HYDROCARBON EXTRACTION WELL AND A METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION THEREOF
A method for forming a leg junction in a well is provided. The method includes drilling a vertical leg upto a first predetermined depth to form a well bore. The method also includes underreaming the vertical leg at a junction location in the vertical leg to form a first junction section. The method further includes infusing a binding material in the first junction section. The method also includes drilling a lateral leg upto a first predetermined distance through a sidewall of the first junction section. The method further includes underreaming the lateral leg through the sidewall of the first junction section to form a second junction section. The method also includes infusing the binding material in the first junction section and the second junction section to form the leg junction between the vertical leg and the lateral leg.
This application claims the priority and benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/195,814 entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR WELL PARTITION AND DOWNHOLE SEPARATION OF WELL FLUIDS” filed on Jul. 23, 2015, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUNDEmbodiments of the present invention relate generally to wells, and more particularly to a hydrocarbon extraction well and a method of construction thereof
Non-renewable hydrocarbon fluids such as oil and gas are used widely in various applications for generating energy. Such hydrocarbon fluids are present below the surface of earth. The hydrocarbon fluids are extracted from the hydrocarbon extraction wells which extend below the surface of earth. However, the hydrocarbon fluids in their natural form are not available in a purified form and are available as a mixture of hydrocarbon fluids, water, sand, and other particulate matter together referred to as well fluid. Such well fluids are filtered using different mechanisms to extract hydrocarbon rich stream and a water stream.
Furthermore, different kinds of wells may be used to extract the hydrocarbon rich stream based on a geographical location of the hydrocarbon extraction well. In one approach, the well fluids are extracted to the surface of the earth and are separated at the surface of the earth, using a surface separator. The water separated from the well fluids is disposed at a certified central water disposal location. However, such an approach increases risk of seismic activity in the geographical location.
In another approach, the well fluids are separated within the well, using a downhole separator. The water stream separated from the hydrocarbon rich stream, is disposed within the same well. However, in such approaches, well fluids loose flow pressure over a period of time, which reduces life of the hydrocarbon extraction well. Moreover, in some approaches, the well may include lateral legs which may aid in maintaining the flow pressure of the well fluids. In such configurations, the downhole separator is installed at a junction between the vertical leg and the lateral leg, which may affect structural integrity of the well.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONBriefly, in accordance with one embodiment, a method for forming a leg junction in a well is provided. The method includes drilling a vertical leg upto a first predetermined depth to form a well bore. The method also includes underreaming the vertical leg at a junction location in the vertical leg to form a first junction section. The method further includes infusing a binding material in the first junction section. The method also includes drilling a lateral leg upto a first predetermined distance through a sidewall of the first junction section. The method further includes underreaming the lateral leg through the sidewall of the first junction section to form a second junction section. The method also includes infusing the binding material in the first junction section and the second junction section to form the leg junction between the vertical leg and the lateral leg.
In another embodiment, a well is provided. The well includes a vertical leg and one or more lateral legs in fluid communication with the vertical leg. The well also includes one or more leg junctions formed using a binding material, wherein the one or more lateral legs are connected to the vertical leg at one or more leg junctions.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a well and a method for constructing the well. The method includes drilling a vertical leg to a predetermined depth to form a well bore. The method also includes underreaming the vertical leg at a junction location in the vertical leg to form a first junction section. The method further includes infusing a binding material in the first junction section. The method also includes drilling a lateral leg upto a predetermined distance through a sidewall of the first junction section. The method further includes underreaming the lateral leg through the sidewall of the first junction section to form a second junction section. The method also includes infusing the binding material in the first junction section and the second junction section to form a leg junction between the vertical leg and the lateral leg.
In the illustrated embodiment, the lateral leg 118 includes a liner 138 which extends laterally from the second junction section 126. The lateral leg 118 is located in a production zone 100. The lateral leg 118 includes a plurality of perforations (not shown) which are configured to allow well fluids 140 from the production zone 100 to enter the lateral leg 118. In one embodiment, the well fluids 140 include a mixture of oil, water, and sand. A separator 142, for example, a downhole separator, is located at the leg junction 98 in the vertical leg 90. The separator 142 is configured to separate the well fluids 140 into a hydrocarbon rich stream 144 and water 146. In one embodiment, the separator 142 may include a centrifugal separator or a cyclonic separator. An electrical submersible pump 148 is located above the leg junction 98, in the vertical leg 90. The electrical submersible pump 148 is configured to transfer the hydrocarbon rich stream 144 to a surface 150 of earth.
Further, the leg junction 98 includes a first isolation packer 152 disposed at a first end 154 and a second isolation packer 156 disposed at a second end 158. As used herein, “isolation packer” may be defined as a sealing device, which is used to isolate different sections of the well. The electrical submersible pump 148 is disposed above the first isolation packer 152 of the leg junction 98. The vertical leg 90 is connected to a centralized subterranean water disposal zone 114. The water 146 which is separated from the well fluids 140, is disposed in the centralized subterranean water disposal zone 114 via the vertical leg 90.
The steps depicted in
It is to be understood that a skilled artisan will recognize the interchangeability of various features from different embodiments and that the various features described, as well as other known equivalents for each feature, may be mixed and matched by one of ordinary skill in this art to construct additional systems and techniques in accordance with principles of this specification. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention.
While only certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention.
Claims
1. A method comprising:
- drilling a vertical leg upto a first predetermined depth to form a well bore;
- underreaming the vertical leg at a junction location in the vertical leg to form a first junction section;
- infusing a binding material in the first junction section;
- drilling a lateral leg upto a first predetermined distance through a sidewall of the first junction section;
- underreaming the lateral leg through the sidewall of the first junction section to form a second junction section; and
- infusing the binding material in the first junction section and the second junction section to form a leg junction between the vertical leg and the lateral leg.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising drilling the vertical leg to a second predetermined depth through the first junction section at the junction location, prior to drilling the lateral leg.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising installing a directional device in the first junction section at the junction location in the vertical leg prior to drilling the lateral leg.
4. The method of claim 3, further comprising removing the directional device from the first junction section at the junction location and installing a retrievable bridge plug in the first junction section prior to infusing the binding material in the first junction section and the second junction section.
5. The method of claim 4, further comprising removing the retrievable bridge plug and drilling the vertical leg to a second predetermined depth through the first junction section.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising drilling the lateral leg upto a second predetermined distance through the second junction section after infusing the binding material in the first junction section and the second junction section.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising installing a liner from the second junction section in the lateral leg.
8. A well comprising:
- a vertical leg;
- one or more lateral legs in fluid communication with the vertical leg; and
- one or more leg junctions formed using a binding material, wherein the one or more lateral legs are connected to the vertical leg at one or more leg junctions.
9. The well of claim 8, wherein each of the one or more leg junctions comprise a first junction section and a second junction section.
10. The well of claim 9, wherein the first junction section is formed along the vertical leg and the second junction section is formed along the lateral leg.
11. The well of claim 8, wherein at least one of the one or more lateral legs, is a production leg.
12. The well of claim 11, wherein the vertical leg is a disposal leg coupled to a subterranean water disposal zone.
13. The well of claim 8, wherein at least one of the one or more lateral legs is a disposal leg.
14. The well of claim 8, further comprising a liner disposed extending from a second junction section of the leg junction within the lateral leg.
15. The well of claim 8, further comprising a casing installed within the vertical leg.
16. The well of claim 8, further comprising one or more downhole separators disposed in the one or more leg junctions.
17. The well of claim 8, further comprising a first isolation packer disposed at a first end and a second isolation packer disposed at a second end of each of the leg junctions in the vertical leg.
18. The well of claim 17, further comprising an electrical submersible pump provided above the first isolation packer, in the vertical leg.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 14, 2015
Publication Date: Jan 26, 2017
Inventors: Mahendra L. Joshi (Katy, TX), Xuele Qi (Edmond, OK), Raymond Patrick Murphy (Waddell, AZ), Dewey Lavonne Parkey, JR. (Oklahoma City, OK)
Application Number: 14/968,292