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

• US 8,122,948 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2010
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Onesubsea IP UK Limited (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Cameron Systems (Ireland) Limited (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Donald, Ian, Reid, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Hoang
• Application Number:
  US12/768,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20100206576A1
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 166/75, 166/12, 166/368, 166/88.4, 166/95.1, 166/97.1, 166/97.5, 166/90.1, 166/91.1
• US Class Current: 166/75.12
• 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 retrofitted 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 christmas tree of an oil or gas well, comprising:

a tree body having a production bore;

a lateral branch having a branch bore forming part of a first flowpath to and from the production bore;

a choke body disposed on the lateral branch, the choke body having a choke bore communicating with the branch bore to form a part of the first flowpath or a second flowpath with an export line; and

a diverter having an internal passage, a part of the diverter being locatable in a diverter bore either in the lateral branch or choke body, the internal passage communicating with either the first or second flowpaths via the diverter bore.

2. The christmas tree of claim 1 wherein the diverter bore is located in the lateral branch.

3. The christmas tree of claim 1 wherein the diverter bore is located in the choke body.

4. The christmas tree of claim 3 wherein the diverter is a choke insert received by the diverter bore in the choke body, the choke insert having a port communicating with the internal passage.

5. The christmas tree of claim 1 further including a processing apparatus in fluid communication with the diverter.

6. The christmas tree of claim 5 wherein the processing apparatus is selected from the group consisting of at least one of a pump, process fluid turbine, gas injection apparatus, steam injection apparatus, chemical injection apparatus, materials injection apparatus, gas separation apparatus, water separation apparatus, sand/debris separation apparatus, hydrocarbon separation apparatus, fluid measurement apparatus, temperature measurement apparatus, flow rate measurement apparatus, constitution measurement apparatus, consistency measurement apparatus, chemical treatment apparatus, pressure boosting apparatus, and water electrolysis apparatus.

7. A diverter assembly for a tree of an oil or gas well, comprising:

a lateral branch having first and second branch bores with the first branch bore having a first port and the second branch bore having a second port, the first branch bore forming part of a first flowpath to and from a production bore of the tree and the second branch bore forming part of a second flowpath to and from an export line;

a diverter having first and second internal passages, the first internal passage communicating with the first port and the second passage communicating with the second port;

a processing apparatus having first and second passageways, the first passageway communicating with the first internal passage and the second passageway communicating with the second internal passage; and

the diverter and processing apparatus communicating the first flowpath with the second flowpath.

8. The diverter assembly of claim 7 further including a choke body disposed on the lateral branch, the choke body having a choke bore communicating with the second branch bore and export line to form a part of the second flowpath.

9. The flow diverter assembly of claim 7 wherein the processing apparatus is selected from the group consisting of at least one of a pump, process fluid turbine, gas injection apparatus, steam injection apparatus, chemical injection apparatus, materials injection apparatus, gas separation apparatus, water separation apparatus, sand/debris separation apparatus, hydrocarbon separation apparatus, fluid measurement apparatus, temperature measurement apparatus, flow rate measurement apparatus, constitution measurement apparatus, consistency measurement apparatus, chemical treatment apparatus, pressure boosting apparatus, and water electrolysis apparatus.