Pressure relieving transition joint

• US 7,984,762 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2008
• Issued: 07/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Fipke, Steven Ronald, Renshaw, William Shaun
• Primary Examiner(s): Gay; Jennifer H
• Application Number:
  US12/237,646
• Publication Number:
  US 20100071905A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 166/313, 166/278, 166/50, 166/234, 166/227
• US Class Current: 166/313
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/1208 characterised by the construction of the sealing or packing means E21B33/1277 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/0042 characterised by sealing the junction between a lateral and a main bore
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/08 Screens or liners expandable screens or liners E21B43/108

Abstract

A method of completing a wellbore having a branch wellbore extending outwardly from a window in a parent wellbore is provided. The method comprises positioning a tubular string in the window, wherein the positioning comprises deflecting the tubular string from the parent wellbore into the branch wellbore. The method also comprises providing a particulate barrier outside and against the tubular string proximate the window, the particulate barrier substantially excluding transport of particulate matter from the branch wellbore into the parent wellbore outside of the tubular string through the window. The method also comprises the tubular string passing fluid into the tubular string proximate the window from a formation proximate to the window while substantially excluding transport of particulate matter from the formation proximate to the window into the tubular string.

Claims

1. A method of completing a wellbore having a branch wellbore extending outwardly from a window in a parent wellbore, the method comprising:

positioning a tubular string in the window, wherein the positioning comprises deflecting the tubular string from the parent wellbore into the branch wellbore;

providing a particulate barrier outside and against the tubular string proximate the window, the particulate barrier substantially excluding transport of particulate matter from the branch wellbore into the parent wellbore outside of the tubular string through the window, wherein providing the particulate barrier comprises swelling a sealing material adhered to the tubular string, the swelling increasing a volume of the sealing material to form a seal between the tubular string and the window, the swelling activated by exposing the sealing material to at least one of hydrocarbons and water; and

the tubular string passing fluid into the tubular string proximate the window from a formation proximate to the window while substantially excluding transport of particulate matter from the formation proximate to the window into the tubular string,

wherein the tubular string comprises a plurality of apertures and the sealing material comprises a plurality of apertures, at least some of the plurality of apertures in the tubular string aligned with at least some of the plurality of apertures in the sealing material, the fluid from the formation proximate to the window passing into the tubular string through the at least some of the apertures in the swelling material aligned with the at least some of the apertures in the tubular string, and

wherein the at least some of the plurality of apertures in the sealing material are sized to avoid closing the aligned at least some of the plurality of apertures in the tubular string when the sealing material swells.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the dimension of the apertures in the tubular string is effective to exclude transport of particulate matter from the formation proximate to the window into the tubular string.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the tubular string further comprises at least one screen proximate to the apertures in the tubular string that excludes transport of particulate matter from the formation into the tubular string.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the seal between the tubular string and the window blocks fluid from the formation proximate to the window from passing around the outside of the tubular string and into the parent wellbore.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the tubular string comprises a plurality of slotted apertures, wherein the slots are in the range of about 0.01 inches wide to about 0.04 inches wide.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the tubular string comprises a plurality of apertures, wherein the plurality of apertures are each less than about 1 square inch in area and a screen is attached to the tubular string at the location of the apertures to block transport of particulate matter.

7. A completion tool for a well having a branch wellbore extending outwardly from a window in a parent wellbore, comprising:

a metal pipe having an upper end and a lower end, a pipe wall opening, and a plurality of apertures; and

a particulate blocking member coupled to the metal pipe,

wherein after installation the upper end is contained in the parent wellbore upwards from the window, the lower end is contained in the branch wellbore, the pipe wall opening couples the parent wellbore downwards from the window to the parent wellbore upwards from the window, and the apertures relieve pressure on the particulate blocking member from a formation proximate to the window while blocking transport of particulate matter from the formation proximate to the window into the metal pipe and the particulate blocking member blocks transport of particulate matter from the formation around the metal pipe into the parent wellbore,

wherein the particulate blocking member is a swellable seal adhered to at least a middle section of the metal pipe, the swellable seal to form a seal between the metal pipe and the parent wellbore and the branch wellbore when the completion tool is installed in a well, the swellable seal having a plurality of apertures to promote relieving pressure on the swellable seal from the formation proximate to the window and the swellable seal having an opening aligned with the pipe wall opening in the metal pipe,

wherein at least one of the plurality of apertures in the swellable seal is aligned with at least one of the plurality of apertures in the metal pipe, and

wherein the at least one of the apertures in the swellable seal is sized to avoid closing the aligned at least one of the apertures in the metal pipe when the swellable seal swells.

8. The completion tool of claim 7, wherein at least the middle section of the metal pipe is slotted, wherein a plurality of slots comprise the plurality of apertures.

9. The completion tool of claim 8, wherein the slots are in the range of about 0.01 inches wide to about 0.04 inches wide.

10. The completion tool of claim 7, wherein the swellable seal swells in volume when exposed to at least one of hydrocarbons and water.

11. The completion tool of claim 7, wherein the plurality of apertures in the metal pipe are each less than about 1 square inch in area and a screen is attached to the metal pipe at the location of the apertures to block transport of particulate matter.

12. The completion tool of claim 11, wherein the plurality of apertures in the metal pipe are arranged in a plurality of columns of apertures with each row in the pair of columns of apertures about every three feet to about every five feet along the metal pipe, wherein the metal pipe is solid between at least two of the plurality of columns along at least one row, wherein the plurality of columns of apertures are offset from each other by about 120 degrees, and wherein two of the plurality of columns of apertures in the metal pipe are offset about 120 degrees from the pipe wall opening in the metal pipe.

13. The completion tool of claim 7, wherein the apertures in the swellable seal are larger than the apertures in the metal pipe.

14. A transition joint seal for coupling a parent wellbore to a branch wellbore extending outwardly from a window in the parent wellbore, comprising:

a screen structure having a wall opening along a first side of the screen structure and a plurality of apertures along a middle portion of the screen structure; and

a swell seal coupled to the middle portion of the screen structure, the swell seal being swellable in the wellbore by increasing in a volume of the swell seal to promote sealing between the window and the screen structure and the swell seal having a plurality of apertures,

wherein the screen structure substantially blocks transport of particulate matter from a formation proximate to the window into the parent wellbore and allows fluid flow from the formation proximate to the window through the apertures in the swell seal into the parent wellbore,

wherein at least one of the plurality of apertures in the screen structure aligns with at least one of the plurality of apertures in the swell seal, and

wherein the at least one of the plurality of apertures in the swell seal is sized to avoid closing the aligned at least one of the apertures in the screen structure when the swell seal swells.