Surface flow controlled valve and screen

• US 7,273,106 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2004
• Issued: 09/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shell USA Incorporated (Shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Inventors: Smith, David Randolph, Shumilak, Edward Eugene II, Huckabee, Paul Thomas, Wong, George Kwok Kai, Fair, Phillip Scott, McPike, Timothy Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): DANG, HOANG C
• Application Number:
  US10/811,211
• Publication Number:
  US 20040262011A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 166/66.7, 166/227, 166/236, 166/369, 166/386, 166/332.1
• US Class Current: 166/369
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/08 Screens or liners expandable screens or liners E21B43/108
• 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: G16B 50/00 ICT programming tools or database systems specially adapted for bioinformatics

Abstract

An adjustable well screen assembly having a pipe which is connectable to a production pipe, wherein the pipe comprises a hole extending from the ID of the pipe to the OD of the pipe; a screen connected to the pipe adjacent the hole of the pipe; a valve connected to the pipe, wherein the valve controls fluid flow through the hole of the pipe; a valve motor mechanically connected to the valve, wherein the valve motor opens and closes the valve; and a valve controller communicatively connected to the valve motor, wherein the valve controller instructs the valve motor as to a configuration of the valve.

Claims

1. A method for controlling flow through a formation and a pipe within a formation, the process comprising the steps of:

providing a base pipe having an upper end and a lower end;

providing an upper screen attached concentrically around the upper end of the base pipe;

providing a lower screen attached concentrically around the lower end of the base pipe;

providing a valve located between the upper screen and the lower screen; and

providing a valve screen attached concentrically around the valve, wherein the diameter the valve screen is greater than the diameter of the upper screen and the lower screen;

providing a valve motor mechanically connected to said valve, wherein said valve motor opens and closes said valve; and

providing a valve controller communicatively connected to said valve motor, wherein said valve controller instructs the valve motor as to a configuration of the valve.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the controller is operatively associated with the valve by an electrical cable.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the controller is operatively associated with the valve by an optical fiber.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the controller is operatively associated with the valve by a hydraulic cable.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the controller is operatively associated with the valve by a pneumatic cable.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of providing a data sensor communicatively connected to the upper screen or the lower screen.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a data transmitter communicatively connected to the upper screen or the lower screen.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a data recorder communicatively connected to the upper screen or the lower screen.

9. An adjustable wellscreen comprising:

a base pipe defining a path for fluid communication to a production tubing;

at least one valve;

an upper screen located above the valve surrounding at least a portion of the length of the base pipe;

a valve screen surrounding at least a portion of the valve;

a lower screen located below the valve surrounding at least a portion of the length of the base pipe;

a volume defined between the valve screen and the base pipe into which fluids that have flowed through any screen may flow;

at least one valve motor effective to change the position of the valve;

at least one sensor effective to determine a physical condition of fluids near the valve and to provide a signal indicative of that physical condition; and

a controller effective to command the valve motor to change the position of the valve in response to the signal from the sensor;

wherein the valve is effective to provide controllable communication between the volume and the interior of the base pipe.

10. The wellscreen of claim 9 wherein the sensor detects pressure differential across upper screen or the lower screen.

11. The wellscreen of claim 9 wherein the sensor detects the presence of water.

12. The wellscreen of claim 9 wherein the sensor detects the temperature of fluids flowing through the wellscreen.

13. The wellscreen of claim 9 wherein the sensor detects the phase of fluids passing through the wellscreen.

14. The wellscreen of claim 9 wherein the upper screen and the lower screen have essentially the same lengths.

15. The wellscreen of claim 9 wherein the pressure drop for fluids flowing through the upper screen and the lower screen will be greater than the pressure drop of the fluids flowing from the upper screen and the lower screen to the valve through the volume.

16. The wellscreen of claim 9 wherein the sensor communicates with the controller using wireless communication.

17. The wellscreen of claim 9 wherein the controller communicates with the valve using wireless communications.

18. The wellscreen of claim 9 wherein the valve is powered by an electrical power supply and the sensor communicates with the valve using a time varying electrical signal imposed upon an electrical power supply to the valve.

19. An adjustable well screen assembly comprising:

a base pipe having an upper end and a lower end;

an upper screen attached concentrically around the upper end of the base pipe;

a lower screen attached concentrically around the lower end of the base pipe;

a valve located between the upper screen and the lower screen; and

a valve screen attached concentrically around the valve;

wherein the diameter the valve screen is greater than the diameter of the upper screen and the lower screen.

20. The adjustable well screen assembly of claim 19 further comprising:

a valve motor mechanically connected to said valve, wherein said valve motor opens and closes said valve; and

a valve controller communicatively connected to said valve motor, wherein said valve controller instructs the valve motor as to a configuration of the valve.

21. The well screen assembly of claim 20 wherein the controller is connected to the valve via a communication means utilizing an electrical cable.

22. The well screen assembly of claim 20 wherein the controller is connected to the valve via a communication means utilizing an optical fiber.

23. The well screen assembly of claim 20 wherein the controller is connected to the valve via a communication means utilizing a hydraulic cable.

24. The well screen assembly of claim 20 wherein the controller is connected to the valve via a communication means utilizing a pneumatic cable.

25. The well screen assembly of claim 20 further comprising a data sensor communicatively connected to the well screen.

26. The well screen assembly of claim 20 further comprising a data transmitter communicatively connected to the well screen.

27. The well screen assembly of claim 20 further comprising at least one data recorder communicatively connected to the well screen.