GRAVEL PACKING SYSTEM AND METHOD
A gravel packing system includes at least two packers with at least one of the two packers being sealable to an open hole, a barrier sealably engaged with the at least two packers defining an annular space between the open hole and the barrier, a cross-over tool operably connectable to at least one of the at least two packers and the barrier, and at least one regulator in operable communication with the barrier configured to maintain a substantially constant pressure in the annular space while gravel is packed at a location downstream of at least one of the at least two packers, downstream being defined by a direction of travel of gravel being packed.
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Gravel packing is performed to provide structural support to walls of an open borehole. Typical gravel packing systems employ a casing within a borehole thereby allowing gravel to be packed in an annular space defined between the casing and walls of the open borehole. There are applications wherein it is desirable to gravel pack an open borehole without a casing positioned therewith. Systems and methods to enable and improve on such operations are of interest to the industry.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONDisclosed herein is a gravel packing system. The system includes at least two packers with at least one of the two packers being sealable to an open hole, a barrier sealably engaged with the at least two packers defining an annular space between the open hole and the barrier, a cross-over tool operably connectable to at least one of the at least two packers and the barrier, and at least one regulator in operable communication with the barrier configured to maintain a substantially constant pressure in the annular space maintain a substantially constant while gravel is packed at a location downstream of at least one of the at least two packers, downstream is defined by a direction of travel of gravel that is being packed.
Further disclosed herein is a method of packing gravel. The method includes running a cross-over tool within an open borehole, engaging the cross-over tool with at least one of at least two packers wherein at least one of the at least two packers is set in the open borehole and a barrier sealed to the at least two packers defining an annular space between the barrier and the open borehole, packing gravel at a location downstream of at least one of the at least two packers, and maintaining a substantially constant pressure in the annular space.
The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike:
A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures.
Referring to
Additionally, the gravel packing system 10 has features such as, seal bores 62, circulating sleeves 66, production sleeves 70, indicator couplings 74 and, gravel pack sleeves 78, that are connected to the packers 18, 22, 26 and the barriers 30, 34 and 38, as well as a packer setting tool 82, tubing 84, return port coupling 88, gravel packing port 92, gravel packing sleeve opening tool 96, set down indicator 100, pick up indicator 104, close-only tool 108 and open-only tool 112 that are connected to the cross-over tool 44. These additional features allow operators to perform such operations as positional indicating, setting, actuating valves, opening ports and closing ports, for example, to facilitate the gravel packing that will be discussed below.
Referring to
Throughout all of the operations in
It should be noted that although the illustrated embodiment of the system 10 includes just one of the regulators 42, alternate embodiments could employ a plurality of the regulators 42. Such a system could have one of the regulators 42 in operable communication with each of the annular spaces 50, 54, 58.
While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. Also, in the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. do not denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item.
Claims
1. A gravel packing system comprising:
- at least two packers with at least one of the two packers being sealable to an open hole;
- a barrier sealably engaged with the at least two packers defining an annular space between the open hole and the barrier;
- a cross-over tool operably connectable to at least one of the at least two packers and the barrier; and
- at least one regulator in operable communication with the barrier configured to maintain a substantially constant pressure in the annular space while gravel is being packed at a location downstream of at least one of the at least two packers, downstream being defined by a direction of travel of gravel being packed.
2. The gravel packing system of claim 1, wherein the at least one regulator sets the substantially constant pressure as the hydrostatic pressure at a position of the at least one regulator when a first of the at least two packers is set.
3. The gravel packing system of claim 1, wherein the at least one regulator prevents pressure in the annular space from exceeding a set pressure level.
4. The gravel packing system of claim 1, wherein the location downstream of at least one of at least two packers is downstream of both of the at least two packers.
5. The gravel packing system of claim 4, wherein subsequent packing of gravel at the location downstream of both of the at least two packers, the cross-over tool can be shifted to thereby allow gravel packing of another annular space.
6. The gravel packing system of claim 1, wherein the at least two packers is more than two packers and the cross-over tool can be moved to sequentially pack gravel at a plurality of locations.
7. The gravel packing system of claim 6, wherein the sequentially packing of gravel is from a furthest downstream location first to ever less downstream locations.
8. The gravel packing system of claim 1, wherein the cross-over tool is configured to be moved relative to at least the at least two packers and the barrier to allow actuation of the at least two packers, alteration of valves, transporting of gravel therethrough and allowing reverse flows therethrough to purge excess gravel therefrom.
9. The gravel packing system of claim 8, wherein the actuation of the at least two packers, alteration of valves, transporting of gravel therethrough and reversing of flow therethrough can all be accomplished without fully withdrawing the cross-over tool from the at least two packers.
10. A method of packing gravel comprising:
- running a cross-over tool within an open borehole;
- engaging the cross-over tool with at least one of at least two packers wherein at least one of the at least two packers is set in the open borehole and a barrier sealed to the at least two packers defining an annular space between the barrier and the open borehole;
- packing gravel at a location downstream of at least one of the at least two packers; and
- maintaining a substantially constant pressure in the annular space.
11. The method of packing gravel of claim 10, further comprising preventing pressure in the annular space from exceeding a set pressure.
12. The method of packing gravel of claim 10, further comprising setting the substantially constant pressure in the annular space to be substantially equal to hydrostatic pressure in the annular space prior to setting the at least two packers.
13. The method of packing gravel of claim 10, further comprising packing gravel in the annular space.
14. The method of packing gravel of claim 10, further comprising packing gravel at additional locations with each location being located upstream of previously packed locations.
15. The method of packing gravel of claim 13, wherein the packing gravel at the location and at additional locations is completed without withdrawing of the cross-over tool from the at least two packers.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 1, 2013
Publication Date: May 1, 2014
Applicant: BAKER HUGHES INCORPORATED (Houston, TX)
Inventors: Nicholas J. Clem (Houston, TX), Daniel J. Turick (Houston, TX), William N. Triplett (Spring, TX), Andres Garcia (Houston, TX), Colin Patrick Andrew (Houston, TX), Kenneth J. Chauvin (Houston, TX)
Application Number: 14/043,408
International Classification: E21B 33/13 (20060101);