Inflow control device with dissolvable plugs

A lower completion assembly includes a tubular comprising an interior passageway defined by an internal surface of the pipe and a port extending between external and internal surfaces of the tubular. The port is defined by a first surface that extends between the internal and external surfaces. The assembly also includes an inflow control device that is coupled to the external surface of the pipe and that comprises a fluid exit that is adjacent the port. The assembly has a first configuration and a second configuration. When in the first configuration a dissolvable plug extends across the fluid exit to fluidically isolate the fluid exit from the interior passageway and a gap is defined adjacent the first surface. When in the second configuration, the dissolvable plug does not extend across the fluid exit and the fluid exit is in fluid communication with the interior passageway.

PRIORITY

The present application is a U.S. National Stage patent application of International Patent Application No. PCT/US2018/044295, filed on Jul. 30, 2018, the benefit of which is claimed and the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to a lower completion assembly having an inflow control device (“ICD”) alternatively capable of maintaining a minimum pressure within a fluid passageway of the lower completion assembly and placing the ICD in fluid communication with the fluid passageway of the lower completion assembly.

BACKGROUND

In the process of completing an oil or gas well, a tubular is run downhole and used to communicate produced hydrocarbon fluids from the formation to the surface. Often, this tubular is coupled to an ICD that controls unwanted liquids, such as gas and/or water, from entering the tubular and that controls the flow of the fluids into the tubular. Generally, the fluids flow through the ICD into the tubular. However, the ability for fluid flow through the ICD is not desired during some completion operations, and as a result, the use of a wash pipe assembly if often necessary.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring initially toFIG. 1, an upper completion assembly is installed in a well having a lower completion assembly disposed therein from an offshore oil or gas platform that is schematically illustrated and generally designated10. However, and in some cases, a single trip completion assembly (i.e., not having separate upper and lower completion assemblies) are installed in the well. A semi-submersible platform15is positioned over a submerged oil and gas formation20located below a sea floor25. A subsea conduit30extends from a deck35of the platform15to a subsea wellhead installation40, including blowout preventers45. The platform15has a hoisting apparatus50, a derrick55, a travel block56, a hook60, and a swivel65for raising and lowering pipe strings, such as a substantially tubular, axially extending tubing string70.

A wellbore75extends through the various earth strata including the formation20and has a casing string80cemented therein. Disposed in a substantially horizontal portion of the wellbore75is a lower completion assembly85that includes at least one inflow control device (“ICD”) such as ICD90, at least one screen assembly, such as screen assembly92or screen assembly95or screen assembly100, and may include various other components, such as a latch subassembly105, a packer110, a packer115, a packer120, and a packer125. An annulus127is defined between an external surface of the lower completion assembly85and an internal surface of the wellbore75(e.g., the casing80for a cased hole and the formation for an open hole).

Disposed in the wellbore75is an upper completion assembly130that couples to the latch subassembly105to place the upper completion assembly130and the tubing string70in communication with the lower completion assembly85. In some embodiments, the latch subassembly105is omitted.

Even thoughFIG. 1depicts a horizontal wellbore, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the apparatus according to the present disclosure is equally well suited for use in wellbores having other orientations including vertical wellbores, slanted wellbores, uphill wellbores, multilateral wellbores or the like. Accordingly, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the use of directional terms such as “above,” “below,” “upper,” “lower,” “upward,” “downward,” “uphole,” “downhole” and the like are used in relation to the illustrative embodiments as they are depicted in the figures, the upward direction being toward the top of the corresponding figure and the downward direction being toward the bottom of the corresponding figure, the uphole direction being toward the surface of the well, the downhole direction being toward the toe of the well. Also, even thoughFIG. 1depicts an offshore operation, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the apparatus according to the present disclosure is equally well suited for use in onshore operations. Further, even thoughFIG. 1depicts a cased hole completion, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the apparatus according to the present disclosure is equally well suited for use in open hole completions.

FIG. 2illustrates a sectional view of the ICD90and a tubular140.FIG. 3is an enlarged view of an outlet section of the ICD90and the tubular140ofFIG. 2. As illustrated, the ICD90is coupled to or forms a portion of the screen assembly92. However, in other embodiments, the ICD90receives downhole fluids directly from the annulus127without the fluids passing through the screen assembly92. The tubular140forms an interior passageway145defined by an internal surface150of the tubular140. One or more ports155extend between an external surface160of the tubular140and the internal surface150. The port155is defined by a surface165that extends between the internal and external surfaces150and160of the tubular140. Generally, the ICD90is coupled to the external surface160of the tubular140, directly or via another component. In some embodiments, the ICD90includes a housing167that has a fluid entrance170and a fluid exit175. In other embodiments, the housing167is separate from the ICD90and a cover sleeve168connects the screen assembly92with the ICD90. Regardless, the fluid exit175is formed through an external surface180of the housing167and/or the ICD90itself when the housing167is considered separate from the ICD90. As illustrated the fluid exit175extends in a radial direction (relative to a longitudinal axis of the tubular140), but in some embodiments the fluid exit175extends in a longitudinal direction or at any angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the tubular140. Generally, the fluid entrance170is in fluid communication with the screen assembly92and receives filtered fluid from the screen assembly92. In some embodiments, the ICD90distinguishes the types of downhole fluids flowing through the ICD90and allows wanted fluids to pass into the passageway145via the fluid exit175while restricting the flow of unwanted fluids into the passageway145. The lower completion assembly85includes insert tabs182that are sized to fit within the ports155of the tubular140. In some embodiments, the insert, or insert tab182, at least partially extends within the port155. In some embodiments, the tab182is fixed and sealed to the tubular140via a weld, a shrink fit, thermoplastic seal, etc. In some embodiments, each insert tab182includes or forms a passageway185aligned with, or at least adjacent to, the fluid exit175of the ICD90. The lower completion assembly85has a first configuration and a second configuration. When in the first configuration and as illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 3, the lower completion assembly85includes a dissolvable plug190with the passageway185. In some embodiments, an annular seal195extends between the plug190and a surface of the insert tab182that forms the passageway185. In some embodiments, the annular seal195is an O-ring. In some embodiments, the annular seal195is an elastomeric seal, a metal sealing ring, a thermoplastic seal, etc. In some embodiments, the plug190includes a body in which an annular channel is formed to receive the annular seal195. In some embodiments, the body of the plug190includes a flanged end that forms an annular shoulder that is sized to fit with a corresponding annular shoulder formed in the passageway185. However, the body of the plug190and surface of the insert182may be threaded to form a threaded engagement of the plug190in the insert182. Other types of engagement of the plug190and the insert182are considered here. When in the first configuration, the dissolvable plug190extends across the fluid exit175to fluidically isolate the fluid exit175from the interior passageway145. When in the first configuration, the dissolvable plug190is configured to maintain a pressure within the interior passageway145. In some embodiments, the pressure is greater than or equal to a pressure associated with setting a packer, such as the packer110. Moreover, a gap200is defined adjacent the surface165. In some embodiments and as illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 3, the gap200is an annular channel formed between the insert182and the surface165of the port155. In some embodiments, the gap200extends from the internal surface150of the tubular140to the external surface160of the tubular140.

FIG. 4illustrates another embodiment of the ICD90in which the plug190is omitted and a housing205and a plug210are within the passageway185. In some embodiments, the housing205forms a passageway215. In some embodiments and when the lower completion assembly85is the first configuration, the dissolvable plug210extends across the fluid exit175to fluidically isolate the fluid exit175from the interior passageway145. In some embodiments and when the lower completion assembly85is in the first configuration, the dissolvable plug210is configured to maintain a pressure within the interior passageway145. In some embodiments, the pressure is greater than or equal to a pressure associated with setting a packer, such as the packer110. In some embodiments, the dissolvable plug210is press-fit into the passageway215to create a sealed surface. In some embodiments, the housing205has a similar shape to the plug190. In some embodiments, the material forming the housing205is different from the material forming the plug210, with the materials having different expansion rates. Thus, the housing205positions the plug210across the fluid exit175and allows for thermal expansion of the plug210.

FIG. 5illustrates another embodiment of the ICD90in which the insert182is omitted and the plug190is bonded via bonding192to the surface180such that the plug190extends over the fluid exit175of the ICD90. As such, the gap is defined by the surface165and an external surface of the plug190. In some embodiments, the bonding192is an epoxy, a glue, a braze, or a soldering. In some embodiments, the plug190has a very high burst resistance, such as for example over 3,000 psi.

Generally, the ICD90ofFIGS. 2-5, when in the first configuration, avoids any flow in/out through the ICD90and into the passageway145.

In some embodiments, the plug190and/or210include or are formed from a metal, polymer, glassy materials (e.g., borate glass), and any combination thereof. Generally, the plug190and/or210are formed from materials that degrade in a wellbore fluid such as water, brine, or oil. In some embodiments, the plug190and/or210may be formed from a metal including aluminum alloys, magnesium alloys, and calcium alloys, for example. In some embodiments, the metal alloy is doped with iron, copper, nickel, tin, tungsten, or carbon in order to accelerate the galvanic corrosion. In some embodiments, the plug190and/or210are formed from a polymer that may include aliphatic polyester material, with a hydrolysable ester bond on the aliphatic polyester that makes it degrade in water. Examples include a poly(lactic acid) (“PLA”) obtained from polycondensation of D- or L-lactic acid or from ring opening polymerization of lactide, which leads to semi-crystalline poly-L-lactide (“PLLA”) and amorphous poly(L-lactide-co-D,L-lactide) (“PDLLA”). In some embodiments, a lower level of crystallinity is desired in order to promote degradation. Other examples include poly(glycolic acid) (“PGA”), poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (“PGLA”), Poly(caprolactone) (“PCL”), and Polyhydroxyalkonate. Other options of polymers include polyurethane, natural rubber, such as an epoxized natural rubber with 25% to 50 of the unsaturation in the rubber functionalized with epoxy groups, rubber modified polystyrene (“HIPS”), and acrylic rubber. The plug190and/or210can be strengthen by adding particles within a dissolvable metal matrix. In an example embodiment, this metal matrix composite is constructed from non-dissolving metal or non-dissolving ceramic. In an example embodiment, this non-dissolving particle is any shape including granules, rods, cones, acicular, et cetera. In an example embodiment, the ceramic granules are constructed from zirconia (including zircon), alumina (including fused alumina, chrome-alumina, and emery), carbide (including tungsten carbide, silicon carbide, titanium carbide, and boron carbide), boride (including boron nitride, osmium diboride, rhenium boride, and tungsten boride), nitride (including silica nitride), synthetic diamond, and silica. In an example embodiment, the ceramic is an oxide (like the alumina and zirconia) or a non-oxide (like the carbide, nitride, and boride). In an example embodiment, the ceramic granules have acute exterior angles to lock together.

In an example embodiment, as illustrated inFIG. 6with continuing reference toFIGS. 1-5, a method600of operating the ICD90includes positioning the lower completion assembly85within the wellbore75at step605; performing completion operations at step610; dissolving at least a portion of the plug190and/or210at step615; and placing the interior passageway145in fluid communication with the fluid exit175of the ICD90at step620.

At the step605, the lower completion assembly85is positioned within the wellbore75. Positioning the lower completion assembly85within the wellbore75defines the annulus127.

At the step610, completion operations are performed. For example, the passageway145is pressurized to a minimum pressure. Generally, pressurizing the passageway145to the minimum pressure includes pumping a mud or fluid down the tubing string70through the passageway145. As the lower completion assembly85is in the first configuration and as the plug190is pressure rated to a pressure that is greater than the minimum pressure, the lower completion assembly85is configured to pressurize and maintain the passageway145to the minimum pressure. In some embodiments, the packer110is in fluid communication with the interior passageway145, and pressurizing the passageway145to the minimum pressure results in setting the packer110relative the wellbore75. Thus, the minimum pressure in some embodiments is greater than or equal to a pressure associated with setting the packer110. In some embodiments, the step610may be omitted. In some embodiments and instead setting the packer110, any number of other deployment or completion operations is completed.

At the step615, at least a portion of the plug190is dissolved to place the lower completion assembly85in the second configuration as illustrated inFIGS. 7-9. As illustrated, the plug190and/or the plug210do not extend across the fluid exit175. In some embodiments, dissolving the dissolvable plug190includes exposing the dissolvable plug190to a downhole or wellbore fluid. In an example embodiment, the wellbore fluid includes an organic or inorganic acid. In some embodiments, the wellbore fluid can include an acid with breakers, delayed release acid such as a lactic acid, a formic acid, a citric acid, and/or a hydrochloric acid. However, other methods of dissolving or breaking apart the plug190and/or the plug210are considered here, such as exposure to a specific temperature or change in temperature.

At the step620, the interior passageway145is placed in fluid communication with the fluid exit175. When the lower completion assembly85includes the insert182, the fluid exit175is in fluid communication with the passageway145via the passageway185formed in the insert182.

Any number of ports155, fluid exits175, and plugs190may be included, formed in, or coupled to, the tubular140, which in some embodiments is a base pipe or any machined mandrel. Additionally, pressurizing the passageway145to the minimum pressure is not limited to activating the packers110,115,120and125and instead, may be used during fracturing operations, etc.

In one embodiment, the ICD90is an autonomous ICD that has fluidic components, such as a fluidic vortex, and/or moving parts such as a moving plate. Generally, the autonomous ICD90changes amount of fluid restriction when the properties of the fluid change. However, the ICD90in some embodiments is any type of ICD.

In an example embodiment, during the operation of the assembly85and/or the execution of the method600, the ICD90can fluidically isolating the passageway145from the annulus127to: prevent accumulation of debris—from a circulation fluid, such as mud—within the ICD90during installation and positioning of the ICD90downhole; allow circulation without a wash pipe/string for circulation; delay or otherwise control the timing at which formation fluid begin to be received in the tubular140; and/or allow for the passageway145to be pressurized and maintain the pressure for setting packers or fracturing. Specifically, as the lower completion assembly85is in the first configuration during deployment, the need to run a wash string is significantly reduced or eliminated. The elimination of the running of a wash string saves time and expense.

Thus, a lower completion assembly has been described. Embodiments of the lower completion assembly may generally include a tubular that includes an interior passageway defined by an internal surface of the tubular; and a port extending between an external surface of the tubular and the internal surface of the tubular; wherein the port is defined by a first surface that extends between the internal surface and the external surface; and an inflow control device that is coupled to the external surface of the tubular and that comprises a fluid exit that is adjacent the port; wherein the lower completion assembly has a first configuration and a second configuration; wherein, when in the first configuration: a dissolvable plug extends across the fluid exit to fluidically isolate the fluid exit from the interior passageway; and a gap is defined adjacent the first surface; and wherein, when in the second configuration, the dissolvable plug does not extend across the fluid exit and the fluid exit is in fluid communication with the interior passageway. Any of the foregoing embodiments may include any one of the following elements, alone or in combination with each other:When in the first configuration, the dissolvable plug is configured to maintain a pressure within the interior passageway.The pressure is greater than or equal to a pressure associated with setting a packer.Wherein when in the first configuration, the lower completion assembly further comprises an insert that at least partially extends within the port.The insert comprises a first passageway.The dissolvable plug extends within the first passageway of the insert.The gap is defined between an external surface of the insert and the first surface.When in the first configuration, the lower completion assembly further comprises a sealing element extending in the first passageway and between the insert and the dissolvable plug.When in the first configuration, the lower completion assembly further comprises a housing within the first passageway; wherein the housing has a second passageway; and wherein the dissolvable plug is within the second passageway.When in the first configuration, the dissolvable plug is bonded to the inflow control device.When in the first configuration, the gap is defined between an external surface of the dissolvable plug and the first surface.Wherein when in the first configuration, the gap is an annular channel.When in the first configuration, the gap extends from the internal surface of the tubular to the external surface of the tubular.

Thus, a method has been described. Embodiments of the method may generally include positioning a lower completion assembly within a wellbore of a well to define an annulus between an external surface of the lower completion assembly and an internal surface of the wellbore, wherein the lower completion assembly comprises, when in a first configuration: a tubular comprising: an interior passageway defined by an internal surface of the tubular; and a port extending between an external surface of the tubular and the internal surface of the tubular; wherein the port is defined by a first surface that extends between the internal surface and the external surface; an inflow control device that is coupled to the external surface of the tubular and that comprises a fluid exit that is adjacent the port; and a dissolvable plug that extends across the fluid exit to fluidically isolate the fluid exit from the interior passageway; and wherein a gap is defined adjacent the first surface; and pressurizing, while the lower completion assembly is in the first configuration, the interior passageway of the tubular to a pressure; and dissolving the dissolvable plug to place the lower completion assembly into a second configuration and to place the annulus in fluid communication with the interior passageway. Any of the foregoing embodiments may include any one of the following elements, alone or in combination with each other:The pressure is greater than or equal to a pressure associated with setting a packer.When in the first configuration, the lower completion assembly further comprises an insert that at least partially extends within the port.The insert comprises a first passageway.The dissolvable plug extends within the first passageway of the insert.The gap is defined between an external surface of the insert and the first surface.When in the first configuration, the lower completion assembly further comprises a sealing element in the first passageway and between the insert and the dissolvable plug.When in the first configuration, the lower completion assembly further comprises a housing within the first passageway; the housing includes a second passageway; andThe dissolvable plug extends within the second passageway.When in the first configuration, the dissolvable plug is bonded to the inflow control device.Wherein when in the first configuration, the gap is defined between an external surface of the dissolvable plug and the first surface.When in the first configuration, the gap is an annular channel.When in the first configuration, the gap extends from the internal surface of the tubular to the external surface of the tubular.Dissolving the dissolvable plug to place the annulus in fluid communication with the interior passageway comprises exposing the dissolvable plug to a downhole fluid.

The foregoing description and figures are not drawn to scale, but rather are illustrated to describe various embodiments of the present disclosure in simplistic form. Although various embodiments and methods have been shown and described, the disclosure is not limited to such embodiments and methods and will be understood to include all modifications and variations as would be apparent to one skilled in the art. Therefore, it should be understood that the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Accordingly, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

It is understood that variations may be made in the foregoing without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Furthermore, the elements and teachings of the various illustrative example embodiments may be combined in whole or in part in some or all of the illustrative example embodiments. In addition, one or more of the elements and teachings of the various illustrative example embodiments may be omitted, at least in part, and/or combined, at least in part, with one or more of the other elements and teachings of the various illustrative embodiments.

Although several example embodiments have been described in detail above, the embodiments described are example only and are not limiting, and those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many other modifications, changes and/or substitutions are possible in the example embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the present disclosure. Accordingly, all such modifications, changes and/or substitutions are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure as defined in the following claims. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures.