Method and apparatus for wellbore sand control

• US 5,505,260 A
• Filed: 06/01/1995
• Issued: 04/09/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Conocophillips Company (ConocoPhillips)
• Original Assignee: Conoco Incorporated (ConocoPhillips)
• Inventors: Morita, Nobuo, Andersen, Eric E., Moran, Larry K., Hodge, Richard M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schoeppel, Roger J.
• Application Number:
  US08/456,852
• Time in Patent Office: 313 Days
• Field of Search: 166/51, 166/55, 166/100, 166/278, 166/297, 166/317, 166/321, 166/383, 166/386
• US Class Current: 166/278
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/1014 Flexible or expansible centering means, e.g. with pistons pressing against the wall of the well E21B17/1042 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/04 Gravelling of wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/08 Screens or liners expandable screens or liners E21B43/108
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/10 Setting of casings, screens, liners or the like in wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/117 Shaped-charge perforators E21B43/118 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention provides a single trip system for placing perforating apparatus and sand control equipment in a wellbore. This system includes a casing string equipped with extendible pistons and a pumpable activator plug for extending the pistons. Additionally, this system utilizes a single gravel-pack and completion tool string. Further, this system includes a means for opening the extendible pistons to fluid flow.

Claims

1. A wellbore completion system for preparing a wellbore transversing earth formations to produce formation fluids to the surface, comprising:

a casing pipe string positioned in the wellbore adjacent a formation to be produced;

a smaller pipe string extending within the casing pipe string from the surface of the wellbore to the vicinity of the formation to be produced;

at least one flowport positioned in the wall of the casing pipe string for providing a flowpath between the interior bore of the casing pipe string and the outside surface of the casing pipe string adjacent the formation to be produced, said flowpath being normally closed to fluid flow;

sand control means positioned on said smaller pipe string across the formation to be produced; and

means actuated from the surface for opening said flowpath to fluid flow between the formation to be produced and the interior bore of the casing pipe string, said flowport and said sand control means having operating positions relative to one another such that said sand control means is in operating position across the formation to be produced at the time said flowpath is opened to fluid flow between the formation to be produced and the interior bore of the casing pipe string.

2. The wellbore completion system of claim 1 wherein said sand control means is comprised of a gravel-pack tool including a screen for holding sand control material in place between the tool and said flowport.

3. The wellbore completion system of claim 2 wherein said gravel-pack tool includes selectively operable valve means operable in a first mode to permit fluid flow from the formation to be produced into the smaller pipe string and operable in a second mode to permit sand control material to flow from the smaller pipe string into a space between said screen and said flowport.

4. The wellbore completion system of claim 1 wherein said means for opening said flowpath includes an explosive device positioned on said smaller pipe string.

5. The wellbore completion system of claim 1 wherein said means for opening said flowpath includes an explosive charge positioned in said flowport for opening said flowpath when actuated and a pressure wave generating device positioned in the vicinity of said flowport but spaced therefrom so as not to be in direct contact with said explosive charge for initiating said explosive charge.

6. A wellbore completion system for preparing a wellbore transversing earth formations to produce formation fluids to the surface comprising:

a casing pipe string positioned in the wellbore adjacent a formation to be produced;

extendible pistons positioned in the wall of said casing pipe string for providing selectively openable flowpaths between the interior bore of said casing pipe string and the outside surface of said casing pipe string adjacent the formation to be produced and serving to center said casing pipe string in the wellbore when extended;

perforating charges positioned in said pistons for opening said flowpaths to fluid flow between the formation to be produced and the interior bore of said casing pipe string when actuated;

a tool string suspended in the wellbore on a tubing string;

sand control means positioned on said tool string opposite said pistons;

means positioned on said tool string for actuating said perforating charges and opening said flowpaths to fluid flow between the formation to be produced and the interior bore of said casing pipe string.

7. The wellbore completion system of claim 6 wherein said sand control means includes a screen for holding sand control material in place between said tool string and said pistons.

8. The wellbore completion system of claim 7 wherein said sand control means includes selectively operable valve means operable in a first mode to permit flow from the formation to be produced into the tubing string and operable in a second mode to permit sand control material to flow from the tubing string into a space between said screen and said pistons.

9. The wellbore completion system of claim 6 wherein said means positioned on said tool string for actuating said perforating charges and opening said flowpaths to fluid flow includes a pressure wave generating device.

10. A method of completing a wellbore drilled from the earth surface into an earth formation to be produced, comprising the steps of:

positioning a casing pipe string in the wellbore adjacent the formation to be produced, wherein said casing pipe string has at least one piston positioned in the wall of the casing pipe string and said piston has a selectively openable flowpath extending through said piston to allow fluid flow between the interior bore of the casing pipe string and the outside surface of the casing pipe string adjacent the formation to be produced;

positioning a smaller pipe string having sand control apparatus positioned thereon inside said casing pipe string such that said sand control apparatus is positioned across the formation to be produced;

after said sand control apparatus is positioned across the formation to be produced, performing a remote operation at the surface to open said flowpath to fluid flow between the formation to be produced and the interior bore of said casing pipe string; and

carrying out a sand control operation with said sand control apparatus.

11. The method of claim 10 further including the step of placing the wellbore in an underbalanced condition prior to opening said flowpath to fluid flow.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said smaller pipe string has an explosive device positioned thereon in the vicinity of said sand control apparatus and spaced from said piston, said piston includes a perforating charge therein which when detonated opens said flowpath and perforates the formation, and said step of performing a remote operation at the surface to open said flowpath includes operating said explosive device to initiate detonation of said perforating charge.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said explosive device includes a pressure wave generating device and said perforating charge is detonated in response to a pressure wave generated by operation of said pressure wave generating device.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein said step of carrying out a sand control operation with said sand control apparatus includes placing a gravel-pack in the wellbore after said flowpath is opened to fluid flow.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein said step of carrying out a sand control operation with said sand control apparatus includes placing a consolidating resin into said wellbore under pressure after said flowpath is opened to fluid flow.

16. The method of claim 10 further including the step of placing the wellbore in an overbalanced pressure condition prior to opening said flowpath to fluid flow.

17. The method of claim 16 further including the step of after opening said flowpath to fluid flow, placing a perforation clean-up material in the wellbore under pressure.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein said wellbore is placed in an overbalanced pressure condition by placing a gas cap in the wellbore.

19. The method claim 10 further including the step of after opening said flowpath to fluid flow, forcing acid material in the wellbore under pressure.

20. A method of preparing a wellbore transversing earth formations to produce formation fluids to the surface comprising the steps of:

providing extendible pistons in the wall of a casing pipe string, wherein at least some of said pistons have selectively openable flowpaths for providing flowpaths between the interior bore of the casing pipe string and the outside surface of the casing pipe string when extended;

positioning said casing pipe string in the wellbore such that said pistons with selectively openable flowpaths are positioned opposite a formation to be produced;

extending said pistons to center said casing pipe string in the wellbore;

positioning a smaller pipe string having sand control apparatus thereon inside said casing pipe string such that said sand control apparatus is positioned opposite said pistons with selectively openable flowpaths;

after said sand control apparatus is positioned opposite said pistons with selectively openable flowpaths, performing a remote operation at the surface to open said flowpaths to fluid flow between the formation to be produced and the interior bore of said casing pipe string; and

carrying out a sand control operation with said sand control apparatus.

21. The method of claim 20 further including the step of after extending said pistons and prior to positioning said smaller pipe string inside said casing pipe string, cementing said casing pipe string in the wellbore.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein said smaller pipe string has an explosive device positioned thereon in the vicinity of said sand control apparatus and spaced from said pistons with selectively operable flowpaths, said pistons with selectively operable flowpaths include perforating charges therein which when detonated open said flowpaths and perforate the formation, and said step of performing a remote operation at the surface to open said flowpaths includes operating said explosive device to initiate detonation of said perforating charges.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said explosive device includes a pressure wave generating device and said perforating charges are detonated in response to a pressure wave generated by operation of said pressure wave generating device.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein said step of carrying out a sand control operation with said sand control apparatus includes placing a gravel-pack in the wellbore after said flowpaths are opened to fluid flow.

25. The method of claim 20 wherein said step of carrying out a sand control operation with said sand control apparatus includes placing a consolidating resin in the wellbore under pressure after said flowpaths are opened to fluid flow.

26. The method of claim 20 further including the step of placing the wellbore in an underbalanced condition prior to opening said flowpaths to fluid flow.

27. The method of claim 20 further including the step of placing the wellbore in an overbalanced pressure condition prior to opening said flowpaths to fluid flow.

28. A wellbore completion system for preparing a wellbore transversing earth formations to produce formation fluids to the surface, comprising:

a casing pipe string positioned in the wellbore adjacent a formation to be produced;

a smaller pipe string extending within the casing pipe string from the surface of the wellbore to the vicinity of the formation to be produced;

at least one flowport positioned in the wall of the casing pipe string for providing a flowpath between the interior bore of the casing pipe string and the outside surface of the casing pipe string adjacent the formation to be produced, said flowpath being normally closed to fluid flow;

an explosive charge positioned in said flowport for opening said flowpath when actuated;

sand control means positioned on one of said pipe strings across the formation to be produced;

a pressure wave generating device positioned on said smaller pipe string in the vicinity of said flow-port but spaced from said flowport so as not to be in direct contact with said explosive charge for initiating said explosive charge;

means actuated from the surface for activating said pressure wave generating device to initiate said explosive charge and open said flowpath.