Tubing conveyed multiple zone integrated intelligent well completion

• US 9,016,368 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2013
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Tips, Timothy R., Richards, William M.
• Primary Examiner(s): FULLER, ROBERT EDWARD
• Application Number:
  US13/918,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20140083685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 166/369, 166/313, 166/373, 166/374, 166/375, 166/250.15, 166/66
• US Class Current: 166/250.01
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/06 in wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/08 Screens or liners expandable screens or liners E21B43/108
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/14 Obtaining from a multiple-zone well
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/00 Survey of boreholes or wells monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid E21B21/08
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/135 using light waves, e.g. infrared or ultraviolet waves

Abstract

A system for use with a well having multiple zones can include multiple well screens which filter fluid flowing between a tubing string and respective ones of the zones, at least one optical waveguide which senses at least one property of the fluid as it flows between the tubing string and at least one of the zones, multiple flow control devices which variably restrict flow of the fluid through respective ones of the well screens, and multiple pressure sensors which sense pressure of the fluid which flows through respective ones of the well screens. A tubing string for use in a subterranean well can include at least one well screen, at least one flow control device which selectively prevents and permits substantially unrestricted flow through the well screen, and at least one other flow control device which is remotely operable, and which variably restricts flow through the well screen.

Claims

1. A tubing string for use in a subterranean well, the tubing string comprising:

at least one well screen;

at least one first flow control device which selectively prevents and permits substantially unrestricted flow through the well screen;

at least one second flow control device, the second flow control device being remotely operable, and wherein the second flow control device variably restricts flow through the same well screen;

wherein the first flow control device and at least a portion of the second flow control device are positioned within the well screen; and

at least one third flow control device, the third flow control device being remotely operable, and wherein the third flow control device variably restricts flow through the same well screen.

2. The tubing string of claim 1, further comprising a hydraulic control device which controls application of hydraulic actuation pressure to the second flow control device.

3. The tubing string of claim 2, wherein the hydraulic control device controls application of hydraulic actuation pressure to the third flow control device.

4. The tubing string of claim 1, further comprising at least one optical waveguide which is operative to sense at least one property of a fluid which flows through the well screen.

5. The tubing string of claim 4, wherein the optical waveguide is positioned external to the well screen.

6. The tubing string of claim 4, wherein the optical waveguide is positioned between the well screen and an earth formation.

7. The tubing string of claim 4, wherein the optical waveguide is positioned internal to the well screen.

8. The tubing string of claim 1, wherein the second flow control device comprises a hydraulically actuated variable choke.

9. The tubing string of claim 1, further comprising a pressure sensor which senses pressure external to the tubing string.

10. The tubing string of claim 1, further comprising a pressure sensor which senses pressure internal to the tubing string.

11. The tubing string of claim 1, further comprising a sensor which senses at least one of flow rate and fluid composition.

12. A system for use with a subterranean well having multiple earth formation zones, the system comprising:

multiple well screens which filter fluid flowing between a tubing string in the well and respective ones of the multiple zones;

at least one optical waveguide which senses at least one property of the fluid as it flows between the tubing string and at least one of the zones;

multiple flow control devices which variably restrict flow of the fluid through respective ones of the multiple well screens, the multiple flow control devices for each one of the multiple well screens comprising;

a first flow control device which selectively prevents and permits substantially unrestricted flow through the well screen;

a second flow control device, the second flow control device being remotely operable, and wherein the second flow control device variably restricts flow through the same well screen;

wherein the first flow control device and at least a portion of the second flow control device are positioned within the same well screen;

a third flow control device, the third flow control device being remotely operable, and wherein the third flow control device variably restricts flow through the same well screen; and

multiple pressure sensors which sense a pressure differential across respective ones of the multiple flow control devices.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the multiple well screens, the optical waveguide, the multiple flow control devices, and the multiple sensors are installed in the well in a single trip into the well.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising multiple hydraulic control devices which control application of hydraulic actuation pressure to respective ones of the multiple flow control devices.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein a single one of the hydraulic control devices controls application of hydraulic actuation pressure to multiple ones of the flow control devices.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the sensors sense pressure of the fluid external to the tubing string.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the sensors sense pressure of the fluid internal to the tubing string.

18. The system of claim 12, further comprising multiple sensors which sense flow rate of the fluid.

19. The system of claim 12, further comprising multiple sensors which sense composition of the fluid.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the flow control devices comprise remotely hydraulically actuated variable chokes.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the flow control devices comprise autonomous variable flow restrictors.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the flow control devices receive the fluid from the respective ones of the multiple well screens.

23. The system of claim 12, wherein the optical waveguide is positioned external to the well screens.

24. The system of claim 12, wherein the optical waveguide is positioned between the well screens and the zones.

25. The system of claim 12, wherein the optical waveguide is positioned internal to the well screens.