Positionable and Removable Isolation Device in a Wellbore
An assembly for installation into a wellbore that includes a main wellbore and a lateral wellbore branching off the main wellbore is described. The assembly includes a tubular positionable in the main wellbore, where the tubular includes a profile. The assembly further includes an isolation device securably landable in and sealable against the profile device to isolate a region of the main wellbore from a region of the lateral wellbore.
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This section is intended to provide background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the described embodiments. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light and not as admissions of prior art.
In an oil and gas well, a subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore is often fractured or otherwise stimulated in order to enhance hydrocarbon production. Fracturing and stimulation operations typically involve a step of isolating a subterranean formation zone using an isolation device. A zone may include multiple branches each of which may be isolated with a suitable isolation device, to then fracture or produce hydrocarbons from a particular branch. Multiple isolation devices can be strategically located at predetermined intervals to isolate various zones and/or branches of interest. For example, an isolation device may straddle a junction area of the wellbore, i.e., the area where the main wellbore connects with a lateral wellbore, to isolate the lateral wellbore. In some implementations, multiple isolation devices may be placed within the one or more branches for purposes of injection, reentry, or the isolation devices may perform as a controlled production conduit.
Alternative methods to position and set an isolation device in the wellbore may include the use of packers, sleeves, plugs, or lateral conduits. For instance, a tubular or a coil bottom hole assembly (BHA) can be positioned in the wellbore using a packer or a pipe tally can be implemented to provide information used to position the BHA in the wellbore. Additional equipment, such as a drilling rig, may be required to run and retrieve the packer and the other component devices.
For a detailed description of the embodiments of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which:
This disclosure describes a system and method for positioning an isolation device within a location of a wellbore to isolate one or more wellbore branches from one or more subterranean formation zones. For example, an installed isolation device in a wellbore branch of a first formation zone can isolate formation zone fluids by preventing the fluids from flowing into other branches or zones. The isolation device may be anchored and sealed within a tubular of the wellbore branch, such as a casing or liner, to provide isolation integrity and limit movement of the surrounding formation. In the embodiments, a profile device is integrated into the tubular and used to land and anchor the isolation device in a location and position for purposes of carrying out various operations, including injection programs, stimulation programs, and logging operations, among others.
The lateral wellbore 106 is supported with a downhole tubular or liner, such as a cemented liner 108, to provide support for the insertion of downhole tools. Other lateral wellbores may be unsupported (i.e., openhole without a downhole tubular or liner), such as the lateral wellbore 109. In some cases, a liner may terminate at the junction area 103, like the liner 108 of
The wellbore 100 can include a profile device 112 to position, anchor, and/or seal a downhole component in the wellbore 100. For example, the profile device 112 may include notches, teeth, grooves, cavities, or other mechanisms to securely grip and land a downhole component, such as an isolation sleeve. The profile device 112 may be a self-orienting device to adjust with relationship to the surrounding environment. In embodiments, one or more sealing devices 114 and/or receptacles 116 may be used with the profile device 112 to add further support and to securely seal the downhole component in the wellbore 100. The sealing device 114 and the receptacle 116 may be disposed around an inner wall of the wellbore 100 to provide a sealed engagement with the downhole component. The profile device 112 and the sealing device 114 could be located in various areas of the wellbore 100 where the profile device 112 can be located within the wellbore 100 and/or the casing 110. The geometric shape or size and the material used to create the profile device 112 and the sealing device 114 may vary depending upon factors known in the art such as the weight of the downhole component and the level of support provided by a casing liner. The receptacle 116 may include a sealing bore, other profile devices, or an expansion device.
In the configuration of
One or more receptacles 216 can be used as a sealing mechanism to securely seal the isolation device 202 within in the wellbore 200. Specifically, as shown in
The profile device 212, in combination with the sealing device 214 and the receptacle 216, securely lands and seals the isolation device 202 within the wellbore 200. Instead of randomly positioning the isolation device 202 or using additional equipment to install the isolation device 202 in the wellbore 200, the first profile device 212 allows positioning and installation of the isolation device 202 in a predetermined location. Further, the profile device 212 can provide positive and repetitive depth, as well as, azimuth correlation to prevent misalignment and/or incorrect positioning of the isolation device 202. Accordingly, injection programs, stimulation programs, large diameter tool passage, high volume production, and logging operations, among other events, can be performed in one or more areas of the wellbore 200 while protecting and isolating other areas. For example, the junction area 203 can be isolated and protected from production flow, injection flow, and stimulation operations that are typically associated with high pressures and erosive materials in a downhole environment.
While one configuration of the isolation device 202 in the wellbore 200 is shown and described in
In some configurations, an insignificant measured distance 317 is formed between an upper lateral wellbore 306 and a lower lateral wellbore 309. As illustrated in
The use of a wellbore tubular or liner with a profile device, as illustrated in the embodiments, eliminates the need for additional sealing components in the wellbore, for instance, packers. When landed and secured in the profile device 312, an internal diameter of the isolation device 302 conforms to the internal diameter of the wellbore 300. The profile device 312 with the isolation device 302 uses a limited amount of wall space or radial space within the wellbore 300 to provide an optimized wellbore passageway. Thus, the isolation device 302 embodies an optimal flow area for a greater fluid flow capacity and for the passage of larger downhole tools and devices. Moreover, by using the profile device 312 in the wellbore 300 to land and anchor the isolation device 302, additional attempts to land the isolation device 302 in the exact location as carried out in a previous landing can be repeated in a repetitive and controlled manner without incident.
In the embodiments, a second profile device 415 is disposed below the junction area 403 to eliminate placement of a receptacle (as shown in
Connected to the setting component 504 and a running tool 506, the isolation device 502 is lowered into the wellbore 500 until a top portion of the isolation device 502 reaches a first profile device 512. In the embodiments, the isolation device 502 may be positioned in a predetermined location of the wellbore 500 when one or more notches 513 of the device 502 mate with a mechanism of the first profile device 512. Moreover, a lower portion of the isolation device 502 is sealed in a predetermined position using a second profile device 515 with a sealing device 514. To facilitate stimulation operations, an optional stimulation tool 518 can be attached to the setting component 504 and deployed downhole to isolate other areas of the wellbore 500, to inject fluids into a subsurface formation, and to collect measurements, among other operations.
In the arrangement of
Since the profile devices 712, 715 can be included with a casing 710, the isolation device 702 and the diverter 703 may be installed and/or re-positioned to a predetermined location or removed from the wellbore 700 with little to no passageway restrictions. In addition to the diverter 703, other components including, but not limited to, indexing tools and sub-tools may be used to position the isolation device 702 within the wellbore 700.
In addition, to the embodiments described above, many examples of specific combinations are within the scope of the disclosure, some of which are detailed below:
- Example 1. An assembly for installation into a wellbore comprising a main wellbore and a lateral wellbore branching off the main wellbore, the assembly comprising:
a tubular positionable in the main wellbore and comprising a profile device; and an isolation device securably landable in and sealable against the profile device to isolate a region of the main wellbore from a region of the lateral wellbore.
- Example 2. The assembly of Example 1, wherein the isolation device is extendable into the lateral wellbore to isolate the lateral wellbore from a portion of the main wellbore.
- Example 3. The assembly of Example 1 wherein the isolation device is installable or removable from the tubular without a rig or a pulling unit device.
- Example 4. The assembly of Example 1, wherein the isolation device is landable in the main wellbore to isolate the lateral wellbore from the main wellbore.
- Example 5. The assembly of Example 1, wherein the profile device is locatable in the main wellbore and positionable above a junction region, below the junction region, or above and below the junction region joining the main wellbore and the lateral wellbore.
- Example 6. The assembly of Example 1, wherein the isolation device is installable or removable from the wellbore using a downhole install device, wherein the downhole install device is configured for attachment and re-attachment to the isolation device.
- Example 7. The assembly of Example 1, wherein a sealing device is locatable in the main wellbore.
- Example 8. The assembly of Example 7, wherein the sealing device is usable with the profile device to secure the isolation device into the profile device.
- Example 9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the profile device comprises a self-orienting profile configured to rotationally orient the isolation device as it is landed in the profile device.
- Example 10. A method of isolating a main wellbore from a lateral wellbore branching off the main wellbore, the method comprising:
- installing a tubular comprising a profile device in the wellbore;
- landing an isolation device into the profile device;
- sealing the isolation device against the tubular to isolate a junction region of the wellbore that connects the main wellbore and the lateral wellbore.
- Example 11. The method of Example 10, further comprising sealing a first end of the isolation device into a first sealing device at a location above the junction region.
- Example 12. The method of Example 11, further comprising sealing a second end of the isolation device into a sealing device in the main wellbore at a location below the junction region.
- Example 13. The method of Example 10, further comprising extending the isolation device across the junction region to isolate the lateral wellbore.
- Example 14. The method of Example 10, further comprising guiding a second end of the isolation device across the junction region to isolate a region of the main wellbore and the junction region.
- Example 15. The method of Example 10, further comprising installing or removing the isolation device from the wellbore using at least one of a coil tube, a pipe tube, or a wireline, wherein the isolation device is attached to at least one of the coil tube, the pipe tube, or the wireline.
- Example 16. The method of Example 10, further comprising positioning the profile device in the main wellbore above the junction region, below the junction region, or above and below the junction region.
- Example 17. The method of Example 10, further comprising landing the isolation device in a sealing device and a profile device below the junction region.
- Example 18. The method of Example 10, further comprising positioning a sealing device in the main wellbore based on a distance between a first lateral wellbore and a second lateral wellbore.
- Example 19. The method of Example 10, further comprising installing or removing the isolation device without a rig or a pulling unit device.
- Example 20. The method of Example 10, further comprising rotationally orienting the isolation device as the isolation device lands in the profile device.
The previous discussion is directed to various embodiments of the present disclosure. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale. Certain features of the embodiments may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form and some details of conventional elements may not be shown in the interest of clarity and conciseness. Although one or more of these embodiments may be preferred, the embodiments disclosed should not be interpreted, or otherwise used, as limiting the scope of the disclosure, including the claims. It is to be fully recognized that the different teachings of the embodiments discussed below may be employed separately or in any suitable combination to produce desired results. In addition, one skilled in the art will understand that the previous description has broad application, and the discussion of any embodiment is meant only to be exemplary of that embodiment, and not intended to intimate that the scope of the disclosure, including the claims, is limited to that embodiment.
Certain terms are used throughout the previous description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but are the same structure or function. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale. Certain features and components herein may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form and some details of conventional elements may not be shown in interest of clarity and conciseness.
In the previous discussion and in the claims, the terms “including” and “comprising” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean “including, but not limited to . . . .” Also, the term “couple” or “couples” is intended to mean either an indirect or direct connection. In addition, the terms “axial” and “axially” generally mean along or parallel to a central axis (e.g., central axis of a body or a port), while the terms “radial” and “radially” generally mean perpendicular to the central axis. For instance, an axial distance refers to a distance measured along or parallel to the central axis, and a radial distance means a distance measured perpendicular to the central axis. The use of “top,” “bottom,” “above,” “below,” and variations of these terms is made for convenience, but does not require any particular orientation of the components.
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment. Further, the illustrated figures included within are only exemplary and are not intended to assert or imply any limitation with regard to the environment, architecture, design, or process in which different embodiments may be implemented.
While the aspects of the present disclosure may be susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and have been described in detail herein. But it should be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following appended claims.
Claims
1. An assembly for installation into a wellbore comprising a main wellbore and a lateral wellbore branching off the main wellbore, the assembly comprising:
- a tubular positionable in the main wellbore and comprising a profile device; and
- an isolation device securably landable in and sealable against the profile device to isolate a region of the main wellbore from a region of the lateral wellbore.
2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the isolation device is extendable into the lateral wellbore to isolate the lateral wellbore from a portion of the main wellbore.
3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the isolation device is installable or removable from the tubular without a rig or a pulling unit device.
4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the isolation device is landable in the main wellbore to isolate the lateral wellbore from the main wellbore.
5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the profile device is locatable in the main wellbore and positionable above a junction region, below the junction region, or above and below the junction region joining the main wellbore and the lateral wellbore.
6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the isolation device is installable or removable from the wellbore using a downhole install device, wherein the downhole install device is configured for attachment and re-attachment to the isolation device.
7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein a sealing device is locatable in the main wellbore.
8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the sealing device is usable with the profile device to secure the isolation device into the profile device.
9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the profile device comprises a self-orienting profile configured to rotationally orient the isolation device as it is landed in the profile device.
10. A method of isolating a main wellbore from a lateral wellbore branching off the main wellbore, the method comprising:
- installing a tubular comprising a profile device in the wellbore;
- landing an isolation device into the profile device;
- sealing the isolation device against the tubular to isolate a junction region of the wellbore that connects the main wellbore and the lateral wellbore.
11. The method of claim 10, further comprising sealing a first end of the isolation device into a first sealing device at a location above the junction region.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising sealing a second end of the isolation device into a sealing device in the main wellbore at a location below the junction region.
13. The method of claim 10, further comprising extending the isolation device across the junction region to isolate the lateral wellbore.
14. The method of claim 10, further comprising guiding a second end of the isolation device across the junction region to isolate a region of the main wellbore and the junction region.
15. The method of claim 10, further comprising installing or removing the isolation device from the wellbore using at least one of a coil tube, a pipe tube, or a wireline, wherein the isolation device is attached to at least one of the coil tube, the pipe tube, or the wireline.
16. The method of claim 10, further comprising positioning the profile device in the main wellbore above the junction region, below the junction region, or above and below the junction region.
17. The method of claim 10, further comprising landing the isolation device in a sealing device and a profile device below the junction region.
18. The method of claim 10, further comprising positioning a sealing device in the main wellbore based on a distance between a first lateral wellbore and a second lateral wellbore.
19. The method of claim 10, further comprising installing or removing the isolation device without a rig or a pulling unit device.
20. The method of claim 10, further comprising rotationally orienting the isolation device as the isolation device lands in the profile device.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 15, 2016
Publication Date: Jan 10, 2019
Applicant: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. (Houston, TX)
Inventor: Douglas G. Durst (Jersey Village, TX)
Application Number: 15/746,764