Providing Equipment In Lateral Branches Of A Well

• US 20130081807A1
• Filed: 01/23/2012
• Published: 04/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Dyer, Stephen, Algeroy, John, Faur, Marian, Gurpinar, Omer
• Granted Patent: US 9,249,559 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/254.2
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 3/14 by means of horizontal or oblique wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/0035 Apparatus or methods for multilateral well technology, e.g. for the completion of or workover on wells with one or more lateral branches
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/12 Means for transmitting measuring-signals or control signals from the well to the surface, or from the surface to the well, e.g. for logging while drilling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/00 Water conservation; Efficient water supply; Efficient water use

Abstract

First equipment is provided in a first lateral branch of a well, and second equipment in a second lateral branch of the well. Cross-lateral logging is performed using the first and second equipment in the corresponding first and second lateral branches.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing first equipment in a first lateral branch of a well;

providing second equipment in a second lateral branch of the well; and

performing cross-lateral logging using the first and second equipment in the corresponding first and second lateral branches.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the first equipment comprises providing a signal emitter in the first lateral branch, and wherein providing the second equipment comprises providing a signal sensor in the second lateral branch.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein providing the first equipment comprises providing one of a permanent well equipment and a logging tool, and wherein providing the second equipment comprises providing one of a permanent well equipment and a logging tool.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

injecting fluid into the first lateral branch, wherein the second lateral branch is a monitoring branch; and

monitoring the injecting of the fluid using the second equipment in the second lateral branch.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

injecting fluid into the first lateral branch; and

as fluid is injected into the first lateral branch, producing fluid from the second lateral branch.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring a subterranean structure adjacent the second lateral branch using a sensor in the second lateral branch.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first equipment includes a logging tool, and the second equipment includes an array of sensors or an array of transceivers,

wherein performing the cross-lateral logging comprises performing monitoring of a subterranean structure between the first and second lateral branches using the logging tool and the array of sensors or array of transceivers.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first lateral branch is an injection lateral branch into which fluids are injected, and the second lateral branch is a monitoring lateral branch, the method further comprising:

producing fluids from a third lateral branch of the well.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising using one or more inductive couplers to provide electrical communication with one or both of the first equipment and second equipment.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising using hydraulic couplers to provide hydraulic communication with one or both of the first equipment and second equipment.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising using optical couplers to provide optical communication with one or both of the first equipment and second equipment.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing one or more flow control devices in one or both of the first and second lateral branches to control fluid flow.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising guiding drilling of the second lateral branch based on deployment of one of a signal emitter or a signal receiver in the first lateral branch or in a main wellbore.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising defining a path of the second lateral branch to allow for acquisition of an image between the first and second lateral branches.

15. A system for use in a multilateral well having lateral branches, comprising:

first equipment for deployment in a first of the lateral branches; and

second equipment for deployment in a second of the lateral branches,

wherein the first and second equipment are arranged to cooperate to perform cross-lateral logging.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the second equipment includes a sensor to detect signals in a formation adjacent the second lateral branch.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising an electrical cable and an inductive coupler, the sensor connected to the electrical cable, and the inductive coupler to enable communication between the sensor and an uphole component.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the second equipment further includes a flow control device that is selectively activatable to block or allow fluid flow.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the first equipment includes a logging tool for deployment into the first lateral branch, where the logging tool has a signal emitter, and the sensor is to detect a signal transmitted by the signal emitter as affected by the formation between the first and second lateral branches.

20. The system of claim 15, further comprising third equipment for deployment in a third of the lateral branches, wherein the first lateral branch is for injection of fluids, and the third lateral branch is for production of fluids.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the first equipment includes flow control devices.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the flow control devices are selected from the group consisting of active flow control devices and passive flow control devices.