Atlantic Richfield Company

Chevron U.s.a. Inc.

Other

H Mitchell Cornette

David Reuel Underdown

John V Salerni

Stephen E Morrison

Robert K Bethel

Luis Phillipe Tosi

Steven Rowell Hayter

Lonnie J Smith

Robert W Siegfried, Ii

Phillip W Schmuck

John E Kingman

Amjad A Bseisu

Luis Phillipe Costa Ferreira Tosi

Luis Phillipe Ferreira Costa Tosi

Michael J Barton

Richard S Vaclavik

The present invention is directed to methods for harnessing flow-induced electrostatic energy in a tubular length and using this energy to power electrical devices (e.g., flowmeters, electrically-actuated valves, etc.). The present invention is also directed to corresponding systems through which such methods are implemented.

Flow induced electrostatic power generator for tubular segments

The present invention is directed to processes (methods) for harnessing flow-induced electrostatic energy in an oil and/or gas well and using this energy to power electrical devices (e.g., flowmeters, electrically-actuated valves, etc.) downhole. The present invention is also directed to corresponding systems through which such methods are implemented.

Flow-induced electrostatic power generator for downhole use in oil and gas wells

An auger type gravel pack screen assembly is interposed in a well which is adapted to produce fluids from two spaced-apart zones of interest through gravel packing surrounding the screen assembly. The screen assembly includes a blank pipe section extending through a layer of mixed size gravel of relatively low permeability to prevent the flow of water or gas through the wellbore between the producing zones. The mixed size gravel layer may be placed in the well with a dump type bailer to minimize mixing of the mixed size gravel with a layer of gravel already in the well. The intermediate layer of gravel packing may have its permeability reduced by injecting a settable resin material or the like through a section of the screen assembly which is adapted to provide for injection of such permeability reducing material from a tubing string inserted within the well.

Method for isolating multiple gravel packed zones in wells

A gravel pack screen assembly adapted to produce fluids from two spaced apart zones of interest through gravel packing surrounding spaced apart gravel pack screens includes a sub interposed in the screen assembly between the two screens and having a reservoir for discharging a quantity of permeability reducing material into a layer of gravel packing intermediate the gravel packing surrounding each of the screens. The sub is operable to discharge the material into the gravel pack layer in response to movement of a washpipe or the like within the screen assembly to move an actuator member to cause a closure member to uncover ports in the sub in communication with the reservoir. The actuator member includes a transverse surface projecting into a central bore of the sub and operable to be engaged by deflectable collet fingers formed on a washpipe assembly or a similar member insertable within the gravel pack screen assembly to effect operation of the sub to discharge its permeability reducing material.

System for isolating multiple gravel packed zones in wells

A sand control screen installation for a well includes an auger type sand control screen connected to a length of smooth-walled tubing which is disposed in a tubing seal support sub connected to a packer and having a frangible coupling interconnecting the tubing with the sub whereby the assembly may be pre-installed in a wellbore, the packer set and the tubing decoupled from the sub for reciprocation relative thereto while a fluid tight seal is maintained between portions of the wellbore to prevent underbalanced or overbalanced fluid flow during installation of the sand control screen. In an alternate embodiment, the tubing seal support sub has suitable lock mechanism for installation in a landing nipple in wells with pre-installed tubing strings and packers.

Gravel pack assembly with tubing seal

An auger gravel pack assembly for installation in a gravel packed well includes a fluid loss control closure member retained in a body disposed in a tubing assembly or 'work string' between the gravel pack screen and a running tool and cup-packer assembly. A ball-type closure member is retained by releasable fingers connected to a piston which is responsive to fluid pressure applied through the work string to effect release of the closure ball to engage a seat and substantially prevent flow of fluid from the work string or the wellbore annulus into and through the gravel pack screen after installation of the screen into the gravel pack. Ports in the assembly above the closure member allow fluid to flow between the wellbore annulus and the work string to prevent pressure buildup between the gravel pack and the cup-packer during installation of the screen.

Fluid loss control system for gravel pack assembly

A gravel pack screen assembly includes a bit or sub having a flow passage which may accept a wash pipe. The wash pipe may be inserted past a flapper-type closure member which moves to a closed position upon withdrawal of the wash pipe after completion of the installation of the gravel pack assembly. The closure member can be formed of a porous material to permit the flow of liquid through the bit or sub flow passage into the interior of the gravel pack screen but to prevent flow of gravel packing or produced sand into the interior of the screen. The closure member may serve as a backup to a conventional one-way valve and permit additional gravel pack material to be placed in the flow passage upon completion of the gravel pack installation and in the event of early or late failure of the one-way valve.

Gravel pack installations for wells

An auger gravel pack screen or other wellbore device is driven by a workstring which includes a torque-limiting device interposed therein to limit the maximum torque exerted on the screen during augering into a gravel packing in a well bore. The torque-limiting device includes driving and driven mandrels with removable shear pin support parts connected to the mandrels, respectively, and supporting plural shear pins through which driving torque is exerted on the device. An alternate embodiment includes a slip clutch with cooperating lobed clutch members. An axially translatable nut is disposed in a fluid-filled chamber between the mandrels and is operable to permit controlled rotation of the mandrels relative to each other when the limit torque is exceeded to absorb torsional deflection energy built up in the workstring without damaging the workstring or the gravel pack screen.

Torque limiter for auger gravel pack assembly

A sand control screen is installed in a well by interposing the screen in a drillstring having a retrievable bit and drive motor. The screen is drilled into place with the distal end of the drillstring and remains in the wellbore. The drillstring may be disconnected from a bottom hole assembly comprising the screen and the distal end of the drillstring and replaced by a tubing string having a packer or other external seal member interposed therein for sealing one portion of the wellbore from another. The sand control screen has a basepipe with plural apertures temporarily closed plugs which are threadedly or force-fit in the apertures. The plugs may be formed of a meltable or dissolvable fiber reinforced wax, for example, or an active metal which may be dissolved by an acid or caustic solution. The screen may also include a temporary plugging medium such as wax in the interstices of the screen sleeve to prevent accumulation of drilling fluid solids during insertion in the wellbore.

Sand control screen and installation method for wells

Sand control screens temporarily plugged with paraffin wax are installed in deep open hole wells wherein the wax has a melting temperature slightly greater or less than the nominal formation temperature in the zone from which well fluids are to be produced. Drilling fluids and other solids-laden wellbore fluids are removed from the wellbore by flowing the well up through a section of tubing disposed distal of the screen, through the interior of the screen and through the tubing string to the surface until the wellbore is cleaned. The wax is then melted due to the temperature of the produced fluid, is dissolved by the produced fluid or a solvent pumped down through the tubing string or is heated by a heater inserted into the interior of the screen such as a wireline conveyed electric heater. The distal tubing section is plugged so that production fluids are forced to flow through the sand control screen in a conventional manner.

Sand control installation for deep open hole wells

Under-balanced or potential fluid cross-flow conditions in a wellbore are minimized during installation of an auger-type gravel pack screen by placing a quantity of fine salt, calcium carbonate paste, a fluid loss control gel or sand within the interior space of the screen liner so that the material will form a substantially impermeable barrier on the liner, the gravel packing or the face of the formation during or after installation of the screen to minimize fluid flow in wells which have a relatively high pressure gradient. The material may be removed at will by circulation of a dissolving liquid such as fresh or unsaturated water or mechanical removal of insoluble material such as sand.

Wellbore pressure differential control for gravel pack screen

Fluid leakage from a crack or other leakage point and other vibration-generating events in pipes and conduits may be located and analyzed by sensing axial and torsional vibrations and pressure fluctuations created by such events by placing accelerometers and/or strain gauges and pressure sensors on the conduit at selected points. The location of the event may be determined by comparing the travel time of selected pairs of signals such as axial propagated signals as compared with torsional propagated signals as a result in the difference of the acoustic wave speed of axial versus torsional waves. Cross correlation and deconvolution processes are carried out on the measured signals to determine differential signal arrival times at the sensors and to eliminate pipe response signals. An apparatus having axial and torsional vibration sensing accelerometers thereon includes mechanism for clamping the apparatus to the inside wall of the tubing or pipe and sensing the vibratory output signals of the accelerometers to determine the nature of and location of the vibration inducing event.

Acoustic vibration detection of fluid leakage from conduits

A wellbore perforating apparatus for forming casing or wellbore wall perforations in inclined wellbores includes a perforating gun, a reference unit for determining the high side of the wellbore and a motor for rotating the reference unit and perforating gun to orient the perforation charges at a predetermined angle with respect to the high side and the wellbore axis so as to optimize the angle at which the hydraulic fracture is initiated in the formation. The apparatus includes a motor section with extensible grippers for non-rotatably securing the motor section with respect to the wellbore and for rotating the reference unit and the perforating gun.

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Houston, TX, United States of America

H Mitchell Cornette