Solids control methods, apparatus and systems

• US 10,428,636 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2014
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Rogers, Henry Eugene, Malave, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Michener, Blake E
• Application Number:
  US15/516,553
• Publication Number:
  US 20180266231A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• Field of Search: 210521, 210522, 210801
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/14 Casing shoes for the protection of the bottom of the casing
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/002 Down-hole drilling fluid separation systems containers comprising collecting means with a strainer E21B27/005; subsoil filtering E21B43/02; down-hole production separators E21B43/38
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 27/005 Collecting means with a strainer
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/14 for cementing casings into boreholes
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/04 Gravelling of wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/10 Setting of casings, screens, liners or the like in wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/11 Perforators; Permeators
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/35 specially adapted for separating solids down-hole drilling fluid separation systems E21B21/002; separating solids from drilling fluids E21B21/065
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/38 in the well

Abstract

A weir assembly system comprises an insert dimensioned to be inserted into a section of a wellbore and a plurality of weirs spaced within the insert so as to increase the separation of solids from fluid within the section of the wellbore when the fluid is flowing through the wellbore. The plurality of weirs may be oriented to create a tortuous fluid flow path, such that a flow opening of a first weir causes solids to deposit at a second weir without obstructing a flow opening of the second weir. Additional apparatus, methods, and systems are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

creating a tortuous fluid flow path in a section of a wellbore to increase the separation of solids from fluid within the section of the wellbore, wherein creating the tortuous fluid flow path comprises inserting a weir assembly into the section of the wellbore, the weir assembly comprising a plurality of weirs,

wherein each weir of the plurality of weirs is angularly offset from any adjacent weirs and comprises a first wing and a second wing, and

wherein a majority of the first wing is nonparallel to a majority of the second wing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the section of the wellbore comprises at least a portion of a casing within the wellbore.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the section of the wellbore comprises at least a portion of a shoe track of the casing.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the tortuous fluid flow path further comprises:

orienting the plurality of weirs, such that a flow opening of a first weir causes at least some of the solids to deposit at a second weir without obstructing a flow opening of the second weir.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the tortuous fluid flow path comprises:

orienting a plurality of weirs within the section of the wellbore, so as to selectively increase the velocity of the fluid, such that a solids slip velocity separates at least some of the solids from the fluid within the section of the wellbore.

6. A method, comprising:

inserting a plurality of weirs into an insert to create a weir assembly; and

inserting the weir assembly into a wellbore to create a tortuous fluid flow path in the wellbore, wherein each weir of the plurality of weirs is angularly offset from any adjacent weirs and comprises a first wing and a second wing, and

wherein a majority of the first wing is nonparallel to majority of the second wing.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the tortuous fluid flow path reduces the flow of solids through the wellbore by capturing some of the solids using the weirs.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein inserting the plurality of weirs into the insert to create the weir assembly comprises:

inserting the plurality of weirs into slots of a first portion of the insert; and

coupling a second portion of the insert to the first portion of the insert to create the weir assembly.

9. A system, comprising:

an insert dimensioned to be inserted into a section of a wellbore; and

a plurality of weirs spaced within the insert so as to increase the separation of solids from fluid within the section of the wellbore when the fluid is flowing through the wellbore,

wherein each weir of the plurality of weirs is angularly offset from any adjacent weirs and comprises a first wing and a second wing, and

wherein a majority of the first wing is nonparallel to a majority of the second wing.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first wing is oriented relative to the second wing such that a flow opening of the first wing causes at least some of the solids to deposit at the second wing without obstructing a flow opening of the second wing.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein at least one weir of the plurality of weirs comprises:

a first weir plate; and

a second weir plate, wherein the first weir plate is coupled to the second weir plate via corresponding slots in the weir plates.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the insert comprises a plurality of sections, such that at least one section of the insert houses at least one weir of the plurality of weirs.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the section of the wellbore comprises at least a portion of a casing within the wellbore.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the system further comprises a guide shoe located within the wellbore and the insert is disposed at a depth that is less than a depth at which a guide shoe is located in the wellbore.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the insert further comprises:

slots to maintain an orientation and separation of the plurality of weirs within the insert.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the insert further comprises:

a first portion to receive the plurality of weirs; and

a second portion to couple to the first portion to form a weir assembly.