U.S. patent application number 12/420073 was filed with the patent office on 2009-10-22 for rigless well completion method.
Invention is credited to Henning Hansen.
Application Number | 20090260830 12/420073 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41200155 |
Filed Date | 2009-10-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090260830 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hansen; Henning |
October 22, 2009 |
RIGLESS WELL COMPLETION METHOD
Abstract
A method and system for completing a well below the bottom of a
body of water includes assembling a completion string at a location
away from a location of the wellbore, moving the assembled
completion string to the location of the wellbore and inserting the
assembled completion string into the wellbore.
Inventors: |
Hansen; Henning; (Alicante,
ES) |
Correspondence
Address: |
RICHARD A. FAGIN
P.O. BOX 1247
RICHMOND
TX
77406-1247
US
|
Family ID: |
41200155 |
Appl. No.: |
12/420073 |
Filed: |
April 8, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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61045981 |
Apr 18, 2008 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
166/339 ;
166/338 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B 43/0135 20130101;
E21B 19/22 20130101; E21B 33/035 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
166/339 ;
166/338 |
International
Class: |
E21B 41/00 20060101
E21B041/00; E21B 23/00 20060101 E21B023/00; E21B 43/01 20060101
E21B043/01; E21B 19/00 20060101 E21B019/00 |
Claims
1. A method for completing and re-completing a well below the
bottom of a body of water, comprising: assembling a well completion
string at a location away from a location of the wellbore to form
an assembled well completion string; moving the assembled well
completion string to the location of the wellbore; and inserting
the assembled well completion string into the wellbore.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the assembling is performed
substantially horizontally.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the moving is performed by
suspending in the water the assembled well completion string from
at least one vessel.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the assembling is performed by
moving one end of the well completion string into the body of water
by towing from a vessel while segments of the well completion
string are coupled to the other end of the string.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the moving comprises suspending
the assembled well completion string from a vessel disposed
proximate each end of the well completion string.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein a well completion string is
removed from a well and then fully or partially disassembled
horizontally at a location away from the wellbore
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the well completion string is a
drill-string.
8. A method for wellbore intervention, comprising: lifting a pipe
string from within a wellbore wherein the wellbore is situated by
winching one end of the pipe string thereof toward a first vessel
on the surface of the water; moving the vessel away from a location
of the wellbore; lifting the other end of the pipe string toward
the surface of the water by winching the other end toward a second
vessel on the surface of the water; and moving the first and the
second vessels away from the location of the wellbore.
9. The method of claim 8 further comprising moving the pipe string
to a location away from the location of the wellbore and performing
at least one repair operation on the pipe string.
10. A safety and guiding assembly comprising: a substantially
cylindrical body having a proximate end, a distal end, and an outer
circumference; an upper guide funnel, the upper guide funnel
mechanically connected to the proximate end of the substantially
cylindrical body and adapted to receive a well completion assembly;
and a connector, the connector mechanically connected to the distal
end of the substantially cylindrical body and adapted to fasten the
substantially cylindrical body to a BOP.
11. The assembly of claim 10 further comprising a buoyancy tank,
the buoyancy tank secured to the outer circumference of the
substantially cylindrical body.
12. The assembly of claim 10 further comprising a pipe grabber, the
pipe grabber disposed on the outer circumference of the
substantially cylindrical body.
13. The assembly of claim 10 further comprising a control
umbilical, the control umbilical in mechanical connection with the
substantially cylindrical body.
14. The assembly of claim 13 further comprising a camera, the
camera in electrical connection with the control umbilical.
15. The assembly of claim 14 further comprising a movable arm, the
arm in mechanical connection with the camera and in mechanical
connection with the substantially cylindrical body.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This patent application claims priority to and the benefit
of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/045,981 filed Apr.
18, 2008.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] 1. Field of the Invention
[0004] The invention relates generally to the field of completion
of wellbore construction by insertion into a drilled well of a
production pipe. More specifically the invention relates to methods
and devices for completing or re-completing wellbores below the
bottom of a body of water.
[0005] 2. Background Art
[0006] Wellbore completion is the process of inserting one or more
"strings" of pipe or conduit into a wellbore that has been drilled.
The conduit may be a so-called "casing", which is typically
cemented into the wellbore after drilling is completed, or the
conduit may be a "production tubing" which is inserted into a
wellbore that already has a casing. The production tubing may
include a number of different devices, such as flow control valves,
sensors, control lines, artificial lift devices (e.g., gas lift
valves) and annular sealing devices known as packers to seal the
annular space between the casing and the outside of the production
tubing.
[0007] When a wellbore is drilled, a lifting device known as a
"drilling rig" is used. Operations performed in the wellbore from
the drilling rig include moving drill pipe into and out of the
wellbore, and running and cementing the casing in place. Such
operations include threadedly coupling segments ("joints" or
"stands") of the particular pipe end to end, and moving the
assembled pipe segments along the wellbore by using lifting
equipment on the drilling rig.
[0008] Drilling rigs are known for use in drilling through
formations below the bottom of a body of water. Certain types of
such a drilling rigs float on the top of the water and lower pipe
and devices through a "riser" that connects a wellhead proximate
the sea floor to the floating drilling platform. See, for example,
U.S. Pat. No. 6,415,867 issued to Deul et al. for a general
description of drilling procedures from a floating drilling
structure.
[0009] Once a wellbore has had casing cemented in place, because
the casing maintains the mechanical integrity of the wellbore, the
continued presence of a floating drilling structure such as a
drilling rig is unnecessary
[0010] The cost of operating a floating drilling structure can be
extremely expensive and includes functionality unnecessary for the
wellbore completion process. Further, in some circumstances,
drilling rigs could be more advantageously used elsewhere for such
activities as drilling operations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] A method for completing a well below the bottom of a body of
water according to one aspect of the invention includes assembling
a completion string at a location away from a location of the
wellbore. The assembled completion string is moved to the location
of the wellbore. The assembled completion string is then inserted
into the wellbore. Also the well completion can be removed from a
well for repair or replacement, using the same method as described
herein.
[0012] Other aspects and advantages of the invention will be
apparent from the following description and the appended
claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 shows a schematic depiction of a method for
completing a well or retrieving a well completion using a
pre-assembled completion according to one example of the present
invention.
[0014] FIG. 1A shows a schematic description of a safety and
guiding assembly according to one example of the present
invention.
[0015] FIG. 2 shows a schematic depiction of a method for running
the completion through a wellhead and a safety and guiding assembly
according to one example of the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 3 shows a schematic depiction of a safety and guiding
assembly system installed on a subsea wellhead, according to one
example of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0017] In a method according to the invention, a well completion
"string", such as a production tubing string formed from threadedly
coupled pipe sections (i.e., "joints" or "stands"), may be
preassembled at a shore base or other facility away from a
wellsite. The wellsite is typically below the bottom of a body of
water and would be drilled using a floating drilling structure.
See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,415,867 issued to Deul et al. for a
general description of drilling procedures from a floating drilling
structure.
[0018] The techniques used to assemble the completion string may be
similar to those used to preassemble product transportation
pipeline, except that the pipe joints or stands in production
tubing may be threadedly coupled rather than welded. Typically, the
completion string would be assembled lying substantially
horizontally, with an end being towed out into the water by a
deployment vessel. Alternatively, the completion string can be
assembled by a vessel where the string is suspended in the sea from
such vessel. The assembled completion string can be pressure
tested, function tested and inspected prior to being towed out to
the wellsite. The present method of assembling and testing will
remove the time required for such assembly from being performed on
a drilling rig or similar floating vessel.
[0019] As an example of possible cost savings using a method
according to the invention, one fiber optic splice in a completion
string having fiber optic communication capabilities can typically
take 6 to 8 hours of rig time, at a daily cost (2008) of up to one
million US dollars. The proposed method significantly reduces this
expenditure, and allows for more detailed and extended testing of
the assembled completion system prior to deployment. As the string
assembly is finished, a support vessel may suspend the other end of
the completion string for deployment to the wellsite. The well
completion string may be fully or partially filled with air or
other gas to create the buoyancy required for safe transportation
under the sea surface to the wellsite. In an alternative example,
external floatation devices may be used in addition to air or gas
filling for buoyancy, including both active and passive flotation
aids such as foam modules or air cans. Using external buoyancy
devices may be necessary when remotely assembling so called
"sand-face" completion sections. Such sections typically contain
sand screens, which being permeable, would make internal air
filling of the assembled completion string impossible. The upper
portions of the completion string longitudinally displaced from the
screen or screens could, however, be sealed with an internal
sealing device or plug, and use the internal air buoyancy
methodology described above
[0020] Prior to installing an assembled completion string into the
wellbore, the wellbore should be in a "safe" status by using
downhole barriers such as casing plugs being installed, or by not
yet being perforated (wherein explosive charges are used to
penetrate the wellbore casing, cement external to the casing and
some of the productive formation outside the wellbore). For pulling
completion strings already disposed in wellbores out from such
wellbores, using the above described methods, the wellbore should
first be safely secured to prevent fluid entry into the wellbore
from formations into which perforations extend, or in which screens
are disposed. Securing a previously completed wellbore may be
performed, for example using well known fluid pressure barriers,
for example, mechanical plugs. In other examples high density
fluids ("kill fluid") may be pumped into the wellbore, or remotely
operated downhole valves or similar maybe used. See, for example,
U.S. Pat. No. 5,343,955 issued to Williams or U.S. Pat. No.
5,167,284 issued to Leismer for a description of typical wellbore
safety valves.
[0021] The deployment vessel and support vessel may then move to
the wellsite to enable installing the completion string. Referring
to FIG. 1, the deployment vessel 20 may suspend a wellbore
connection end 32 of a well completion string 30. Wellbore
connection end 32 is end of well completion string 30 that will be
connected to wellbore 10. Wellbore 10 may be disposed beneath
subsurface wellhead 14, shown in the inset FIG. 1A in FIG. 1,
disposed on the water bottom. Placement end 34 of completion string
30 may be disposed directly above wellhead 14, and placement end 34
lowered into the water from support vessel 50, such as by a winch
or similar device. Deployment vessel 20 may move toward wellhead 14
as placement end 34 of completion string 30 is lowered. Deployment
vessel 20 may use remotely operated vehicle ("ROV") 60 of types
well known in the art to deploy tools (not shown) and video camera
(62) to cause completion string 30 to move through a suitable
opening in the top of wellhead 14 (shown in greater detail in FIGS.
2 and 3). ROV 60 is typically connected to deployment vessel 20
through ROV umbilical 64, by which power may supplied to ROV 60 and
data, typically including video, may be delivered to deployment
vessel 20. ROV 60 may also deploy electrical and/or hydraulic
cables to connect control equipment on the deployment vessel 20 to
suitable controlled devices on the wellhead 14, such as blowout
preventers ("BOPs").
[0022] Tubulars, even large size tubulars such as, for example 7
inch diameter tubulars, can bend when long in comparison to the
diameter. This bending is a natural property of the materials used
to make completion string 30, and it is necessary for being able to
run and install tubular into deviated wellbores, for example. This
natural bending will allow an entire well completion string towed
out to the wellhead location to bend in the water. What may be
observed in FIG. 1 is that completion string 30 is bent from a
horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation through wellhead
14 and into wellbore 10. The lowering of completion string 30 into
wellbore 10 continues with deployment vessel 20 moving toward
wellhead 14, while lowering completion string 30 into wellbore 10.
Air can be pumped into or evacuated from within completion string
30 by deployment vessel 20 to create any positive or negative
buoyancy required for placement of completion string 30 into
wellbore 10. Alternatively, or additionally, external air canisters
may be used to provide buoyancy. Such air canisters may be released
from the completion string, for example, by using the ROV 60 or by
acoustic command from the deployment vessel 20 or support vessel
50. It may be desirable for deployment vessel 20 to approach
wellbore 10 from the same direction as the main ocean currents in
the area of wellbore 10, as shown in FIG. 1. Such an approach may
assist in the deployment of well completion string 30 by allowing
the main ocean currents to push or guide well completion string 30
to its desired location.
[0023] In some examples of the present invention, support vessel 50
may assist in the deployment of well completion string 30. Support
vessel 50 may perform such as operations as assisting in the
placement of well completion string 30 or securing sections of well
completion string 30 while other sections are being connected to
wellhead 14.
[0024] FIG. 1 further depicts control umbilical 70. Control
umbilical 70 and wellhead control umbilical 74 are connected
through umbilical connector 72. These elements and their purpose
are more fully described below.
[0025] FIG. 2 shows well completion string 30 as it is being moved
through wellhead 14. At the time of assembly, well completion
string 30 may be charged with air for buoyancy. As well completion
string 30 is deployed into wellbore 10, the air inside well
completion string 30 can be gradually released to cause well
completion string 30 to move downwardly under gravity, to balance
the weight of well completion string 30 and to provide added safety
and deployment speed. However, well completion string 30 is at
normally connected to deployment vessel 20 by wire and/or umbilical
36, where safe deployment speeds are controlled by the speed of
deployment vessel 20 moving toward the location above wellhead 14
as well as by the lowering speed of well completion string 30 by
deployment vessel (20)'s winch system.
[0026] The safety of the well completion string 30 deployment and
retrieval of thereof with respect to possible dropping of the
string 30 in the water can be addressed by having completion string
filled with air as explained above, by the deployment wire or rope
from the deployment vessel 20, and by providing external buoyancy
tanks which can be activated by, for example, sensing water
pressure and/or acceleration of the completion string 30 through
water.
[0027] When well completion string 30 has been "landed" that is,
fully inserted into wellbore 10 and a "tubing hanger" (not shown)
is seated in wellhead 14, equipment disposed on deployment vessel
20 may be used in conjunction with control umbilical 70 shown in
FIG. 1 to set packer(s), tubing hangers, and similar equipment, as
well as to pressure test the wellbore system (the casing, wellhead
and completion string). Thereafter, downhole barriers such as
safety plugs or valves may be opened. If the well casing was not
perforated prior to completion string 30 installation, such
perforation can be performed when the system has been pressure
tested and qualified. If a so-called horizontal wellhead is used,
wellhead 14 would most often be installed on the seafloor prior to
installation of well completion string 30. And if a so-called
vertical wellhead is used, wellhead 14 would most often be
installed after well completion string 30 is installed. Such
wellhead installation can be performed using one or two vessels
instead of a floating drilling structure.
[0028] One example of a safety- and guiding assembly 100 to be
mounted onto the wellhead guide base or a horizontal type wellhead
usable with the present method is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The
components may be similar to those used in conventional sea floor
well completions where a floating drilling structure is used.
[0029] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, wellhead 14 is connected to BOP
200. The construction of BOP 150 and its connection to wellhead 14
are generally understood by those of skill in the art. Mechanically
connected to BOP 200 is lower guide funnel 110. Lower guide funnel
110 is adapted to guide well completion string 30 to properly mate
with and pass through BOP 200 into wellhead 14. While lower guide
funnel 110 is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 to be conical, this shape is
non-limiting.
[0030] Connectors 120 serve to mechanically connect BOP 200 to
safety- and guiding assembly 100. Safety- and guiding assembly 100
typically consists of two primary parts, cylindrical body 130 and
upper guide funnel 150. Upper guide funnel 150 is adapted to
receive well completion string 30 as it is lowered from deployment
vessel 20 and allow well completion string 30 to pass into
cylindrical body 130. While upper guide funnel 150 is shown in
FIGS. 2 and 3 to be conical, this shape is non-limiting.
Cylindrical body 130 serves to guide well completion string 30 to
lower guide funnel 110 as well completion string 30 is lowered from
deployment vessel 20.
[0031] Safety- and guiding assembly 100 may also include one or
more buoyancy tanks 140. Buoyancy tanks 140 are typically used to
assist in placement of safety- and guiding assembly 100. Safety-
and guiding assembly may also include dropped pipe grabber 160.
Dropped pipe grabber 160 assists in the protection of BOP 200 and
wellhead 14 from accidental misplacement of well completion string
30 or falling objects such as piping or tools.
[0032] Placement by deployment vessel 20 of well completion string
30 may be assisted through the use of camera 170. Camera 170 is
focused on upper guide funnel 150. Camera 170 transmits data, such
as video, to deployment vessel 20, typically through control
umbilical 70. Such video allows the operator of deployment vessel
20 to more closely view the placement of well completion string 30
into upper guide funnel 150. Camera 170 is often mounted on movable
arm 180; movable arm 180 is adapted to allow the operator of
deployment vessel 20 to orient camera 170 during placement of well
completion string 30.
[0033] The operation shown in FIG. 1 may be reversed to effect
repairs on the tubing string of well completion string 30. In such
repair operations, the tubing string may be moved to a location
away from the location of wellbore 14, and at least one repair
operation may be performed, for example, welding, replacement of a
valve or other control, replacement of a packer, etc.
[0034] Methods according to the invention may save the cost of
using a floating drilling structure for well completions and well
re-completions.
[0035] While the invention has been described with respect to a
limited number of examples, those skilled in the art, having
benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate that other examples can
be devised which do not depart from the scope of the invention as
disclosed herein. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be
limited only by the attached claims.
* * * * *