Multilateral Junction with Feed-Through
A hydrocarbon production assembly within a multilateral wellbore, the multilateral wellbore having a main bore portion which extends downwardly from surface and a lateral leg which extends radially away from the main bore portion.
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The term “multilateral,” as used herein, will refer to wellbores having a main bore, or leg, and at least one lateral leg which branches off from the main bore and extends radially away from the main bore. The term “communication line,” as used herein, refers broadly to conduits used in a wellbore for transmission of power, fluids and/or data. Communication lines can include electrical power cables, electrical data cables, optic fibers, and/or hydraulic lines.
A combination whipstock and seal bore diverter 30 is located within the wellbore 10 above the main bore completion arrangement 18. Preferably, the whipstock and seal bore diverter 30 is secured within the casing 14 of the wellbore 10 by anchor 32.
The whipstock and seal bore diverter 30 may be used to sidetrack a mill and subsequently a drill to create a lateral leg, as is known in the art.
The first isolation string 52 also includes a valve actuator 56. The valve actuator 56 is operable to actuate the lateral valve 42 of the lateral leg completion arrangement 36 between open and closed positions. A suitable valve actuator for use as the valve actuator 56 is an IWS (Intelligent Wellbore System) valve actuator which is available commercially from Baker Hughes Incorporated of Houston, Tex. It is noted that both the monitoring gauge 54 and the valve actuator 56 of the first isolation string 52 require, or preferably utilize, communication from surface to operate in their intended manner. The monitoring gauge 54, for example, preferably transmits data relating to detected operational parameters uphole to surface via one or more communication lines (electrical/fiber optic). The valve actuator 56 preferably utilizes power from surface (electrical/hydraulic) to operate.
The first isolation string 52 also features a mating connector 58 at its uphole end which will permit connection of communication lines within the first isolation string in end-to-end fashion with other communication lines. Preferably, the mating connector 58 is a wet mate connector which allows connection of electrical and other communication lines even in the presence of fluids. An example of a suitable wet mate connector is the annular electrical wet connect CA2669750 A1 which is available commercially from Baker Hughes Incorporated of Houston, Tex. Wet connect devices are also described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,932 (“Multiple Protected Live Circuit Wet Connect System”) issued to Ripolone.
A suitable device for use as the feed-through device 60 would be a Hydrasplit™ multilateral junction which is available commercially from Baker Hughes Incorporated of Houston, Tex.
The feed-through device 60 is provided with suitable communication lines 78 (best shown in
A second isolation string 90 forms a part of the communication work string 84 and extends downwardly from the communications mating assembly 88. As the communications mating assembly 88 is interconnected with the uphole mating connector 82, the second isolation string 90 will be fed through the bore 74 of the feed through device 60 and landed within the flowbore 28 of the main bore completion assembly 18. The exemplary second isolation string 90 of
Once the communication work string 84 has been landed within the wellbore 10, complete communication lines are now provided between devices at the surface and components in the first and second isolation strings 52, 90.
Communication lines extend from the surface 96 to components within the wellbore 10.
The invention provides a communication junction arrangement for a multilateral wellbore having a main bore portion 16 and at least one lateral leg 34. In other aspects, the invention provides a method for constructing a hydrocarbon production assembly within a multilateral wellbore which provides communication lines for completion arrangements 18, 36 in both the main bore portion 16 and the lateral leg 34. In accordance with these methods, a main bore completion arrangement 18 is disposed within a main bore portion 16 of a wellbore 10. A whipstock and seal bore diverter 30 is then landed upon the main bore completion arrangement 18. A lateral leg 34 is then formed which extends radially away from the main bore portion 16. Next, a lateral leg completion arrangement 36 is then disposed within the lateral leg 34. A first isolation string 52 is inserted into the lateral leg completion arrangement 36. A second isolation string 90 is then inserted into the main bore completion arrangement below the seal bore diverter 30. Communication is then established between each of the first and second isolation strings 52, 90 and at least one transmission/reception device at surface 96. The transmission/reception devices include electrical power generator 98, hydraulic fluid pump 100, OTDR 102 and processor 104. Communication is established by lines 106, 108, 110 and/or 112.
In operation, fluid flow parameters are measured as fluid (i.e., fracturing fluid) is flowed out of the flowbores 28, 46 of the main bore and lateral leg completion arrangements 18, 36 through valves 56, 94 and screen 26. Fluid that is flowed can include fracturing fluid or other formation treatment fluid which′ is flowed out of the flowbores 28, 46 and into the surrounding formation. Fluid that is flowed can also include hydrocarbon production fluid that is drawn into the flowbores 28, 46 of the main bore and lateral leg completion arrangements 18, 36. Thus, the valves 56, 94, screen 26, and valve 42 can be thought of as flow controllers which can be opened and closed by the first and second isolation strings 52, 90 to permit fluid communication either outwardly into the surrounding formation (i.e., for fracturing fluids) or inwardly from the formation (i.e., production fluid).
Those of skill in the art will recognize that numerous modifications and changes may be made to the exemplary designs and embodiments described herein and that the invention is limited only by the claims that follow and any equivalents thereof.
Claims
1. A hydrocarbon production assembly within a multilateral wellbore, the multilateral wellbore having a main bore portion which extends downwardly from surface and a lateral leg which extends radially away from the main bore portion, the completion arrangement comprising:
- a lateral leg completion arrangement located within the lateral leg and having a tubular conduit which defines a flowbore along its length and at least one first flow controller which can be opened and closed to selectively allow fluid communication with the flowbore;
- a main bore completion arrangement located within the main bore portion, the main bore completion arrangement having a tubular conduit which defines a flowbore along its length and at least one second flow controller which can be opened and closed to selectively allow fluid communication with the flowbore;
- a first isolation string which resides within the lateral leg completion arrangement, the first isolation string comprising a tool string having a valve actuator which actuates the at least one first valve between open and closed positions; and
- a second isolation string which resides within the main bore completion arrangement, the second isolation string comprising a tool string having a valve actuator which actuates the at least one second valve between open and closed positions.
2. The hydrocarbon production assembly of claim 1 wherein:
- the at least one first flow controller permits fluid flow outwardly from the flowbore of the lateral leg completion assembly; and
- the at least one second flow controller permits fluid flow outwardly from the flowbore of the main bore completion assembly.
3. The hydrocarbon production assembly of claim 1 wherein:
- the at least one first flow controller permits fluid flow inwardly to the flowbore of the lateral leg completion assembly; and
- the at least one second flow controller permits fluid flow inwardly to the flowbore of the main bore completion assembly.
4. The hydrocarbon production assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second isolation strings further comprises a monitoring gauge which is positioned proximate the valve of the respective main bore or lateral leg completion arrangement when seated within to measure at least one fluid flow related parameter as fluid is flowed through the flowbore of the respective main bore or lateral leg completion arrangement.
5. The hydrocarbon production assembly of claim 1 further comprising a communication work string that is interconnected with the first and second isolation strings to provide a communication line between the first and second isolation strings and at least one transmission/reception device at the surface.
6. The hydrocarbon production assembly of claim 1 further comprising a feed-through device having:
- a mandrel to be seated within the main bore portion;
- an opening disposed within the mandrel through which the second isolation string is disposed into the main bore completion arrangement; and
- a downhole mating connector for connecting a communication line with the first isolation string.
7. The hydrocarbon production assembly of claim 6 wherein the mandrel of the feed-through device is seated upon a seal bore diverter which is disposed upon the main bore completion arrangement.
8. The hydrocarbon production assembly of claim 5 wherein the at least one transmission/reception device is at least one of the group consisting of: electrical power generator, hydraulic fluid pump, optical time domain reflectometer and processor.
9. The hydrocarbon production assembly of claim 5 wherein the communication line comprises at least one of the group consisting of: electrical power conduit, hydraulic conduit, optical fiber, and electrical data cable.
10. A hydrocarbon production assembly within a multilateral wellbore, the multilateral wellbore having a main bore portion which extends downwardly from surface and a lateral leg which extends radially away from the main bore portion, the completion arrangement comprising:
- a lateral leg completion arrangement located within the lateral leg and having a tubular conduit which defines a flowbore along its length and at least one first flow controller which can be opened and closed to selectively allow fluid communication with the flowbore;
- a main bore completion arrangement located within the main bore portion, the main bore completion arrangement having a tubular conduit which defines a flowbore along its length and at least one monitoring gauge which detects a parameter related to fluid flow proximate an at least one second flow controller;
- a first isolation string which resides within the lateral leg completion arrangement, the first isolation string comprising a tool string having a valve actuator which actuates the at least one first flow controller between open and closed positions; and
- a second isolation string which resides within the main bore completion arrangement.
11. The hydrocarbon production assembly of claim 10 further comprising a communication work string that is interconnected with the first and second isolation strings to provide a communication line between the first and second isolation strings and at least one transmission/reception device at the surface.
12. The hydrocarbon production assembly of claim 10 further comprising a feed-through device having:
- a mandrel to be seated within the main bore portion;
- an opening disposed within the mandrel through which the second isolation string is disposed into the main bore completion arrangement; and
- a downhole mating connector for connecting a communication line with the first isolation string.
13. The hydrocarbon production assembly of claim 12 further comprising a whipstock and seal bore diverter which is disposed atop the main bore completion arrangement.
14. The hydrocarbon production assembly of claim 13 wherein the mandrel of the feed-through device is seated upon the seal bore diverter.
15. The hydrocarbon production assembly of claim 11 wherein the at least one transmission/reception device is at least one of the group consisting of: electrical power generator, hydraulic fluid pump, optical time domain reflectometer and processor.
16. The hydrocarbon production assembly of claim 11 wherein the communication line comprises at least one of the group consisting of: electrical power conduit, hydraulic conduit, optical fiber, and electrical data cable.
17. The hydrocarbon production assembly of claim 10 wherein the second isolation string comprising a tool string having a valve actuator which actuates the at least one second flow controller between open and closed positions.
18. A hydrocarbon production assembly within a multilateral wellbore, the multilateral wellbore having a main bore portion which extends downwardly from surface and a lateral leg which extends radially away from the main bore portion, the completion arrangement comprising:
- a lateral leg completion arrangement located within the lateral leg and having a tubular conduit which defines a flowbore along its length and at least one first flow controller which can be opened and closed to selectively allow fluid communication with the flowbore;
- a main bore completion arrangement located within the main bore portion, the main bore completion arrangement having a tubular conduit which defines a flowbore along its length and at least one second flow controller which can be opened and closed to selectively allow fluid communication with the flowbore;
- a first isolation string which resides within the lateral leg completion arrangement, the first isolation string comprising a tool string having a valve actuator which actuates the at least one first flow controller between open and closed positions;
- a second isolation string which resides within the main bore completion arrangement, the second isolation string comprising a tool string having a valve actuator which actuates the at least one second flow controller between open and closed positions; and
- a communication work string that is interconnected with the first and second isolation strings to provide a communication line between the first and second isolation strings and at least one transmission/reception device at the surface.
19. The hydrocarbon production assembly of claim 18 further:
- the at least one first flow controller permits fluid flow outwardly from the flowbore of the lateral leg completion assembly; and
- the at least one second flow controller permits fluid flow outwardly from the flowbore of the main bore completion assembly.
20. The hydrocarbon production assembly of claim 18 further:
- the at least one first flow controller permits fluid flow inwardly to the flowbore of the lateral leg completion assembly; and
- the at least one second flow controller permits fluid flow inwardly to the flowbore of the main bore completion assembly.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 23, 2016
Publication Date: Aug 24, 2017
Applicant: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Houston, TX)
Inventors: Bryan P. Pendleton (Cypress, TX), Joseph Sheehan (Cypress, TX), Mark Knebel (Tomball, TX)
Application Number: 15/050,689