Method, system & apparatus for orienting casing and liners

• US 20040231859A1
• Filed: 05/19/2003
• Published: 11/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Laverdiere, Luc, Huber, Klaus B., Edwards, A. Glen
• Granted Patent: US 7,147,060 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/381
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 23/00 Apparatus for displacing, setting, locking, releasing or removing tools, packers or the like in boreholes or wells setting of casings, screens or liners E21B43/10
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/119 Details, e.g. for locating perforating place or direction
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/024 of devices in the borehole determining slope or direction of the borehole E21B47/022

Abstract

A method and system are provided for installing an oriented conduit section in a well-bore having a substantially non-vertical axis. In one example, the system comprises: means for inserting a conduit a the well-bore, wherein the conduit comprises a section to be oriented, means for applying, in the well-bore, a rotating force to the section to be oriented, whereby an oriented section results, and means for fixing the conduit in the well-bore. An instrumented conduit section is also provided, for orientation in a well-bore having a substantially non-vertical axis. Further, a method is provided for using a tool in a well-bore, the method comprising: inserting a casing in the well-bore, orienting the casing in the well-bore, wherein an oriented casing is defined, inserting the tool in the oriented casing, and orienting the tool in the oriented casing.

Claims

1. A method of installing an oriented conduit section in a well-bore having a substantially non-vertical axis, the method comprising:

inserting a conduit in a the well-bore, wherein the conduit comprises a section to be oriented,

applying, in the well-bore, a rotating force to the section to be oriented, whereby an oriented section results, and

fixing the oriented section in well-bore.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the inserting comprises feeding the conduit section to be oriented in the well-bore in rotatable connection with a further conduit section.

3. A method as in claim 2 wherein the applying comprises allowing rotation of the conduit section to be oriented as a result of gravity acting on a center of gravity of the conduit section to be oriented wherein the center of gravity is off a rotational axis of the section to be oriented.

4. A method as in claim 3 wherein the applying further comprises placing a weight in the conduit section to be oriented.

5. A method as in claim 4 wherein the placing of the weight comprises attaching a weight to an inner surface of the conduit section to be oriented.

6. A method as in claim 5 wherein the attaching a weight to an inner surface comprises screwing the weight to the inner surface with a shear screw.

7. A method as in claim 4 wherein the placing of the weight comprises formation of the conduit with a center of gravity off the rotational axis of the conduit.

8. A method as in claim 7 wherein the forming comprises forming a conduit with a non-uniform wall thickness.

9. A method as in claim 1 wherein the fixing comprises cementing the section to be oriented.

10. A method as in claim 1 further comprising attaching an instrument to be oriented in the well-bore at an instrument location on an outer surface of a conduit.

11. A method as in claim 10 further comprising connecting an instrument line from the instrument to a ground surface location.

12. A method as in claim 11 wherein the connecting comprises attaching an oriented-side instrument line to the instrument and providing a surface-side instrument line in rotatable signal connection with the oriented-side instrument line.

13. A method as in claim 12 wherein the providing a surface-side instrument line comprises:

providing a surface-side inductive coupler to the surface-side instrument line at a swivel on the conduit to be oriented and

providing an oriented-side inductive coupler to the oriented-side instrument line at the swivel.

14. A method as in claim 12 wherein the providing a surface-side instrument line comprises:

providing a surface-side optical coupler to the surface-side instrument line at a swivel on the conduit to be oriented and

providing an oriented-side optical coupler to the oriented-side instrument line at the swivel.

15. A method as in claim 1 wherein the oriented section comprises an oriented section of casing and further comprising:

inserting a tubing section inside the oriented section,

applying to the tubing section, in the oriented section, a rotating force, whereby an oriented tubing section results, and

fixing the oriented tubing section in the well-bore.

16. A method as in claim 15 wherein the applying to the tubing, in the oriented section, a rotating force, comprises gravity orientation.

17. A method as in claim 15 wherein the applying to the tubing, in the oriented section, a rotating force, comprises attribute orientation.

18. A method as in claim 15 wherein the fixing the oriented tubing section in the well-bore comprises fixing the oriented tubing section in the oriented casing.

19. A method as in claim 15 wherein:

the inserting comprises inserting the conduit section comprises feeding the conduit section in the well-bore in rotatable connection with a further conduit section; and

the fixing the oriented tubing section comprises fixing the oriented tubing section to the further conduit section.

20. A method as in claim 15 wherein

the inserting comprises inserting the conduit section comprises feeding the conduit section in the well-bore in rotatable connection with a further conduit section;

and

further comprising;

an instrument connected to the oriented section of the conduit, and

an instrument line, the instrument line comprising;

a surface side attached to the further conduit section and

an instrument side connected to the instrument and attached to the oriented section of the conduit.

21. A method as in claim 20 further comprising:

an instrument side transmitter/receiver in a liner lap between the liner and the conduit and

a surface side transmitter/receiver in a liner lap between the liner and the conduit.

22. A system of installing an oriented conduit section in a well-bore having a substantially non-vertical axis, the method comprising:

means for inserting a conduit a the well-bore, wherein the conduit comprises a section to be oriented,

means for applying, in the well-bore, a rotating force to the section to be oriented, whereby an oriented section results, and

means for fixing the conduit in the well-bore.

23. A system as in claim 22 wherein the means for inserting comprises a rotatable connection with a further conduit section.

24. A system as in claim 22 wherein the rotatable connection comprises a swivel.

25. A system as in claim 24 wherein the rotatable connection comprises a liner-hanger setting-tool.

26. A system as in claim 22 wherein the means for applying comprises a center of gravity of the conduit section to be oriented that is off a rotational axis of the section to be oriented.

27. A system as in claim 26 wherein the means for applying further comprises a weight in the conduit section to be oriented.

28. A system as in claim 27 wherein the weight comprises a removable weight.

29. A system as in claim 28 wherein the removable weight comprises a fishing tool connection portion.

30. A system as in claim 29 wherein the fishing tool connection portion comprises a taper.

31. A system as in claim 27 further comprising a weight attachment detachably connecting the weight to an inner surface of the conduit section to be oriented.

32. A system as in claim 31 wherein the weight attachment comprises a shear screw through the weight into the inner surface.

33. A system as in claim 31 wherein the weigh attachment comprises a snap latch.

34. A system as in claim 27 wherein the weight comprises non-uniform wall thickness of the conduit.

35. A system as in claim 22 further comprising:

an instrument to be oriented in the well-bore located at an instrument location on an outer surface of a conduit and

an instrument line from the instrument to a ground surface location,

wherein the instrument line comprises;

an oriented-side instrument line to the instrument and

a surface-side instrument line in rotatable signal connection with the oriented-side instrument line.

36. A system as in method as in claim 35 wherein the surface-side instrument line comprises:

a surface-side inductive coupler to the surface-side instrument line at a swivel on the conduit to be oriented and

an oriented-side inductive coupler to the oriented-side instrument line at the swivel.

37. A system as in claim 35 wherein the surface-side instrument line comprises:

a surface-side optical coupler to the surface-side instrument line at a swivel on the conduit to be oriented and

an oriented-side optical coupler to the oriented-side instrument line at the swivel.

38. A system as in claim 22 wherein the oriented section comprises an oriented section of casing and further comprising:

means for inserting a tubing section inside the oriented section,

means for applying to the tubing, in the oriented section, a rotating force to the section to be oriented, whereby an oriented tubing section results, and

means for fixing the oriented tubing section in the well-bore.

39. A system as in claim 38 wherein the means for applying to the tubing, in the oriented section, a rotating force, comprises gravity orientation.

40. A system as in claim 39 wherein the means for applying to the tubing, in the oriented section, a rotating force, comprises attribute orientation.

41. A system as in claim 38 wherein the means for fixing the oriented tubing section in the well-bore comprises means for fixing the oriented tubing section to the oriented casing.

42. A system as in claim 38 wherein

the means for inserting comprises inserting the tubing section comprises a further conduit section in rotatable connection with the oriented conduit section and

the means for fixing the oriented tubing section comprises means for fixing the oriented tubing section to the further conduit section.

43. A system as in claim 38 wherein

the means for inserting the conduit section a further conduit section in rotatable connection with the oriented conduit section and

further comprising

an instrument connected to the oriented section of the conduit, and

an instrument line,

the instrument line comprising:

a surface side attached to the further conduit section and

an instrument side connected to the instrument and attached to the oriented section of the conduit.

44. A system as in claim 43 further comprising

an instrument side transmitter/receiver in a liner lap between the liner and the conduit and

a surface side transmitter/receiver in a liner lap between the liner and the conduit.

45. An instrumented conduit section comprising for orientation in a well-bore having a substantially non-vertical axis, the conduit comprising:

a substantially hollow elongated casing member comprising;

a rotational axis,

an inner chamber, and

an instrument located outside the inner chamber,

whereby an instrumented conduit section is defined; and

a center of gravity of the instrumented casing that is off the rotational axis.

46. An instrumented conduit section as in claim 45 further comprising a rotatable connection for use with a further conduit section.

47. An instrumented conduit section as in claim 46 wherein the rotatable connection comprises a swivel.

48. An instrumented conduit section as in claim 47 wherein the rotatable connection comprises a liner-hanger setting-tool.

49. An instrumented conduit section as in claim 45 further comprising a weight in the conduit section to be oriented.

50. An instrumented conduit section as in claim 49 wherein the weight comprises a removable weight.

51. An instrumented conduit section as in claim 50 wherein the removable weight comprises a fishing tool connection portion.

52. An instrumented conduit section as in claim 51 wherein the fishing tool connection portion comprises a taper.

53. An instrumented conduit section as in claim 49 further comprising a weight attachment detachably connecting the weight to an inner surface of the conduit section to be oriented.

54. An instrumented conduit section as in claim 53 wherein the weight attachment comprises a shear screw through the weight into the inner surface.

55. An instrumented conduit section as in claim 53 wherein the weight attachment comprises a snap latch.

56. An instrumented conduit section as in claim 45 wherein the weight comprises non-uniform wall-thickness of the elongated member.

57. An instrumented conduit section as in claim 45 further comprising:

an instrument to be oriented in the well-bore located at an instrument location on an outer surface of a conduit and

an instrument line from the instrument to a ground surface location,

wherein the instrument line comprises;

an oriented-side instrument line to the instrument and

a surface-side instrument line in rotatable signal connection with the oriented-side instrument line.

58. An instrumented conduit section as in method as in claim 57 wherein the surface-side instrument line comprises:

a surface-side inductive coupler to the surface-side instrument line at a swivel on the conduit to be oriented and

an oriented-side inductive coupler to the oriented-side instrument line at the swivel.

59. An instrumented conduit section as in claim 57 wherein the surface-side instrument line comprises:

a surface-side optical coupler to the surface-side instrument line at a swivel on the conduit to be oriented and

an oriented-side optical coupler to the oriented-side instrument line at the swivel.

60. A method of using a tool in a well-bore, the method comprising:

inserting a casing in the well-bore,

orienting the casing in the well-bore, wherein an oriented casing is defined,

inserting the tool in the oriented casing, and

orienting the tool in the oriented casing.

61. A method as in claim 60 wherein the orienting the casing comprises gravity orientation.

62. A method as in claim 61 wherein the orienting the tool comprises gravity orientation.

63. A method as in claim 61 wherein the orienting the tool comprises attribute orientation.

64. A method as in claim 60 wherein the orienting the tool comprises orienting a perforation tool and further comprising perforating the casing after the orienting the tubing.

65. A method as in claim 64 wherein the inserting the casing comprises inserting an instrumented casing and further comprising removing the perforation tool after the perforating.

66. A method as in claim 65 wherein the removing the perforation tool after perforating comprises removal of the perforating tool during a producing state of the well-bore.