Method and apparatus for the remote control and monitoring of production wells

• US 5,975,204 A
• Filed: 09/26/1997
• Issued: 11/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Jones, Kevin R., Tubel, Paulo S., Mullins, Albert A. II
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Hoang C.
• Application Number:
  US08/938,733
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 166/53, 166/65.1, 166/66.6, 166/66.7, 166/369, 166/52, 166/313, 166/66, 166/250.15, 166/50, 166/72, 166/366, 340/853.3, 340/854.6, 340/855.3, 364/422
• US Class Current: 166/250.15
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 2200/22 Fuzzy logic, artificial intelligence, neural networks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/066 electrically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/00 Equipment or details not covered by groups E21B15/00 - E21B40/00
• 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 43/01 specially adapted for obtaining from underwater installations
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/12 Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells E21B43/25 takes precedence; valve arrangements E21B34/00
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/14 Obtaining from a multiple-zone well
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 44/00 Automatic control systems specially adapted for drilling operations, i.e. self-operating systems which function to carry out or modify a drilling operation without intervention of a human operator, e.g. computer-controlled drilling systems; Systems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/00 Survey of boreholes or wells monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid E21B21/08
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/001 for underwater installation
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/017 Protecting measuring instruments
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/06 Measuring temperature or pressure
• 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: E21B 47/16 through the drill string or casing , e.g. by torsional acoustic waves

Abstract

A system adapted for controlling and/or monitoring a plurality of production wells from a remote location is provided. This system is capable of controlling and/or monitoring: (1) a plurality of zones in a single production well; (2) a plurality of zones/wells in a single location (e.g., a single platform); or (3) a plurality of zones/wells located at a plurality of locations (e.g., multiple platforms). The multizone and/or multiwell control system of this invention is composed of multiple downhole electronically controlled electromechanical devices and multiple computer based surface systems operated from multiple locations. Important functions for these systems include the ability to predict the future flow profile of multiple wells and to monitor and control the fluid or gas flow from either the formation into the wellbore, or from the wellbore to the surface. The control system of this invention is also capable of receiving and transmitting data from multiple remote locations such as inside the borehole, to or from other platforms, or from a location away from any well site.

Claims

1. A system for the control and monitoring of at least one downhole production zone in at least one production well comprising:

at least one production well having at least one downhole production zone, said zone having at least one downhole fluid flow control device therein and having at least one downhole sensor therein, said downhole fluid flow control device controlling the flow of fluid from the formation and into the well, said fluid flow control device providing variable flow between, and including, fully open and fully closed, said downhole fluid flow control device and said sensor being operatively associated with a permanently deployed downhole control system for controlling said downhole fluid flow control device, said downhole control system including a transmitter and receiver; and

a surface system connected to said well, said surface system monitoring information acquired downhole from said downhole sensor including information related to said zone, said surface system including a transmitter and a receiver for respectively transmitting information downhole to said downhole control system and receiving information from said downhole control system including information related to said zone wherein two way communication is established between said downhole control system and said surface system.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein:

said downhole fluid flow control device comprises at least one valve.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein:

said fluid flow control device has variable flow orifices.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein:

said information transmitted from said surface system to said downhole control system is selected from the group consisting of data and control signals.

5. The system of claim 1 including:

a telemetry device communicating with said surface system for transmitting information from said surface system to a remote location and for receiving information sent from a remote location to said surface system; and

a computer system remote from said surface system and said well, said computer system processing information acquired from said surface system and telemetered by said telemetry device, and said computer system transmitting information to said surface system through said telemetry device wherein said computer system monitors said at least one zone and controls said downhole fluid flow control device in said at least one zone from a remote location.

6. The system of claim 1 including:

a single cable from the surface to said downhole control system for supplying both power and data or control signals.

7. A method for the control and monitoring of at least one production zone in at least one production well from a remote location comprising:

monitoring from a remote location downhole sensor information related to at least one production zone in at least one well, said monitored zone having at least one downhole fluid flow control device therein, said downhole fluid flow control device controlling the flow of fluid from the formation and into the well, said fluid flow control device providing variable flow between, and including, fully open and fully closed, said tool being associated with a permanently deployed downhole control system for controlling said tool; and

controlling said tool in said production zone from said remote location.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said controlling step includes:

wireless communication between said remote location and said monitored zone.

9. The method of claim 7 said controlling step includes:

hard wired communication between said remote location and said monitored zone.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein:

said remote location is at the surface of the production well.

11. A system for the downhole control and monitoring of at least one downhole fluid flow control device in a well, said well including at least a first zone for producing fluid, comprising:

a surface system located on the surface of the well for monitoring information acquired downhole, said surface system including a computer for processing information acquired downhole and for interfacing with an operator, said surface system including a surface telemetry device communicating with said computer for transmitting information downhole and for receiving information transmitted from downhole;

at least one downhole fluid flow control device disposed in said first zone of said well, said downhole fluid flow control device controlling the flow of fluid from the formation and into the well, said fluid flow control device providing variable flow between, and including, fully open and fully closed; and

a downhole control and monitoring system permanently disposed downhole in said first zone of said well, said downhole control and monitoring system including;

(a) at least one downhole sensor for sensing a downhole parameter;

(b) at least one downhole control device for controlling said at least one downhole fluid flow control device;

(c) a downhole telemetry device for communicating with said surface telemetry device wherein two-way communications takes place between said downhole and surface telemetry devices; and

(d) a downhole electronic controller in communication with said downhole sensor and said downhole control device, said downhole electronic controller also being in communication with said downhole telemetry device wherein said downhole electronic controller controls said downhole control device in response to input from said surface system.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein:

said downhole fluid flow control device comprises at least one valve.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein:

said well includes a primary borehole and at least one branch borehole extending from said primary borehole, said first zone residing in said branch borehole.

14. A system for the downhole control and monitoring of fluid produced in a production well, said well including at least a first zone for producing fluid, comprising:

at least one downhole fluid flow control tool disposed downhole in said first zone of said well; and

a downhole control and monitoring system permanently disposed downhole in said first zone of said well for controlling production of fluid flowing from the formation into the production well and then to the surface of the production well, said fluid flow control device providing variable flow between, and including, fully open and fully closed, said downhole control and monitoring system including;

at least one downhole sensor for sensing a downhole parameter;

at least one downhole control device for controlling said at least one downhole flow control tool; and

a downhole electronic controller in communication with said downhole sensor and said downhole control device, said downhole electronic controller automatically controlling said downhole fluid flow control tool in response to input from said downhole sensor.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein each of said downhole electronic controller includes:

a memory for storing a set of instructions; and

a processor connected to said memory for executing said set of instructions in response to said input from said downhole sensor.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein:

said downhole control device comprises an electromechanical device.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein:

said downhole flow control tool comprising at least one valve.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein:

at least one of said downhole sensors comprise a formation evaluation sensor.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein:

said formation evaluation sensor is selected from the group consisting of nuclear, gamma ray, electromagnetics and acoustical sensors.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein:

said formation evaluation sensor measures at least one of formation geology, formation saturation, formation porosity, formation chemical elements, gas influx, water content and petroleum content.

21. The system of claim 14 wherein:

at least one of said downhole sensors comprise a sensor for measuring parameters within a borehole of the well.

22. The system of claim 14 wherein:

said downhole sensor comprises at least one sensor for measuring temperature, pressure, flow and oil/water ratio.

23. The system of claim 14 including:

a downhole receiver in communication with said downhole electronic controller, said downhole receiver adapted for receiving at least one of data and control signals from the surface.

24. The system of claim 14 including:

a downhole transmitter in communication with said downhole electronic controller, said downhole transmitter adapted for transmitting signals from said downhole electronic controller to the surface or to another location downhole.

25. The system of claim 14 wherein:

said downhole electronic controller comprises a data acquisition system in communication with a processor.

26. The system of claim 14 wherein:

said well includes a primary borehole and at least one branch borehole extending from said primary borehole, said first zone residing in said primary borehole.

27. The system of claim 14 wherein:

said well includes a primary borehole and at least one branch borehole extending from said primary borehole, said first zone residing in said branch borehole.

28. The system of claim 14 wherein:

said automatic control is initiated by said downhole electronic controller without an external signal or stimulus from the surface.

29. The system of claim 14 wherein:

said downhole fluid flow control tool is controlled by said downhole electronic controller using control signals originating at least in part from downhole.

30. The system of claim 14 wherein:

said downhole fluid flow control tool is controlled by said downhole electronic controller using control signals originating downhole.

31. The system of claim 14 including:

a single cable from the surface to said downhole electronic controller for supplying both power and data or control signals.

32. The system of claim 19 wherein:

said downhole electronic controller processes raw data sensed by said downhole sensor to derive processed data, said processed data being used for at least one of controlling production of said well and for transmission to the well surface.