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

• US 8,573,306 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2012
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• 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): BUCK, MATTHEW R
• Application Number:
  US13/405,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20120175103A1
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 166/379, 166/338, 166/344, 166/347, 166/351, 166/360, 166/368, 166/263, 166/378, 166/85.1, 166/90.1, 166/75.12, 285/123.1, 285/123.3, 285/125.1
• US Class Current: 166/344
• 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 retro-fitted 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 diverter assembly for a manifold of an oil or gas well, the manifold having a production bore and a wing branch communicating with the production bore, comprising a housing disposed on the wing branch and having an internal passage, wherein the diverter assembly comprises a first path in a first direction to divert flow of a fluid from the wing branch of the manifold or from a flowline communicating with the wing branch, and a second path in a second direction to return flow of the fluid to the other of the wing branch or the flowline, wherein the first and second paths are coaxial paths not passing through the production bore and the first direction is opposite to the second direction.

2. The diverter assembly of claim 1, wherein the diverter assembly comprises a wing branch connector.

3. The diverter assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a choke body connector.

4. The diverter assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing includes an axial insert portion extending into the wing branch.

5. The diverter assembly of claim 4, wherein the axial insert portion comprises a conduit, wherein the conduit divides the internal passage into a first region comprising the bore of the conduit and a second region comprising the annulus between the housing and the conduit.

6. The diverter assembly of claim 5, wherein the conduit is adapted to seal within the inside of the wing branch to prevent direct fluid communication between the annulus and the bore of the conduit.

7. The diverter assembly of claim 4, wherein the axial insert portion comprises a stem having a plug adapted to block an outlet of the manifold.

8. The diverter assembly of claim 2, wherein the internal passage of the housing is in fluid communication with the wing branch connector.

9. The diverter assembly of claim 3, wherein the internal passage of the housing is in fluid communication with the choke body connector.

10. The diverter assembly of claim 1, wherein the diverter assembly is connected to a processing apparatus communicating with the first path and second path.

11. A christmas tree of an oil and gas well, the christmas tree having a production bore, comprising:

a branch connected to the production bore and to a flowline and comprising a first internal passage to flow a fluid between the production bore and flowline; and

a diverter assembly comprising a housing having a second internal passage, wherein the diverter assembly is coupled to the branch, and wherein the diverter assembly comprises a first flow path in a first direction through the branch to divert flow of the fluid, and a second flow path in a second direction through the branch to return flow of the fluid, the diverter assembly forming a passage from the first internal passage to the flowline without passing through the production bore.

12. The christmas tree of claim 11, wherein the branch comprises a wing branch of the christmas tree with the housing connected to the branch.

13. The christmas tree of claim 11, wherein the housing is connected to a choke body of the christmas tree.

14. The christmas tree of claim 11, wherein the housing includes an axial insert portion extending into the branch disposed on the tree.

15. The christmas tree of claim 14, wherein the axial insert portion comprises a conduit disposed in the first passage to define first and second regions, wherein the first region comprises a bore of the conduit and the second region comprises an annulus between the conduit and the branch.

16. The christmas tree of claim 15, wherein the conduit includes a seal to block direct fluid communication between the annulus and the bore of the conduit.

17. The christmas tree of claim 11, wherein the branch has an inlet and an outlet, and the diverter assembly comprises a barrier to separate the branch inlet from the branch outlet.

18. The christmas tree of claim 11, wherein a part of the diverter assembly is sealed inside the branch to block fluid communication between two separate regions of the diverter assembly.

19. The christmas tree of claim 18, wherein the two separate regions are connected by pipes.

20. The christmas tree of claim 11, comprising another diverter assembly connected to another branch.

21. The christmas tree of claim 11, wherein the first and second flow paths are coaxial paths, and the first and second directions are opposite from one another.

22. A system, comprising:

a manifold comprising a production bore communicating with a branch having a branch inlet and a branch outlet; and

a diverter assembly disposed on the branch between the branch inlet and branch outlet, wherein the diverter assembly comprises a first path in a first direction to divert flow of a fluid from the branch inlet or from the branch outlet, and a second path in a second direction to return flow of the fluid to the other of the branch inlet or branch outlet, the diverter assembly forming a passage between the branch inlet and the branch outlet without passing through the production bore.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the diverter assembly includes an insert with an internal passage of the diverter assembly, the insert extending into an interior of the branch.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein an internal passage of the diverter assembly is in fluid communication with the branch outlet but not the branch inlet.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the diverter assembly comprises a barrier in the branch to separate the branch inlet from the branch outlet.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein a part of the diverter assembly is sealed inside the branch to block fluid communication between two separate regions of the diverter assembly.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the two separate regions are connected by pipes.

28. The system of claim 22, wherein the manifold is connected to a processing apparatus via the diverter assembly external to the manifold.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the processing apparatus is chosen from at least one of:

a pump;

a process fluid turbine;

injection apparatus;

chemical injection apparatus;

a materials 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.

30. The system of claim 22, comprising another diverter assembly connected to another branch.

31. The system of claim 22, wherein the first and second paths are coaxial paths, and the first and second directions are opposite from one another.

32. A system for a christmas tree of an oil and gas well, the christmas tree having a production bore, comprising:

a branch on the christmas tree comprising a first bore communicating with the production bore and a second bore communicating with a flowline;

a diverter assembly coupled to the branch between the first and second bores wherein the diverter assembly comprises a first path communicating with the first bore and a second path communicating with the second bore, the diverter assembly forming a passage between the first and second bores without passing through the production bore; and

a choke communicating with the first and second paths.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the branch has at least one port to connect the first path to the first bore and the second path to the second bore.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the diverter assembly includes a conduit received by the at least one port to form a barrier between the first bore and the second bore.

35. The system of claim 33 wherein a connector connects the diverter assembly to the branch.

36. The system of claim 32 further including a processing apparatus communicating with the first and second paths.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the processing apparatus is chosen from at least one of:

a pump;

a process fluid turbine;

materials injection apparatus;

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.

38. The system of claim 32 further including a flow rate measurement apparatus communicating with the first and second paths.

39. The system of claim 32 further including a treatment apparatus communicating with the first path.

40. The system of claim 32 further including a materials injection apparatus communicating with the second path.

41. The system of claim 32 wherein the first bore communicates with the first path at a first port in the branch and the second bore communicates with the second path at a second port in the branch.