RU2588508C2 - Bypass arrangement of gravel filter - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: oil and gas industry.

SUBSTANCE: group of inventions relates to oil and gas industry, to designs of gravel packs. Gravel pack operation disposes slurry from an inner string into annulus around a shoe track. Device includes body defining first and second body ports communicating body passage with borehole, an inner string in body passage with an outlet port. Inner string in a first selective position selectively seals outlet port with first body port and communicating gravel pack slurry to borehole. Inner string moved to a second selective position seals outlet port with second body port. First screen disposed on body between first body port and toe and passing fluid returns of gravel pack slurry from borehole into body passage. Bypass is located on body and communicates body passage on one side of first body port with body passage on another side of first body port. Bypass passes fluid returns in body passage past outlet port of inner string.

EFFECT: simplified development of gravel pack, ruling out seizure and erosion service tool.

31 cl, 21 dwg

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Some oil and gas wells are completed in unconsolidated formations containing unbound fine material and sand. When fluids are extracted from such wells, unbound fine material and sand can migrate with the produced fluids and can damage equipment such as electric submersible pumps (ESPs) and other systems. For this reason, finishes may require filters to control the entry of sand.

Horizontal wells that require sand control usually go through completion with open hole. In the past, the use of autonomous sand filters in these horizontal open-hole trunks prevailed. At the same time, operators also use the installation of gravel filters in these horizontal uncased trunks to combat the entry of sand. Gravel is a particulate material specially selected for particle size, such as sorted sand or proppant, which is packed around a sand filter in the annular space of a wellbore. The gravel used acts as a filter, preventing the migration of any formation fine particles and sand with produced fluids.

The prior art gravel pack 20 shown in FIG. 1A extends from the packer 14 to the bottom from the casing 12 in the wellbore 10, which is a horizontal open hole. To combat the flow of sand, operators undertake the filling of the annular space between the assembly 20 and the wellbore 10 with gravel (granular material) by pumping a suspension of fluid and gravel into the wellbore 10 to fill the annular space. For a horizontal open hole 10, operators can use the alpha-beta wave technique (or water fill) to fill the annular space. In this technique, a low viscosity fluid, such as a completion brine, is used to transfer gravel. Arrangement 20 in FIG. 1A represents such an alpha beta type.

First, the operators install the wash pipe 40 into the filter 25 and pump the suspension of fluid and gravel down the inner workstring 45. The suspension passes through the window 32 in the sub 30 into the annular space between the filter 25 and the wellbore 10. As shown, the sub 30 is installed close to the gravel packer 14 from the bottom of the well and from the side of the well from the filter 25. The sub window 32 diverts the slurry flow from the inner work string 45 into the annular space from the bottom of the packer 14. At the same time, another window 34 the sub transfers the flow of the solution returning from the well from the flushing pipe 40 into the annular space of the casing from the side of the wellhead from the packer 14.

When the operation begins, the suspension moves from the sub window 32 into the annular space. The fluid carrier in the slurry then leaves through the formation and / or through the filter 25. However, the filter 25 prevents the passage of gravel in the slurry into the filter 25. Fluids passing separately through the filter 25 can then be returned through the sub window 34 and into the annular space over packer 14.

When the fluid leaves, the gravel falls out of suspension and is initially laid along the bottom side of the annular space of the wellbore. Gravel is collected in tiers 16a, 16b, etc., which advance from heel to toe in the form of the so-called alpha wave. Since the wellbore 10 is horizontal, gravitational forces dominate the formation of the alpha wave, and gravel is deposited along the lower side to the lift height in the equilibrium position along the filter 25.

When the alpha wave filling the gravel pack is completed, the gravel begins to collect in tiers (not shown) of the beta wave. A wave forms along the upper side of the filter 25, starting from the toe and advancing towards the heel of the filter 25. Here, also, a gravel-bearing fluid can pass through the filter 25 and up the wash pipe 40. To complete the beta wave, the gravel filter must be created in order to fill sufficient fluid velocity to maintain turbulent flow and to move gravel along the upper side of the annular space. For recirculation after this point, operators must mechanically reconfigure sub 30 to allow flushing of pipe 40.

Although the alpha-beta technique may be economically feasible due to the low viscosity fluid carrier and the ability to use conventional types of filters, in some situations it may be necessary to use a viscous fluid filling technique using an alternative route. In this technique, shunts located on the filter discharge the pumped filling suspension along the outside of the filter. In FIG. 1B shows an example arrangement 20 with shunts 50 and 52 (only two are shown). In general, shunts 50/52 for transportation and filling are attached eccentrically to the filter 25. Transport shunts 50 feed the filling shunts 52 with suspension, and the suspension exits the nozzles 54 on the filling shunts 52. By using shunts 50/52 for transportation and filling during filling the gravel pack, you can bypass the high absorption zone in the wellbore 10, which cause the formation of jumpers and disrupt the filling of the gravel pack.

The gravel pack arrangements 20 for the two techniques known in the art, shown in FIG. 1A-1B have a number of problems and disadvantages. During the gravel pack filling operation in a horizontal well, for example, the 32/34 sub window may need to be reconfigured several times. During proppant fracturing, the slurry pumped under high pressure and high flow rate may in some cases dehydrogenate the internal volume in the sub assembly 30 and the associated sliding sleeve (not shown). Under adverse conditions, precipitated sand or dehydrogenated slurry can pick up service tools and can even lead to clogging of the well with scrap metal. In addition, the sub 30 is susceptible to erosion during fracking and gravel pack installation, and the sub 30 can be caught in the packer 14, which can lead to extremely difficult fishing operations in the well.

To install a gravel pack in some open-hole wells, the Reverse-Port Uphill Openhole Gravel Pack system was developed, developed as described in SPE 122765, under the name “World's First Reverse-Port uphill Open Hole Gravel Pack with Swellable Packers” ( Jensen et al. 1009). This system provides filling the gravel filter in an upwardly uncased borehole using a window directed to the toe of the well.

The present invention aims to overcome or at least reduce the impact of one or more of the problems set forth above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A device for removing excess suspension and a method for filling a gravel filter allows removal of excess suspension from the inner column into the annular space around the gravel pack assembly. In general, the device has a body with a body channel supporting communication from heel to toe, and a part of the body on the toe side may have a shoe fitting with a column shoe with a check valve. The housing, however, can be any part of the gravel pack assembly located at some point in the wellbore and not necessarily located on the shoe nozzle. Nevertheless, it is possible to refer to the housing, to the shoe nozzle, or being a part thereof, for convenience.

The shoe socket (i.e., the housing) forms a flow passage window supporting the housing channel from outside the shoe socket to the surrounding annular space of the wellbore.

The first saddles located inside the aisle of the shoe pipe provide seals on the inner column with the ability to seal on the outlet windows of the column in hydraulic communication with the windows of the passage of the shoe pipe. The bypass, located on the shoe socket, supports the communication of the housing channel on one side of the flow passage windows with the other side. For example, this bypass may be an internal pipe or channel supporting the downhole end of the internal passage of the shoe with the end from the wellhead. Alternatively, the bypass may be an outer pipe, for example, a shunt pipe located outside of the shoe and extending from one side of the flow passage windows to the other.

The valve is mounted on a shoe nozzle and can regulate or selectively open and close the hydraulic message through the flow passage windows. In general, the gate valve may be a check valve, a sliding sleeve, a rotating sleeve, a burst disk, a filter, etc. As a sliding sleeve, for example, the valve can be moved by a switching tool on the inner column to open or close the hydraulic communication through the flow passage windows. Moving the coupling can also open and close the hydraulic message through the bypass.

Alternatively, the bypass can always remain open and allow fluid to flow through it.

When the gate valve is open and the outlet windows of the column are sealed in hydraulic communication together with the shoe passage flow passage windows, excess suspension in the inner string can be pumped in the annular space of the wellbore around the shoe, supplying excess suspension from the outlet windows of the column into the annular space of the wellbore through the passage windows shoe shoe flow. When this happens, excess gravel is collected around the shoe, and the fluid returning from the well in the annular space of the wellbore passes back into the shoe through a filter located on the shoe between the flow passage windows and the toe.

When the fluid returning from the well passes through it, the filter prevents the passage of at least a portion of the solids in the returning fluid from the well into the shoe, so that gravel should fill the annular space of the wellbore around the shoe. Once inside the shoe, the fluid returning from the well is bypassed from the wellhead side from the sealed outlet windows and flow passage windows, passing at the wellhead through bypass around the flow passage windows. At this point, the fluid returning from the well may flow at the wellhead in a gravel pack arrangement.

The shoe nozzle may have a column shoe with a check valve on the toe of the shoe nozzle. For washing, the inner column can be moved to a selective position in the shoe pipe to seal one of its seals on one of the seats of the shoe pipe. In this case, the outlet sections of the tool on the shoe with check valve are isolated, so that the flushing fluid can be pumped from the shoe pipe and around the annular space of the wellbore.

A shoe device may include other components for installing a gravel pack. For example, portions of the device from the wellhead side of the shoe may have additional flow passage windows, saddles, and filters. The inner string can be moved to selective positions in the sealing device of the outlet ports of the column along with these other flow passage windows, and the inner string can transfer the slurry from the outlet windows to the annular space of the wellbore. The slurry stream on these other flow passage windows can be used to fill the filter with gravel or fracture using proppant in the wellbore around various parts of the device during the process of filling the gravel filter from toe to heel. Some of these various parts of the device can also be isolated from each other by packers or the like.

The foregoing summary does not describe possible individual embodiments or aspects of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In FIG. 1A-1B show prior art gravel pack arrangements.

In FIG. 2 shows a gravel pack assembly according to the present invention with filter sections separated by packers.

In FIG. 3A-3B show portions of the gravel pack assembly of FIG. 2 during flushing the well.

In FIG. 4A-4B show portions of the gravel pack assembly of FIG. 2 while filling the annular space around the shoe.

In FIG. 5 shows another arrangement of a gravel pack according to the present invention with filter sections separated by packers and with a bypass arrangement located on a shoe nozzle.

In FIG. 6A shows portions of a gravel pack assembly of FIG. 5 during flushing the well.

In FIG. 6B shows a typical end section of the bypass arrangement of FIG. 5 with a sliding sleeve, bypass channels and flow passage windows.

In FIG. 6C-1 and 6C-2 show characteristic sections of the bypass arrangement of FIG. 5 with a sliding sleeve configured to open and close both bypass channels and flow passage windows.

In FIG. 7 shows portions of the gravel pack assembly of FIG. 5 during sand removal.

In FIG. 8A-8B show portions of the gravel pack assembly of FIG. 5 with alternative bypass channels.

In FIG. 9A-9B show portions of the gravel pack assembly of FIG. 5 with bypass channels in the form of external pipes.

In FIG. 10A-10C illustrate a possible method for incorporating the disclosed bypass arrangement into one of the gravel pack assembly sections.

In FIG. 11 shows another arrangement of a gravel pack with a bypass arrangement according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In FIG. 2 shows a gravel pack arrangement 100 with a liner 170 extending from a liner suspension 14 and having several gravel pack sections 102A-C separated by insulating elements 104. The layout 100 creates several separated reservoir zones, so that several gravel pack filling or fracturing operations using proppant can be performed separately in each zone. The insulating elements 104 and gravel pack sections 102A-C are deployed in the well in one run. The insulating members 104, referred to herein as convenience packers, may have one packer or combination of packers to isolate gravel pack sections 102A-C from each other. Any suitable packers can be used, including hydraulic or hydrostatic packers 106 and swellable packers 107, for example, used individually or in combination with each other, as shown.

Each gravel pack section 102A-C may be similar to the gravel pack configurations disclosed in the U.S. patent application included. Pat. Appl. No. 12/913981. In addition, each gravel pack section 102A-C has two filters 140A-B, alternative path devices or shunts 150 and casings 130A-B with flow passage windows 132A-B, although any of the other disclosed embodiments may be used. In addition, each section 102A-C may have other components disclosed in the U.S. patent application included. Pat. Appl. No. 12/913981. Finally, various details of using a service tool to install a packer on a liner suspension 14 and to perform other steps are discussed in detail in the U.S. patent application included. Pat. Appl. No. 12/913981, so they are not repeated here.

Briefly describing the gravel filling of the filter assembly 100, the inner column 110 is first deployed to the first gravel pack section 102A and a flushing is performed. After flushing and installing the packers 104 in the operating position in the layout 100, you can start the operation of filling the filter with gravel or hydraulic fracturing using proppant. The outlet ports 112 of the column with their seals 114 are isolated in fluid communication with the bottom flow passage windows 132A in the first gravel pack section 102A to fill the gravel pack or fracture the pack using proppant in the surrounding zone from heel to toe configuration.

When the filling on these windows 132A is completed, the inner column 110 can again move so that the outlet windows 112 are isolated on the upper flow passage windows 132B connected to the shunts 150. The slurry pumped down inside the column 110 may then fill the annular space around the lower end of the first gravel pack section 102A. The operations can then be continued, repeating the same steps, advancing towards the wellhead, for each of the gravel pack sections 102B-C separated by packers 104.

As indicated above, the operators first flush the assembly 100 before installing the gravel pack. In FIG. 3A-3B, layout portions 100 are shown configured for flushing. From the side of the wellhead in FIG. 3A, the service tool 18 is mounted on the liner suspension 14 in the casing 12, and the seals 16 on the service tool 18 are not sealed in the liner suspension 14, while hydrostatic pressure can be transmitted bypassing the seals 16. From the bottom side in FIG. 3B, the distal end of the inner column 110 extends snugly through the filter sections 140A-B of the lower section 102A, and one of the column seals 114 is sealed on the seat 124 near the column shoe 122 with a check valve in the shoe 110 of the assembly.

The operators circulate the fluid down the inner column 110, and the fluid flow circulates from the non-return valve in the column shoe 122, up the annular space and around the shank packer 14 that is not installed in the working position (Fig. 3A). The fluid returning from the well may also pass in assembly 100 through filters 140A-B and pass to the wellhead bypassing the liner suspension 14.

On the bottom side, bypass 200A is located near the column shoe 122 with a check valve and can provide fluid to the passage to the annular space of the wellbore during this process. Bypass assembly 200A may be a check valve, a portion of the filter, a moving sleeve, or other suitable device that allows flow of returning wash solution, but not gravel, from the annulus of the wellbore to assembly 100. In fact, bypass assembly 200A, as a filter portion, may have any desired length in the shoe 120, depending on the implementation.

During flushing, the bypass 200A (if it is a filter or the like) can allow the circulation fluid to exit the shoe 120 and pass into the annular space of the wellbore, since the circulation fluid also allows the check shoe 122 to exit the check valve. If a bypass valve is used in the bypass 200A that allows the flushing solution leaving the well to enter the shoe 120, the fluid flow from the bypass 200A may be throttled during the flushing. If a moving sleeve is used in the bypass 200A, the fluid flow into and out of the bypass 200A can be throttled during flushing by closing the sleeve, which can perform a suitable biasing device on the inner column 110, for example.

After washing, the gravel pack can be filled by moving the inner string 110 to the flow passage window 132A to gravel fill the annular space of the wellbore from the toe to the heel. After gravel filling the filter at this first position, the inner column 110 can be moved to the next flow passage windows 132B to further gravel fill the annular space around the shoe and / or to remove excess slurry from the inner column 110.

As discussed in U.S. Patent Application Pat. Appl. No. 12/913981, for example, operators can remove excess slurry from the inner column 110 during the installation of the gravel pack. The space outside the shoe 120 provides free space to remove any excess gravel remaining in the inner column 110 after filling the gravel pack with one or more sections 102A-B. Operators can also intentionally fill a gravel pack around a shoe 120, as opposed to using the latter to remove excess slurry.

Since the shoe 120 has a column shoe 122 with a check valve that allows fluid to flow out of the shoe 120 and prevents inflow into the shoe 120, a path is required for fluids returning from the well when the suspension is pumped into the annular space of the wellbore around the shoe 120 to remove excess slurry from the inner column 110. A method for removing slurry around the shoe 120 is shown in FIG. 4A-4B, which shows portions of an arrangement 100 configured to remove sand.

As shown, during sand removal, operators deploy the inner column 110 to the second flow passage windows 132B on the gravel pack section 102A by the shoe 120. This can be done after the sand falls when the slurry is pumped on the first flow passage windows 132A of the first section of the windowed casing 130A or after filling the gravel pack in other gravel pack sections (for example, sections 102B-C in layout 100 of FIG. 2). In any case, the operators perform the operation of removing excess sand to clean the inner column 110 of excess slurry or for the planned filling of the gravel filter around the shoe 120.

To accomplish this, operators install an inner column 110, as shown in FIG. 4A-4B. Here, the column seals 114 interact with the seats 134 around the second flow passage windows 132B between the filter sections 140A-B.

The operators then pump the slurry down through the inner column 110 to the outlet ports 112, and the slurry passes from the outlet ports 112 and through the ports 132B of the flow passage casing.

In general, the suspension may pass directly from flow passage windows 132B into the surrounding annular space, if desired. This is possible if one or more flow passage windows 132B communicate directly with the annular space and do not communicate with one of the alternative path devices or shunt 150. Anyway, the suspension may pass from the flow passage windows 132B and into alternative path devices or shunts 150 for placement elsewhere in the surrounding annulus. As shown here, shunts 150 may feed the suspension to the toe around shoe shoe 120. Although shunts 150 are shown in a specific manner, any desired device and number of transport and filling devices for an alternate route can be used to feed and deliver the suspension.

Depending on the implementation option, this second stage of pumping the suspension can be used to further fill the gravel filter in the wellbore 10. Alternatively, as indicated above, pumping the slurry through shunts 150 allows operators to remove excess slurry from the casing 110 into the annular space of the wellbore around the shoe 120 without reversing the flow in the casing from the main flow direction (i.e., to the casing windows 112). This is different from the usual practice of reversing the flow direction by pumping fluid down the annular space to remove excess slurry from the column.

In this case, shunts 150 attached to the windowed casing 130B above the lower filter section 140A can be used to remove excess gravel from the inner column 110 around the shoe pipe 120 (and, if necessary, inside the shoe pipe 120 itself). As shown in FIG. 4B, the suspension passes from the outlet ports 112, through the flow passage windows 132B and through the shunts 150. From the shunts 150, the suspension exits through the side windows or nozzles 154 in the shunts 150 and fills the annular space around the shoe pipe 120. This provides an alternative path to the gravel pack, different from the main path of the arrangement of the filling from the toe to the heel of the annular space with gravel.

The shunts 150 carry the suspension down into the lower filter section 140A, so that the flushing pipe does not need to be installed in the shoe 120. However, the bypass assembly 200A installed in the arrangement 100 near the column shoe 122 with a check valve allows fluid to enter during this process to layout 100.

As indicated above, the bypass assembly 200A may be a check valve, a portion of the filter, a coupling, or other suitable device that allows the flow of flushing solution exiting the well but not gravel from the wellbore to the assembly 100. As a filter, the bypass assembly 200A may have any the required length along the shoe 120, depending on the embodiment, so that the size of the bypass arrangement 200A shown is only illustrative.

The fluid returning from the well enters the shoe 120 through this bypass arrangement 200A, and the fluid returning from the well exits the first filter section 140A through the surrounding gravel and back to the upper filter section 140B. This provides a returning fluid from the well bore around the sealed windows 112 and 132B. The fluid returning from the well can then pass to the wellhead in the annulus between the inner string 110 and the assembly 100, thereby reaching the liner suspension 14 and the service tool 18 not set to working position.

At some point, operations may achieve a “sanding out” condition or an increase in pressure when pumping the slurry through the flow passage windows 132B. At this time, a valve, bursting disc, or other closing device 156 in shunts 150 may open, so that the gravel in suspension can fill the interior of the shoe 120 after removing excess gravel around the shoe 120. In this method, operators can remove more excess gravel inside shoe nozzle 120. When this happens, the fluid returning from the well may pass from the lower filter section 140A, through the gravel laid and back through the upper passage filter section 140B wellhead.

In other bypass arrangements, the lower casing 130A or other sections of the gravel pack assembly 100 may have a bypass, another shunt, or the like, which can be used to deliver fluid returning from the well past the seals 114 and seats 134 and to the wellhead. Details of other bypass arrangements according to the present invention are discussed below.

In FIG. 5 shows another gravel pack arrangement 100 with a liner 170 extending from the liner suspension 14 and with several gravel pack sections 102A-C separated by packers 104 located in the wellbore 10. This gravel pack arrangement 100 may also be the same layout discussed above and the layout disclosed in the U.S. patent application included. Pat. Appl. No. 12/913981.

Layout 100 has another embodiment of a shoe 120 with a bypass layout 200B at the end of the gravel pack layout 100. As shown, the bypass arrangement 200B and the shoe 120 may be separate sections on the gravel pack 100, separated from the gravel pack sections 102A-B by one or more packers 104.

Alternatively, the bypass arrangement 200B may be included in the gravel pack section 102A at the end of the arrangement 100 without being separated from the section 102A, similarly to other bypass devices of FIG. 3A-3B and 4A-4B.

After gravel filling the other gravel pack sections 102A-B, the operators preferably remove excess slurry from the inner column 110, as described above, and use the space outside the shoe pipe 120 to lay the gravel remaining in the inner column 110. Accordingly, the inner column 110 is deployed on the shoe pipe. 120, and the excess slurry is pumped down and leaves the inner string 110 into the annular space of the wellbore around the shoe 120, as discussed above. Meanwhile, the bypass arrangement 200B allows the fluid returning from the well to the bottom filter 220 and bypasses the windows 112 of the inner string so that the fluid returning from the well can pass to the wellhead surface equipment.

Additional details of the shoe 120 and bypass assembly 200B are shown in FIG. 6A-7. Shown in FIG. 6A, the bypass assembly 200B has flow passage windows 210, a filter 220, and a bypass channel 230. The flow passage windows 210 are in communication with the annular space of the wellbore. To control the flow rate of fluid passing through these flow passage windows 210, the inner seats 214 are located on the wellhead and downhole sides of the flow passage windows 210 to interact with the seals of the inner string, as discussed below. The return device can also be used in which internal seals located on the wellhead and bottom side of the well from flow passage windows 210 can interact with saddles of the inner string.

As an additional option for controlling flow through the flow passage windows 210, as shown, the bypass arrangement 200B also has a valve 240. The valve 240 can selectively open and close a hydraulic message through the flow passage windows 210. When, for example, the valve 240 is closed, the passage of fluid returning from the well, annular fluid fluids, gravel, and the like is prevented. back to shoe 120 during flushing, operation, or other operations. When, at the same time, the valve 240 is open, the suspension is allowed to pass from the flow passage windows 210, so that gravel filling of the shoe pipe 120 in the annular space of the wellbore can be performed. Shown in FIG. 6A, the use of a gate valve 240 may not be required in all embodiments. In other words, to control the hydraulic communication, it is enough to install seals on the inner column in the bypass arrangement of 200V (or to install windows on the inner column relative to the seals on the bypass arrangement of 200V).

Various forms of gate valve 240 may be used to control or selectively open and close hydraulic communication through flow passage windows 210. For example, the gate valve 240 may include a sliding sleeve, a rotary sleeve, a filter, a check valve that allows the passage of flow from the shoe 120, but prevents inflow into it, a burst disk, or other device for selectively allowing / throttling hydraulic communication through the flow passage windows 210 . The indicated can be used individually or in combination with each other. As specifically shown in FIG. 6A, the valve 240 is a sliding sleeve that can be slid open and closed relative to the flow passage windows 210. The sliding sleeve 240 can be shifted using a sliding tool 116 known in the art.

The bypass channels 230 in this device are internal channels or channels formed in the bypass arrangement 200B and bypassing the seats 214 and flow passage windows 210. Although shown intersecting, flow passage windows 210 and bypass channels 230 are actually offset from each other around the circumference of the shoe 120, so that they do not intersect with each other. For example, in FIG. 6B shows an end section of a 200V bypass arrangement with bypass channels 230 and exhaust ports 210 offset around the circumference of a 200V bypass arrangement. Other configurations can also be used.

As indicated above, the sliding sleeve 240 can be moved within the arrangement 200B to open or close the flow passage windows 210. Meanwhile, bypass channels 230 can always remain open, and flow passage windows 210 can open and close. Alternatively, moving the sliding sleeve 240 may also open and close the hydraulic communication through the bypass channels 230. As an example, in FIG. 6C-1 and 6C-2 show examples of sections of a bypass arrangement 200B with a sliding sleeve 240 moving in the arrangement 200B.

When the clutch 240, as shown in FIG. 6C-1, moves to close the flow passage windows 210, a portion of the coupling 240 cuts off the channels 230 in the 200B arrangement. In this example, channels 230 may extend longitudinally through assembly 200B and may have a portion that extends peripherally. A valve, spool, or other element 241 of the coupling 240 may interrupt the hydraulic communication through the peripheral portion of the channel 230. In contrast, when the coupling 240, as shown in FIG. 6C-2, moves, opening the outlet windows 210, the valve 241 of the coupling 240 opens the hydraulic communication channels 230 in the layout 200V.

In FIG. 6C-1 and 6C-2 show only one option for opening and closing hydraulic communication for both flow passage windows 210 and channels 230 with coupling 240 moving. The person skilled in the art will understand that various subassemblies, seals, and etc. should be required to construct the presented and it is also clear that other devices can be used to open and close the flow passage windows 210 and channels 230 with a sliding sleeve or other valve 240 according to the present invention.

In turn, the filter 220 in FIG. 6A may be any suitable filter for use in the downhole zone of the well and may be a wire-wound filter, a slotted shank, a wire mesh filter, etc. In addition, the filter 220 may have any desired length along the shoe 110, depending on the implementation. Together, the filter 220 and the bypass channels 230 allow the fluid returning from the well during sand removal, described below, to go up the annular space between the inner column 110 and the shoe area 120.

Specifically in FIG. 6A, the arrangement 100 of the shoe 120 and the bypass arrangement 200B are shown configured for initial flushing. The inner string 110 is deployed in the shoe 120, and one of the seals 114 at the end of the inner string 110 is sealed inside the shoe 120 on the seat 214 from the bottom of the well. Operators pump the flushing solution through the inner column 110, and the circulation fluid passes through the check valve 126 in the column shoe 122 and exits the shoe windows 124.

When the circulation fluid flows out of the column shoe 122 with a non-return valve, the fluid flows up the annular space and around the liner suspension packer 14, which is not installed in the working position, from the wellhead side of the assembly 100. The circulation fluid may also exit the bypass filter 220 layout, which may not cause problems during the flushing procedure. Closed sleeve 240 on shoe pipe 120 also overlaps the flow passage windows 210 on shoe shoe 120. In addition, closed sleeve 240 may block communication through bypass channel 230, if configured to act in this way.

In FIG. 7, the arrangement 100 of the shoe 120 and the bypass arrangement 200B is shown configured for the sand removal operation. As discussed above, operators preferably remove excess slurry from the inner column 110 after installing the gravel pack of one or more sections (102) and can use the space outside the shoe 120 to remove any slurry remaining in the inner column 110.

As shown in FIG. 7, seals 114 of the inner string are mounted and sealed on the saddles 214 from the wellhead side of the bypass filter 220 in the sand removal position. In the seal 114, elastomeric or other type of seal may be used located on the inner column 110, and the seats 214 may be polished seats or surfaces inside the shoe 120 to interact with the seals 114. The suspension is pumped through the inner column 110 and the pumped suspension exits the column 110 and passes through windows 112 and 210, which direct the suspension into the annular space of the wellbore. When this happens, the suspension begins to fill the annular space around the column shoe 120 with a check valve. (Shunt 150 or the like can be used to direct the suspension, if required).

When the suspension fills the annulus, the fluid returning from the well passes through a filter 220, which prevents gravel from entering gravel pack 100. The returning fluid passes up the shoe area 120 to the bypass channels 230. Here, the bypass channels 230 allow the returning fluid from the well upward from the shoe pipe 120 and past the valve 240, seats 214, and flow passage windows 210. This allows the fluid returning from the well to pass around the interacting seals 114 and seats 214, bypassing the inner string 210. As indicated above, the bypass channels 230 can always be open, or can be opened and closed by moving the sleeve 240. In other words, the sliding slip couplings 240 may open and close hydraulic communication through bypass channel 230, as well as flow passage windows 210.

Leaving the bypass channels 230 from the side of the wellhead from the seats 214 and seals 114, the fluid returning from the well enters the annulus between the inner string 110 and the liner 170. As a result, the fluid returning from the well exits the liner 170 to the casing 12. In this way the fluid returning from the well can be supplied all the way to the wellhead in the arrangement 100, which does not require entry into the inner string 110.

To prevent any possible entry of sand into the bypass channels 230, the channel inlets can be protected by sand filters (not shown). As is known, sand capable of collecting above the inner column 110 may cause the column 110 to seize. Therefore, an additional filter at the inlet of the bypass channels 230 may further prevent sand from entering the space above the closure sleeve 240.

As shown in FIG. 7, the bypass channels 230 may be one or more channels formed in the housing 200B and bypassing the seat 214, the windows 210 and the sliding sleeve 240. For its part, the sleeve 240 can be switched by moving the tool and an acceptable shifting device 116 on the inner column 110 to move relative to the exhaust ports 210 between open and closed positions. (The biasing device 116 may be mounted elsewhere on the column 110, which is different from the location shown in the figures, and the biasing device 116 may be configured to open and close the couplings 240 in opposite directions using elements well known in the art).

The 200V bypass arrangement can use several different types of bypass channels. As shown in FIG. 8A-8B, for example, channels 232 for bypass arrangement 200B may have various configurations and may be performed on portions of seats 214. In another alternative, shown in FIG. 9A-9B, shunt pipes or other pipes located outside the shoe 120 may be used for the channels 234 to allow passage of the fluid returning from the well outward from the windows 210 and the coupling 240 and then back into the space between the inner string 110 and the shoe zone 120. It is understood that for the benefit of the present invention, data and other configurations can be used for bypass channels.

These other configurations may provide some additional benefits. For example, inputs to channels 232 of FIG. 8A-8B have openings 233 made on a gun barrel for drilling weapon trunks transverse to the surface of the saddle 214 from the bottom of the well. As shown in FIG. 8A, the inner string 110 can be installed in a bypass arrangement 200B with a seal 114 on the bottom side of the well, installed on the side of the wellhead from the holes 233 made on the gun barrel drilling machine for channels 232. In this position, the holes 233 of the channels 232 can receive returning from the well fluid entering filter 220 during sand removal, so that channels 232 can bypass exhaust ports 210 and seals 114, as described above.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 8B, the inner column 110 can be installed with a seal 114, from the bottom side of the holes 233 made on the gun barrel drilling machine, essentially isolating the channels 232 from the lower portion of the shoe 120. In this position, the openings 233 of the channels 232 can receive fluid exiting from the interior windows 112 of the column, without a passage to the shoe 120. In addition, the reverse flow can transfer fluid from the wellhead in layout 100 to the channels 232 and to the windows 112 of the inner column. The versatility of this configuration can have several advantages for other procedures, such as washing the components, performing the injection of chemicals and other operations known in the art.

Shunt pipe channels 234 shown in FIG. 9A, with their inlets 235 located in the saddle 214 on the bottom side of the well, can offer similar channels 232 shown in FIG. 8A-8B, advantages. In addition, the shunt pipe channels 234 of FIG. 9B show how the inlets 235 can be installed at a certain distance down to the shoe area 120, which can prevent interference at the inlets 235 from any of the components of the inner column 110 located in the bypass assembly 200B.

Although the bypass arrangement 200B is shown at the end of the gravel pack assembly 100 on the shoe 120, it is understood that other parts of the arrangement 100 may also include elements of such a bypass arrangement 200B. For example, gravel pack section 102 of FIG. 2 or 5, in which there is no shoe nozzle and column shoe with non-return valve, may include elements of an open bypass arrangement 200B. In general, the housing of such a section 102 may be similar to that shown previously, but should not have a column shoe with a check valve at its end, so that the inner channel may communicate with another gravel pack section 102 located on the bottom side.

As an example, in FIG. 10A-10B show how the bypass arrangement 200C can be included in one of the sections of the gravel pack 102B of the arrangement 100. As shown, the arrangement 100 has many components similar to those discussed above, so that they are not described again. However, gravel pack sections, such as section 102B shown in detail, include a bypass assembly 200C according to the present invention included in a lower windowed housing 130A. The other section 102A has a bypass arrangement 200C together with a column shoe with check valve.

As shown in FIG. 10A, section 102B includes a lower windowed casing 130A with flow passage windows 132A, a lower filter section 140A, an upper windowed casing 130B with flow passage windows 132B, shunt tubes 150, and upper filter section 140B, which are configured similarly to the devices described above. The lower casing 130A includes a bypass filter 220 and bypass channels (i.e., shunt pipe channels 234 in this image). Windows 132A of the flow passage on the casing 130A have seats 214 and a closing or sliding sleeve 240.

During filling of the gravel pack, the outlet windows 112 of the inner column can be insulated with the flow passage windows 132A, and the sliding sleeve 240 can be opened. The slurry pumped down the inner string 110 may exit the windows 112 and 132A to fill with gravel the annular space of the wellbore around this section 102B. The suspension should extend to the wellhead for laying gravel around the filter sections 140A-B in a toe-to-heel configuration. Some of the suspension may pass to the bottom of the well with fluid returning from the well coming through bypass filter 220 and passing through bypass channels 234.

When the filling of the gravel pack is completed on these first flow passage windows 132A, the inner column 110 can be lifted to the next stage so that the outlet windows 112 communicate with the upper flow passage windows 132B which communicate with the shunt tubes 150. As shown in FIG. 10A-10B, shunt tubes 150 may end in the annular space 150 of the wellbore and may not communicate with the passage into the layout near the toe of this gravel pack section 102B, as in the previous examples.

With the string 110 in this position, the slurry pumped through the inner string 110 passes into the shunt tubes 150 and into the annular space of the wellbore near the toe of this gravel pack section 102B to fill this nose section or remove excess slurry. At this time, the fluid returning from the well from this second tier may enter assembly 100 through bypass filter 220, go up section 102B, and bypass insulated outlet windows 112 and flow passage windows 132B. To bypass the insulated windows 112 and 132B, the fluid returning from the well may exit the filter section 140A and enter through the filter section 140B, as in the devices described above (see, FIG. 4B). Alternatively, shown in FIG. 10C, the upper windowed shroud 130B in this arrangement 100 may have a similar bypass channel arrangement 236 for a more direct bypass path of insulated windows 112 and 132B returning from the wellbore fluid.

Although the disclosed bypass arrangements (i.e., 200A, 200B, and 200C) are shown with the toe-to-heel filling gravel pack 100, the disclosed bypass arrangement can be used with other gravel pack arrangements. For example, in FIG. 11 shows another gravel pack arrangement 100 ′ with a liner 170 extending from the liner suspension 14 and having a filter 145 separated by a packer 104. A bypass arrangement 200D, similar to those disclosed above, is installed from the wellhead from the filter 145.

Here, also, the shoe 120 at the end of the assembly 100 ′ may have an inner seat 124, so that the inner column 110 can be sealed with one of its seals 114 on it and circulate the flushing solution from the column shoe 122 with a non-return valve. After flushing, the inner string 110 can be raised to the bypass assembly 200D at a point from the wellhead side of the filter 145 and adjusted to fill the gravel pack.

As shown in detail in FIG. 11, the valve 240 opens (by a shifting device 116 or the like), and seals 114 on the inner string 110 are sealed with seats 214 within the arrangement 200D. Operators pump the slurry down the inner column 110, and the slurry passes from the windows 112 and 210, laying a gravel filter around the filter 145 in the usual heel to nose configuration. The fluid returning from the well passes through a filter 140 and goes up to the bypass assembly 200D. Inside assembly 200D, the fluid returning from the well passes into the channels, which are shown here as shunt pipe channels 234, although other configurations may be used. As a result, the fluid returning from the well may extend up the liner 170 and into the casing 12.

When filling the gravel pack is completed, the sliding sleeve 240 can be closed to prevent hydraulic communication with the annular space of the wellbore during operation. Shunt pipe channels 234 may remain unchanged since they should simply operate by supplying produced fluid or the like. along layout 100 ′. As this arrangement 100 ′ shows, the bypass arrangement 200D may function as an external sub located on the filter assembly 100 ′ itself. This device can greatly simplify the conventional components required to fill the wellbore with a gravel pack in the normal heel to toe configuration.

Although only one filter section 145 and one bypass arrangement 200D are shown in FIG. 11, the arrangement 100 ′ may have any number of filters 145 and bypass arrangements 200D located along its length. In addition, various packers can be used between the filter sections 145 and the bypass arrangements 200D to separate into separate zones of the wellbore 10.

The description of preferred and other embodiments does not limit the scope or applicability of the concepts of the invention set forth by the Applicants. For the present invention, it is understood that the elements of one embodiment can be combined with or replaced with the other described components in another embodiment. This document describes the use of gravel packs in wellbores, such as open hole wells. In general, these wellbores can be of any orientation, be vertical, horizontal, or directional. For example, a horizontal wellbore may be any directional section of a wellbore that forms an angle of 50 degrees or more and even more than 90 degrees relative to the vertical.

Disclosing in this document the concepts of the invention, applicants have all patent rights in accordance with the attached claims. Moreover, the attached claims include all modifications in full to the claims or their equivalents.

Claims (31)

1. A gravel pack device for a wellbore, comprising:
a casing with a casing channel supporting communication from the heel to the toe of the casing, forming the first and second casing windows connecting the casing channel to the wellbore; wherein the second case window is formed from the side of the wellhead from the first case window and is in fluid communication through the wellbore with the first case window;
an inner string expandable in the casing channel and forming an outlet window, wherein the inner column in the first selective position in the casing channel selectively seals the outlet window with the first casing window and transfers the gravel pack suspension to the wellbore; wherein the inner column, moved to the second selective position in the casing channel, selectively seals the outlet window together with the second casing window and transfers the suspension of the gravel filter from the inner column to the wellbore;
a first filter located on the housing between the first housing window and the toe and in fluid communication through the wellbore with the first and second housing windows, the first filter supporting the communication of the housing channel with the wellbore and passing the returning fluid from the well of the gravel pack suspension from the wellbore in the case channel; and
a bypass located on the casing and supporting the communication of the casing channel on one side of the first casing window with the casing channel on the other side of the first casing window, and the bypass passes the returning fluid from the well in the casing channel bypassing the outlet window of the inner column, selectively sealed with first case window. 2. The device according to claim 1, in which the bypass contains a pipe located outside the housing, and the pipe has an inlet supporting communication on one side of the first housing window, and has an outlet supporting communication on the other side of the first housing window. 3. The device according to claim 1, in which the bypass contains an internal channel made in the housing, the internal channel having an inlet supporting communication on one side of the first housing window, and has an outlet supporting communication on the other side of the first housing window. 4. The device according to claim 1, in which the bypass on one side of the first housing window contains a second filter that keeps at least part of the solid particles from the returning fluid from the well from entering the bypass. 5. The device according to claim 1, in which the first case window comprises a check valve, a sliding sleeve, a rotary sleeve, a burst disk or a filter that regulates hydraulic communication through the first case window. 6. The device according to claim 1, in which the first housing window comprises a valve located on the housing and selectively opening and closing hydraulic communication through the first housing window. 7. The device according to claim 6, in which the valve comprises a coupling located in the housing channel and moving between open and closed positions relative to the first housing window. 8. The device according to p. 6, in which the valve is configured to selectively open and close the hydraulic message through the bypass. 9. The device according to p. 1, in which the housing contains seats located on each side of the first case window, while the inner column contains seals located on each side of the outlet window and sealed with saddles. 10. The device according to claim 9, in which the inner column when moving to the first selective position in the housing channel seals the seals on the seats and isolates the outlet window in hydraulic communication with the first housing window. 11. The device according to claim 10, in which the bypass contains an inlet made in one of the seats, and when moving to a third selective position in the housing channel, the inner column seals the seals on the seats and isolates the outlet window in hydraulic communication with the first housing window and the bypass inlet . 12. The device according to p. 1, in which the housing forms a third housing window from the bottom from the first filter to the toe; wherein the third case window is in fluid communication through the wellbore with a first filter; and the inner column, moved to the third selective position in the housing channel, seals the outlet window in hydraulic communication with the third housing window. 13. The device according to p. 12, in which the third casing window contains a valve that allows the passage of fluid flow from the casing channel to the wellbore and preventing the passage of fluid flow from the wellbore to the casing channel. 14. The device according to claim 1, containing a second filter located on the housing from the wellhead side of the second housing window and in hydraulic communication through the wellbore with the first filter, while the second filter maintains the communication of the housing channel with the wellbore and passes back from well fluid is a suspension of the gravel pack from the wellbore into the body channel. 15. The device according to claim 1, containing a second filter located on the housing between the first and second housing windows and in fluid communication through the wellbore with the first filter, while the second filter maintains the communication of the housing channel with the wellbore and passes the fluid returning from the well a gravel pack suspension medium from the wellbore to the body channel. 16. The device according to claim 1, in which the casing comprises an alternative path device located along the casing and supporting the communication of the second casing window with the wellbore. 17. The device according to claim 1, in which the housing contains another bypass located on the housing and supporting the communication of the housing channel on one side of the second housing window with the housing channel of the other side of the second housing window. 18. The device according to claim 1, in which the housing contains an insulating element located on the side of the wellhead from the second housing window and isolating the sections of the wellbore from each other. 19. A gravel pack device for a wellbore, comprising:
a body with a body channel supporting communication from heel to toe, the body forming the first and second case windows connecting the body channel to the wellbore; wherein the second case window is formed from the side of the wellhead from the first case window and is in fluid communication through the wellbore with the first case window;
an internal column deployed with the possibility of movement in the body channel and forming an outlet window, while the internal column, moved to the first selective position in the body channel, selectively seals the outlet window with the first case window and transfers the suspension of the gravel filter from the inner column to the wellbore; the outlet window is selectively sealed with the first case window and transfers the suspension of the gravel filter to the wellbore; wherein the inner column, moved to the second selective position in the casing channel, selectively seals the outlet window together with the second casing window and transfers the suspension of the gravel filter from the inner column to the wellbore;
means located in hydraulic communication through the wellbore with the first and second case windows for separating sand in a fluid of a gravel pack suspension returning from the wellbore into the body channel; and
means located on the housing for bypassing the fluid returning from the well in the housing channel from one side of the first housing window to the other side of the first housing window. 20. The device according to p. 19, further comprising means for selectively controlling the hydraulic communication of the outlet window through the first case window. 21. The device according to claim 20, further comprising means for selectively controlling the hydraulic message through means for bypassing the fluid returning from the well. 22. The device according to claim 19, in which the means located on the housing for bypassing the fluid returning from the well further comprises means for isolating the outlet window in hydraulic communication with the first housing window and an inlet on one side of the first housing window. 23. The device according to p. 19, in which the housing forms a third housing window from the bottom of the first filter in the direction of the toe; and when moving to a third selective position in the housing channel, the inner column seals the outlet window in fluid communication with the third housing window. 24. A method of filling a gravel filter in a wellbore, in which:
deploying an inner string inside a body installed in the wellbore, the body having a toe and a heel;
isolate for hydraulic communication the outlet window of the inner column with the first flow passage window in the housing;
pumping the suspension of the gravel filter in the inner string into the wellbore by supplying the suspension of the gravel filter from the outlet window to the wellbore through the first flow passage window;
supplying fluid returning from the well from the wellbore to the body through a first filter located on the body between the first flow passage window and the toe;
bypass the fluid returning from the well in the housing from the bottom to the side of the wellhead from the sealed outlet window and the first flow passage window, bypassing the fluid returning from the well through the bypass located on the housing;
isolating the hydraulic communication of the outlet window with the second flow passage window in the housing, wherein the second flow passage window forms from the wellhead side of the first flow passage window and is in hydraulic communication through the wellbore with the first flow passage window; and
pumping the suspension of the gravel filter in the inner string into the wellbore by feeding the suspension of the gravel filter from the outlet window to the wellbore through a second flow passage window. 25. The method according to p. 24, in which the isolation of the hydraulic communication of the outlet window with the first window of the flow passage contains a seal located on each side of the exhaust window, seals on the inner column on seats located on each side of the first flow passage window inside the housing. 26. The method according to p. 24, in which the isolation of the hydraulic communication of the outlet window with the first flow passage window comprises selectively opening a valve on the first flow passage window. 27. The method of claim 24, wherein the bypass bypass of the fluid returning from the well comprises selectively opening the bypass with opening the valve. 28. The method of claim 24, wherein the bypass bypass of the fluid returning from the well comprises supplying a fluid returning from the well through the bypass located outside the casing. 29. The method of claim 24, wherein the bypass bypass of the fluid returning from the well comprises supplying a fluid returning from the well through the bypass located inside the housing. 30. The method according to p. 24, which also carry out the supply of fluid returning from the well into the body through a second filter located on the body at least from the wellhead side of the first body window and in fluid communication through the wellbore with the first filter. 31. The method according to p. 24, in which the suspension of the gravel filter from the outlet window into the wellbore through the second flow passage window also includes maintaining the message of the gravel filter suspension from the second flow passage window to the wellbore through an alternative path device located along the body.

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