U.S. patent application number 14/084812 was filed with the patent office on 2015-05-21 for multi-zone intelligent and interventionless single trip completion.
This patent application is currently assigned to Baker Hughes Incorporated. The applicant listed for this patent is Baker Hughes Incorporated. Invention is credited to Todd C. Jackson, Marc N. Samuelson.
Application Number | 20150136392 14/084812 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 53172116 |
Filed Date | 2015-05-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150136392 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Jackson; Todd C. ; et
al. |
May 21, 2015 |
Multi-zone Intelligent and Interventionless Single Trip
Completion
Abstract
A one trip interventionless method for fracking multiple
intervals incorporates a remotely operated passage isolation valve
for each interval. A screen backed by a base pipe is provided to
route screened production through a shutoff valve before the
production reaches the passage in the completion assembly. The
shutoff valve is remotely operated as well. The fracking port is
associated with a pressure responsive operator such as a j-slot
mechanism with a spring return. The j-slot mechanism is behind a
rupture disc so that it remains unaffected while other operations
are going on in the wellbore. The rupture discs are set at
different pressures for the intervals involved. Sequentially, each
fracked zone is isolated and the zone above is opened with breaking
the rupture disc and applying predetermined number of pressure
cycles. The screen valves are remotely operated as needed after the
fracking to initiate production from one or more intervals.
Inventors: |
Jackson; Todd C.; (Houston,
TX) ; Samuelson; Marc N.; (Houston, TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Baker Hughes Incorporated |
Houston |
TX |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Baker Hughes Incorporated
Houston
TX
|
Family ID: |
53172116 |
Appl. No.: |
14/084812 |
Filed: |
November 20, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
166/281 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B 23/006 20130101;
E21B 43/14 20130101; E21B 34/063 20130101; E21B 43/261
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
166/281 |
International
Class: |
E21B 43/26 20060101
E21B043/26; E21B 43/08 20060101 E21B043/08; E21B 34/06 20060101
E21B034/06; E21B 43/14 20060101 E21B043/14; E21B 33/124 20060101
E21B033/124 |
Claims
1. An interventionless completion method for one trip fracking and
production from at least one interval, comprising: running in a
bottom hole assembly that comprises at least one set of the
following components: an annular seal; an isolation valve for
selectively closing an internal passage through the assembly; at
least one frack port and associated closure for selective
communication with said passage; a screen with an associated screen
valve to selectively allow communication with said passage;
performing, at least one time, the following completion steps
without passage intervention with tools and in a single trip:
closing off an annular space with said annular seal; closing off
said passage with said isolation valve; opening said frack port;
fracking through said now open frack port; closing said frack port;
opening said screen valve; and producing through said screen.
2. The method of claim 1, comprising: running in multiple sets of
said components; locating said sets adjacent a plurality of
intervals; performing said completion steps at each said
interval.
3. The method of claim 2, comprising: performing said completion
steps in a sequence that begins furthest from a surface location
and moves toward said surface location.
4. The method of claim 1, comprising: isolating said closure from
passage pressures to a predetermined level.
5. The method of claim 4, comprising: using a breakable member for
said isolating.
6. The method of claim 5, comprising: operating said closure with
pressure after breaking said breakable member.
7. The method of claim 6, comprising: using pressure cycles with a
j-slot mechanism for opening and closing said closure.
8. The method of claim 6, comprising: opening and closing said
closure with pressure cycles applied to a spring loaded j-slot
mechanism; disabling said j-slot mechanism from reopening said
closure after closing said closure.
9. The method of claim 8, comprising: opening said screen valve
after closing said closure.
10. The method of claim 3, comprising: isolating said closures from
passage pressures to different predetermined levels.
11. The method of claim 10, comprising: using breakable members for
said isolating.
12. The method of claim 11, comprising: operating said closures
with pressure after breaking a respective said breakable
member.
13. The method of claim 12, comprising: using pressure cycles with
a j-slot mechanism for opening and closing each said closure.
14. The method of claim 12, comprising: opening and closing said
closures with pressure cycles applied to a spring loaded j-slot
mechanism; disabling said j-slot mechanism from reopening each said
closure after closing said closure.
15. The method of claim 14, comprising: opening at least one said
screen valve after closing said closure associated with said
screen.
16. The method of claim 10, comprising: using breakable members set
to break at different pressures for said isolating.
17. The method of claim 16, comprising: using breakable members
with progressively higher pressure settings in a direction toward a
surface location.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The field of the invention is multi zone fracturing and
production and more particularly for a one trip method to
accomplish such a completion without well intervention.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Fracturing is done sequentially in an interval, typically
from the bottom up, starting with the lowermost zone that has a
fracking sleeve opened, generally with a dropped ball on a seat.
Pressuring up shifts the seat and the associated sleeve that
supports the seat so that open ports are exposed through which
fluid at high pressure and high velocity impinges on the formation
to initiate fractures. The port for that zone just fractured is
closed and after the entire zone is fractured in this manner the
production ports are open. These ports are screened so that
production does not produce sand or other particulates. During the
fracturing the fracking ports of zones just completed are
frequently left open and isolated with another and larger ball
dropped on a seat above the still open fracking port to isolate it.
When the whole interval is fractured in that sequential manner, the
balls can be flowed up to the surface on production or the balls
can be blown through the seats or allowed to dissolve or otherwise
disappear to facilitate the production that then takes place. In
some instances the well is put into injection service rather than
production from the formation.
[0003] In the past methods to accomplish the steps described above
have been with well intervention to close sliding sleeves over
fracking port or have simply left those opened fracking ports in
that condition and isolated them with dropped balls that landed on
higher seats. Some relevant examples of the state of the art can be
seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,446,729; 6,983,795; 8,127,847 and
8,342,245. What is needed and provided by the present invention is
a way to do a fracking job more intelligently and in a single trip
without intervention in the wellbore. Along those lines the present
invention has a screen assembly in each interval that can be
remotely isolated or opened as well as a formation isolation valve
that can be remotely and selectively operated. The fracking port is
located behind a breakable member such as a rupture disc with the
breaking pressure of each interval set at a different value. The
rupture discs allow other well operations to take place before the
fracking ports are opened. The preferred opening mechanism is a
pressure cycle responsive j-slot assembly. The formation isolation
valve is preferably a ball or plug valve that is remotely operated
preferably by associated hydraulic lines from the surface. These
and other aspects of the present invention will be more readily
appreciated by those skilled in the art from a review of the
detailed description and the associated drawings while recognizing
that the full scope of the invention is to be determined from the
appended claims.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] A one trip interventionless method for fracking multiple
intervals incorporates a remotely operated passage isolation valve
for each interval. A screen backed by a base pipe is provided to
route screened production through a shutoff valve before the
production reaches the passage in the completion assembly. The
shutoff valve is remotely operated as well. The fracking port is
associated with a pressure responsive operator such as a j-slot
mechanism with a spring return. The j-slot mechanism is behind a
rupture disc so that it remains unaffected while other operations
are going on in the wellbore. The rupture discs are set at
different pressures for the intervals involved. Sequentially, each
fracked zone is isolated and the zone above is opened with breaking
the rupture disc and applying predetermined number of pressure
cycles. The screen valves are remotely operated as needed after the
fracking to initiate production from one or more intervals.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0005] The FIGURE illustrates one bottom hole assembly for a given
interval that can be repeated for a one trip interventionless
fracking and production method for one or more intervals.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0006] The FIGURE illustrates a wellbore 10 that has a surrounding
formation that can be one or more intervals although a single
interval 12 is illustrated for clarity and to avoid repetition of
components. An isolation valve 14 is in the passage 16 so that an
interval or intervals that are already fractured 18 can be
isolated. Packer 20 isolates the interval 12 from interval 18 and
other packers such as 20 can be used to isolate as many intervals
as needed. Valve 14 is preferably remotely operated without an
intervention in the passage 16. The operation can be through
control lines, power cable, acoustic signal or pressure cycling to
name a few options.
[0007] A screen 22 is mounted over a tubular 24 with no wall
openings so that flow in the screen will all be directed to valve
or valves 26 before entering the passage 16. A control line 28 is
shown for operating the valve or valves 26 without intervention but
as with valves 14 other means of operation are contemplated as
described above as well as other known actuation variations.
[0008] A burst disc 30 covers a pressure responsive j-slot assembly
32 that after a number of applications and removals of pressure
results in opening ports 34. Each zone has a burst disk that is set
to different pressures so that the ports 34 in different intervals
will become accessible to pressure cycling at progressive higher
pressures in a direction toward the surface.
[0009] What is shown in the FIGURE is a single interval assembly
that can be repeated any number of times to address as many
intervals as is desired and the assemblies can also be spaced out
as needed. The lowermost interval can be at hole bottom and in that
case the valve 14 for that interval will not be required. The
illustrated assembly allows for isolation without intervention of
any already fracked intervals with valve 14, followed by raising
pressure to break the burst disc 30 so that pressure cycling can
open ports 34 for fracking to begin while screen 22 is effectively
blocked off with valves 26 closed. When the illustrated interval is
fracked the other intervals are sequentially fracked by repeating
the above process until all intervals are fracked. Thereafter, any
one or more screens 22 can be opened without intervention in
passage 16 for production flow. Similarly valves 26 can also be
selectively closed if an interval produces sand or water.
[0010] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a fracking and
production completion can be made in a single trip without well
intervention. The bottom hole assemblies that are used for multiple
intervals also permit other pressure related activities to occur
before the fracking with the fracking ports remaining isolated and
closed behind rupture discs. Key components are provided that
respond to interventionless signals to make the one trip fracking
and production possible.
[0011] The configuration is composed of 3 major components placed
serially in the tubing string. The first component is a remotely
controlled intelligent flow control device. This is followed by a
fracturing port tool utilizing a "j-style" mechanism. The last
element includes a zonal isolation packing element and a valve
capable of blocking the tubing string. These two units can be
broken into separate elements. The entire configuration can be
incorporated into a single tool or built from individual
components. The flow control device can be on/off, discrete or
continuous choking. Control can be achieved via hydraulic,
electro-mechanical or electro-hydraulic control. For completions
utilizing screen, the inlet to the valve should be placed under the
screen to allow flow from the screen-tubing annular area to the
inside diameter of the production tubing. The fracturing port will
allow tubing to annulus fracturing. The port will initially be run
closed. Application of pressure will allow communication to a
"j-slot" shifting piston through a burst disc or spring loaded
check valve. This pressure will shift the "j-slot" to the second
position opening the fracturing port. After completion of the
frack, high pressure will again be applied via the tubing to shift
the "j-slot" to the final position, closing the frack port. The
final position will be configured such that the application of
additional pressure cycles will not shift the "j-slot". The burst
disc/check valve will be arranged such that the lowest frack port
in the string requires the lowest pressure for communication.
Higher frack ports will require increase pressure to allow shifting
of the "j-slot". This will allow each frack port to be opened
sequentially. The tubing valve will allow for isolation of the
tubing string below the frack port being utilized at any point in
time. A packing element will allow for annular zonal isolation. The
tubing valve will be a ball or butterfly valve (or similar) capable
of completely sealing off the lower section of tubing. Control of
this valve can be accomplished by pressure/mud pulse or directly
via electrical signals form an electro-mechanical/electro-hydraulic
flow control valve or from an electric monitoring device. During
run-in, the valve will be locked in the open position. An initial
signal will cause the valve to close and allow for fracturing
through the frack port above the valve. A second signal will cause
the valve to open allowing production/communication to lower
zones.
[0012] Control of the fracturing port can be achieved via low
pressure instead of high pressure. The unit can be design such that
hydrostatic pressure plus fluid head keeps the valve locked into a
position. A decrease of this pressure would cause a shift (pressure
would not need to be decreased below formation pressure, removal of
some fluid weight or artificially applied pressure is sufficient).
Upon reapplication of the pressure, the valve will lock into the
next position. The final position will still be a locking position
to ensure future pressure cycles do not shift the port.
[0013] The above description is illustrative of the preferred
embodiment and many modifications may be made by those skilled in
the art without departing from the invention whose scope is to be
determined from the literal and equivalent scope of the claims
below:
* * * * *