Mobil Oil Corporation

Other

Exxonmobil Oil Corporation

Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company

Mobile Oil Corporation

Exxonmobil Corporation

Lloyd G Jones

Charles S Yeh

E Thomas Strom

Alfred R Jennings, Jr

Paul Shu

James B Martin

William P Donlon

Tommy J Yates

Lawrence R Stowe

Lloyd K Strange

B George Hurd

Larry Lawson Jones

Winston R Shu

Malcolm K Strubhar

John L Fitch

Bassem R Alameddine

Raymond J Tibbles

Christopher V Chow

Gary D Hurst

A tripper unit for actuating a device (e.g. valve-closing actuator) upon contact with water. Basically, the tripper unit is comprised of a housing having a replaceable cartridge therein which, in turn, is wrapped with an adsorbent paper which prevents a plunger from moving downward. When a leak occurs, water will flow into the housing and into contact with the absorbent paper which will quickly disintegrate to allow a compression spring in said housing to move the plunger downward to thereby actuate the unit.

Automatic flow shut-off system

An automatic flow shut-off unit for shutting off water to an appliance (e.g. commode) when a leak or overflow occurs. The unit includes an outer housing having a ball valve mounted thereon wherein the valve is connected between the water supply and the appliance. A tripper unit is mounted in the outer housing and has a plunger therein. The valve is connected to the plunger by a length of actuation material (e.g. flexible cable). A compression spring is positioned in the tripper unit to normally bias the plunger downwards. A cartridge having a water reactive material (e.g. commercially-available toilet paper) thereon is removably mounted in the outer housing wherein the water reactive material when dry supports the plunger in a cocked position but which will quickly weaken and disintegrate upon contact with water.

An automatic system which includes a tripper unit for actuating a device (e.g. valve-closing actuator) upon contact with water. Basically, the tripper unit is comprised of a housing having a cartridge therein which prevents a plunger from moving downward. When a leak occurs, water will flow into the housing and into contact with the cartridge which will quickly disintegrate allowing the plunger to move downward to thereby actuate the valve actuator to close the valve. The tripper unit may be a separate component of the system or both the tripper unit and the valve actuator can be incorporated into a single unit.

An automatic system which includes a tripper unit for actuating a device (e.g. valve-closing actuator) upon contact with water. Basically, the tripper unit is comprised of a housing having a cartridge therein which, in turn, is wrapped with an adsorbent paper which prevents a plunger from moving downward. When a leak occurs, water will flow into the housing and into contact with the absorbent paper which will quickly disintegrate allowing the plunger to move downward to thereby actuate the valve actuator to close the valve. The tripper unit may be a separate component of the system or both the tripper unit and the valve actuator can be incorporated into a single unit.

Method and apparatus for fracturing different levels of a completion interval in a well. A workstring lowers a fracturing string which, in turn, is comprised of a base pipe which is blank except for perforated sections spaced along its length. Screen may be provided over said sections to block the flow of sand into the base pipe. An alternate flow path (e.g. shunt tubes) extends along the base pipe and has one or more outlets spaced along its length. A slurry is flowed into the annulus surrounding the fracturing string. As liquid is lost from the slurry, sand from the slurry will form bridges at said perforated sections thereby isolating portions of the annulus. Slurry then flows through the shunts tube(s) and out into the isolated portions to fracture the different levels in the completion interval.

Fracturing different levels within a completion interval of a well

A method for the treatment of a subterranean formation penetrated by a well in which, first and second flow paths are established from the wellhead into the vicinity of the formation. A plugging fluid comprising a suspension of a particulate plugging agent in a carrier liquid is circulated into the first flow path and into contact with the wall of the well within the subterranean formation. The carrier liquid is separated from the particulate plugging agent by circulating the carrier liquid through a set of openings leading to the second flow path, which are dimensioned to allow the passage of the carrier liquid while retaining the particulate plugging agent in contact with the set of openings. The circulation of the plugging fluid continues until the particulate plugging agent accumulates to form a bridge packing within the well. Subsequent to establishing the bridge packing, a treating fluid is introduced into the well through the first flow path and in contact with the surface of the formation in the well adjacent to the bridge packing. The treating fluid may be a fracturing fluid under or an acidizing fluid. A clean-up fluid is circulated into the second flow path to remove the bridge packing.

Well treating process and system

A well screen and method for gravel packing a wellbore interval wherein a low-viscosity slurry can be used to distribute the gravel. A well screen having a plurality of spaced intermediate manifolds is lowered into the interval and slurry is pumped down the well and into the first manifold. Each intermediate manifold has an upper and a lower perforated shunt tube in fluid communication therewith which, in turn, distribute slurry in both an upward and downward direction substantially simultaneously. The slurry exits the respective tubes into spaced zones within the completion interval. By overlapping the exit openings of respective lower and upper shunt tubes of adjacent manifolds, slurry will be delivered to across the entire completion interval.

Method and apparatus for gravel packing a well

A method and well tool for using a low-viscosity slurry to gravel pack a completion interval. The well tool is comprised of a screen and at least one alternate flowpath which is initially closed to flow by a valve means. Once a sand bridge is formed in the completion interval, the pressure of the pumped slurry increases which, in turn, opens the valve means to allow flow through the alternate flowpath. Preferably, a plurality of flowpaths of different lengths are provided, all of which include valve means which are adapted to open at different pressures.

Method and well tool for gravel packing a long well interval using low viscosity fluids

A well screen having an internal alternate flowpath for delivering gravel slurry to different levels within a well annulus and a method for assembling same. The screen is comprised of an outer pipe which is concentrically positioned over a base pipe so that an annulus is formed therebetween. Both pipes are perforated along their respective lengths but only part way around their respective circumferences. The respective perforated sections radially align with each other when the pipes are assembled. A plurality of longitudinal ribs isolate the annulus adjacent the perforated sections (i.e. production side of screen) from the annulus adjacent the non-perforated sections (i.e. alternate flowpath side of screen). At least one outlet is provided through the non-perforated section of the outer pipe to provide an outlet from the internal alternate flowpath.

Well screen having an internal alternate flowpath

A well screen having an internal, blank alternate flowpath for delivering fracturing fluid/gravel slurry to different levels within a well annulus. The well screen includes an outer pipe which is positioned over a base pipe thereby forming an annulus therebetween. The circumference of each pipe has a perforated sector and a blank sector, both of which extend along their respective lengths. When assembled, the respective perforated sectors are aligned to form a perforated, production sector and the respective blank sectors are aligned to form the blank, alternate flowpath. The base pipe is wrapped with wire to prevent solids from flowing through the openings therein. Slurry is pumped into the annulus where it flows circumferently from the blank, alternate flowpath to exit into the well annulus through the openings in the perforated sector of the annulus.

A method and apparatus for treating a long interval within a wellbore wherein a treatment fluid is delivered to selected levels within the interval by blocking flow to certain zones while allowing flow to others. A treatment tube extends substantially through the interval and is comprised of a perforated conduit which is open at its upper end and which has a plurality of openings spaced along its length. Each of the openings have a valve seat within the conduit at its entrance which is adapted to receive a valve to seal and block flow through that opening. In operation, a treatment fluid is flowed through the treatment tube and out the openings into different levels within wellbore. At desired intervals, the valve are introduced into the treatment fluid and are carried into the treatment tube to seat at a respective opening to thereby block flow through that opening while allowing continued flow through others.

Method and apparatus for treating long formation intervals

A gravel-pack, well screen having an internal shunt tube positioned inside the screen for delivering gravel slurry to different levels within the well annulus during a gravel pack operation. The screen includes one or more joints with each joint includes a base pipe having a screen section therein. The internal shunt extends substantially throughout the length of the base pipe. Bolts, each having a passage therethrough, provide fluid passages between the exterior of the screen and the internal shunt tube near either end of the base pipe. During operation, slurry enters the internal shunt tube through the uppermost bolt and exits into the annulus through the passages in the lower bolts to distribute gravel to to different levels of the annulus.

Alternate path well tool having an internal shunt tube

A method for gravel-packing an interval within a cased wellbore wherein perforations in the well casing are cleaned of any plugging materials before placement of the gravel (e.g. sand). A screen having alternate flowpaths thereon is lowered adjacent the perforated casing and a clear fluid (e.g. clear fracturing gel) is pumped through the perforations into the formation. The gel cleans the perforation of any plugging material and fractures the formation. A gravel (e.g. sand) slurry is then pumped into the annulus and through the perforations to deposit sand in the fracture, the perforations, and the annulus around the screen. If a sand bridge(s) forms in the annulus, the alternate flowpaths will deliver the slurry to all levels within the annulus insuring good distribution of sand across the interval.

Method for fracturing and gravel-packing a well

A well tool having at least one alternate flowpath for delivering fluid to different levels in a wellbore wherein the flowpath is comprised of a conduit having a plurality of outlets spaced along its length which, in turn, are provided with inserts of erosion-resistant material to alleviate erosion of the outlets.

Growing community of inventors

Dallas, TX, United States of America

Lloyd G Jones