Abstract:
A coupler for gravel packing completions comprising an annular member having an upper end, a lower end, at least one flange disposed along an inner wall surface of the annular member intermediate the upper and lower ends, and at least one deformable portion is disclosed. The coupler may be used to connect one or more screens to a base pipe in a gravel packing completion by deforming the deformable portion such as by passing a swage over the outer wall surface of the annular member. In a similar manner, the coupler may also be used to connect a gravel packing completion component, such as an inflow control device to the base pipe of the gravel packing completion, to contemporaneously connect a screen section and a gravel pakcing completion component to the base pipe.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0002]    The invention is directed to gravel pack completions in oil and gas wells and, in particular, to retainer members or couplers for connecting a screen of the gravel pack completion to a base pipe of the gravel pack completion. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Art 
         [0004]    In completing wells having production or injection zones which lie adjacent to incompetent formations formed from unconsolidated matrixes such as loose sandstone, or which lie adjacent formations that have been hydraulically-fractured and propped such as through fracturing processes, sand control problems often arise during the operational life of the well. These sand control problems are encountered when large volumes of sand and/or other particulate material such as backflow of proppants from a hydraulically-fractured formation dislodge from the formation and become entrained in the formation fluids and are produced therewith into the wellbore. These produced materials have an adverse effect on the operation of the well because they can cause erosion and plugging of the well equipment which, in turn, leads to high maintenance costs and considerable downtime of the well. 
         [0005]    One technique for controlling sand production in a wellbore is referred to as “gravel packing” or forming a “gravel pack completion.” In general, a gravel pack completion comprises a screen, such as a fluid-permeable liner, a perforated liner, a slotted liner, a pre-packed screen, that is disposed within an open-hole or cased wellbore adjacent the incompetent or fractured zone and is surrounded by aggregate or particulate material collectively referred to as “gravel.” The screen is disposed over a base pipe that may or may not be perforated. As known in the art, the gravel particles are sized to block or filter out the formation particulates that may become entrained in the produced fluids, while the openings in the screen are sized to block the gravel from flowing into the screen. In many instances, the gravel pack completion comprises one screen section or joint connected disposed adjacent screen joint or to another component, such as a inflow control device, along the length of the base pipe. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0006]    Broadly, retainer members or couplers for connecting a screen of the gravel pack completion to a base pipe of the gravel packing completion comprise an annular member having an outer wall surface and an inner wall surface, the inner wall surface comprising a flange having at least one gripping surface projecting inwardly from the inner wall surface. The annular member comprises at least one deformable portion that can be deformed to make the connection between the coupler and the screen section or other component, e.g., an inflow control device and the base pipe. 
         [0007]    The coupler can be placed over one end of a lower screen section and over one end of an upper screen section, or over an end of another component of the gravel packing completion, or simply placed in contact with the base pipe. After assembly of the coupler to the screen section(s) or other component, a swage device is then moved over the outer wall surface of the annular member causing the deformable portions of the annular member to deform. In so doing, the now deformed portions of the annular member secures the coupler to the two screen section ends and the base pipe, the one screen section end and the end of the other component of the gravel packing completion to the base pipe, or one screen end to the base pipe. 
         [0008]    Although the terms “upper” and “lower,” as well as “above” and “below,” may be used herein to describe the orientation of one component relative to another component, and the Figures show the orientation of the various structures shown therein in an “upper” and “lower” orientation, it is to be understood that the gravel pack completion may be oriented horizontally. Thus, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “above,” and “below” as used herein are to be understood as not limiting the gravel pack completions disclosed herein to a vertical orientations. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a partial perspective view of one specific embodiment of the retainer member or coupler disclosed herein. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a partial perspective view of another specific embodiment of the retainer member or coupler disclosed herein. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the coupler of  FIG. 2  shown disposed between two ends of adjacent screen sections and around a base pipe prior to being swaged. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the coupler of  FIG. 2  shown disposed between two ends of adjacent screen sections and around a base pipe after being swaged so that the two screen sections are secured together. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the coupler of  FIG. 2  shown disposed between one end of a screen section and an adjacent inflow control device and around a base pipe after being swaged so that the screen section and the inflow control device are secured together. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a partial perspective view of another specific embodiment of the retainer member or coupler disclosed herein. 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the coupler of  FIG. 6  shown disposed against an outer wall surface of a base pipe as an end termination of one end of a screen section so that the end of the screen section is secured to the base pipe. 
       
    
    
       [0016]    While the invention will be described in connection with the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to that embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
       [0017]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , retainer member or coupler  20  comprises annular member  22  having upper end  23 , lower end  25 , inner wall surface  24 , outer wall surface  26 , deformable portions  28 ,  30 , bore  32  and axis  34 . Flange  40  is disposed intermediate between upper end  23  and lower end  25  along inner wall surface  24  and, thus, extends inwardly toward axis  34  of annular member  22 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , flange  40  is disposed equidistant between upper end  23  and lower end  25  along inner wall surface  24 . However, it is to be understood that flange  40  may be disposed any where between upper end  23  and lower end  25  as desired or necessary to facilitate connection of the gravel pack completion component to the base pipe (not shown in  FIG. 1  but discussed in greater detail below) of the gravel pack completion. 
         [0018]    Flange  40  includes inner end  42  that defines an inner diameter of annular member  22 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , inner end  42  comprises gripping member  44 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , gripping member  44  is an inner diameter flange  45  or “foot” attached to or formed integral with flange  40  to form bore  32 . Inner diameter flange  45  has an arc-shape that is concentric with annular member  22  and can be reciprocal in shape to the outer wall surface of a tubular member, such as a base pipe (not shown in  FIG. 1  but discussed in greater detail below) disposed through bore  32  of coupler  20 . Gripping member  44  facilitates gripping the base pipe when disposed through bore  32 . Wickers  47 , threads (not shown) or other gripping elements may be disposed along gripping member  44  to increase the grip of gripping member  44  to the base pipe. 
         [0019]    In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , flange  40  is a single piece so that gripping member  44  forms a circle. In another embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2 , flange  40  is segmented to provide a plurality of flange portions  50 ,  52 , and  54  (shown in  FIGS. 3-4 ) disposed radially along inner wall surface  24 . Each flange portion  50 ,  52  is set apart from the next flange portion by slot  55 . Flange portions  50 ,  52 ,  54  include gripping member  56 ,  58 ,  60  respectively, which taken together form bore  32 . The “spoked” center of annular member  22  facilitates transferring forces from the swage (not shown) used to force deformation portions  28 ,  30  inward as discussed in greater detail below, through inner wall surface  24  of annular member  22 , and into gripping members  56 ,  58 ,  60  for gripping the base pipe (not shown in  FIG. 2 , but discussed in greater detail below). The “spoked” center of annular member  22  also allows annular flow through coupler  20  in embodiments where the base pipe is not perforated. 
         [0020]    As discussed above, annular member  22  includes deformable portions  28 ,  30  to facilitate securing one or more screen sections or a screen section and an adjacent gravel packing completion component such as an inflow control device to a base pipe of the gravel packing completion. Although, deformable portions  28 ,  30  are identified in the Figures as being discrete portions of annular member  22 , it is to be understood that annular member  22 , as a whole, may be deformable. In other words, annular member  22  may be formed out of a material that is deformable. Moreover, coupler  20 , as a whole, may be formed out of a deformable material. Alternatively, one or more portions or structures of coupler  20  may be formed out of a non-deformable material, while deformable portions  28 ,  30  may be formed out of deformable material. Further, one or more portions or structures of coupler  20  may be formed out of one deformable material, while deformable portions  28 ,  30  may be formed out of another deformable material. In one particular embodiment, coupler  20  is formed completely out of a metal such as steel. 
         [0021]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3-4 , gravel packing completion  200  comprises upper screen section  80  comprises outer shroud  82 , base pipe  84 , and cartridge end cap  86 . Porous material (not shown), woven screen (not shown), or wrapped wire (not shown) may be disposed within annulus  88  between outer shroud  82  and base pipe  84 . Cartridge end cap  86  includes recess  89  along its outer wall surface. 
         [0022]    In the embodiment of  FIGS. 3-4 , gravel packing completion  200  also comprises lower screen section  90  comprises outer shroud  92 , base pipe  84 , and cartridge end cap  96  having recess  98  along the outer wall surface of cartridge end cap  96 . Porous material (not shown), woven screen (not shown), or wrapped wire (not shown) may be disposed within annulus  99  between outer shroud  82  and base pipe  84 . 
         [0023]    Cartridge end caps  86 ,  96  may be secured to base pipe  84  through any method or device known to persons of ordinary skill in the art. 
         [0024]    Once assembled as shown in  FIG. 3 , a swage (not shown) is passed over outer wall surface  28  of annular member  22  from upper end  23  to lower end  25  or vice versa. As swage is moved along outer wall surface  28  of annular member  22 , deformable portions  28 ,  30  are forced inward toward axis  34 . Deformable portions  28 ,  30 , thus, force deformable portions  87 ,  97  of upper and lower screen sections  80 ,  90 , respectively, into recesses  89 ,  98 , respectively ( FIG. 4 ). After the swage is passed over outer wall surface  28 , coupler  20  is secured to upper and lower screen sections  80 ,  90  and to base pipe  84 . In certain embodiments, the deformation of deformable portions  28 ,  30  and deformable portions  87 ,  97  of upper and lower screen sections  80 ,  90  respectively, into recess  89 ,  98 , respectively, provide a metal to metal seal. 
         [0025]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , in another embodiment, gravel packing completion  300  comprises base pipe  84  and coupler  20  disposed along one end of screen section  80  having the same structures as discussed above with respect to upper screen section  80  of  FIGS. 2-4 , and one end of adjacent gravel packing completion component  110 . Gravel packing completion component  110  is shown in  FIG. 7  as an inflow control device, however, it is to be understood that gravel packing completion  10  may be any other component of gravel packing completion  300  desired or necessary as part of the gravel pack completion. Gravel packing completion component  110  includes recess  112  for receiving deformable portion  30  in the same manner as discussed above, e.g., by sliding a swage over outer wall surface  28  of annular member  22 . Contemporaneously with the swage deforming deformable portion  30  into recess  112  of gravel packing completion component  110 , the swage deforms deformable portion  28  of coupler  20  and deformable portion  87  of upper screen section  80  into recess  89  of cartridge end cap  86 . Accordingly, upper screen section  80  and gravel packing completion component  100  are secured to base pipe  84 . 
         [0026]    In another embodiment, shown in  FIGS. 6-7 , coupler  20  comprises annular member  22  having end flange  70  together with the other structures discussed above with respect to  FIG. 2 . End flange  70  may be used to secure coupler  20  to another component (not shown) in the gravel packing completion. Thus, end flange  70  may comprises threads (not shown) or other attachment devices as desired or necessary to secure end flange  70  to the other tool string component. 
         [0027]    Alternatively, as illustrated in  FIG. 7 , end flange  70  may function as an end termination to secure an upper end of a screen section, shown as screen section  90 , to base pipe  84  (shown in  FIG. 7  as being perforated), in gravel packing completion  400 , where no other component is disposed adjacent an end of the screen section. To secure end flange  70  to base pipe  84 , the swage is passed over outer wall surface  26  of annular member  22  in the same manner as discussed above with respect to  FIGS. 3-4 . In so doing, deformable portion  30  is deformed to secure the upper end of screen section  90  in the same manner as discussed above with respect to  FIGS. 3-4  and deformable portion  28  is deformed forcing end flange  70  into the outer wall surface of base pipe  84 , causing end flange  70  to connected to base pipe  84 . 
         [0028]    It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction, operation, exact materials, or embodiments shown and described, as modifications and equivalents will be apparent to one skilled in the art. For example, although flange  40  (and flange portions  50 ,  52 ,  54 ) are shown being disposed equidistance from the upper and lower ends of annular member  22 , flange  40  (and flange portions  50 ,  52 ,  54 ) may be disposed “off-center,” i.e., close to the upper or lower end, as desired or necessary to facilitate securing coupler  20  to a screen section or tool string component. Accordingly, the invention is therefore to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.