Apparatus and method for recovering fluids from a well and/or injecting fluids into a well

• US 8,281,864 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2009
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Onesubsea IP UK Limited (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Cameron Systems (Ireland) Limited (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Donald, Ian, Reid, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Hoang
• Application Number:
  US12/541,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20090294132A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,151 Days
• Field of Search: 166/368, 166/75.12, 166/88.4, 166/95.1, 166/97.1, 166/97.5, 166/52, 166/379
• US Class Current: 166/368
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/03 Well heads; Setting-up thereof
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/0353 Horizontal or spool trees, i.e. without production valves in the vertical main bore
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/0387 Hydraulic stab connectors
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/047 for plural tubing strings
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/068 having provision for introducing objects or fluids into, or removing objects from, wells cementing-heads E21B33/05
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/076 specially adapted for underwater installations
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/025 Chokes or valves in wellheads and sub-sea wellheads for variably regulating fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/04 in underwater well heads
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/0007 for underwater installations E21B41/005, E21B41/04, E21B41/06, E21B41/08, E21B41/10 take precedence
• 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 43/16 Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/162 Injecting fluid from longitudinally spaced locations in injection well
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/166 Injecting a gaseous medium; Injecting a gaseous medium and a liquid medium CO2 injection E21B43/164; steam injection E21B43/24
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/36 Underwater separating arrangements E21B43/38 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for diverting fluids either into or from a well are described. Some embodiments include a diverter conduit that is located in a bore of a tree. The invention relates especially but not exclusively to a diverter assembly connected to a wing branch of a tree. Some embodiments allow diversion of fluids out of a tree to a subsea processing apparatus followed by the return of at least some of these fluids to the tree for recovery. Alternative embodiments provide only one flowpath and do not include the return of any fluids to the tree. Some embodiments can be retrofitted to existing trees, which can allow the performance of a new function without having to replacing the tree. Multiple diverter assembly embodiments are also described.

Claims

1. A method of diverting hydrocarbon fluids through a tree on a well, comprising:

connecting a diverter assembly to a branch of the tree, wherein the branch extends to an export line and a choke body is disposed on the branch without a choke insert and wherein the diverter assembly comprises a housing having an internal passage;

inserting a conduit extending from the housing and into the choke body during the connecting step; and

diverting the hydrocarbon fluids through the housing.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising diverting fluids from a first flowpath through the housing to a second flowpath through the housing.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising recovering fluids from a first well and re-injecting at least a portion of the recovered fluids through another diverter assembly on a second well.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a first set of fluids are recovered from a first well via a first diverter assembly and combined with other fluids in a communal conduit, and the combined fluids are then diverted into an export line via a second diverter assembly connected to the second well.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising diverting fluids from the wellbore to the diverter assembly and then to the export line whilst bypassing at least a portion of the branch.

6. A method of diverting fluids, comprising:

connecting a diverter assembly to a branch of a manifold, wherein the branch extends to an export line and a choke body disposed on the branch and wherein the diverter assembly comprises a housing having an internal passage; and

diverting the fluids through the housing wherein the diverter assembly provides two separate regions within the diverter assembly, and the method includes the step of passing fluids through one of the first and second regions and subsequently passing at least a portion of these fluids through the other of the first and the second regions.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a first set of fluids is passed through the first region and a second set of fluids is passed through the second region.

8. The method of claim 6, comprising processing the fluids in a processing apparatus located between the first and second regions.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the processing apparatus is chosen from at least one of:

a pump;

a process fluid turbine;

injection apparatus;

chemical injection apparatus;

a fluid riser;

measurement apparatus;

temperature measurement apparatus;

flow rate measurement apparatus;

constitution measurement apparatus;

consistency measurement apparatus;

gas separation apparatus;

water separation apparatus;

solids separation apparatus; and

hydrocarbon separation apparatus.

10. A method of diverting fluids from a first well to a second well via at least one manifold, the method including the steps of:

blocking a passage in the manifold between a bore of the manifold and a branch outlet of the manifold; and

diverting at least some of the fluids from the first well to the second well via a path not including the branch outlet of the blocked passage.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising processing the fluids in a processing apparatus connected between the first and second wells.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one manifold comprises a tree of the first well and the method includes the further step of returning a portion of the fluids to the tree of the first well and thereafter recovering that portion of the fluids from the outlet of the blocked passage.

13. A method of diverting fluids, comprising:

connecting a diverter assembly to a branch of a manifold, wherein the branch extends to an export line and a choke body disposed on the branch and wherein the diverter assembly comprises a housing having an internal passage; and

diverting the fluids through the housing wherein diverting comprises routing a fluid through the diverter assembly along a first path in a first direction, routing the fluid from the first path through a loop from the diverter assembly to a processing apparatus and back to the diverter assembly, and routing the fluid from the loop through the diverter assembly along a second path in a second direction, wherein the first and second paths are coaxial with one another, and the first and second directions are opposite to one another.

14. A method of diverting fluids, comprising:

connecting a diverter assembly to a branch of a manifold, wherein the branch extends to an export line and a choke body disposed on the branch and wherein the diverter assembly comprises a housing having an internal passage; and

diverting the fluids through the housing wherein diverting the fluids comprises flowing fluids to and from a processing loop in opposite directions through a central passage and an annular passage coaxial with the central passage.

15. A method of diverting hydrocarbon fluids through a tree on a well, comprising:

diverting a fluid away from a fluid port of a branch extending from the tree, wherein the branch extends to an export line and a choke body disposed on the branch and wherein diverting comprises routing the fluid through a first path away from the fluid port, and routing the fluid back through a second path toward and through the fluid port.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein diverting the fluid comprises flowing the fluid in opposite directions through a central passage and an annular passage coaxial with the central passage, the central passage and annular passage being formed by a conduit inserted into the fluid port of the branch.

17. The method of claim 15, comprising isolating the first path from the second path through the fluid port.

18. A method of diverting fluids, comprising:

diverting a fluid away from a fluid port of a branch of a mineral extraction component, wherein the branch extends to an export line and a choke body disposed on the branch and wherein diverting comprises routing the fluid through a first path away from the fluid port, and routing the fluid back through a second path toward and through the fluid port wherein diverting the fluid comprises flowing the fluid to a processing loop in a first direction along the first path, and returning the fluid from the processing loop in a second direction along the second path, wherein the first and second directions are opposite from one another.

19. A method of diverting fluids, comprising:

diverting a fluid away from a fluid port of a branch of a mineral extraction component, wherein the branch extends to an export line and a choke body disposed on the branch and wherein diverting comprises routing the fluid through a first path away from the fluid port, routing the fluid back through a second path toward and through the fluid port and inserting a tubular portion of a diverter assembly into the branch of the mineral extraction component.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the tubular portion has a hollow interior passage defining the first path, and an annular space between an exterior of the tubular portion and the branch defines the second path.