Completion System Having a Sand Control Assembly, An Inductive Coupler, and a Sensor Proximate to the Sand Control Assembly

• US 20070227727A1
• Filed: 03/19/2007
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Lovell, John, Ross, Donald, Veneruso, Anthony, Cens, Fabien, Patel, Dinesh, Beaulieu, Jean-Philippe
• Granted Patent: US 7,735,555 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/250.10
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/0283 characterised by the coupling being contactless, e.g. inductive
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/08 Screens or liners expandable screens or liners E21B43/108
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/14 Obtaining from a multiple-zone well
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/00 Survey of boreholes or wells monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid E21B21/08
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/13 by electromagnetic energy, e.g. radio frequency

Abstract

A completion system for use in a well includes a first completion section and a second section. The first completion section has a sand control assembly to prevent passage of particulates, a first inductive coupler portion, and a sensor positioned proximate to the sand control assembly that is electrically coupled to the first inductive coupler portion. The second section is deployable after installation of the first completion section. It includes a second inductive coupler portion to communicate with the first inductive coupler portion, to enable communication between the first completion section'"'"'s sensor and another component coupled to the second section.

Claims

1. A completion system for use in a well, comprising:

a first completion section comprising;

a sand control assembly to prevent passage of particulate material;

a first inductive coupler portion;

a sensor positioned proximate to the sand control assembly and electrically coupled to the first inductive coupler portion; and

a second section deployable after installation of the first completion section, wherein the second section comprises a second inductive coupler portion to communicate with the first inductive coupler portion to enable communication between the sensor and another component coupled to the second section.

2. The completion system of claim 1, wherein the second section is an upper completion section that further includes a packer and a production tubing.

3. The completion system of claim 1, wherein the second section comprises an intervention tool.

4. The completion system of claim 1, wherein the first completion section further comprises a sensor cable including the sensor and at least another sensor.

5. The completion system of claim 4, wherein the first completion section further comprises a controller cartridge connected between the sensor cable and the first inductive coupler portion.

6. The completion system of claim 4, wherein the sensors of the sensor cable are provided at plural discrete locations along a length of the sensor cable.

7. The completion system of claim 4, wherein each of the sensors includes a sensor support structure containing a sensor chip.

8. The completion system of claim 7, wherein each of the sensors further includes a circuit board on which the sensor chip is mounted.

9. The completion system of claim 7, wherein the sensor support structure further contains a communications interface connected to the sensor chip, and the sensor cable further includes electrical wires connected to the communications interface, the electrical wires to interconnect the sensors.

10. The completion system of claim 7, wherein each of the sensors further includes a sensing element for sensing an environment outside the sensor cable, and wherein the sensing element is electrically connected to a corresponding sensor chip.

11. The completion system of claim 4, wherein the sensors measure at least one of temperature, pressure, flow rate, fluid density, fluid resistivity, oil/gas/water ratio, viscosity, carbon/oxygen ratio, acoustic parameter, and chemical property.

12. The completion system of claim 4, wherein the sensors comprise resistance temperature detectors.

13. The completion system of claim 12, wherein the sensor cable comprises a control line having an inner chamber filled with non-electrically conductive liquid, the resistance temperature detectors being inside the liquid.

14. The completion system of claim 4, further comprising a shunt tube to carry gravel slurry for a gravel pack operation, wherein the sensor cable is attached to the shunt tube.

15. The completion system of claim 4, wherein the sand control assembly further comprises one of a screen and a slotted or perforated pipe, and a cable protector between sections of the one of the screen and slotted or perforated pipe, wherein the sensor cable is run outside the one of the screen and slotted or perforated pipe, and wherein the sensor cable is protected by the cable protector.

16. The completion system of claim 4, wherein the sand control assembly includes a base pipe and a screen, and wherein the sensor cable and sensors are secured to contact the base pipe to provide an electrical ground contact and to dissipate heat from the sensor cable and sensors to the base pipe.

17. The completion system of claim 1, wherein the second section further includes a control station having a downhole processor to communicate with the sensor through the first and second inductive coupler portions.

18. The completion system of claim 17, further comprising an electric cable connected to the control station to enable communication between the control station and a surface controller at an earth surface.

19. The completion system of claim 1, wherein the first completion section further comprises a third inductive coupler portion and the second section further includes a fourth inductive coupler portion, wherein the first and second inductive coupler portions interact to communicate data with the sensor, and the third and fourth inductive coupler portions interact to communicate power to the sensor.

20. The completion system of claim 1, wherein the first completion section further comprises a third inductive coupler portion and the second section further includes a fourth inductive coupler portion, and wherein the first completion section comprises at least another sensor,

the first and second inductive coupler portions interacting to communicate with one of the sensors, and the third and fourth inductive coupler portions interacting to communicate with another of the sensors.

21. The completion system of claim 20, wherein the first completion section further comprises a first sensor cable including at least one of the sensors and a second sensor cable including at least another of the sensors,

the first sensor cable electrically coupled to the first inductive coupler portion, and

the second sensor cable electrically coupled to the second inductive coupler portion.

22. The completion system of claim 1, wherein the first completion section further comprises a seal bore, and the second section farther comprises a second straddle seal assembly to sealably engage inside the seal bore.

23. The completion system of claim 1, wherein the second section further comprises a length compensation joint.

24. The completion system of claim 23, wherein the length compensation joint comprises a helically wound cable.

25. The completion system of claim 1, wherein the completion system is run in multiple stages one stacked on top of another, and wherein the first completion section further comprises at least another sensor, wherein a first group of at least one of the sensors is for deployment proximate to a first zone, and a second group of at least one of the sensors is for deployment proximate to a second zone.

26. The completion system of claim 25, wherein the first completion section further comprises isolation packers to isolate the zones.

27. The completion system of claim 26, further comprising additional inductive coupler portions to enable communication with the at least another sensor between two stages.

28. The completion system of claim 27, wherein the first group of at least one sensor includes a first sensor cable, and the second group of at least one sensor includes a second sensor cable.

29. The completion system of claim 1, wherein the first and second inductive coupler portions form a first inductive coupler, wherein the first completion section is positioned in a multilateral branch of the well, the first completion section including an electrical device positioned in the multilateral branch, and the second section is in a main bore of the well, and wherein one of the first inductive coupler and a second inductive coupler enable communication between the main bore and the electrical device in the multilateral branch.

30. The completion system of claim 1, wherein the first completion section further comprises at least one flow control device that is electrically coupled to the first inductive coupler portion.

31. The completion system of claim 30, wherein the first completion section further includes at least another sensor and a sensor cable that contains the sensors, the sensor cable being electrically coupled to the first inductive coupler portion, and wherein the flow control device is connected by a cable segment to the sensor cable.

32. The completion system of claim 31, wherein the flow control device is part of the sand control assembly.

33. The completion system of claim 1, wherein the second section further includes flow control valves positionable within the first completion section when the second section is engaged with the first completion section.

34. The completion system of claim 33, wherein the first completion section further includes at least another sensor, a sensor cable containing the sensors, and an isolation packer, the sensor cable extending through a port of the isolation packer, and the sensor cable electrically coupled to the first inductive coupler portion.

35. A sensor cable for deployment into a well, comprising:

an outer liner;

a plurality of spaced apart sensors inside the outer liner; and

wires inside the outer liner to interconnect the plurality of sensors.

36. The sensor cable of claim 35, wherein the outer liner includes a continuous control line.

37. The sensor cable of claim 35, wherein the liner is made up of housing sections and sensor housing structures sealably connected to the housing sections, wherein the sensors are contained in respective sensor housing structures.

38. The sensor cable of claim 37, wherein the housing sections are welded to the sensor housing structures.

39. The sensor cable of claim 35, wherein each sensor includes a sensor chip and a communications interface connected to at least one of the wires.

40. The sensor cable of claim 39, wherein each sensor further includes a sensing element for sensing an environment outside the sensor cable, wherein the sensing element is electrically connected to the sensor chip.

41. The sensor cable of claim 35, further comprising a controller cartridge that is part of the liner, the controller cartridge having a processor.

42. A sensor cable for deployment in a well, comprising:

a control line defining an inner chamber containing a non-electrically conductive liquid; and

plural sensors in the liquid.

43. The sensor cable of claim 42, wherein the sensors include resistance temperature detectors.

44. The sensor cable of claim 43, wherein the liquid is thermally conductive.

45. The sensor cable of claim 42, wherein each resistance temperature detector includes an electronic chip and a resistance temperature detector filament electrically connected to the electronic chip.

46. The sensor cable of claim 42, further comprising individual encapsulating structures in the inner chamber, the sensors located in respective encapsulating structures, the encapsulating structures containing the liquid, and wherein the inner chamber outside the encapsulating structures is filled with gas.

47. An apparatus comprising:

a spool; and

a sensor cable wound on the spool and deployable from the spool by rotating the spool,

wherein the sensor cable includes multiple sensors located at a plurality of discrete locations along the sensor cable, and

wherein the sensor cable has electrical wires interconnecting the sensors.

48. A completion system for deployment in a well, comprising:

a first completion section for positioning in the well, wherein the first completion section has a packer and a circulating port assembly; and

a second completion section having a stinger insertable into an inner bore of the first completion section, wherein the second completion section further comprises a sensor cable extending along a length of the stinger,

wherein the sensor cable has plural discrete sensors along a length of the sensor cable and electrical wires in the sensor cable that interconnect the sensors.

49. The completion system of claim 48, wherein the stinger is a retrievable stinger that is positioned in a stinger receptacle of the second completion section.

50. The completion system of claim 48, wherein the stinger has a longitudinal groove to receive the sensor cable.

51. The completion system of claim 48, wherein the second completion section further includes an inductive coupler and a control station having a processor, the inductive coupler to enable electrical communication between the control station and the sensor cable.

52. A completion system for deployment in a well, comprising:

a casing for lining the well;

a sensor cable provided along an external surface of the casing, wherein the sensor cable comprises a plurality of discrete sensors interconnected by electrical wires inside the sensor cable; and

a first inductive coupler portion electrically coupled to the sensor cable, wherein the first inductive coupler portion is also provided outside the casing.

53. The completion system of claim 52, further comprising a second inductive coupler portion inside the casing to communicate with the first inductive coupler portion.

54. A method of completing a well, comprising:

installing a lower completion section having a sand control assembly;

running an upper completion section that includes at least one flow control valve and an inner flow string that extends into the lower completion section;

providing a sensor cable having sensors proximate to the sand control assembly; and

communicating with the sensors of the sensor cable using an inductive coupler.

55. The method of claim 54, further comprising running an intermediate completion section into the well between the upper and lower completion sections, wherein the intermediate section has a first inductive coupler portion for inductive coupling to a second inductive coupler portion that is part of the upper completion section, and wherein the sensor cable is run with the intermediate completion section.

56. The method of claim 55, further comprising providing an annular formation isolation valve in the intermediate completion section.

57. The method of claim 54, wherein using the inductive coupler comprises using an inductive coupler having a first inductive coupler portion that is attached to the inner flow string and a second inductive coupler that is part of the lower inductive coupler portion.