WELL SCREEN WITH EXTENDING FILTER
A well screen assembly for a wellbore includes a base pipe and a filter assembly carried on the base pipe. The filter assembly has an internal passage in fluid communication with an opening through the base pipe. A swell material is carried in the base pipe between the filter assembly and the base pipe. The swell material is adapted to expand under specified conditions and displace the filter assembly radially toward a wall of the wellbore. A flow control device is provided in fluid communication between the internal passage of the filter assembly and the opening in the base pipe and is adapted to restrict communication of fluid with the opening in the base pipe. The well screen assembly can include a hydraulic, electric or optical communication line running axially through a length of the well screen assembly.
In a well system, sand control screens are used to filter against passage of particulate from the wellbore into the production string. The wellbore around the screens is often packed with gravel to assist in stabilizing the formation and to pre-filter against particulate before the particulate reaches the screens. A uniform gravel packing can, however, be difficult to achieve due to formation of sand bridges and other complications experienced when pumping the gravel slurry into the region around the screens. Therefore, sometimes expandable screens that expand into contact with the wellbore are used in place of gravel packing. The expandable screens are less problematic to install and can provide similar filtering and formation support as an arrangement of conventional screens and gravel packing.
SUMMARYThis disclosure describes a well screen with a swell material that expands to extend filters into contact with the wellbore. The well screen can include features such as communication lines and a flow control device to enable control of fluid flow between the wellbore and the interior of the screen assembly.
Certain aspects encompass a well screen assembly for installation in a subterranean wellbore. The well screen assembly includes a base pipe having a sidewall opening to an interior of the base pipe. A filter assembly is carried on the base pipe and has an internal passage in fluid communication with the opening. The filter assembly is adapted to filter against passage of particulate from the wellbore into the opening. A swell material is carried in the base pipe between the filter assembly and the base pipe. The swell material is adapted to expand under specified conditions and displace the filter assembly radially toward a wall of the wellbore. A flow control device is provided in fluid communication between the internal passage of the filter assembly and the opening in the base pipe and is adapted to restrict communication of fluid with the opening in the base pipe.
Certain aspects encompass a well screen assembly for installation in a subterranean wellbore. The well screen assembly includes a base pipe having a sidewall opening to an interior of the base pipe. A filter assembly is carried on the base pipe and has an internal passage in fluid communication with the opening. The filter assembly is adapted to filter against passage of particulate from the wellbore into the opening. A swell material is carried in the base pipe between the filter assembly and the base pipe. The swell material is adapted to expand under specified conditions and displace the filter assembly radially toward a wall of the wellbore. A communication line is carried by the base pipe.
Certain aspects encompass a method. According to the method, in response to the presence of a specified fluid, a plurality of filters on a base pipe are extended from a retracted state to a radially extended state in contact a wall of a wellbore. With the filters, particulate of a specified size and larger is filtered from passage between the wellbore and an interior of the filters while flow of fluid is allowed. Communication of the flow between the interior of the filters and the interior bore of the base pipe is also restricted.
The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONReferring first to
A tubing string 22, for example a production and/or injection string, resides in the well bore 12 and extends from the surface. The tubing string 22 can communicate fluids between the subterranean zone 20 and the surface. The screen assemblies 24, 26 are distributed along the tubing string 22 proximate the subterranean zone 20. The screen assemblies 24, 26 are sand control screen assemblies that can filter out particulate materials from well fluids, direct the well fluids to an inner diameter of the tubing string 22, and stabilize the formation 20. As is discussed in more detail below, the screen assemblies 24, 26 are of a type that radially expand into contact with an interior wall of wellbore 12 and are shown in an operating or a radially expanded configuration. An example screen assembly that can be used as screen assemblies 24, 26 is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. U.S. 2011/0036565, entitled “Control Screen Assembly,” filed Aug. 12, 2009, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. Three screen assemblies, one screen assembly 24 and two screen assemblies 26, are shown. In other instances, fewer or more screen assemblies 24, 26 can be used. Also, in other instances, the screen assemblies may be all of one type (e.g., all screen assemblies 24 or all screen assemblies 26) or a mixture.
The filter assemblies 38 may be filtration tubes that extend axially along the base pipe 32 and have a substantially rectangular shape. The filter assemblies 38 each include a housing 41 for filter material 40. The housing 41 can include apertures 39 (
In instances where a control device 34 is provided, it can include one or more chokes, valves and/or other devices for affecting flow rate, pressure or other aspects of the communication of fluids. A ring 30, 31, 33 can have one control device 34 or more than one control device 34, and the control devices 34 can be of the same type or different types. Different rings 30, 31, 33 in the same screen assembly 24, 26 can also have the same or different types of control devices, and some can have no control devices 34. By having different control devices 34 in different screen assemblies 24, 26 and/or different rings 30, 31, 33 of different screen assemblies 24, 26 along the length a tubing string, one can create a desired pressure and/or flow profile, for example, to achieve a specified production and/or injection profile. For instance, some horizontal wells have issues with the heel-toe effect, where gas or water cones in the heel of the well and causes a difference in fluid influx along the length of the well. The differences in fluid influx can lead to premature gas or water break through, significantly reducing the production from the reservoir. The control devices 34 of differing resistance to flow can be positioned in the string to stimulate inflow at the toe and balance fluid inflow along the length of the well. In another example, different zones of the formation accessed by the well can produce at different rates. The control devices 34 can be placed in the production string to reduce production from high producing zones, and thus stimulate production from low or non-producing zones. Still other circumstances to balance or otherwise control fluid inflow exist.
The swell material 35 can expand upon contact with an activating fluid and displace the filter assemblies 38 to contact an internal diameter of a wellbore. The activating fluid can include well fluids, such as hydrocarbon liquid, water, and gas, and/or other fluids. Various techniques can be used to contact the swell material 35 with an activating fluid. One technique includes configuring the swell material 35 to expand upon contact with activating fluids already present within the well bore when the screen assembly 24, 26 is installed or with activating fluids produced by the formation after installation. The swell material 35 may include a mechanism for delaying swell to prevent swelling during installation. Examples of a mechanism for delaying swell include an absorption delaying layer, coating, membrane, or composition. Another technique includes circulating activating fluid through the well after the screen assembly 24, 26 is installed in the well. In other embodiments, swell material 35 is capable of expansion upon its location in an environment having a temperature or a pressure that is above a specified threshold in addition to or alternative to an activating fluid.
Expansion of the swell material 35 can displace the filter assemblies 38 to contact or approximate the formation 20 at the wellbore 12. The thickness of the swell material 35 can be selected based on the diameter of the screen assembly 24, 26 and the diameter of the well bore 12 to maximize contact area of the filter assemblies 38 with the wellbore 12 upon expansion. In some embodiments, part of the swell material 35 expands between the filter assemblies 38 and contacts the formation 20 at the wellbore 12 between the filter mediums 38 to conform to non-uniform wellbore diameters. The swelled screen assembly 24, 26 can reduce or eliminate annular flow of well fluids, provide multiple flow paths for filtered well fluids, and provide stabilization to the wellbore 12. For example, the swelled screen assembly 24 can support the formation 20 to prevent formation collapse.
When pressure in the interior of the base pipe 32 is lower than the pressure in the filter assemblies, fluid flows past the sleeve 61, through the apertures 59, and into the interior of the base pipe 32. The fluid tends to push the free end of the flexible sleeve 61 open and fluid passes between the sleeve 61 and the base pipe 32. When pressure in the interior of the base pipe 32 is higher than the pressure in the screen assemblies, the pressure differential tends to hold the flexible sleeve 61 into sealing engagement with the exterior of the base pipe 32 thus restricting flow, and in certain instances, sealing against flow from the interior of the base pipe 32 toward the screen assemblies. No access into the wellbore is required to actuate the check valve 62 between restricting or sealing against outflow and allowing inflow. Rather, the check valve 62 is responsive to pressure and direction of flow.
Although described as restricting or sealing against flow from the base pipe 32 toward the screen assemblies, the orientation of sleeve 61 could be reversed and the check valve 62 could alternately be configured to restrict or seal against flow from the screen assemblies toward the base pipe 32. Additionally, although described as a unidirectional flow control device, the check valve 62 can alternatively be configured as a bidirectional flow control device having a lower resistance to flow from the exterior to the interior of the base pipe 32 than from the interior to the exterior of the base pipe 32. For example, additional apertures 59 not between the sleeve 61 and the filter assemblies, and thus not restricted to one-way flow, can be included in the base pipe 32. Finally, although one example of check valve 62 has been shown, there are many other configurations of check valves that could be used as valve 60, including ball-type check valves, spring type check valves, and/or other types of check valves.
Several examples of autonomous valves that could be used as the autonomous valve 65 are disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 12/700,685, entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTONOMOUS DOWNHOLE FLUID SELECTION WITH PATHWAY DEPENDENT RESISTANCE SYSTEM”, filed Feb. 4, 2010, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. Still other examples exist. For the sake of discussion,
A number of implementations have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.
Claims
1. A well screen assembly for installation in a subterranean wellbore, comprising:
- a base pipe comprising a sidewall opening to an interior of the base pipe;
- a filter assembly carried on the base pipe and comprising an internal passage in fluid communication with the opening, the filter assembly adapted to filter against passage of particulate from the wellbore into the opening;
- a swell material carried in the base pipe between the filter assembly and the base pipe, the swell material adapted to expand under specified conditions and displace the filter assembly radially toward a wall of the wellbore; and
- a flow control device in fluid communication between the internal passage of the filter assembly and the opening in the base pipe and adapted to restrict communication of fluid with the opening in the base pipe.
2. The well screen assembly of claim 1, where the swell material is adapted to expand in contact with a specified fluid.
3. (canceled)
4. The well screen assembly of claim 1, where the flow control device comprises a valve adapted to selectively change between allowing and sealing against communication of fluid with the opening in the base pipe.
5-7. (canceled)
8. The well screen assembly of claim 4, where the valve comprises an autonomous valve that changes between allowing and restricting communication of fluid with the opening in the base pipe in response to at least one of fluid flow rate, viscosity or density.
9. The well screen assembly of claim 4, where the valve comprises a valve that is selectively changeable between allowing and sealing communication of fluid with the opening in the base pipe in response to a signal.
10-12. (canceled)
13. The well screen assembly of claim 1, further comprising a hydraulic, electric or optical communication line running axially through a length of the well screen assembly.
14. A method, comprising:
- in response to the presence of a specified fluid, extending a plurality of filters on a base pipe from a retracted state to a radially extended state in contact a wall of a wellbore;
- with the filters, filtering against passage of particulate of a specified size and larger between the wellbore and an interior of the filters while allowing flow of fluid; and
- restricting communication of the flow between the interior of the filters and a central interior bore of the base pipe.
15-16. (canceled)
17. The method of claim 14, where restricting communication of flow comprises restricting communication of flow in a first direction between the interior of the filters and the interior bore of the base pipe and allowing communication of flow in an opposing direction between the interior of the filters and the interior bore of the base pipe.
18. The method of claim 14, where restricting communication of flow comprises restricting communication of flow based on the flow rate, viscosity or density of the flowing fluid.
19. The method of claim 14, further comprising communicating a signal along a length of the base pipe.
20. A well screen assembly for installation in a subterranean wellbore, comprising:
- an elongate base pipe comprising a sidewall opening to an interior flow bore of the base pipe;
- a filter assembly carried on the base pipe and comprising an internal passage in fluid communication with the opening, the filter assembly adapted to filter against passage of particulate from the wellbore into the opening;
- a swell material carried in the base pipe between the filter assembly and the base pipe, the swell material adapted to expand under specified conditions and displace the filter assembly radially toward a wall of the wellbore; and
- a communication line carried by the base pipe.
21. The well screen assembly of claim 20, where the communication line communicates between the axial ends of the well screen assembly.
22. The well screen assembly of claim 20, where the communication line comprises at least one of an electric, hydraulic, or optic communication line.
23. The well screen assembly of claim 20, where the communication line is encapsulated in polymer.
24. The well screen assembly of claim 20, where the communication line is fluidically isolated from the bore of the base pipe and well bore fluids.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 11, 2017
Publication Date: Apr 27, 2017
Inventors: Luke William Holderman (Plano, TX), Jean-Marc Lopez (Plano, TX), Andrew David Penno (Pau), John Fitzpatrick (Calgary)
Application Number: 15/391,452