US3519078A

US3519078A - Method and apparatus for servicing wells

Info

Publication number: US3519078A
Application number: US782877A
Authority: US
Inventors: Otto R Harrison
Original assignee: Exxon Production Research Co
Current assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Co
Priority date: 1968-12-11
Filing date: 1968-12-11
Publication date: 1970-07-07
Anticipated expiration: 1987-07-07

Description

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 7, 1970 o. R. HARRISON METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SERVICING WELLS Filed Dec. 11. 1968 N R0 w w 0s 0 O 2 W I L H R F E V R. N w 6 N ul G M B l I H 6 m o I N U T F 7 T E O m Y V S B R S E E E V S S N L E U A EV V L L O A M Y Hv R T R T E N N F W E O ,A O N C 5 4V A 7 M m I Q Q I" 6- ll 2 m A H 7 2 7 4 4 ii 8 I!!! l 2 5 5 /I. ll .I. 9 k 2 W i Juiy 7, 1970 o. R. HARRISON 3,519,078

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SERVICING WELLS Filed Dec. 11, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3.

now-um:

FLEXIBLE TUBING 4| I; i H OCEAN FLOOR I H 25 g H a? "*SAFETY VALVES l 23 ,1 4 L L BOREHOLE l/ H 1 ll u |2 15 -44 H43 1; WELL TOOL 40 ll L f E L 1.

DOWN-HOLE MASTER VALVES INVENTOR.

OTTO R. HARRISON, BY a 3 ATTO EY.

July 7, 1970 o. R. HARRISON METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SERVICING WELLS 4 Sheets-$heet 5 Filed Dec. 11, 1968 PUMP DOWN TOOL FOR l2 INVENTOR.

O TTO R- HARR ISON,

FIG. 5

July 7, 1970 o. R. HARRISON METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SERVICING WELLS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 11, 1968 AT RNEY United States Patent 3,519,078 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SERVICING WELLS Otto R. Harrison, Houston, Tex., assignor to Esso Production Research Company Filed Dec. 11, 1968, Ser. No. 782,877 Int. Cl. E21b 7/12, 23/00 U.S. Cl. 166313 16 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Method and apparatus are provided for servicing wells involving a plurality of pipe strings of difierent sizes arranged in a well which curvedly connect to a common fiowline having a horizontal and vertical component such that the pipe strings are connected in order of increasing sizes with the largest connected last at the highest point of the sloping fiowline so a properly sized well tool may enter a selected one of the pipe strings for operation therein; for example, to open or close a valve which may fluidly interconnect the pipe string to a service pipe string to provide a fluid circulation path.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The present invention is directed to servicing of wells. More particularly, the invention is directed to servicing a well having a plurality of pipe strings arranged therein which may be fluidly connected adjacent their lower ends to a service string. In its more specific aspects, the invention is concerned with method and apparatus for utilizing through fiowline techniques for running of tools, and the like, in wells, and is particularly adapted to use of such techniques in submarine wells, and the like.

Description of the prior art It is known to perform operations in wells particularly submarine wells using the so-called through fiowline technique wherein well tools are pumped into the wells through a separate fiowline to each well. It is also known to interconnect a pipe string in a well to a service string to provide a fluid circulation path to allow well servicing operations to be performed. All such operations, however, required heretofore one service string for each well SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention may be briefly described and summarized as involving a method of servicing a well having a plurality of pipe strings which are curvedly interconnected at the Wellhead to a common fiowline at least a portion of which has a horizontal component in which a well tool is introduced into a common fiowline and moved therethrough into a selected one of the pipe strings. The well tool may be moved through the flowline by pumping fluid against the Well tool or by attaching the well tool to an elongated tubular member on a reel and forcing the tubular member into the fiowline by exteriorally applied mechanical force on the tubular member. After the well tool is in the selected pipe string,

3,519,078 Patented July 7, 1970 ice it may there be operated, for example, to open a valve, register pressure, log the well, or perform any one or more of the multitudinous operations performed in wells with such tools.

The invention also involves apparatus which may be briefly described and summarized as comprising a plurality of pipe strings in a well which are of different sizes and which are curvedly connected at their upper ends to a common fiowline, each of the pipe strings being connected in the order of increasing size to the fiowline which has a horizontal and vertical component to provide an upward slope with the highest point at the entrance of the largest pipe string. A service string may be connected selectively to the lower ends of the several pipe strings through selectively openable and closeable valve means which may be movably or fixedly arranged in the pipe strings as desired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention will be further described and illustrated by reference to the drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration in section of a quadruple completion in which the four pipe strings are connected to a service line;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1, showing pattern of arrangement of the pipe strings in an earth borehole;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a similar embodiment to FIG. 1 wherein the four pipe strings are not interconnected adjacent their lower ends;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2;

FIGS. 5 and 5A illustrate the connection of one of the curved well pipes to the fiowline;

FIG. 6 is a modification of FIGS. 1 and 3 wherein the quadruple completion is connected to two fiowlines;

FIG. 6-A is a modification of FIG. 6; and FIG. 7 illustrates apparatus for introducing well tools into the fiowline.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODMENTS Referring now to the drawing illustrating the preferred mode and embodiments and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, numeral 11 designates a well bore drilled in the earth surface and which suitably may be a submarine well. Arranged in the well bore 11 is a plurality of

pipe strings

12, 13, 14, and 15 which are curvedly interconnected at their upper ends to a common fiowline 16 and are interconnected adjacent their lower ends to a service line 17. For purposes of clarity and convenience, in FIG. 1 the interconnecting means 18 between service line 17 and line 12 and interconnection means 13 between service line 17 and line 13 and interconnection means 20 between service line 17 and line 14 and interconnecting means 21 between service line 17 and line 15 are exaggerated, but are shown in closer relationship in FIG. 2.

Lines

12, 13, 14, and 15 are all suitably equipped respectively with

safety valves

22, 23, 24 and 25 and with downhole in line

master safety valves

26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, and 33. Valves 22, 23, 24, and 25 may be valves of the type illustrated on page 3840 in the 1966-67 issue of the Composite Catalog. Valves 26 to 29 and 30 to 33, inclusive, are identical and serve as back-up valves and the same purpose of the dual master valve system on a conventional Christmas tree and are available on the market. Such a valve is illustrated on page 1124 of the above-mentioned catalog. Arranged in the fiowline 16 and shown entering the line 14 is a suitable well tool 34 which may be a free tubular member provided with a propelling means such as one or more pistons 35 for propelling same into a selected one of the

tubing strings

12, 13, 14, and 15. In this particular invention, the well tool 34 is entering the string 14 and it is suitably sized so that it has a slightly less diameter than the diameter of string 14- but a greater diameter than

strings

12 and 13; thus, the well tool 34 may enter the string 14 but will not enter the

strings

13 and 12. While the well tool 34 would also enter the string 15 since it is of smaller size than the string 15, the well tool 34 enters selectively the desired pipe string by having the several pipe strings arranged in the order of increasing size as they are joined to the flowline.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4 where identical numerals designate identical parts, it will be seen that the only difference between FIGS. 1 and 3 is that the

pipe strings

12, 13, 14, and 15 are not interconnected adjacent their lower ends and also there is no service string provided. In this particular instance, a well tool is shown in the pipe string 13 connected to a tubing 41 whiclextends to a reel and injection means at the surface which will be described further hereinafter.

FIGS. 5 and 5-A illustrate one means for interconnecting the curved pipe sections to the straight section of flowline. As shown, pipe 12 intersects the under side of flowline 16 so as to provide a trough or entry slot 12a which has the same inside diameter as pipe 12. This provides an area of suificient length to allow a well tool sized for pipe 12 to drop down in the trough and insure proper entry into pipe 12, as illustrated in FIG. 5-A. The dotted circles also shown in FIG. 5A illustrate larger tools and how they would by-pass the tubing or pipe 12.

Referring now to FIG. 6, the upper ends of

pipe strings

12, 13, 14, and 15 are connected to the flowline 16 as shown and by means of Y-

connections

42, 43, 44, and 45 to a second flowline 46. By virtue of this embodiment, to provide additional flexibility when dual, triple, quadruple, pentuple or greater number of completions are made in one well, a production flowline system may be used which requires identical flowlines installed in parallel as shown on each

pipe string

12, 13, 14, and 15 joined to both

flowlines

16 and 46 by Y-connections. This embodiment allows any one producing pipe string to be plugged such as by a plug 47 shown entering string 15 and serviced without interrupting production from the other producing pipe strings. Of course, the plug 47 may be seated in a suitable landing nipple and the like as desired. Any one or more of the several pipe strings or flowline 46 may be plugged as shown. The connection illustrated in FIG. 6-A provides for the intersection of the two

pipes

15 and 45a to be lower on the vertical section of 15 than that shown in FIG. 6.

This type of completion allows logging, perforating, servicing, such as fracturing, acidizing and other services and completion of wells to be performed from a production platform such as 50 which may be located many miles way, for example, three miles away; thus, as shown in FIG. 7, the production platform 50 is suitably supported on water bottom 51 which suitably may be the ocean floor with platform 50 above the water surface 52, the platform 50 being carried and supported by structural members 52. Arranged on the structural members 52 is a suitable rail 54 on which a flowline riser 55 is installed such as in accordance with the teachings in the Walvoord Patent US. 3,226,728 issued Dec. 28, 1965. Thus, a flowline riser 55 connects to the flowline 16 and thereby to the

service lines

12, 13, 14, and 15 in the well 11.

In accordance with the present invention, the tubular member such as 41 carrying the tool 40 as shown in FIG. 3 may be injected into flowline 16 and into a selected one of the pipe strings 12, 13, 14, and 15 by introducing same from a pipe reel and injection means such as 56 arranged on the platform 50. The method and a suitable apparatus for introducing the tubular member 41 are described in the McStravick Patent US. 3,116,793 issued Jan. 7, 1964. Also, the tubular member 41 may be intro- 4 duced from apipe reel by introducing fluid pressure against the lower end of it such as against one or more pistons, and the like, to propel the tubular member 41 and its well tool into the selected pipe string.

Other well tools such as 34 are gun perforators, logging tools, sondes, bottom hole pressure devices, and the like, may be propelled into a selected one of the pipe strings by introducing it into the upper end of flowline 16 and riser 55 by a suitable lubricator or injection barrel 57 provided with valves 58 and 59. The tool is introduced into the end 60 and then fluid pressure introduced into the injection barrel 57 through line 61 controlled by valve 62, the line 61 being connected to a suitable pumping means not shown. The injection barrel 57 may be connected by branch line 63, controlled by valve 64 to storage 65 for return of fluid through a service line such as 17 illustrated in FIG. 1. The production platform 50, although shown with a pipe reel and injection barrel, the storage means and other described apparatus will be understood to include all suitable equipment for introducing tools and propelling same through and into the several pipe strings as has been described.

In the several embodiments described with respect to the several figures of the drawing, it will be clear that the curved connections of pipe strings to the flowlines present a smooth entrance for well tools traveling up the incline of the flowline such that the well tool will enter the selected pipe string. In short, the well tools must be properly sized to enter the proper pipe string and the well tools travel through the flowline on the bottom inner surface thereof to enter the selected pipe string.

The flowline has at least a portion of its length horizontal and where it is connected to the several pipe strings it has both a horizontal and vertical component such that an upwardly extending slope is presented having its highest point at the entrance of the largest pipe string, it being remembered that the several pipe strings are connected to the flowline such as 16 in the order of increasing size with the smallest pipe string being connected first and the next larger and so on.

The present invention is quite advantageous and useful particularly in underwater wells in reducing cost and providing for simplicity of operation in completions where a casing may be dispensed with. Only one flowline and a reduced number of flowlines is necessary and completion and servicing operations may be performed from a remote location such as on shore, at a production or other servicing platform, or from a floating vessel as may be desired.

The several pipe strings such as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 may be connected together by interconnection means 18 to 21, inclusive, to a service line 17 as shown in FIG. 1, and the service line selectively connected to a particular pipe string by suitable valve means. Such valve means are well known in the art and a description of same may be found in the 1964-65 issue of the Composite Catalog, pages 3669 and 3675. Likewise, in the Composite Catalog supra, the operation of suitable side doors for submarine completions are illustrated at page 3634.

The well tools of the present invention may be used to open and close such valves selectively, and it is within the contemplation of the present invention that the well tools may be operated in the selected pipe string after running it. It is also contemplated that the well tools may comprise a gun perforator, a logging tool, and the like, and such tools may also be operated remotely in accordance with the present invention.

The nature and objects of the present invention having been completely described and illustrated and the best mode and embodiments contemplated set forth what I wish to claim as new and useful and secure by Letters Patent is: p j

1. A method of servicing a well having a plurality of pipe strings arranged therein in which said pipe strings are curvedly interconnected at the wellhead to, and in fluid communication with a common flowline, at least a portion of the length of said flowline having a horizontal component, which comprises:

introducing a well tool into said common flowline; and

moving said well tool through said flowline into a selected one of said pipe strings.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 in which the well tool is introduced into said selected pipe string by pumping fluid into said flowline after introducing said well tool.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 in which the well tool is introduced into said selected pipe string by connecting said Well tool to the end of a tubing string extending to a reel and propelling said tubing string through said flowline and into said selected one of said pipe strings.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3 in which the tubing string is propelled by mechanical force exerted against said tubing string exteriorly of said flowline.

5. A method in accordance with claim 3 in which the tubing string is propelled by fluid pressure exerted against said tubing string as it moves through said flowline and said selected one of said pipe strings.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 in which said Well tool is operated in said selected one of said pipe strings.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1 in which the common flowline has a horizontal and vertical component at the point of connection to said pipe strings such that said well tool is moved upwardly through said flowline on the bottom inner surface thereof to enter said selected one of said pipe strings.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7 in which each of said pipe strings is of a different size and is connected to the flowline in the order of increasing sizes and said well tool is of a size selected to enter the first of said pipe strings having a size at least greater than the size of the well tool and less than the size of the next succeeding pipe string.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1 in which said pipe strings are each selectively fluidly connected adjacent their lower ends to a service pipe string.

10. Apparatus for use in servicing Wells which comprises:

a plurality of pipe strings in a well;

each of said pipe strings being of different diameter;

a flowline;

each of said pipe strings being curved at its upper end and connected to said flowline in the order of increasing diameter;

said flowline having a horizontal and vertical component to provide an upward slope with the highest point at the entrance of the largest diameter pipe string and said pipe strings being curved to meet the flowline and provide a smooth entrance to said pipe strings.

11. Apparatus in accordance with claim 10 comprising three pipe strings.

12. Apparatus in accordance with claim 10 comprising four pipe strings.

13. Apparatus in accordance with claim 10 provided with:

(a) a service pipe string;

(b) means fluidly connecting each of said plurality of pipe strings to said service pipe string; and

(c) selectively openable and closeable valve means in at least said selected one of said pipe strings to open and close a selected one of said fluid connecting means.

14. Apparatus in accordance with claim 13 in which the valve means is movably arranged in at least said selected one of said pipe strings.

15. Apparatus in accordance with claim 13 in which the valve means is fixedly arranged in at least said selected one of said pipe strings.

16. Apparatus in accordance With claim 10 compris ing four pipe strings in which a second flowline is connected to each of said pipe strings through a Y-connection.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,136,363 6/1964 Yetman et al. 166-91 3,363,693 1/1968 Bohlmann et al. 166313 3,367,421 2/1968 Raulins 166153 3,381,753 5/1968 Fredd 166-154 X 3,396,789 8/1968 Dean 166.5 3,422,895 1/1969 Koonce.

3,444,927 5/ 1969 Childers et al. 166.5

STEPHEN J. NOROSAD, Primary Examiner I. A. CALVERT, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 166-.5, 153