CONSTANT PRESSURE OPEN HOLE WATER PACKING SYSTEM

• US 20110146984A1
• Filed: 12/21/2009
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Inventors: Krush, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,240,382 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/278
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/04 Gravelling of wells

Abstract

A system for conveying fluid into a wellbore, including a tubular member, a packer, a hydrodynamic flow device, and a seal device. The tubular member is disposed in the wellbore through a first zone, a second zone, and a hydrocarbon producing zone of the wellbore. The packer is disposed adjacent to the tubular member, and is configured to at least partially isolate the hydrocarbon producing zone from at least one of the first and second zones. The hydrodynamic flow device is disposed around the tubular member and comprises a pump fluidly connected to a discharge in fluid communication with the first zone and an inlet in fluid communication with the second zone. The seal device is disposed around the hydrodynamic flow device to isolate a first annulus of the first zone from a second annulus of the second zone.

Claims

1. A system for conveying fluid into a wellbore, comprising:

a tubular member disposed in the wellbore through a first zone, a second zone, and a hydrocarbon producing zone of the wellbore;

a packer disposed adjacent to the tubular member in the wellbore, wherein the packer is configured to at least partially isolate the hydrocarbon producing zone from at least one of the first and second zones;

a hydrodynamic flow device disposed around the tubular member, comprising a pump fluidly connected to a discharge in fluid communication with the first zone and an inlet in fluid communication with the second zone; and

a seal device disposed around the hydrodynamic flow device to isolate a first annulus of the first zone from a second annulus of the second zone.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the pump of the hydrodynamic flow device comprises a centrifugal pump, a hydraulic pump, or an electrical pump.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the hydrodynamic flow device further comprises a variable speed driver operatively coupled to the pump.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the pump of the hydrodynamic flow device comprises a plurality of compression stages and a stage bypass system configured to bypass one or more of the plurality of compression stages.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein a pressure in the first zone of the wellbore, a flow rate through the hydrodynamic flow device, or both are controlled by a monitor and control system to maintain a constant flow rate through the tubular member, a constant pressure at the hydrocarbon producing zone, or both.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the first zone and the second zone are in fluid communication with the monitor and control system, wherein the first or second zone is communication therewith via wireless telemetry.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the monitor and control system comprises a pressure monitoring device, a flow monitoring device, or both in fluid communication with an adjustable choke.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the seal device further comprises a fluid bypass configured to selectively provide for reverse flow through the seal device.

9. An apparatus for controlling pressure in a wellbore, comprising:

a tubular member disposed in the wellbore through a first zone, a second zone, and a hydrocarbon producing zone of the wellbore and in fluid communication with a source of a proppant;

a hydrodynamic flow device disposed in the wellbore and around the tubular member and comprising a pump having a discharge in fluid communication with the first zone and an inlet in fluid communication with the second zone;

a service tool disposed on the tubular member, distal the hydrodynamic flow device, having a flow port defined therein in fluid communication an annulus defined between the tubular member and the wellbore;

a wash pipe adjacent the service tool, wherein the wash pipe has an inner diameter in fluid communication with the flow port; and

a filter media disposed about the wash pipe, wherein the inner diameter of the wash pipe is in fluid communication with an exterior of the filter media.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the source of the proppant comprises:

a fluid storage tank adjacent the wellbore;

a proppant storage tank adjacent the wellbore; and

a blender in fluid communication with the proppant storage tank, the fluid storage tank, and the tubular member.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a seal device disposed around the hydrodynamic flow device to isolate the first zone from the second zone; and

a packer adjacent the tubular member, wherein the packer is configured to at least partially isolate a portion of the wellbore adjacent the hydrocarbon producing zone from at least another portion of the wellbore.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a control and monitoring system in fluid communication with the first zone and comprising a pressure monitoring device and a flow monitoring device, wherein the pressure monitoring device and the flow monitoring device are in fluid communication with an adjustable choke.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the pump of the hydrodynamic flow device comprises a centrifugal pump, a hydraulic pump, or an electrical pump.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the hydrodynamic flow device further comprises a variable speed driver operatively coupled with the pump.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the pump of the hydrodynamic flow device comprises a centrifugal pump having a plurality of compression stages, and a stage bypass system configured to selectively bypass one or more of the plurality of compression stages.

16. A method of gravel packing a wellbore, comprising:

positioning a tubular member down the wellbore through a first zone, a second zone distal the first zone, and a hydrocarbon producing zone;

isolating the first zone from the second zone with a sealing device;

circulating a gravel slurry through the tubular member into a wash pipe and through an opening in the wash pipe into a filter media;

filtering the gravel slurry with the filter media to gravel pack an area inside of the filter media while allowing a flow of fluid therethrough into an annulus between the tubular member and the wellbore; and

controlling a flow rate through the tubular member to control a pressure in the hydrocarbon producing zone, comprising adjusting a discharge pressure of a hydrodynamic flow device positioned on the tubular member and having a discharge in communication with the first zone and an inlet in fluid communication with the second zone.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein controlling the flow rate through the tubular member to control the pressure in the hydrocarbon producing zone further comprises maintaining the pressure below a hydrostatic pressure in the wellbore.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein adjusting a discharge pressure of the hydrodynamic flow device comprises increasing a speed of the hydrodynamic flow device until a flow rate through the hydrodynamic flow device matches a system Beta phase resistance.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein adjusting the discharge pressure of the hydrodynamic flow device comprises adjusting an adjustable choke in fluid communication with the first zone.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising bypassing the sealing device to reverse out a slurry and a residual proppant after circulating the gravel slurry through the tubular member.