APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR RECOVERING FLUIDS FROM A WELL AND/OR INJECTING FLUIDS INTO A WELL

• US 20120160507A1
• Filed: 03/08/2012
• Published: 06/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Onesubsea IP UK Limited (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Cameron International Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Donald, Ian, Reid, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,746,332 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 replace the tree. Multiple diverter assembly embodiments are also described.

Claims

1-130. -130. (canceled)

131. An assembly for a well having a tree with a production bore, comprising:

a first flowpath comprising an outlet;

a flow diverter comprising a second flowpath, the flow diverter to divert fluids from a first portion of the first flowpath to the second flowpath, and to divert fluids from the second flowpath to a second portion of the first flowpath, wherein the first portion of the first flowpath, the second flowpath, and the second portion of the first flowpath form a continuous passageway for fluid; and

wherein the flow diverter is located in the first flowpath and separates the first portion of the first flowpath from the second portion of the first flowpath.

132. The assembly of claim 131, wherein the fluids are directed to a treatment apparatus that is selected from the group consisting of pressure boosting apparatus, injection apparatus, separation apparatus, gas injection apparatus, chemical injection apparatus, chemical treatment apparatus, water electrolysis apparatus and measurement apparatus.

133. The assembly of claim 131, further comprising:

a cap body attached to the tree, the cap body comprising a central bore communicating with the production bore;

a pump disposed in the production bore capable of pumping fluids in the production bore through the first portion of the first flowpath.

134. The assembly of claim 133 further including a motor disposed on the cap body for driving the pump.

135. The assembly of claim 134 further including a conduit disposed with the production bore for directing flow in and out of the pump and seals for sealing the motor from the fluids in the production bore.

136. The assembly of claim 131 wherein said well is an injection well with an injection tree and further including a production well with a production tree, comprising:

a production conduit inserted into the production tree of the production well forming a first flowpath for produced fluids to an outlet of the production tree and a second flowpath from an inlet in the production tree to an export line;

a processing apparatus with a first tubing connected to the production tree outlet and a second tubing connected to the production tree inlet;

the flow diverter having an injection conduit inserted into the injection tree of the injection well forming the first flowpath for fluids to an outlet of the injection tree and the second flowpath from an inlet in the injection tree to an injection line;

a third tubing connecting the injection tree outlet to the processing apparatus and a fourth tubing connecting the injection tree inlet to the processing apparatus.

137. The assembly of claim 136 wherein the processing apparatus processes the production fluids and flows the processed fluids through the fourth tubing for injection into the injection well.

138. The assembly of claim 131 wherein said well is an injection well with an injection tree and further including a production well with a production tree, comprising:

a production conduit inserted into the production tree of the production well forming a first flowpath for produced fluids to an outlet of the production tree and a second flowpath from an inlet in the production tree to an export line;

a first pump comprising a first tubing connected to the production tree outlet, the first pump being connected to a water separator comprising a second tubing connected to the production tree inlet;

the flow diverter having an injection conduit inserted into the injection tree of the injection well forming the first flowpath for fluids to an outlet of the injection tree and the second flowpath from an inlet in the injection tree to an injection line;

a second pump comprising a first tubing connected to the production tree inlet, and a second tubing connected to the production tree outlet; and

a conduit connecting the second pump to the water separator.

152. The assembly of claim 131 wherein the production bore extends down in the well to a producing formation, comprising:

a production wing branch disposed on the tree and comprising a production wing bore communicating with the production bore;

a cap attached to a top of the tree and comprising an inner axial passage and an inner lateral passage, the inner axial passage communicating with the first flowpath;

an injection line connected to the inner lateral passage;

the flow diverter extending from below the inner lateral passage in the cap through the inner axial passage and down the production bore to the formation producing well fluids;

a plug sealing the second portion of the first flowpath formed between the flow diverter and an outer wall of the production bore; and

fluids being injected through the inner lateral passage and first portion of the first flowpath, down the second flowpath to the formation.

153. The tree of claim 152 wherein the fluid is gas to reduce the density of the well fluids.

154. The tree of claim 152 wherein the cap has an intermediate inner lateral passage communicating with the second portion of the first flowpath formed by the coiled tubing and a lower inner lateral passage, and further including a conduit having seals at each end, the flow diverter passing through the conduit with the conduit forming an outer annulus with a wall of the inner axial passage and production bore;

the conduit extending from below the intermediate inner lateral passage and above the lower inner lateral passage to below the production wing bore.

139-151. -151. (canceled)

155-156. -156. (canceled)