in Figure 2 have a somewhat larger diameter to satisfy strength and sealing considerations.

The drill pipe 50 is shown more clearly in cross-section of the multi-conductor pipe in Figure 3a. It is of the greatest practical importance from the point of view of applicability to accommodate many conduit pipes in the drill pipe, all of which are straight through the pipe and which can be connected together in between to supply any desired number of liquids or gases into the well, the liquid or gases being isolated from each other and can therefore be supplied with different pressures and quantities. To achieve this, the invention in its preferred form comprises a drill pipe with an outer side wall 58 and an inner concentric side wall 60 which forms a central conduit 62 through which most of the fluid is pumped, if desired or if necessary. Between the inner side wall 60 and the outer side wall 58, the different longitudinal conduits 30 are arranged as a longitudinal ring-shaped channel between the inner and outer walls, and divided into independent conduits 30 by means of radial dividers 64. Each conduit 30 thus has a cross-section like a trapezoid where the curved sides form the parallel sides.

With this construction, it is very advantageous to produce drill pipe or casing by means of extrusion of aluminum with steel reinforcements or entirely of high-quality steel. Conduits of other designs than those shown in Figure 3a can of course be used to satisfy special needs. For example, Figure 3b shows an alternative form of the multi-conductor pipe with an outer and inner side wall 66 and 68, the inner side wall 68 again forming a central conduit pipe 62. In this form, however, a number of circular conduit pipes 70 are placed at intervals peripherally around the central conduit pipe 62 between the inner wall 68 and the outer wall 66. This pipe shape can preferably be constructed by placing the pipe on end and each conduit pipe being drilled vertically. Figure 3c shows yet another version of the multi-conductor pipe similar to figure 3b, with the exception of a large pipe 72, where the outer wall forms the outer side wall, and a smaller pipe 74 forms the central pipe 62. Between the large and smaller pipes 72 and 74 , several other even narrower tubes 76 are placed around the periphery. Each pipe in Figure 3c is welded to a nearby pipe at the pipe ends. Figure 3d shows a modified version of the tube in Figure 3b. In the pipe with peripheral, circular conduit pipes 70, a cylindrical multi-channel insert 78 is inserted which is fixed by e.g. welding. The insert 78 comprises a central axial channel 80 with a number of peripheral channels 82 all of which effectively increase the number of conduits in the tube, albeit of reduced diameter.

It will therefore appear that a tube has been provided which is easy to manufacture, with several independent conduit tubes which extend uniformly throughout the entire length. It will be discussed later, the way in which each such conduit can be used to optimize the drilling or production operation.

With reference again to figure 2, the multi-conductor pipes used as drill pipe are joined together by means of a threaded coupling collar 84. After the connection, the pressure in each pipe will be maintained by means of a seal 86 and the details of this will also be described below.

The end of the drill pipe 50 is connected to the end of the drill pipe 52 by means of a differential threading action between the outer pipe threads 88 and 90 and the internal coupling collar threads 92 and 94. In addition, the ends of each drill pipe have threads 88 and 90 of a different height. For example, the end of the drill pipe 30 shown in Figure 2 has four threads 88 per 2.5 cm a thread height of 1.6) and the end of the tube 52 can have five threads 90 per 2.5 cm a thread height of 2). The coupling collar 84 is threaded in a similar way in that it has coarser threads 92 for the corresponding threads on the drill pipe end 50, and finer threads 94 (five threads per 2.5 cm) at the other collar end to be threaded with the respective finer threads in the drill pipe 52. It must be noted that both the finer threads 94 and 90 and the coarser threads 92 and 88 on both coupling collars 84 and the drill pipes 50 and 52 have the same diameter of the threads through the respective threaded parts. However, the coarser thread 88 at the drill pipe end shown at 50 is larger than the finer thread 90 at the drill pipe end 52. The coupling collar 84 has similar thread diameters. The different thread diameters make it possible for the coupling collar 84 to be unscrewed from the drill pipe 50 to the drill pipe 52, where the coarser threads 92 on the coupling collar 84 are not threaded into the finer threads 90 on the drill pipe 32. In this way, the coupling collar 84 can be lowered into the drill pipe 52 until it abuts the stop flange 96.

Because the ends of the illustrated drill pipes include threads of different thread height to provide a differential coupling, the threads 88 and 90 are both either right-hand or left-hand threaded. Preferably, when the pipes are connected, only by means of the coupling collar 84, the threads will be in the direction where the rotational effect from the drilling will lead to tightening of the connection between the drill pipes. Typically, the gangs are right-wing gangs. It must be noted from the foregoing that other ends of the drill pipes 50 and 52 have thread heights and diameters which are opposite to the described pipe ends. In other words, each tube has coarser threads 88 at one end and finer threads 90 at the other.

The coupling collar 84 also has a larger diameter than the connected drill pipes, so that any wear due to the turning action against the borehole wall will rather wear on the collar 84 than the drill pipes. To achieve this, the drill pipe coupling collar 84 can be removed from the drill pipe 52 by leaving a part 98 around the end of the coupling collar and internally recessed so that it does not interfere with the pipe threads 90. Alternatively, the coupling collar's internal threads 94 can be stretched to the end of the collar. When the coupling collar 84 has become very worn, it can therefore be easily removed from the drill pipe 52 and replaced. Normally, and for reasons mentioned below, drill pipe is usually stored or shipped with its respective coupling collars 84 fully screwed onto the end of the drill pipe up to the stop flange 96.

With reference to Figure 2, the ends of the drill pipes 50 and 52 are connected together before they are threaded in order to be able to transfer the rotational torque from one drill pipe to the next. In this way, the torque in the drill string is not transmitted by means of the threaded coupling collar 84. Therefore, the threaded coupling collar 84 and the pipe ends do not need conventional tapered sleeves and bolted connections to transmit the driving torque, which would require expensive threading tools.

Figure 4 shows several drive pins 100 received in respective drive recesses 102 to form a connection between the drill pipes. Referring to Figure 11 which shows drill pipe 103 with channels and 105 with electrical leads 110, clearly shows the drive flanges 100 on the drill pipe 103 and drive recesses 102 (with broken lines) on the end of the drill pipe 103. Attached between the drill pipes 103 and 105 is an interface arrangement between the drive flanges 100 and the recesses 102.

A flange 104 on the drill pipe 105 and the corresponding indentation 106 on the drill pipe 103 have a different size than the other drive flanges 100 and drive indentations 102. In particular, the flange 104 is a marking flange which, together with the marking indentation 106, ensures to produce a way of drill pipe 105 may be connected to another 103 in a particular curved or pivotable configuration. According to the invention, a curved fit between the drill pipes in a string is essential as it is necessary to maintain the fit of the drill pipe's channels through the drill string. Moreover, it is even more important to maintain a particularly curved alignment of the drill string pipes, such as 103 and 105, as a single channel, referred to as an electrical channel 108, which hears electrical lines 110 that can provide signals and power to sensors in the well and signals upward from the sensors or tools, to the surface equipment. The term "signals" as used herein is also intended to include electrical power from e.g. alternating voltage or direct voltage sources.

Therefore, it will be seen that it is not only necessary to maintain the fit between the fluid-carrying conductors, but also to maintain a particular fit since such a conductor 108 carries electrical wires. It should be noted that in those applications where it is desirable to use each conductor in the drill pipe for fluids, it is only necessary to have drive flanges 100 and drive recesses 102 to maintain alignment between the conductors, generally, but not for particular conductors. It is also expected that more than one conductor will be electrical wires 110.

As mentioned above, this ability of the drilling operation to receive instantaneous electrical signals from sensors in the well, such as 18 and 20, and which are operated in a closed loop, can preferably be used to modify the procedures to optimize the operation. As noted in Figures 7-10, an electrical conduit 108 in the drill pipe 103 carries three electrical conduits 110 which are bundled together. in a bundle 112. The bundle 112 is preferably constructed with a solid cover of e.g. Teflon or Kyner material so that a frictional movement between the bundle 112 and the inner surface 114 of the conduit 108 during drilling will not lead to an electrical short circuit.

Each electrical wire 110 terminates at the pipe end in a connecting piece 116 with three terminals 118 and associated pin contacts 120. Each electrical wire 110 is soldered to a terminal 118 for its respective pin contact 120. The connecting piece 116 at each end of the drill pipe can be cemented or on otherwise sealed in the electrical conduit 108, or secured in some other suitable manner (not shown).

In order to maintain electrical continuity as well as fluid continuity between the respective conduit pipes in one drill pipe to another, a seal or seal 86 is provided as shown in Figure 5. The seal 86 is planar and has a cross section similar to that shown for the drill pipe. In particular, the seal 86 in Figure 5 has a cross-section similar to the pipe design in Figure 3a and is constructed as a gasket-like steel plate insert placed between the ends of the drill pipe. From the following description, it will be well within the scope of the person skilled in the art to produce seals for the conduit for use with the pipes in Figures 3b-3d. As shown in Figure 5, the seal 86 comprises a center channel 122 and peripheral channels 124 arranged at regular intervals around the periphery. In such a channel, an electrical intermediate contact 126 is attached as shown in figure 5-7. The intermediate contact piece 126 has contacts 128 at each end into which the pin contacts 120 on the pipe contact pieces 116 can be inserted to provide high quality electrical connections between the drill pipes. Also, the female contacts 128 and the male contacts 120 are gold-plated or coated with another suitable material to avoid oxidation from the wellbore environment.

The intermediate contact 126, like the drill pipe's contact pieces 116, can be cemented or otherwise attached to the sealing plate 86. Alternatively, the intermediate contact 126 can be provided with mounting equipment so that the contact "floats" in the seal 86. This side will allow a certain lateral movement of the intermediate contact 126 into the seal to accommodate small dimensional differences between the fitted drill pipes.

Placement of the seal 86 and intermediate contact 126 is different from normal electrical connections in drill pipe. The intermediate contact 126 has a great practical advantage in that it allows both drill pipe ends to be provided with contact pieces 116 of the pin contact type. With this symmetrical arrangement, the seal 86 will have no right side up, but rather can be quickly installed with either end of the intermediate connector 126 to any touching end. Also, the manufacture of the drill pipe in the example is simplified as only one pin type connector 116 needs to be installed in the electrical conduit pipe 108 at each pipe end.

It is important that the seal 86 includes a sealing or packing device in the form of rubber or elastomer 130 which encloses each of the peripheral channels 124, including the center channel 122. In the preferred form of the seal 86, a groove 132 is cut in each side of the seal 86 and wraps the seal network around adjacent peripheral and central channels 124 and 122. To facilitate the manufacture of both the seal 86 and the elastomeric packing 130, the groove 132 between the adjacent channels is common so that the elastomeric packing 130 can be made in a single piece. the drill pipes 103 and 105 are coupled together and secured by means of the collar 84, the elastomer gasket is clamped in its groove 132 to form a high quality seal and ensure pressure independence between the respective fluids and electrical conductors, as noted in Figure 6. With with this sealing type, pressure differences of up to 3500 kg/cm<2> can be tolerated between adjacent conduits. This sealing arrangement has an advantage over "0" rings or angle seals which can only withstand differential pressure up to approx. 525 kg/cm<2>. For clarity, the electrical connectors 116 in the electrical conduit ends of Figure 6 are omitted.

An additional advantage of the drill pipe according to the invention can be seen from Figure 11 where the coupling collar 84 is shown resting against the stop flange 96 (not shown). The coupling collar 84 has such a length that when it is fully retracted on the drill pipe 105, the end edge 134 is at least flush with the end edges 136 of the flanges so that these flanges cannot be easily broken or destroyed during storage or handling. In the same way, and to reduce the risk of damage, the end of the adapted drill pipe 103 has a continuous cylindrical edge 138 with driving and marking depressions 102 and 106 on the inside. Due to the continuity of the edge 138, the end of the drill pipe 105 will be less susceptible to damage. This is very desirable as it will appear that the entire drill pipe can become unstable if the flanges 100 and 104 or the recesses 102 and 106 are badly damaged.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that many drill pipes can be quickly and easily connected in a desired curved fit with each fluid channel and electrical conduit and at the same time maintain its integrity throughout the drill string.

Figures 12 and 13 show the surface equipment for the drilling operation which is used to send fluids and electrical signals to and from the drill string. A lifting structure 140 which is suspended from a cable 142 attached to a frame 144 holds the gooseneck swivel 12 above the wellhead (not shown). Cable lifting and release devices (not shown) provide greater adjustments to the drill string in the wellbore and thus rough adjustments to the bit weight. Lockout cables 148 for the driving torque prevent the gooseneck swivel 12 from turning together with the top drill pipe 130.

Fine vertical adjustments of the gooseneck swivel 12 above the wellhead are provided by a pair of hydraulic cylinders 152 that carry the pipe 134 and sections of fluid tubing 156 for the gooseneck swivel 12 to the hoist structure 140. As can be seen from Figure 13, each hydraulic cylinder 152 has a piston 158 located in a partially fluid-filled cylinder 160 to maintain a desired bit weight. Each piston 158 includes peripheral seals 162 to seal each such piston 158 against the inner wall of the cylinder 160 and keep the oil above the piston 158 away from atmospheric pressure below the piston 158. The upper part of each hydraulic cylinder 152 is connected to a gas-over-oil- source (not shown) by means of hoses 164. It will appear that a high gas pressure in the source will lead to a lighter bit weight. A piston rod 166 on each hydraulic cylinder 132 is connected to the lift structure 140 by means of a control link 168. Various fluids are connected to the gooseneck swivel 12 through the high-pressure hoses through the high-pressure hoses 170, 172, and 174 in Figure 12. The high-pressure hose 176 at the top of the gooseneck swivel makes it possible for fluid to be pumped down or drawn out from the center hole in the drill pipe 130

In the description and drawings, certain elements common to the drilling operations, such as the motor for the drill string, the drilling safety valve at the wellhead, etc., have been omitted or only briefly described as such elements do not contribute to the invention and since their presence and use are well known to those skilled in the art.

The gooseneck swivel 12 in figure 13 mainly consists of a pipe section 154 which comprises a pipe shaft 178 connected at the bottom to the uppermost drill pipe 150 with a pipe collar 180, a fluid pipe 156 and fluid commutator 182. An adapter 184 acts to connect the fluid commutator 182 and the pipe shaft 178. The adapter 184 and the pipe shaft 178 has fluid channels for sending the desired fluids to conduit pipes in the drill pipe. The manner in which the various fluids are sent to the desired conduits in the drill pipe will be discussed more fully below.

The gooseneck swivel 12 further includes an electrical commutator 186 to maintain electrical connections to each of the drill string leads 110 while the drill string rotates. The pipe shaft 178 is driven by means of a drive mechanism 188 which is attached to the pipe shaft 178 via a hydraulic or electric motor (not shown). The motor drive unit is the space in a frame 190 where the tubular shaft 178 rotates in bearings 192, 194 and in rest bearings 195. Suitable oil seals are also provided for the shafts 178.

A simplified version of the fluid commutator 182 is shown in Figure 14, where a commutator shaft 196 is rotatable in a fluid manifold 198 and includes high-pressure seals that will be described in more detail in connection with Figure 16. The commutator shaft 196 includes several inlet ports 200 and 202 that correspond to different fluids that may need to be pumped through the various drill pipelines. For example, only two fluid sources are connected to the fluid commutator 182. For each inlet port 200 and 202, there is a corresponding fluid passage 204 and 206 (shown dashed) in the commutator shaft 196, each such passage having an outlet at the bottom of the commutator shaft 196. The commutator shaft 196 has also a center hole 208 where the drilling fluid or the like is forwarded through to the center conduit pipe 62 in the drill pipe 150.

The adapter 184 forms an adaptation between the commutator shaft 196 and the pipe shaft 178. The adapter 184 is fixed between the commutator shaft and the pipe shaft 178 by means of a pin 179 and recess 181 and lock nuts 183. Figure 14 shows a perspective view of the upper part of the adapter 184 with a center hole 210 in connection with the commutator shaft's center hole 208 and two channels 212 and 214 in connection with the commutator shaft's channels 204 and 206. Figure 15 shows the design of the bottom of the adapter 184. In the shown embodiment of the tube part 154, it is desirable to pump two different fluids through different pipelines in the drill pipe. Therefore, the bottom of the adapter 184 includes hollowed areas 216 and 218 around respective channels 214 and 212. With this construction, channel 214 is placed in fluid connection with three corresponding pipe shaft conduits 224 while channel 212 is placed in fluid connection e.g. with four other corresponding pipe shaft conduit pipes 222. The remaining conduit pipe 226 in the pipe shaft 178 is plugged again using the sealed area 220 on the adapter 184.

The inlet port 204 on the commutator shaft 196 will thus be able to distribute one type of fluid to four nearby pipe shaft conduits 222 and thus four corresponding conduits in the drill pipe. Likewise, the inlet port 202 can distribute another drilling fluid to three nearby conduit pipes in the drill pipe. It will now appear that several adapters can be provided at the drilling site in order to be able to distribute fluids from a number of fluid sources to a number of conduit pipes in the drill pipe. This is achieved by different designs of the hollowed out area within or areas on the underside of the adapter 184.

Furthermore, it will be clear to the drilling operators that more than two fluid sources with different pressures can be used to optimize the drilling operation. In that case, it will be apparent from the description the manner in which three or four inlet port commutators can be developed to distribute a similar number of different fluids to the drill pipe conduit.

In more detail, figures 14 and 16 show the fluid manifold 198 with inlet channels 230 and 232 connected on the outside to respective fluid sources and on the inside of the commutator shaft inlet ports 200 and 202 by means of annular grooves 234 and 236. The inlet port 200 is therefore in continuous connection with the fluid as it rotates within its respective annular groove 234. Likewise, the inlet port 202 is in continuous communication with another fluid by means of its annular groove 236.

Because the commutator 182 is subject to fluid pressure limited only by the strength of the connecting hoses 170-174 (Figure 12), a special arrangement must be provided to maintain a seal between the annular grooves 234 and 236 and the rotating commutator shaft 196. The high-pressure seal is more clearly shown in Figure 16 and is used in the fluid commutator 182 in the gooseneck swivel 12 so that different high-pressure fluids can be used to facilitate the drilling operation in the well. The outer surface of the commutator shaft 196 is provided with a ceramic material 240 which provides a durable and solid bearing surface for the shaft 196 in the fluid manifold 198.

Surrounding each annular groove 234 and 236 are high pressure sealing rings 242 which seal the fluid manifold 198 to the ceramic flat 240 on the commutator shaft 196. Low pressure seals 243 are located on opposite ends of the shaft 196. To counteract the high pressure exerted on one side of the high-pressure seal 242, another high-pressure control fluid is used on the opposite side of the high-pressure seal 242. In this way, the differential pressure on each side of the high-pressure seal 242 is reduced, and the probability of pressure blowouts is also reduced. Accordingly, high pressure fluid inlet ports are provided as shown in Figure 16 for supplying a fluid under high pressure to one side of the high pressure seal ring 242 to equalize the pressure on the other side of the high pressure seal rings 242 coming from high pressure drilling fluids pumped down through the conduits in the drill pipe. A number of low-pressure sealed fluid outlet ports 246 are provided to return leaking pressure control fluid equalizing the high-pressure seals 242 back to a reservoir (not shown).

Without repeating the details of high pressure sealing, the center hole 208 in the commutator shaft 196 can be sealed using the same high pressure technique as mentioned above.

It will appear that the invention, according to the description above, will give the drilling operator the opportunity to selectively inject a different number of pressure fluids with very high differential pressure into any number of conduit pipes in the drill pipe and use the fluids on equipment in the well, e.g. to clean or cool drill bits, aerate the drilling fluid or to assist with cavitation or excavation of the formation, or to perform all operations simultaneously.

An electrical commutator generally designated 186 in Figure 17 provides continuity for the electrical connections between the rotating leads 110 in the drill pipe and the monitoring equipment 22 on the surface. The drill pipe's electrical wires 110 are connected from the uppermost drill pipe 150 and through a corresponding coupling piece (not shown) at the bottom of the pipe shaft 178. Electrical wires in the pipe shaft 178 are also connected by means of a coupling piece 250 at the top end and are finally connected to a coupling piece 252 in Figure 17. As shown as an example here, four electrical wires are introduced through the drill pipes 150. Four corresponding connection pieces 254, 256, 258 and 260 are attached to a connection block 262. From the connection block 262, each of the four conductors is connected to a respective slip rings 264, 266, 268 and 270. The slip rings are made of brass or other suitable electrically conductive material, and are attached to the pipe shaft 178 and thus rotate with this shaft.

The electrical signals carried by the respective lines 110 from sensors in the well are thus present on each of the respective rotating slip rings 264-270. Four brushes 272, 274, 276 and 278 are held compressed against the respective slip rings to provide reliable electrical contact. The brushes are stationary and are pressed against the respective slip rings by means of brush holders as shown by reference number 280. The brush holders are fixed in a block 282 which in turn is fixed to the frame of the gooseneck swivel. Inside the block 282 are separate conductors such as 284 connected to brushes 278 to carry the electrical signals to the monitoring equipment. The electrical commutator 186 is covered by a protective cover (not shown) to prevent the slip rings from contacting the wellbore surroundings.

It will therefore appear that the invention provides a number of electrical wires 110 through the drill string to equipment in the well. The electrical signals from the equipment in the well are immediately available to the monitoring equipment 22 on the surface, for follow-up.

In Figures 18 and 19, an adapter 286 is shown which is ideally adapted to work in conjunction with the improved drill pipe to extend its utility. The transition piece 286 is a short section of drill pipe with collar connections as described above, and with a sensor equipment arrangement generally designated 288. Three sensors are shown, a pressure sensor 290, a pH sensor 20 and a temperature sensor 18.

Each sensor is electrically powered and is thus connected to telemetry or transducer equipment 292 for converting the sensor's physical inputs into electrical signals for transmission to the monitoring equipment on the surface. As shown, the telemetry equipment 292 is connected to the electrical wire bundle 112 which extends up the drill string to the drag rings. The wire bundle 112 is placed in the electrical conduit 108.

Because there may be insufficient space in the electrical conduit 108 for sensors and telemetry equipment, a portion of the fluid conduit 294 is blocked by separators 296 and 298. A channel 297 connects the blocked portion 303 to the electrical conduit 108 so that electrical wires 110 can be led from the electrical conduit 108 to the telemetry equipment 292 located in the blocked part 303. An access and mounting plate is mounted in an opening 302 in the blocked part 303 in the fluid conduit 294. The mounting plate 300 together with a gasket 304 is fixed by means of screws 306 to the wall in the transition piece. An ordinary rubber gasket 304 is sufficient as the blocked conduit 303 is not exposed to large pressures.

Several crossover openings 308 are formed in the conduit divider 310 to enable the fluid from the upper portion of the conduit 294 to be redirected through the fluid conduit 312 around the blocked conduit portion 303 and back to the lower portion of the conduit 294.

In order to reduce the hydrostatic pressure at the drilling site, it is common to aerate the drilling fluid. Consequently, it is provided e.g. transition pieces 286 with external vent openings 314 for venting the drilling fluid in the annulus 44 in the wellbore and internal vent openings 316 for venting the drilling fluid in the center conduit pipe 318. As can be seen from Figure 19, to provide internal and external venting, fluid conduit pipes 320 and 322 are are connected respectively to the central conduit pipe 318 and the well bore's ring, by means of the aforementioned openings, supplied with gas under pressure, which e.g. nitrogen. It will be seen that a single transition piece 286 does not normally include all properties as in the piece shown. In addition, special drill pipes of the above-mentioned type can be provided with one or more of the properties described in connection with the transition piece 286.

Cartridges 324 and 326 provide protection for the sensors against damage either during storage or when they are used in the well. The cartridge 324 also acts as a stopper for the coupling collar 84.

The transition piece 286 therefore forms a device for mounting formation sensors in the drill string and still allows fluid flow in each fluid conduit pipe. When the transition piece 286 is used, the same fluid must therefore be pumped into conduits 294 and 312 since such conduits are placed in fluid connection with the openings 308.

An annular accumulator 46 is shown in Figure 20. This equipment enables selective mechanical adjustment of wellbore hydrostatic pressure for improved wellbore integrity and enables continuous adjustments to be made as different geo-pressures occur. In particular, this equipment prevents something from occurring that could lead to a destructive and costly blowout in the well. Normally, excessive build-up of pressure in the well will be counteracted by increasing the density of the drilling mud in the ring 44 in the wellbore. In the case where pressure builds up too quickly, or if the drilling operators are not aware of such a pressure increase, the density of the drilling mud cannot change quickly enough to avoid a blowout.

The annular accumulator 46 solves this problem by making it possible to change the effective density of the drilling mud 327 quickly by applying pressure to it in the wellbore ring 44. The annular accumulator 46 comprises a reservoir 328 connected to the wellbore ring 44 through suitable connection 330. rotating top part 331 forms an annular seal around the drill pipe to form a closed system.

The reservoir 328 comprises a flexible membrane 332 which separates the drilling mud 327 from the pressurized gas 334 above. It will be seen that an increase in the gas pressure on the membrane 332 and thus on the drill bit and the mud 327, the effective mud density will be increased. A gas pump 336 compresses a gas in a supply tank 338 with a relatively large volume, so that the gas pressure 334 in the accumulator reservoir 328 can be quickly increased as needed. A regulator 340 is adjustable and enables regulation of the gas 334 between the supply tank 338 and the accumulator reservoir 328. At a sign that the pressure needs to be adjusted, the regulator 340 can thus be opened to increase the gas pressure on the drilling mud 327 and thus increase its effective density.

According to an important aspect of the invention, the regulator 340 can be automatically adjusted and connected to a pressure monitor 342 on the surface for automatic adjustment of the pressure in the accumulator reservoir 328 in the event of instantaneous pressure changes sensed in the well by the pressure sensor 290. Through the closed loop system, imminent danger of blowout can therefore be detected early and is avoided by means of the invention. In addition, the pressure monitor 342 can be used to initiate the operation of the pump 42 to keep the fluid levels in the well at the desired level.

An improved drilling method using such equipment as described above will now be described. Figures 21-23 show an enlarged drill pipe and borehole that is used

the different aspects of the invention.

Figure 21 shows a drilling method that uses a fluid 344 such as drilling fluid with a first density, pumped down the well in one or more conduit pipes 346 to facilitate the removal of formation pieces 347 from the drill bit 348 by means of a high velocity jet action. The bits 347 floating in the drilling mud are carried upwards in the borehole ring 44 to the surface. The drilling fluid 344 is also pumped down into the well in other conduit pipes 352. In these conduit pipes 352, the drilling fluid 344 is under significantly greater pressure than in the conduit pipes 346 and is directed towards the drill bit's drill path 354 to erode the formation and/or quickly remove the pieces 347 out of the drill path 354 The drilling fluid 356, which has a different density, can be pumped down into the drill pipe's center conduit pipe 358 in large quantities and can, at the drill bit area 348, be mixed with the drilling fluid 334 as this mixture is forced upwards into the wellbore ring 44 together with formation bits 347.

Because of this multi-conductor drill pipe, drilling operators may for the first time be able to, independently and simultaneously, pump drilling fluid down the well at sufficient pressure to clean cuttings from the drill bit and the drill string, and pump a drilling fluid at a very high pressure to erode the formation and at the same time pump another drilling fluid in large quantities and at low pressure down the well to force the cut pieces up into the borehole annulus.

The drilling operation shown in Figure 22 is similar to Figure 21, but also includes a type of transition piece 360 where gas under pressure 362 is pumped through external air vents 314 in the borehole annulus 44 to aerate the mixed density drilling fluid and thereby reduce its effective density. Put another way, this aeration will reduce the hydrostatic pressure around the drill bit area 348. It will be seen that the density of the drilling fluid between the aeration in this example and the pressure exerted on the drilling fluid by the annular accumulator 46 can change quickly and within a large range.

Figure 23 shows a core operation, where high-pressure drilling fluid 344 is applied to the drill bit area 348 through certain conduits 346 and 353, and via jets (not shown), and is circulated the other way up with the formation bits 347 through the center conduit 358 in the drill pipe. Also, the opposite circulation of the drilling fluid 344 will be improved by aeration in the form of compressed gas 362 which is pumped down the fluid conduit 364 and out into the center conduit 358 through internal vent openings 316. Alternatively, fluids can be injected into the outer ring of the drill pipe for appropriate adjustments of the outer area .

It will also appear that the design in Figure 23 can be modified by using the drill bit 14 in Figure 21. In this embodiment, the bit size will be reduced to make the pneumatic transmission up to the surface more efficient.

An improved drilling equipment and method has thus been described. It will be seen that many different aspects and features described above can be combined to further improve the drilling operation. For example, sensors other than those described can be fitted to the drill pipe to sense desired formation data, such as e.g. pressure sensors as described, and are connected to the surface equipment to modify the drilling operation. Such a closed loop system eliminates action by the operators which can lead to delays after receiving the information, or no action at all. Moreover, such a closed loop system can enable continuous adjustments, regardless of size, of the drilling operation to optimize the system's efficiency.

In an important aspect of the invention, the functions: (1) maintaining the chemical and pressure integrity of the wellbore, (2) circulating bits out of the hole and (3) assisting with cutting or eroding the formation, can be isolated and therefore manipulated and controlled independently of each other. The invention can thus use a plurality and separate fluids and combinations of these to perform the three functions above. This possibility stands in contrast to known technology where the three above-mentioned functions cannot be isolated and manipulated or controlled independently of each other.

Another main purpose of the invention is the placement of a casing with a plurality of pipelines. Placing a multi-line casing entails a number of advantages as mentioned above in connection with the drill pipes.

It will be apparent to the person skilled in the art that even after a well has reached the production stage, a highly developed schedule for well management must be implemented to ensure that the well produces below maximum efficiency. The entire production management of a well has thus far been limited by the amount of information that can be gathered from the well to either change the wellbore conditions to improve efficiency, or to change the pumping operation at the surface in an attempt to improve overall efficiency. By transmitting multiple fluids and electrical signals, a highly efficient closed loop well production system can also be achieved which is very similar to the above well drilling operation.

Among the things that must be dealt with in a highly developed production system are the conditions in the well concerning zone pressures and temperatures, flow rates, fluid viscosities and densities, fluid pH levels, etc. It is advantageous to monitor these and other parameters to control the surface operations for e.g. e.g. controlling the gas pressure that is blown down the well to reduce the hydrostatic pressure and injecting solutions or solutions into the well to break up the oil or to adjust the pH level. Other solutions can be simultaneously pumped down the well to further influence the formation so that more oil or the like is released. Other applications may require the use of injecting an alcohol solution or an anti-freeze agent into the well to prevent too low temperatures because the low temperatures reduce the effect of the gas flow.

From the above, it will appear that it is very desirable to simultaneously pump several liquids into the well and monitor several parameters in the well. According to the invention, Figures 24 and 25 show a multiline casing 366 which can be used to overcome the disadvantages previously associated with casing in wells. The general characteristics of the well casing 366 and the device for connecting the casings to form a string are the same as described above in connection with drill pipe. Due to the fact that several conduits in the casing 366 can also carry high pressure fluids, a seal or seal 86 (Figure 27) which can be compared to the seal in Figure 5, will ensure pressure integrity between the conduit ends in the casing 366.

In particular, Figure 25 shows a cross-section of the casing 366 with a central hole 370, several fluid conduits 372 and electrical conduit 374 containing several telemetry conduits 376. Each telemetry conduit 376 is connected to electrical conduit ends and is connected through the intermediate connector 126 on the seal 86 to corresponding telemetry conduits in other casing sections in the string. It should be noted that the multiline casing 366 of Figure 25 is generally the same as the multiline drill pipe of Figure 3b, except that the casing pipe has a slightly larger cross-section to fit in the wellbore. In addition, the center hole 370 is somewhat larger to accommodate the larger amount of production fluid that is pumped up.

Referring to Figure 24, the top casing 366 is connected by means of a collar 84 to a well top cap shown at reference number 378. A top cap piece 380 for the well has the same cross-section as the well casing 366 and includes means for a seal 86 (not shown) so as well as marker and drive flanges and recesses as mentioned earlier in connection with Figure 11. The top cap 378 for the well includes several channels 382 (shown dashed) that connect each conduit pipe 372 and 374 for the casing to respective fluid or solution supply, and the monitoring and control panel 394. In the shown embodiment of the invention, each of the seven fluid conduits 372 in the casing 366 is connectable through a fluid distributor 386 to each fluid source shown at 388. High-pressure hoses, such as shown at hose 384, connect each top cap channel 382 for the well to an outlet 390 for the fluid distributor 386.

Telemetry leads 376 in the electrical conduit 374 are connected through the top cap electrical conduit 392 (shown dashed) to a monitoring and control panel 394. The monitoring and control panel 394 may include gauges, alarms, graphic displays, or amplifiers to route the telemetry signals to other signals, to e.g. a series of solenoid-equipped valves (generally designated 396) used in conjunction with the fluid manifold 397 for the fluid distributor 386.

In this way, a closed loop system has been formed where the surface equipment can be automatically operated in response to changes in the parameters in the well which are sensed by sensors. In response to an indication of increased viscosity in the production fluid in the wellbore sensed by a sensor 424 (which will be discussed later in detail), e.g. the monitoring and control panel 394 processes this electrical signal and causes one of the solenoid operated valves 396 to connect an alcohol fluid source through the fluid distributor 386 to one or more fluid conduits 372 for the casing so that the viscosity of the production fluid is changed. As the viscosity sensor transmits the instantaneous viscosity of the production fluid in the well to the monitoring and control panel 394, one or more solenoid-operated valves 396 can be operated or triggered to increase the amount of fluid by directing such fluid to other fluid conduits 372 or decrease the amount of fluid pumped down the well. by reducing the number of fluid conduit pipes 372 through which such solutions are pumped.

Once the solenoid operated relays 396 and manifold arrangement have been shown generally, special arrangements can be developed for those skilled in the art.

A manual push button panel 400 is also available for manual operation of the solenoid operated valves 396 so that one of the fluids can be pumped through one or more conduits 372 in the casing.

The top cap 378 for the well also includes a center hole (not shown) through which a pump shaft 402 extends down into the well to perform the pumping action so that the production fluid is carried towards the surface.

The lower part of the casing comprises a casing piece 404 which provides an outlet for each of the fluid conduit pipes 372 similar to the electrical telemetry sensors. The casing piece 404 is threaded into a special multi-line pipe 406 which accommodates a conventional reciprocating piston to raise the production fluid to the surface.

Figures 26 and 27 show the various features of the casing piece 404. Seen below, the casing piece 404 (figure 26) comprises a filter cloth 408 which covers the center hole 370 with suitable fineness to prevent sand particles and the like. from entering the pump part 406. The filter cloth 408 is made of stainless steel or other suitable material that resists corrosion and includes holes around the peripheral edge flush with the fluid conduit pipes 372 so that the fluid can be sprayed out of the bottom of the well casing 404 unhindered by the filter cloth 408. The filter cloth 408 is held in the casing piece 404 by being sandwiched between a shoulder 410 on the collar 412 and the conduit end 414. The end 414 of the conduit for the piece 404 comprises several fluid conduits 372, a center hole 370 and an electrical conduit 374, all one behind the other. , through the multiline pump section 406 with corresponding conduits in the multiline casing 366. In addition, the casing piece 404 includes drive and marker flanges that fit respectively drive and marker recesses in the multiline pump section 406. As noted above, the seal 86 will ensure pressure integrity between the corresponding conduits for the casing section 404 and the multiline pump section 406.

As mentioned in figure 4, the fluid line pipe will open at the bottom of the well hole through nozzle openings 416. As will be apparent from the drawing, nozzle openings of different diameters can be made for different needs.

Figure 27 further shows telemetry lines 376 in the casing piece 404 and in the multiline pump part 406. Electrical connector piece 418 in the conduit piece will seal the intermediate connector piece 126 and the casing connector piece 420 will provide continuity for the telemetry lines 376 to the sensor chamber 422. The sensor chamber 422 in the casing piece 404 is shown in detail in figure 28 In Figure 26, there are several sensors, one of which is shown with reference number 424, at the end of the sensor chamber 422. The sensor chamber 422 comprises several threaded inlets 426 to which an outer threaded sensor 424 is attached. This arrangement is very similar to a threaded fuse in an electrical junction box, except that a gasket 428 is provided to prevent fluid from leaking into the sensor chamber 424. Spring-loaded sensor contacts 430 provide continuity from the sensor element 424 to the telemetry leads 376.

This construction is very advantageous as a number of sensor elements 424 can be selected and fixed in a casing piece 404 to sense particular parameters in the well which can be expected to be critical for production in this particular type of well. Amplifiers and other detection equipment in the monitoring and control panel 394 can be connected in accordance with the type of sensors 424 installed in the casing piece 404, so that the particular parameters that are sensed can be converted into usable indications of such parameters. If it should also be desirable to use more sensor elements 424 and telemetry lines 376 than can be accommodated by a single electrical line pipe 374, other fluid line pipes can be supplied with telemetry lines and corresponding connectors to provide extra capacity for the sensor equipment. With reference to Figure 27, the collar 412 attaches the pipeline end 414 to the multiline pump part 406 by means of corresponding internal and external threads. The multiline pump part 406 has a center hole 432 that serves as a cylinder in which the pump piston 434 moves to force the production fluid upward. The pump piston 434 includes conventional peripheral seals 436 to prevent a fluid leak above and below the pump piston 434. Upon impact of the pump piston 434, production fluid is forced up through the passage 440 through the open control valve 438 and to the top of the pump piston 434. Upon the opening of the piston 434, the control valve will 438 is closed and the production fluid is forced upwards to the surface storage tanks (not shown).

The foregoing shows the advantages of a multi-conductor pipe used in a casing. Due to several conduit pipes, a number of access or access channels are available at the bottom of the borehole whereby several parameters in the well can be sensed and with the help of different fluid conduit pipes, the total well production can be managed more efficiently.

Although the preferred embodiments of the method and equipment have been shown with reference to particular constructions of pipes, conduits, couplings, etc. it is to be understood that many changes in the details can be made based on a design choice, without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. In fact, the person skilled in the art will easily e.g. could incorporate the adapter's properties directly into a drill pipe or a drill bit. And it is also not necessary to utilize all the different advantages in the present invention into a single composite tube in order to realize the individual advantages. Moreover, the scope of the invention is not limited to the details described here, but must be brought in accordance with the scope of the requirements which include any and all applicable equipment and methods.

Claims (1)

Method for controlling the extraction of production fluid from a production well, CHARACTERIZED BY monitoring several parameters in the well from the outside of the well using signals from a sensor in the well, defining limit values for each parameter, and pumping at least one of several different selected fluids independently of each other and at the same time down into the well through lines belonging to the individual fluids if the signals indicate that the limit value for one or more parameters has been exceeded, in order to bring the parameters back within the limit values.