APPARATUSES AND METHODS FOR ENABLING MULTISTAGE HYDRAULIC FRACTURING

• US 20200131878A1
• Filed: 05/08/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NCS Multistage Inc. (NCS Multistage Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: NCS Multistage Inc. (NCS Multistage Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: GETZLAF, Don, JOHNSON, Tim, GILLIS, Brock
• Granted Patent: US 11,078,745 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/124 Units with longitudinally-spaced plugs for isolating the intermediate space
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/06 in wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/142 unsupported or free-falling elements, e.g. balls, plugs, darts or pistons
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/126 Adaptations of down-hole pump systems powered by drives outside the borehole, e.g. by a rotary or oscillating drive powered by fluid E21B43/129
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/14 Obtaining from a multiple-zone well
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/26 by forming crevices or fractures

Abstract

There is provided a plurality of injection stations, wherein each one of the injection stations, independently, comprising: a housing; a port extending through the housing; a flow control member configured for displacement for effecting at least opening of the port such that, when the injection station is integrated within a wellbore string that is disposed within a wellbore of a subterranean formation, and treatment fluid is being supplied through a wellbore string passage of the wellbore string, injection of the supplied treatment fluid into the subterranean formation is effected through the port; and a deployable seat, mounted to the housing, and including an aperture, and configured such that, when the seat is deployed in a deployed position, the seat is configured for receiving a respective plug for seating of the respective plug over the aperture of the seat; such that a plurality of plugs are respective to the injection stations, wherein each one of the plugs is respective to a deployable seat of a one of the injection stations, such that each one of the plugs is respective to a one of the injection stations.

Claims

1-64. -64. (canceled)

65. A plurality of injection stations, wherein each one of the injection stations, independently, comprising:

a housing;

a port extending through the housing;

a flow control member configured for displacement for effecting at least opening of the port such that, when the injection station is integrated within a wellbore string that is disposed within a wellbore of a subterranean formation, and treatment fluid is being supplied through a wellbore string passage of the wellbore string, injection of the supplied treatment fluid into the subterranean formation is effected through the port; and

a deployable seat, mounted to the housing, and including an aperture, and configured such that, when the seat is deployed in a deployed position, the seat is configured for receiving a respective plug for seating of the respective plug over the aperture of the seat;

such that a plurality of plugs are respective to the injection stations, wherein each one of the plugs is respective to a deployable seat of a one of the injection stations, such that each one of the plugs is respective to a one of the injection stations;

wherein;

the injection stations are integratable into a wellbore string such that the wellbore string includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart injection stations;

the longitudinally spaced apart injection stations include one or more uphole injection stations, wherein each one of the one or more uphole injection stations is a one of the one or more injection stations of the longitudinally spaced apart injection stations that is other than the injection station of the longitudinally spaced apart injection stations that is disposed furthest downhole relative to all of the other ones of the longitudinally spaced apart injection stations;

for each one of the one or more uphole injection stations, independently;

one or more injection stations are disposed downhole relative to the uphole injection station to define one or more downhole-disposed injection stations, wherein each one of the plugs that is respective to a one of the one or more downhole-disposed injection stations is a downhole-deployable plug;

the longitudinally spaced apart injection stations are positionable in a sequence such that for each one of the one or more uphole injection stations, independently;

the aperture of the seat of the uphole injection station is co-operable with each one of the one or more downhole-deployable plugs that are respective to the one or more downhole-disposed injection stations that are disposed downhole relative to the uphole injection station, independently, such that, when the wellbore string includes the longitudinally spaced apart injection stations, and when the wellbore string is disposed within a wellbore, and when the seat of the uphole injection station is deployed, for each one of the one or more downhole-deployable plugs that are respective to the one or more downhole-disposed injection stations that are disposed downhole relative to the uphole injection station, independently;

when a seat, of the downhole-disposed injection station to which the downhole-deployable plugs is respective, is deployed, and when the downhole-deployable plug is being conducted downhole through the wellbore string passage, the downhole-deployable plug passes through the aperture of the deployed seat of the uphole injection station and is conducted downhole for seating on the deployed seat of the downhole-disposed injection station to which the downhole-deployable plug is respective.

66. The plurality of injection stations as claimed in claim 65;

wherein, for each one the injection stations;

the flow control member is configured to be displaceable, when the seat is disposed in the deployed position and the respective plug is seated on the deployed seat, in response to the establishment of a fluid pressure differential across the seated plug.

67. The plurality of injection stations as claimed in claim 65;

wherein, for each one the injection stations;

the deployable seat is configured for displacement from a non-deployed position to a deployed position, wherein, in the deployed position, the seat is configured to receive the respective plug such that the seating of the respective plug over the aperture of the seat is effected.

68. The plurality of injection stations as claimed in claim 65;

wherein each one the injection stations further comprises an injection station fluid passage disposed within the housing and configured for defining a portion of the wellbore string passage when the injection station is integrated within the wellbore string.

69. An injection station kit comprising the plurality of injection stations as claimed in claim 65, and further comprising:

a sensor configured for sensing a transmitted deployment actuation signal; and

controller configured to effect deployment of all of the seats in response to the sensed deployment actuation signal.

70. A pair of injection stations comprising:

a first injection station including;

a first housing;

a first port extending through the first housing;

a first flow control member configured for displacement for effecting at least opening of the first port such that, when the first injection station is integrated within a wellbore string that is disposed within a wellbore of a subterranean formation, and treatment fluid is being supplied through a wellbore string passage of the wellbore string, injection of the supplied treatment fluid into the subterranean formation is effected through the first port; and

a deployable first seat, mounted to the first housing, and including a first aperture, and configured for receiving a first plug for seating of the first plug over the first aperture when deployed in a deployed position;

a second injection station including;

a second housing;

a second port extending through the second housing;

a second flow control member configured for displacement for effecting at least opening of the second port such that, when the second injection station is integrated within a wellbore string that is disposed within a wellbore of a subterranean formation, and treatment fluid is being supplied through a wellbore string passage of the wellbore string, injection of the supplied treatment fluid into the subterranean formation is effected through the second port; and

a deployable second seat, mounted to the second housing, and including a second aperture, and configured such that, when the second seat is deployed in a deployed position, the second seat is configured for receiving a second plug for seating of the second plug over the second aperture of the second seat;

a deployable second seat, mounted to the second housing, and including a second aperture, and configured for receiving a second plug for seating of the second plug over the second aperture when deployed in a deployed position;

wherein;

the first and second injection stations are integrable within a wellbore string such that the wellbore string includes the first and second longitudinally spaced-apart injection stations;

the second aperture is configured to co-operate with the first plug such that, when the first and second injection stations are integrated within a wellbore string such that the wellbore string includes the first and second longitudinally spaced-apart injection stations, and when the wellbore string is disposed within a wellbore such that the second injection station is disposed uphole relative to the first injection station, and when both of the first and second seats are deployed, and when the first plug is being conducted downhole through the wellbore string passage, the first plug passes through the second aperture of the deployed second seat and is conducted downhole for seating on the deployed first seat.

71. The plurality of injection stations as claimed in claim 70;

wherein, for each one the injection stations;

the flow control member is configured to be displaceable, when the seat is disposed in the deployed position and the respective plug is seated on the deployed seat, in response to the establishment of a fluid pressure differential across the seated plug.

72. The plurality of injection stations as claimed in claim 70;

wherein, for each one the injection stations;

the deployable seat is configured for displacement from a non-deployed position to a deployed position, wherein, in the deployed position, the seat is configured to receive the respective plug such that the seating of the respective plug over the aperture of the seat is effected.

73. The plurality of injection stations as claimed in claim 70;

wherein each one the injection stations further comprises an injection station fluid passage disposed within the housing and configured for defining a portion of the wellbore string passage when the injection station is integrated within the wellbore string.

74. An injection station kit comprising the pair of injection stations as claimed in claim 70 and further comprising:

a sensor configured for sensing a transmitted deployment actuation signal; and

controller configured to effect deployment of all of the seats in response to the sensed deployment actuation signal.

75. A wellbore string comprising the plurality of injection stations as claimed in claim 70, wherein the injection stations are integrated within the wellbore string such that one of the injection stations is disposed uphole relative to the other one of the injection stations.

76. A plurality of injection stations, each one of the injection stations, independently, comprising:

a housing;

a port extending through the housing;

a flow control member configured for displacement for effecting at least opening of the port such that, when the injection station is integrated within a wellbore string that is disposed within a wellbore of a subterranean formation, and treatment fluid is being supplied through a wellbore string passage of the wellbore string, injection of the supplied treatment fluid into the subterranean formation is effected through the port; and

a deployable seat, mounted to the housing, and including an aperture, and configured such that, when the seat is deployed in a deployed position, the seat is configured for receiving a respective plug for seating of the respective plug over the aperture of the seat;

such that a plurality of plugs are respective to the injection stations, wherein each one of the plugs is respective to a deployable seat of a one of the injection stations, such that each one of the plugs is respective to a one of the injection stations;

wherein;

the injection stations are integrable within a wellbore string such that the wellbore string includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart deployable seats that are disposed in a sequence;

the longitudinally spaced apart deployable seats include one or more uphole deployable seats, wherein each one of the one or more uphole deployable seats is a one of the one or more deployable seats of the longitudinally spaced apart deployable seats that is other than the deployable seat of the longitudinally spaced apart deployable seats that is disposed furthest downhole relative to all of the other ones of the longitudinally spaced apart deployable seats; and

the sequence is such that, when the wellbore string is disposed within a wellbore, each successive deployable seat of the one or more uphole deployable seats, in an uphole direction, includes a larger aperture than the seat immediately below it.

77. The plurality of injection stations as claimed in claim 76;

wherein, for each one the injection stations;

the flow control member is configured to be displaceable, when the seat is disposed in the deployed position and the respective plug is seated on the deployed seat, in response to the establishment of a fluid pressure differential across the seated plug.

78. The plurality of injection stations as claimed in claim 76;

wherein, for each one the injection stations;

the deployable seat is configured for displacement from a non-deployed position to a deployed position, wherein, in the deployed position, the seat is configured to receive the respective plug such that the seating of the respective plug over the aperture of the seat is effected.

79. The plurality of injection stations as claimed in claim 76;

wherein each one the injection stations further comprises an injection station fluid passage disposed within the housing and configured for defining a portion of the wellbore string passage when the injection station is integrated within the wellbore string.

80. An injection station kit comprising the plurality of injection stations as claimed in claim 76, and further comprising:

a sensor configured for sensing a transmitted deployment actuation signal; and

controller configured to effect deployment of all of the seats in response to the sensed deployment actuation signal.

81. The plurality of injection stations as claimed in claim 76;

wherein;

the sequence is such that when the wellbore string is disposed within the wellbore, each successive deployable seat of the one or more uphole deployable seats, in an uphole direction, is configured to seat a larger plug than the seat immediately below it.

82. The plurality of injection stations as claimed in claim 81;

wherein, for each one the injection stations;

the seat includes a larger dimension than the seat immediately below it, such that each successive deployable seat of the longitudinally spaced apart deployable seats, in an uphole direction, is configured to seat a larger plug than the seat immediately below it.

83. The plurality of injection stations as claimed in claim 81;

wherein, for each one the injection stations;

the flow control member is configured to be displaceable, when the seat is disposed in the deployed position and the respective plug is seated on the deployed seat, in response to the establishment of a fluid pressure differential across the seated plug.

84. The plurality of injection stations as claimed in claim 81;

wherein, for each one the injection stations;

the deployable seat is configured for displacement from a non-deployed position to a deployed position, wherein, in the deployed position, the seat is configured to receive the respective plug such that the seating of the respective plug over the aperture of the seat is effected.