U.S. patent application number 10/366173 was filed with the patent office on 2003-06-26 for well operations system.
This patent application is currently assigned to Cooper Cameron Corporation. Invention is credited to Cassity, Thomas G., Hopper, Hans Paul.
Application Number | 20030116327 10/366173 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 8211385 |
Filed Date | 2003-06-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030116327 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hopper, Hans Paul ; et
al. |
June 26, 2003 |
Well operations system
Abstract
A wellhead has, instead of a conventional Christmas tree, a
spool tree (34) in which a tubing hanger (54) is landed at a
predetermined angular orientation. As the tubing string can be
pulled without disturbing the tree, many advantages follow,
including access to the production casing hanger (21) for
monitoring production casing annulus pressure, and the introduction
of larger tools into the well hole without breaching the integrity
of the well.
Inventors: |
Hopper, Hans Paul;
(Aberdeen, GB) ; Cassity, Thomas G.; (Surrey,
GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CONLEY ROSE, P.C.
P. O. BOX 3267
HOUSTON
TX
77253-3267
US
|
Assignee: |
Cooper Cameron Corporation
Houston
TX
|
Family ID: |
8211385 |
Appl. No.: |
10/366173 |
Filed: |
February 13, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10366173 |
Feb 13, 2003 |
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09657018 |
Sep 7, 2000 |
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6547008 |
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09657018 |
Sep 7, 2000 |
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09092549 |
Jun 5, 1998 |
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09092549 |
Jun 5, 1998 |
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08679560 |
Jul 12, 1996 |
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6039119 |
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08679560 |
Jul 12, 1996 |
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08204397 |
Mar 16, 1994 |
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5544707 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
166/382 ;
166/89.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B 33/035 20130101;
E21B 33/047 20130101; E21B 33/03 20130101; E21B 34/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
166/382 ;
166/89.3 |
International
Class: |
E21B 023/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 1, 1992 |
EP |
92305014.0 |
May 28, 1993 |
WO |
PCT/US93/05246 |
Claims
1. A wellhead comprising a wellhead housing (20); a spool tree (34)
fixed and sealed to the housing, and having at least a lateral
production fluid outlet port (63) connected to a valve (70); and a
tubing hanger landed (54) within the spool tree at a predetermined
angular position at which a lateral production fluid outlet port
(61) in the tubing hanger is in alignment with that in the spool
tree.
2. A wellhead according to claim 1, wherein there are complementary
guide means (50, 59) on the tubing hanger (54) and spool tree (34)
to rotate the tubing hanger into the predetermined angular position
relatively to the spool tree as the tubing hanger is lowered on to
its landing..
3. A wellhead according to claim 2, wherein the guide means are
provided by complementary oblique edge surfaces (50, 59) one facing
downwards on an orientation sleeve (58) depending from the tubing
hanger and the other facing upwards on an orientation sleeve (45)
carried by the spool tree.
4. A wellhead according to any one of the preceding claims, which
includes a production casing hanger (23) carried in the housing
(20) below the spool tree (34); an isolation sleeve (45) which is
sealed at its lower end to the production casing hanger and at its
upper end to the spool tree to definer an annular void (48) between
the isolation sleeve and the housing; and an adapter (26) located
in the annular space and providing part of a passage from the
production casing annulus to a production casing annulus pressure
monitoring port (49) in the spool tree, the adapter having a valve
(28) for opening and closing the passage, and the valve being
operable through the spool tree after withdrawal of the isolation
sleeve up through the spool tree.
5. A wellhead according to claim 4, in which the valve is provided
by a gland nut (28), which can be screwed up and down within a body
(27) of the adapter (26) to bring parts (29, 30) of the passage
formed in the gland nut and adapter body, respectively, into and
out of alignment with one another.
6. A wellhead according to claim 4 or claim 5, when dependent on
claim 3, in which the orientation sleeve i, provided within the
isolation sleeve (45).
7. A wellhead according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein
the spool tree (34) has a downwardly depending location mandrel
(36) which is a close sliding fit within a bore of the housing
(20).
8. A wellhead according to claim 7, in which an environmental seal
(39) is provided between the spool tree (34) and the housing (20),
and a production seal (40) is provided in series with the
environmental seal between the location mandrel and either the
wellhead housing or a production casing hanger.
9. A wellhead according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein
at least one vertical production fluid bore in the tubing hanger
(54) is sealed above the respective lateral production fluid outlet
port (61) by means of a removable plug (66), and the bore through
the spool tree (34) being sealed above the tubing hanger by means
of a second removable plug (68).
10. A wellhead according to claim 9, wherein the first plug is a
wireline plug (66) and the second plus is a stopper (68) which
contains at least one opening closed by a wireline plug (69).
11. A wellhead according to claim 9 or claim 10, wherein a walkover
port (73) extends laterally through the wall of the spool tree from
between the two plugs (66, 68); a tubing annulus fluid port (64)
extends laterally through the wall of the spool tree from the
tubing annulus; and these two ports through the spool tree are
interconnected via an external loop line containing at least one
valve (71, 72).
12. A wellhead according to any one of the preceding claims, in
which the tubing hanger (54) has at least two separate functional
connections at its upper end, separate connectors (82, 83) being
provided for selective access of a single bore running tool to one
of the functional connections, each connector having a key (84) for
entering a complementary formation (85) at the top of the spool
tree to locate the connector in a predetermined angular orientation
relatively to the spool tree.
13. A multi production bore wellhead according to claim 12, in
which the tubing hanger (54) has at least two vertical production
through bores (80, 81) each with a lateral production fluid flow
port aligned with the corresponding port in the spool tree, at
least two respective connectors (82, 83) being provided for
selective connection of a single bore wire line running tool to one
or other of the production bores, each connector having a key (84)
for entering a complementary formation (85) at the top of the spool
tree to locate the connector in a predetermined angular orientation
relatively to the spool tree.
14. A wellhead according to any one of the preceding claims,
wherein the tubing hanger (54) has a shoulder (56) with an
orientation key which cooperates with a landing in the spool tree
(34) to provide final direct relative angular orientation between
the tubing hanger and spool tree.
15. A method of completing a cased well in which a production
casing hanger (21) is fixed and sealed by a seal assembly to a
wellhead housing (20), the method comprising, with a BOP (22)
installed on the housing, removing the seal assembly and replacing
it with an adapter (26) which in manipulatable between
configurations in which a passage from the production casing
annulus up past the production casing hanger is open or closed;
with the passage closed, removing the BOP and fitting to the
housing above the production casing hanger a spool tree (34) having
an internal landing for a tubing hanger (54); installing a BOP (22)
on the spool tree; running a tool (44) down through the BOP and
spool tree to manipulate the valve and open the passage; inserting
through the BOP and spool tree an isolation sleeve (45), which
seals to both the production casing and spool tree and hence
defines between the sleeve and casing an annular void (48) through
which the passage leads to a production casing annulus pressure
monitoring port (49) in the spool tree; and running a tubing string
down through the BOP and spool tree until the tubing hanger (54)
lands in the spool tree with lateral outlet ports in the tubing
hanger and spool tree for production fluid flow, in alignment with
one another.
16. An apparatus for creating a second fluid barrier for the sealed
connection between a production mandrel and a wellhead supporting
and sealed to a hanger, comprising: a member having first seals on
one end and second seals on another end; said one end extending
into the production mandrel with said first seals sealingly
engaging the production mandrel; and said other end extending into
the wellhead with said second seals sealingly engaging the hanger
for isolating the hanger.--
17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said member includes an
orientation surface for orienting a tubing hanger within the
production mandrel.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 further including an alignment member
on said member for aligning said member within the production
mandrel.
19. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said member creates an
annular void between said member and the wellhead.
20. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said member includes a
support on said one end for supporting said member within the
production mandrel and said other end creates a sliding engagement
with the hanger.
21. An apparatus for completing a well comprising: a wellhead
supporting a hanger and a packing member for sealing said wellhead
and hanger; a production member disposed on said wellhead and a
metal-to-metal seal for sealing said production member and
wellhead; an isolation member having first seals on one end and
second seals on another end; said production member supporting said
isolation member; said first seals sealingly engaging said
production member; said hanger slidingly receiving said another end
of said isolation member; and said second seals sealingly engaging
said hanger for establishing a second seal to said metal-to-metal
seal.
22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said isolation member creates
an annular space between said isolation member and said
wellhead.
23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said production member
includes a fluid passageway extending from said annular space to an
exterior of said production member.
24. The apparatus of claim 23 further including a test valve on
said production member for controlling flow through said
passageway.
25. The apparatus of claim 23 further including a second fluid
passageway extending from said void to an annulus formed between
said wellhead and hanger for monitoring or bleeding off fluid
pressure in said annulus.
26. The apparatus of claim 25 further including an internal valve
for controlling flow through said second fluid passageway.
27. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said isolation member
includes a bore therethrough having a diameter no smaller than the
diameter of the flowbore of said hanger.
28. A method for completing a well comprising: lowering a hanger
suspending casing into the well; supporting the hanger within a
wellhead and creating a casing annulus; sealing the hanger and
wellhead; connecting and sealing a production member to the
wellhead forming a first fluid barrier; lowering an isolation
member into the production member and wellhead; supporting and
sealing the isolation member within the production member;
slidingly receiving one end of the isolation member within the
hanger; and sealing the isolation member and hanger thereby forming
a second fluid barrier.
29. The method of claim 28 further including the step of supporting
tubing within the production member and forming a third fluid
barrier.
30. The method of claim 28 further including: creating a fluid
passageway from the casing annulus and through a wall of the
production member; and monitoring the fluid pressure in the casing
annulus.--
31. The method of claim 30 further including the step of bleeding
fluid pressure through the fluid passageway.
32. A flow completion system for controlling the flow of fluid from
a well bore, the flow completion system comprising: a tubing spool
which includes a central bore that extends axially therethrough and
a production outlet which communicates with the central bore; a
tubing hanger assembly which is supported in the central bore and
which includes a production bore that extends axially therethrough
and a production passageway that communicates between the
production bore and the production outlet, the tubing hanger
assembly supporting a tubing string which extends into the well
bore and defines a tubing annulus surrounding the tubing string; a
first closure member positioned in the production bore above the
production passageway; a first seal positioned between the tubing
hanger assembly and the tubing spool above the production
passageway; wherein the first closure member and the first seal
comprise a first pressure-containing barrier between the well bore
and a surrounding environment; a second closure member which is
positioned in the production bore above the first closure member;
and a second seal which is disposed on the tubing hanger assembly
and positioned within the tubing spool above the, first seal;
wherein the second closure member and the second seal comprise a
second pressure-containing barrier between the well bore and the
environment; and wherein both the first and the second barriers are
associated with the tubing hanger assembly.
33. The flow completion system of claim 32 wherein the tubing
hanger assembly includes a tubing hanger and a seal member
supported in the central bore above the tubing hanger and through
which passes the production bore.
34. The flow completion system of claim 32, wherein the first and
second closure members each comprise a wireline deployable
plug.
35. The flow completion apparatus of claim 32, wherein the first
closure member comprises a first sealing member which is mounted on
a wireline deployable plug body and the second closure member
comprises a second sealing member which is mounted on a wireline
deployable plug body above the first sealing member.
36. The flow completion system of claim 32, further comprising: an
ancillary bore which extends generally axially through the tubing
hanger assembly from a lower end to an upper end of the tubing
hanger assembly; and an ancillary closure member which is
positioned in the ancillary bore.
37. The flow completion system of claim 36, wherein: the ancillary
bore includes a generally lateral branch with a valve that is
moveable to open and close the lateral branch.
38. The flow completion system of claim 32 further comprising a
tree cap which comprises: an annular body; and means for securing
the body to the tubing spool.
39. The flow completion system of claim 32, further comprising a
connector with a seal stab for engaging the ancillary bore.
40. The flow completion system of claim 39, wherein the connector
further comprises: a fluid bore extending through the connector and
which is adapted to be connected to a conduit; and the fluid bore
communicating with a bore in the seal stab; wherein fluid
communication may be established between the ancillary bore and the
conduit through the seal stab.
41. The flow completion system of claim 32, further comprising: a
blowout preventer which is removably connectable to the top of the
tubing spool and which includes a blowout preventer bore, a set of
blowout preventer rams, and at least one choke and kill line that
communicates with a portion of the blowout preventer bore which is
located adjacent the blowout preventer rams; and a tubing hanger
tool which is removably connectable to the top of the tubing hanger
assembly and which includes a cylindrical outer surface portion and
a flowbore that communicates with the production bore; an annulus
passageway which communicates the tubing annulus with the outer
surface portion; wherein the blowout preventer rams are adapted to
sealingly engage the outer surface portion above the annulus
passageway; whereby fluid communication between the tubing annulus
and the blowout preventer choke and kill line may be established
through the annulus passageway and the portion of the blowout
preventer bore which is located below the blowout preventer
rams.
42. The flow completion apparatus of claim 32, further comprising:
a tubing hanger tool which is removably connectable to the top of
the tubing hanger assembly in a predetermined orientation; the
tubing hanger tool including a flow passageway therethrough and
being sealed to the tubing spool; and the tubing hanger tool having
stabs received by the production bore and the ancillary bore in the
tubing hanger assembly.
43. The flow completion apparatus of claim 42 wherein the flow
passageway extends through one of the stabs for flow communication
with the production bore or ancillary bore.
44. A well production assembly located at an upper end of a string
of tubing extending into a well, comprising: a production tree
having a longitudinal axis, an axial bore and a lateral production
passage, the lateral production passage having an inlet at the bore
and extending laterally through a sidewall of the production tree;
a tubing hanger landed in the axial bore and adapted to be located
at an upper end of a string of tubing, the tubing hanger having a
co-axial production passage co-axial with the production tree axial
bore and extending axially through the tubing hanger and the tubing
hanger having a lateral production passageway which extends
laterally from the co-axial production passage through the tubing
hanger and has an outlet at the exterior of the tubing hanger which
registers with the inlet of the lateral production passage of the
production tree; the tubing hanger having an offset vertical
passage extending through the tubing hanger from a lower end to an
upper end of the tubing hanger offset from the co-axial production
passage, the offset vertical passage having a lower end adapted to
be in communication with a tubing annulus surrounding the string of
tubing; a first closure member installed in the co-axial production
passage above the lateral production passageway of the tubing
hanger; and a second closure member installed in the offset
vertical passage.
45. The well production assembly according to claim 44, further
comprising: a removable internal tree cap which sealingly engages
the bore of the tree above the tubing hanger, the tree cap having
first and second vertical passages which are offset from and
parallel to each other, the first vertical passage of the tree cap
aligning with the; co-axial production passage of the tubing
hanger, the second vertical passage of the tree cap aligning with
the offset vertical passage of the tubing hanger; a third closure
member installed in the first vertical passage of the tree cap; and
a fourth closure member installed in the second vertical passage of
the tree cap.
46. The well production assembly according to claim 44, further
comprising: a lateral flow passage extending laterally from the
offset vertical passage through the tubing hanger and having an
opening at the exterior of the tubing hanger; and a tree flow
passage having an opening in the axial bore of the tree and
extending laterally through the tree for sealingly registering with
the opening of the lateral flow passage of the tubing hanger.
47. A well production assembly located at an upper end of a string
of tubing extending into a well, comprising: a production tree
having a longitudinal axis, an axial bore and first and second
lateral passages, the first and second lateral passages having an
inlet at the bore and extending laterally through a sidewall of the
production tree; a tubing hanger landed in the axial bore and
adapted to be located at an upper end of a string of tubing, the
tubing hanger having a co-axial production passage co-axial with
the production tree axial bore and extending axially through the
tubing hanger and the tubing hanger having a first lateral
passageway which extends laterally from the co-axial production
passage through the tubing hanger and has an outlet at the exterior
of the tubing hanger which registers with the inlet of the first
lateral passage of the production tree; the tubing hanger having an
offset passage extending through the tubing hanger from a lower end
to an upper end of the tubing hanger offset from the co-axial
production passage and a second lateral passageway which extends
laterally from the offset vertical passage through the tubing
hanger and -has an outlet at the exterior of the tubing hanger
which registers with the inlet of the second lateral passage of the
tree; a first closure member installed in the co-axial production
passage above the first lateral passage of the tubing hanger; and a
second closure member installed in the offset passage above the
second lateral passageway of the tubing hanger.
48. A well production assembly comprising in combination: a
production tree having a vertical axis, an axially extending bore,
and a lateral production passage extending from the bore through a
sidewall of the tree transverse to the vertical axis; a shoulder
formed on the tree; a tree auxiliary passage extending through the
sidewall of the tree and having an auxiliary connector located at
the shoulder; a string of tubing extending into a well; a tubing
hanger which lands sealingly in the bore and is connected to the
string of tubing, the tubing hanger having a lateral production
passage extending from a co-axial production passage co-axial with
the axially extending bore and extending axially through the tubing
hanger, the lateral production passage aligning with the lateral
production passage of the tree; and a mandrel :disposed in the
wellhead and having a mandrel auxiliary passage extending
therethrough, the auxiliary connector in the tree sealingly mating
with the auxiliary passage when the tree lands on the wellhead to
communicate the tree auxiliary passage with the mandrel auxiliary
passage.
49. The well production assembly of claim 48 wherein the mandrel
auxiliary passage is used to test seals between the wellhead and
spool tree.
50. The well production assembly of claim 48 wherein the tubing
hanger has an offset vertical passage extending through the tubing
hanger from a lower end to an upper end of the tubing hanger offset
from the co-axial production passage and a lateral flow passageway
which extends laterally from the co-axial production passageway
through the tubing hanger and has an outlet at the exterior of the
tubing hanger which registers with the inlet of a lateral flow
passage in the tree.
51. In a subsea wellhead system having a wellhead housing secured
to a first string of casing, a production casing hanger having an
interior surface and an exterior surface and landed in the wellhead
housing and secured to a production casing inside the first string
of casing and extending below the production casing hanger, a
casing hanger packoff that seals between the exterior surface on
the production casing hanger and the wellhead housing, and a tree
assembly that lands on the wellhead and has an axial bore, the
improvement comprising: a casing hanger communication passage
passing through the production casing hanger and by-passing the
production casing hanger packoff; and a port closure sleeve
releasably secured to the production casing hanger to open and
close the communication passage.
52. A wellhead assembly comprising: a wellhead housing; a spool
tree fixed and sealed to the housing, and having at least a lateral
production fluid outlet port connected to a valve; a production
casing hanger carried in the housing below the spool tree; an
isolation sleeve which is sealed at its lower end to the production
casing hanger and at its upper end to the spool tree to define an
annular void between the isolation sleeve and the housing; and an
adapter located in the annular void and providing part of a passage
from a production casing annulus to a production casing annulus
pressure monitoring port in the spool tree, the adapter having a
valve for opening and closing the passage, the valve being operable
through the spool tree when the isolation sleeve is uninstalled in
the spool tree.
53. The wellhead assembly of claim 52 further including: a tubing
hanger landed within the spool tree at a predetermined angular
position at which a lateral production fluid outlet port in the
tubing hanger is in alignment with that in the spool tree; the
tubing hanger and spool tree having complementary guide means to
rotate the tubing hanger into the predetermined angular position
relatively to the spool tree as the tubing hanger is lowered onto
its landing, the guide means being provided by complementary
oblique edge surfaces, one facing downwards on an orientation
sleeve depending from the tubing hanger and the other facing
upwards on an orientation sleeve carried by the spool tree.
Description
[0001] This is a divisional application of copending application
Ser. No. 09/657,018 filed Sep. 7, 2000 which is a continuation of
application Ser. No. 09/092,549 filed June 5, 1998 which is a
divisional continuing application of Ser. No. 08/679,560 filed Jul.
12, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,119, which is a continuation of
Ser. No. 08/204,397 filed Mar. 16, 1994, now U.S. Pat. No.
5,544,707, which claims the benefit of PCT application
PCT/US93/05246 filed on May 28, 1993, which claims the priority of
European Patent Office application 92305014 filed on Jun. 1, 1992,
all of the above hereby incorporated herein by reference.
[0002] Conventionally, wells in oil and gas fields are built up by
establishing a wellhead housing, and with a drilling blow out
preventer stack (BOP) installed, drilling down to produce the well
hole whilst successively installing concentric casing strings,
which are cemented at the lower ends and sealed with mechanical
seal assemblies at their upper ends. In order to convert the cased
well for production, a tubing string is run in through the BOP and
a hanger at its upper end landed in the wellhead. Thereafter the
drilling BOP stack is removed and replaced by a Christmas tree
having one or more production bores containing actuated valves and
extending vertically to respective lateral production fluid outlet
ports in the wall of the Christmas tree.
[0003] This arrangement has involved problems which have,
previously, been accepted as inevitable. Thus any operations down
hole have been limited to tooling which can pass through the
production bore, which is usually no more than five inch diameter,
unless the Christmas tree is first removed and replaced by a BOP
stack. However this involves setting plugs or valves, which may be
unreliable by not having been used for a long time, down hole. The
well is in a vulnerable condition whilst the Christmas tree and BOP
stack are being exchanged and neither one is in position, which is
a lengthy operation. Also, if it is necessary to pull the
completion, consisting essentially of the tubing string on its
hanger, the Christmas tree must first be removed and replaced by a
BOP stack. This usually involves plugging and/or killing the
well.
[0004] A further difficulty which exists, particularly with subsea
wells, is in providing the proper angular alignment between the
various functions, such as fluid flow bores, and electrical and
hydraulic lines, when the wellhead equipment, including the tubing
hanger, Christmas tree, BOP stack and emergency disconnect devices
are stacked up.
[0005] Exact alignment is necessary if clean connections are to be
made without damage as the devices are lowered into engagement with
one another. This problem is exacerbated in the case of subsea
wells as the various devices which are to be stacked up are run
down onto guide posts or a guide funnel projecting upwardly from a
guide base. The post receptacles which ride down on to the guide
posts or the entry guide into the funnel do so with appreciable
clearance. This clearance inevitably introduces some uncertainty in
alignment and the aggregate misalignment when multiple devices are
stacked, can be unacceptably large. Also the exact orientation will
depend upon the precise positions of the posts or keys on a
particular guide base and the guides on a particular running tool
or BOP stack and these will vary significantly from one to another.
Consequently it is preferable to ensure that the same running tools
or BOP stack are used for the same wellhead, or a new tool or stack
may have to be specially modified for a particular wellhead.
Further misalignment" can arise from the manner in which the guide
base is bolted to the conductor casing of the wellhead.
[0006] In accordance with the present invention, a wellhead
comprises a wellhead housing; a spool tree fixed and sealed to the
housing, and having at least a lateral production fluid outlet port
connected to an actuated valve; and a tubing hanger landed within
the spool tree at a predetermined angular position at which a
lateral production fluid outlet port in the tubing hanger is in
alignment with that in the spool tree.
[0007] With this arrangement, the spool tree, takes the place of a
conventional Christmas tree but differs therefrom in having a
comparatively large vertical through bore without any internal
valves and at least large enough to accommodate the tubing
completion. The advantages which are derived from the use of such
spool tree are remarkable, in respect to safety and operational
benefits.
[0008] Thus, in workover situations the completion, consisting
essentially of the tubing string, can be pulled through a BOP
stack, without disturbing the spool tree and hence the pressure
integrity of the well, "hereafter full production casing drift
access is provided to the well through the large bore in the spool
tree. The BOP can be any appropriate workover BOP or drilling BOP
of opportunity and doe" not have to be one specially set up for
that well.
[0009] Preferably, there are complementary guide mean" on the
tubing hanger and spool tree to rotate the tubing hanger into the
predetermined angular position relatively to the spool tree as the
tubing hanger is lowered on to its landing. With this feature the
spool tree can be landed at any angular orientation onto the
wellhead housing and the guide means ensures that the tubing string
will rotate directly to exactly the correct angular orientation
relatively to the spool tree quite independently of any outside
influence. The guide means to control rotation of the tubing hanger
into the predetermined angular orientation relatively to the spool
tree may be provided by complementary oblique edge surfaces one
facing downwardly on an orientation sleeve depending from the
tubing hanger the other facing upwardly on an orientation sleeve
carried by the spool tree. :
[0010] Whereas modem well technology provides continuous access to
the tubing annulus around the tubing string, it has generally been
accepted as being difficult, if not impossible, to provide
continuous venting and/or monitoring of the pressure in the
production casing annulus, that is the annulus around the innermost
casing string. This has been because the production casing annulus
must be securely sealed whist the Christmas tree is fitted in place
of the drilling BOP, and the Christmas tree has only been fitted
after the tubing string and hanger has been run in, necessarily
inside the production casing hanger, so that the production casing
hanger is no longer accessible for the opening of a passageway from
the production casing annulus. However, the new arrangement,
wherein the spool tree is fitted before the tubing string is run in
provides adequate protected access through the BOP and spool tree
to the production casing hanger for controlling a passage from the
production casing annulus.
[0011] For this purpose, the wellhead may include a production
casing hanger landed in the wellhead housing below the spool tree;
an isolation sleeve which is sealed at its lower end to the
production casing hanger and at its upper end to the spool tree to
define an annular void between the isolation sleeve and the
housing; and an adapter located in the annular space and providing
part of a passage from the production casing annulus to a
production casing annulus pressure monitoring port in the spool
tree, the adapter having a valve for opening and closing the
passage, and the valve being operable through the spool tree after
withdrawal of the isolation sleeve up through the spool tree. The
valve may be provided by a gland nut, which can be screwed up and
down within a body of the adapter to bring parts of the passage
formed in the gland nut and adapter body, respectively, into and
out of alignment with one another. The orientation sleeve for the
tubing hanger may be provided within the isolation sleeve.
[0012] Production casing annulus pressure monitoring can then be
set up by method of completing a cased well in which a production
casing hanger is fixed and sealed by a seal assembly to a wellhead
housing, the method comprising, with BOP installed on the housing,
removing the seal assembly and replacing it with an adapter which
is manipulatable between configurations in which a passages from
the production casing annulus up past the production casing hanger
is open or closed; with the passage closed, removing the BOP and
fitting to the housing above the production casing hanger a spool
tree having an internal landing for a tubing hanger; installing a
BOP on the spool tree; running a tool down through the BOP and
spool tree to manipulate the valve and open the passage; inserting
through the BOP and spool tree an isolation sleeve, which seals to
both the production casing and -spool tree and hence defines
between the sleeve and casing an annular void through which the
passage leads to a production caning annulus pressure monitoring
port in the spool tree; and running a tubing string down through
the BOP and spool tree until the tubing hanger lands in the spool
tree with lateral outlet ports in the tubing hanger and spool tree
for production fluid flow, in alignment with one another.
[0013] According to a further feature of the invention the spool
tree has a downwardly depending location mandrel which is a close
sliding fit within a bore of the wellhead housing. The close fit
between the location mandrel of the spool tree and the wellhead
housing provides a secure mounting which transmits inevitable
bending stresses to the housing from the heavy equipment, such as a
BOP, which projects upwardly from the top of the wellhead housing,
without the need for excessively sturdy connections. The location
mandrel may be formed as an integral part of the body of the spool
tree, or may be a separate part which is securely fixed, oriented
and sealed to the body.
[0014] Pressure integrity between the wellhead housing and spool
tree may be provided by two seals positioned in series one forming
an environmental seal (such as an AX gasket) between the spool tree
and the wellhead housing, and the other forming a production seal
between the location mandrel and either the wellhead housing or the
production casing hanger.
[0015] During workover operations, the production casing annulus
can be resealed by reversing the above steps, if necessary after
setting plugs or packers down hole.
[0016] When production casing pressure monitoring is unnecessary,
so that no isolation sleeve is required, the orientation sleeve
carried by the spool tree for guiding and rotating the tubing
hanger down into the correct angular orientation may be part of the
spool tree location mandrel itself.
[0017] Double barrier isolation, that is to say two barriers in
series, are generally necessary for containing pressure in a well.
If a spool tree is used instead of a conventional Christmas tree,
there are no valves within the vertical production and annulus
fluid flow bores within the tree, and alternative provision must be
made for sealing the bore or bores through the top of the spool
tree which provide for wire line or drill pipe access.
[0018] In accordance with a further feature of the invention, at
least one vertical production fluid bore in the tubing hanger is
sealed above the respective lateral production fluid outlet port by
means of a removable plug, and the bore through the spool tree
being sealed above the tubing hanger by means of a second removable
plug.
[0019] With this arrangement, the first plug, take the function of
a conventional swab valve, and may be a wireline set plug. The
second plug could be a stopper set in the spool tree above the
tubing hanger by, e.g., a drill pipe running tool. The stopper
could contain at least one wireline retrievable plug which would
allow well access when only wire line operations are called for.
The second plug should seal and be locked internally into the spool
tree as it performs a barrier to the well when a BOP or
intervention module is deployed. A particular advantage of-this
double plug arrangement is that, as is necessary to satisfy
authorities in some jurisdictions, the two independent barriers are
provided in mechanically separate parts, namely the tubing hanger
and its plug and the second plug in the spool tree.
[0020] A further advantage arises if a workover port extends
laterally through the wall of the spool tree from between the two
plugs; a tubing annulus fluid port extends laterally through the
wall of the spool tree from the tubing annulus; and these two ports
through the spool tree are interconnected via an external flow line
containing at least one actuated valve. The bore from the tubing
annulus can then terminate at the port in the spool tree and no
wireline access to the tubing annulus bore is necessary through the
spool tree as the tubing annulus bore can be connected via the
interplug void to choke or kill lines, i.e. a BOP annulus, so that
downhole circulation is still available. It is then only necessary
to provide wireline access at workover situations to the production
bore or bores. This considerably simplifies workover BOP and/or
riser construction. When used in conjunction with the plug at the
top of the spool tree, the desirable double barrier isolation is
provided by the spool tree plug over the tubing hanger, or workover
valve from the production flow,.
[0021] When the well is completed as a multi production bore well,
in which the tubing hanger has at least two vertical production
through bores each with a lateral production fluid flow port
aligned with the corresponding port in the spool tree, at least two
respective connectors may be provided for selective connection of a
single bore wire line running tool to one or other of the
production bores, each connector having a key for entering a
complementary formation at the top of the spool tree to locate the
connector in a predetermined angular orientation relatively to the
spool tree. The same type of alternative connectors may be used for
providing wireline or other running tool access to a selected one
of a plurality of functional connections, e.g. electrical or
hydraulic couplings, at the upper end of the tubing hanger.
[0022] The development and completion of a subsea wellhead in
accordance with the present invention are illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0023] FIGS. 1 to 8 are vertical axial sections showing successive
steps in development and completion of the wellhead, the Figure
numbers bearing the letter A being enlargements of part of the
corresponding Figures of same number without the A:
[0024] FIG. 9 is a circuit diagram showing external connections to
the spool 3;
[0025] FIG. 10 is a vertical axial section through a completed dual
production bore well in production mode;
[0026] FIGS. 11 and 12 are vertical axial sections showing
alternative connectors to the upper end of the dual production bore
wellhead during work over; and,
[0027] FIG. 13 is a detail showing the seating of one of the
connectors in the spool tree.
[0028] FIG. 1 shows the upper end of a cased well having a wellhead
housing 20, in which casing hangers, including an uppermost
production casing hanger 21 for, for example, 9 5/8" or 10 3/4",
production casing is mounted in conventional manner. FIG. 1 shows a
conventional drilling BOP 22 having rams 23 and kill and choke
lines 24 connected to the upper end of the housing 20 by a drilling
connector 25.
[0029] As seen in more detail in FIG. 1A, the usual mechanical seal
assemblies between the production casing hanger 21 and the
surrounding wellhead housing 20 have been removed and replaced
through the BOP with an adapter 26 consisting of an outer annular
body part 27 and an inner annular gland nut 28 which has a screw
threaded connection to the body 27 so that it can be screwed
between a lowered position shown on the right hand side of FIG. 1A,
in which radial ducts 29 and 30, respectively in the body 27 and
nut 28, are in communication with one another, and a raised
position shown on the left hand side of FIG. 1A, in which the ducts
are out of communication with one another. The duct 29 communicates
through a conduit 31 between a depending portion of the body 27 and
the housing 20, and through a conduit 32 passing through the
production casing hanger 21, to the annulus surround the production
casing. The duct 30 communicates through channels 33 formed in the
radially inner surface of the nut 28, and hence to a void to be
described. The cooperation between the gland nut 28 and body 27 of
the adapter therefore acts as a valve which can open and close a
passage up past the production casing hanger from the production
casing annulus. After appropriate testing, a tool is run in through
the BOP and, by means by radially projecting spring lugs engaging
in the channels 33, rotates the gland nut 28 to the valve closed
position shown on the right hand side on FIG. 1A. The well is thus
resealed and the drilling BOP 22 can temporarily be removed.
[0030] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 2A, the body of a tree spool 34 is
then lowered on a tree installation tool 35, using conventional
guide post location, or a guide funnel in case of deep water, until
a spool tree mandrel 36 is guided into alignment with and slides as
a close machined fit, into the upper end of the wellhead housing
20, to which the spool tree is then fixed via a production
connector 37 and bolts 48. The mandrel 36 is actually a separate
part which is bolted and sealed to the rest of the spool tree body.
As seen particularly in FIG. 2A a weight set AX gasket 39, forming
a metal to metal environmental seal is provided between the spool
tree body and the wellhead housing 20. In addition two sets of
sealing rings 40 provide, in series with the environmental seal, a
production fluid seal externally between the ends to the spool tree
mandrel 36 to the spool tree body and to the wellhead housing 20.
The intervening cavity can be tested through a test part 4OA. The
provision of the adapter 26 is actually optional, and in its
absence the lower end of the spool tree mandrel 36 may form a
production seal directly with the production casing hanger 21. As
is also apparent from reasons which will subsequently become
apparent, the upper radially inner edge of the spool tree mandrel
projects radially inwardly from the inner surface of the spool tree
body above, to form a landing shoulder 42 and at least one machined
key slot 43 is formed down through the landing shoulder.
[0031] As shown in FIG. 3, the drilling BOP 22 is reinstalled on
the spool tree 34. The tool 44 used to set the adapter in FIG. 1,
having the spring dogs 45, is again run in until it lands on the
shoulder 42, and the spring dogs 45 engage in the channels 33. The
tool is then turned to screw the gland nut 28 down within the body
27 of the adapter 26 to the valve open position shown on the right
hand side in FIG. 1A. It is now safe to open the production casing
annulus as the well is protected by the BOP.
[0032] The next stage, show in FIGS. 4 and 4A, is to run in through
the BOP and spool tree on an appropriate tool 44A a combined
isolation and orientation sleeve 45. This lands on the shoulder 42
at the top of the spool tree mandrel and is rotated until a key on
the sleeve drops into the mandrel key slot 43. This ensures precise
angular orientation between the sleeve 45 and the spool tree 44,
which is necessary, and in contrast to the angular orientation
between the spool tree 34 and the wellhead casing, which is
arbitrary. The sleeve 45 consists of an external cylindrical
portion, an upper external surface of which in sealed by ring seals
46 to the spool tree 34, and the lower external surface of which is
sealed by an annular seal 47 to the production casing hanger 21.
There is thus provided between the sleeve 4S and the surrounding
wellhead casing 20 a void 48 with which the channels 33, now
defined radially inwardly by the sleeve 45, communicate. The void
48 in turn communicates via a duct 49 through the mandrel and body
of the spool tree 34 to a lateral port. It is thus possible to
monitor and vent the pressure in the production casing annulus
through the passage provided past the production casing hanger via
the conduits 32, 31 the ducts 29 and 30, the channels 33, shown in
FIG. 1A, the void 48, the duct 49, and the lateral port in the
spool tree. In the drawings, the radial portion of the duct 49 is
shown apparently communicating with a tubing annulus, but this is
draftsman's license and the ports from the two annul) are, in fact,
angularly and radially spaced.
[0033] Within the cylindrical portion of the sleeve 45 is a lining,
which may, be fixed in the cylindrical portion, or left after
internal machining of the sleeve. This lining provides an
orientation sleeve having an upper/edge forming a cam 50. The
lowermost portion of the cam leads into a key slot 51.
[0034] As shown in FIGS. 5,6 and 6A a tubing string of production
tubing 53 on a tubing hanger 54 is run in through the BOP 22 and
spool tree 34 on a tool 55 until the tubing hanger lands by means
of a keyed shoulder 56 on a landing in the spool tree and is locked
down by a conventional mechanism 57. The tubing hanger 54 has a
depending orientation sleeve 58 having an oblique lower edge
forming a cam 59 which is complementary to the cam 50 in the sleeve
45 and, at the lower end of the cam, a downwardly projecting key 60
which i, complementary to the key slot 51. The effect of the cams
50 and 59 is that, irrespective of the angular orientation of the
tubing string as it is run in, the cams will cause the tubing
hanger 54 to be rotated to its correct angular orientation
relatively to the spool tree and the engagement of the key 60 in
the key slot 51 will lock this relative orientation between the
tubing hanger and spool tree, so that lateral production and tubing
annulus fluid flow Sports 61 and 62 in the tubing hanger 54 are in
alignment with respective lateral production and tubing annulus
fluid flow ports 63 and 64 through the wall of the spool tree.
Metal to metal annulus seals 65, which are set by the weight of the
tubing string, provide production fluid seals between the tubing
hanger 54 and the spool tree 34. Provision is made in the top of
the tubing hanger 54 for a wireline set plug 66. The keyed shoulder
56 of the tubing hanger lands in a complementary machined step in
the spool tree 34 to ensure ultimate machined accuracy of
orientation between the tubing hanger 54 and the spool tree 34.
[0035] FIG. 7 shows the final step in the completion of the spool
tree. This involves the running down on drill pipe 67 through the
BOP, an internal isolation stopper 68 which seals within the top of
the spool tree 34 and has an opening closed by an in situ wireline
activated plug 69. The BOP can then be removed leaving the wellhead
in production mode with double barrier isolation at the upper end
of the spool tree provided by the plugs 66 and 69 and the stopper
68. The production fluid outlet is controlled by a master control
valve 70 and pressure through the tubing annulus outlet ports 62
and 64 is controlled by an annulus master valve 71. The other side
of this valve is connected, through a workover valve 72 to a
lateral workover port 73 which extends through the wall of the
spool tree to the void between the plugs 69 and 66. With this
arrangement, wireline access to the tubing annulus in and
downstream of a tubing hanger is unnecessary as any circulation of
fluids can take place through the valves 71 and 72, the ports 62,
64 and 73, and the kill or choke lines of any BOP which has been
installed. The spool tree in the completed production mode is shown
in FIG. 8.
[0036] FIG. 9 shows valve circuitry associated with the completion
and, in addition to the earlier views, shows a production fluid
isolation valve 74, a tubing annulus valve 75 and a cross over
valve 76. With this arrangement a wide variety of circulation can
be achieved down hole using the production bore and tubing annulus,
in conjunction with choke and kill lines extending from the BOP and
through the usual riser string. All the valves are fail/safe closed
if not actuated.
[0037] The arrangement shown in FIGS. 1 to 9 is a mono production
bore wellhead which can be accessed by a single wireline or drill
pipe, and the external loop from the tubing annulus port to the
void between the two plugs at the top of the spools tree avoids the
need for wireline access to the tubing annulus bore.
[0038] FIG. 10 corresponds to FIG. 8 but shows a 5-1/2
inch.times.2-3/8 inch dual production bore wellhead with primary
and secondary production tubing 53A and 53B. Development and
completion are carried out as with the monobore wellhead except
that the spool tree 34A and tubing hanger 54A are elongated to
accommodate lateral outlet ports 61A, 63A for the primary
production fluid flow from a primary bore 80 in the tubing hanger
to a primary production master valve 70A, and lateral outlet ports
62A, 64A for the secondary production fluid flow from a secondary
bore 81 in the tubing hanger to a secondary production master valve
70B. The upper ends of the bores 80 and 81 are closed by wireline
plugs 66A and 66B. A stopper 68A, which closes the upper end of the
spool tree 34A has opening-, in alignment with the plugs 66A and
66B, closed by wireline plugs 69A and 69B.
[0039] FIGS. 11 and 12 show how a wireline 77 can be applied
through a single drill pipe to activate selectively one or other of
the two wireline plugs 66A and 66B in the production bores 80 and
81 respectively. This involves the use of a selected one of two
connectors 82 and 83. In practice, a drilling BOP 22 is installed
and the stopper 68A is removed. Thereafter the connector 82 or 83
is run in on the drill pipe or tubing until it lands in, and is
secured and sealed to the spool tree 34A. FIG. 13 shows how the
correct angular orientation between the connector 82 or 83 and the
spool tree 34A, is achieved by wing keys 84, which are guided by
Y-shaped slots 85 in the upper inner edge of the spool tree, first
to bring the connectors into the right angular orientation, and
then to allow the relative axial movement between the parts to
enable the stabbing function when the wireline connector engages
with its respective pockets above plug 66A or 66B. To ensure equal
landing forces and concentricity on initial contact, two keys 84A
and 84B are recommended. As the running tool is slowly rotated
under a new control weight, it is essential that the tool only
enters in one fixed orientation. To ensure this key 84A is wider
than key 84B and its respective Y-shaped slots. It will be seen
that one of the connectors 82 has a guide duct 86 which leads the
wireline to the plug 66B whereas the other connector 83 has a
similar guide duct 87 which leads the wireline to the other plug
66A.
* * * * *