Mechanical downhole pressure maintenance system

• US 10,435,968 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2015
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Richards, William Mark, Frosell, Thomas Jules, Garrison, Gregory William, Eiman, Tyson Harvey, Hamid, Syed, Ross, Colby Munro
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Wei
• Application Number:
  US15/531,968
• Publication Number:
  US 20170328155A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,729 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/08 Controlling or monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid, e.g. automatic filling of boreholes, automatic control of bottom pressure valve arrangements therefor E21B21/10
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/103 Down-hole by-pass valve arrangements, i.e. between the inside of the drill string and the annulus valves specifically for maintaining circulation of drilling fluid while connecting or disconnecting tubular joints E21B21/019
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/08 responsive to flow or pressure of the fluid obtained E21B34/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/108 with time delay systems, e.g. hydraulic impedance mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/04 Gravelling of wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/128 Adaptation of pump systems with down-hole electric drives
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/06 Measuring temperature or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/095 by detecting an acoustic anomalies, e.g. using mud-pressure pulses
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 1/447 characterised by magnetoviscosity, e.g. magnetorheological, magnetothixotropic, magnetodilatant liquids electrorheological fluids C10M171/001

Abstract

A method and apparatus that includes an elongated base pipe having an external surface at least partially defining an external region and an internal surface at least partially defining an internal region; and a pressure maintenance device disposed in the base pipe and comprising: a flow path that extends between the internal region and the external region; and a valve having a gas charged chamber, the valve allowing the flow of a fluid from the internal region to the external region through the first flow path when a pressure differential between a pressure associated with the internal region and a pressure associated with the gas charged chamber is less than a maximum pressure threshold and when a pressure differential between the external region and the pressure associated with the gas charged chamber is greater than a minimum pressure threshold.

Claims

1. A completion assembly comprising:

an elongated base pipe having an external surface at least partially defining an external region and an internal surface at least partially defining an internal region; and

a pressure maintenance device disposed in the base pipe and comprising;

a flow path that extends between the internal region and the external region;

a valve that allows the flow of a fluid from the internal region to the external region through the flow path when a pressure differential between the internal region and the external is less than a maximum pressure threshold.

2. The completion assembly of claim 1, further comprising a blocking member to permanently obstruct the flow path.

3. The completion assembly of claim 2, wherein the blocking member is a swellable member that forms a portion of the flow path when in a first condition and blocks a portion of the flow path when in a second condition.

4. The completion assembly of claim 2, wherein the blocking member comprises a magnetic material that forms a portion of the flow path with in a first configuration and couples to a ferromagnetic material formed along the flow path to obstruct the flow path in a second configuration.

5. A completion assembly comprising:

an elongated base pipe having an external surface at least partially defining an external region and an internal surface at least partially defining an internal region; and

a pressure maintenance device disposed in the base pipe and comprising;

a flow path that extends between the internal region and the external region; and

a valve having a gas charged chamber, the valve allowing the flow of a fluid from the internal region to the external region through the first flow path when a pressure differential between a pressure associated with the internal region and a pressure associated with the gas charged chamber is less than a maximum pressure threshold and when a pressure differential between the external region and the pressure associated with the gas charged chamber is greater than a minimum pressure threshold.

6. The completion assembly of claim 5, wherein the pressure maintenance device is a cartridge type component.

7. The completion assembly of claim 5, wherein the valve obstructs the flow path when the completion assembly is at a surface of a well.

8. A method of pressure maintenance within a multi-production zone, the method comprising:

providing a first pressure maintenance device within a first zone along a completion string having an external surface at least partially defining an external region and an internal surface at least partially defining an internal region;

isolating the external region of the first zone from a wellbore hydrostatic pressure;

opening a first valve that controls the flow of a fluid from the internal region of the first zone to the external region of the first zone through a first fluid path that extends between the external region and the internal region to allow the fluid from the internal region of the first zone to flow to the external region of the first zone when a first pressure differential between a pressure within the external region of the first zone and a pressure within a first gas charged chamber within the first zone of the completion string is greater than a first minimum pressure threshold; and

closing the first valve when the pressure differential between the pressure within the external region of the first zone and the pressure within the first gas charged chamber is less than or equal to the first minimum pressure threshold.

9. The method of claim 8, further closing the first valve when a second pressure differential between a pressure within the internal region and the pressure within the first gas charged chamber is greater than a maximum pressure threshold.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein isolating the external region of the first zone comprises setting a packer that is disposed on the completion string.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the first valve is a three position spool valve.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

providing a second pressure maintenance device within a second zone along the completion string;

isolating the external region of the second zone from the wellbore hydrostatic pressure;

opening a second valve that controls the flow of a fluid from the internal region of the second zone to the external region of the second zone through a second fluid path that extends between the external region of the second zone and the internal region of the second zone to allow the fluid from the internal region of the second zone to flow to the external region of the second zone when a third pressure differential to between a pressure within the external region of the second zone and a pressure within a second gas charged chamber within the second zone of the completion string is greater than a second minimum pressure threshold; and

closing the second valve when the third pressure differential between the pressure within the external region of the second zone and the pressure within the second gas charged chamber is less than the second minimum pressure threshold.

13. A method of providing pressure maintenance in a multi-zone production zone:

positioning a completion string having an internal surface at least partially defining an internal region and an external surface at least partially defining an external region within a wellbore;

isolating an external region of a first zone of the completion string from a wellbore hydrostatic pressure;

isolating an external region of a second zone of the completion string from the wellbore hydrostatic pressure;

maintaining a pressure within the external region of the first zone using a first pressure maintenance device within a first pressure range; and

maintaining a pressure within the external region of the second zone using a second pressure maintenance device within a second pressure range.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein

maintaining the pressure within the external region of the first zone using the first pressure maintenance device within the first pressure range comprises:

opening a first valve within the first zone of the completion string to allow a fluid to flow through a first flow path that extends from the internal region of the first zone to the external region of the first zone when a pressure within the external region of the first zone exceeds a pressure within a first gas charged chamber that forms a portion of the first valve by a first minimum pressure threshold; and

closing the first valve when a pressure within the internal region exceeds the pressure within the first gas charged chamber by a first maximum pressure threshold; and

maintaining the pressure within the external region of the second zone using the second pressure maintenance device within the second pressure range comprises;

opening a second valve within the second zone of the completion string to allow a fluid to flow through a second flow path that extends from the internal to the external region of the second zone when a pressure within the external region of the second zone exceeds a pressure within a second gas charged chamber that forms a portion of the second valve by a second minimum pressure threshold; and

closing the second valve when a pressure within the internal region exceeds the pressure within the second gas charged chamber by a second maximum pressure threshold;

the first minimum pressure threshold is the lowest pressure of the first pressure range and the first maximum pressure threshold is the highest pressure of the first pressure range; and

the second minimum pressure threshold is the lowest pressure of the second pressure range and the second maximum pressure threshold is the highest pressure of the second pressure range.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

permanently blocking the first flow path using a first blocking member; and

permanently blocking the second flow path using a second blocking member.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein each of the first blocking member and the second blocking member is a swellable member that forms a portion of the flow path.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the first valve and the second valve is a spring valve.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein isolating the external region of the first zone of the completion string from the wellbore hydrostatic pressure and isolating then external region of the second zone of the completion string from the wellbore hydrostatic pressure comprises setting a packer disposed on the completion string.