Modular screens for sand control

A technique facilitates production of desired well fluids. A well string may comprise a plurality of well screen joints which are assembled for receipt of a well fluid from a desired well zone along a wellbore. The well screen joints are constructed and assembled in a manner which also creates a flow path to a common inflow area. At this common inflow area, the well fluid may be directed through a port or ports into an interior production passage of the well string for production to a desired collection area. The port or ports at the common inflow area may be selectively closed to block inflow of fluid from the plurality of well screen joints.

BACKGROUND

In many oil and gas well applications, a borehole is drilled into the earth and subsequently completed with equipment, i.e. completion equipment, to facilitate production of desired fluids from a reservoir. The completion equipment may comprise various types of sand control equipment, e.g. sand filter screens, which block the inflow of sand as the oil and/or gas flow into the completion equipment. The completion equipment may be assembled by connecting sand screen joints and deploying the sand screen joints downhole into the wellbore to a desired well zone. In a variety of applications, the wellbore may comprise multiple well zones and several sand screen joints may be disposed along each of the well zones. Within each well zone, the individual sand screen joints may comprise inflow ports through which the well fluid flows into the interior of the completion equipment for production to the surface. The individual sand screen joints also may be fitted with sliding sleeves or other devices enabling closure of the inflow ports to prevent, for example, the unwanted influx of water or other undesirable fluids. However, closure of ports along multiple sand screen joints in a given well zone can be time-consuming and expensive.

SUMMARY

In general, a system and methodology are provided for facilitating production of desired well fluids. According to an embodiment, a well string comprises a plurality of well screen joints. The well screen joints are able to receive a well fluid from a desired well zone along a wellbore while filtering out unwanted sand. Additionally, the well screen joints are constructed to cooperate in providing a flow path to deliver the well fluid to a common inflow area. At this common inflow area, the well fluid is directed through a port or ports into an interior production passage of the well string for production to a desired collection area. According to some embodiments, the port or ports at the common inflow area may be selectively closed to block inflow of unwanted fluid from the plurality of well screen joints.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, numerous details are set forth to provide an understanding of some embodiments of the present disclosure. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the system and/or methodology may be practiced without these details and that numerous variations or modifications from the described embodiments may be possible. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but rather for the purpose of describing general principles of the implementations. The scope of the described implementations should be ascertained with reference to the issued claims.

As used herein, the terms “connect”, “connection”, “connected”, “in connection with”, and “connecting” are used to mean “in direct connection with” or “in connection with via one or more elements”; and the term “set” is used to mean “one element” or “more than one element”. Further, the terms “couple”, “coupling”, “coupled”, “coupled together”, and “coupled with” are used to mean “directly coupled together” or “coupled together via one or more elements”. As used herein, the terms “up” and “down”; “upper” and “lower”; “top” and “bottom”; and other like terms indicating relative positions to a given point or element are utilized to more clearly describe some elements. Commonly, these terms relate to a reference point at the surface from which drilling operations are initiated as being the top point and the total depth being the lowest point, wherein the well (e.g., wellbore, borehole) is vertical, horizontal or slanted relative to the surface.

Language of degree used herein, such as the terms “approximately,” “about,” “generally,” and “substantially” as used herein represent a value, amount, or characteristic close to the stated value, amount, or characteristic that still performs a desired function or achieves a desired result. For example, the terms “approximately,” “about,” “generally,” and “substantially” may refer to an amount that is within less than 10% of, within less than 5% of, within less than 1% of, within less than 0.1% of, and/or within less than 0.01% of the stated amount. As another example, in certain embodiments, the terms “generally parallel” and “substantially parallel” or “generally perpendicular” and “substantially perpendicular” refer to a value, amount, or characteristic that departs from exactly parallel or perpendicular, respectively, by less than or equal to 15 degrees, 10 degrees, 5 degrees, 3 degrees, 1 degree, or 0.1 degree.

The disclosure herein generally involves a system and methodology for facilitating production of desired well fluids. According to an embodiment, a well string comprises a plurality of well screen joints. The well screen joints are assembled for receipt of a well fluid from a desired well zone along a wellbore while providing sand control. The well screen joints are constructed and assembled in a manner which also creates a flow path to a common inflow area. At this common inflow area, the well fluid is directed through a port or ports into an interior production passage of the well string for production to a desired collection area. According to some embodiments, the port or ports at the common inflow area may be selectively closed to block inflow of fluid from the plurality of well screen joints. In this manner, a plurality of well screen joints may be used along a given well zone while control over the inflow of well fluid from the given well zone to the interior of the well string may be allowed or blocked via shifting of a single mechanism, e.g. a single sleeve.

Depending on the parameters of a given application, the plurality of sand control well screen joints may comprise a top screen joint, a bottom screen joint, and one or more intermediate screen joints which received well fluid and direct the well fluid along a flow path to the common inflow area. In some embodiments, the common inflow area may be defined by a sliding sleeve device having at least one port, e.g. 1-6 ports, through which fluid from the plurality of sand control well screen joints flows to an internal production passage for production to a desired collection location, e.g. a surface collection location. The sliding sleeve device may comprise a sliding sleeve which may be selectively moved between open flow and closed flow positions with respect to the at least one port. By shifting the sliding sleeve to the closed flow position, for example, inflow from the plurality of sand control well screen joints may be stopped. The use of this single device to block inflow of fluid simplifies the process of preventing inflow of unwanted fluid, e.g. water, from a given well zone.

According to an operational embodiment, a bottom well screen joint is run in hole. With a box end of the bottom well screen joint on a screen table, a subsequent well screen joint may be made up to it by, for example, threading the pin end of the subsequent well screen joint into the suspended box end. After forming the joint coupling, the combined well screen joints may be released and a slidable shroud may be slid down into place over the joint coupling. The slidable shroud is constructed to form a portion of the flow path past the joint coupling so the desirable inflowing well fluid is able to move to the common inflow area. By way of example, the slidable shroud may be initially held in position by setscrews or other suitable coupling mechanism and then sequentially secured in position over the joint coupling via setscrews or other suitable coupling mechanism.

This process can be repeated for each sequential well screen joint and/or other well string components such as the sliding sleeve device. It should be noted the sliding sleeve device may be constructed as a standalone assembly, as part of a modular screen joint, or as part of another component of the overall well string. Ultimately, a top well screen joint is made up into the plurality of well screen joints assembled for a given well zone. It should be noted this overall assembly utilizes the established flow path to conduct the inflowing well fluid to the common inflow area defined by the sliding sleeve device or other suitable device so that inflow from a plurality of well screen joints may be combined and directed to an internal production passage of the well string via this one common inflow area. This type of assembly of well string joints may be repeated along the well string for additional well zones.

Additionally, the techniques for joining of well string joints, shrouds, and other components used to create the flow path to the common inflow area may be selected simply to provide sand control. In other words, the joining of components is sufficient if able to block the influx of sand without necessarily being sealed against the inflow of fluid.

Referring generally toFIG.1, an example of a well string20is illustrated as deployed in a wellbore22along a given well zone23. In this example, the wellbore22has been drilled into a surrounding formation24containing a desired fluid or fluids26(see arrows26) which are able to flow into the wellbore22and ultimately into the well string20. As described in greater detail below, the fluid26flows into a plurality of well screen joints28and is directed along a flow path30(see alsoFIG.2) to a common inflow area32before being directed to an internal flow passage34of the well string20(see alsoFIG.2). Once the fluid26enters the internal flow passage34of well string20, it may be produced along the internal flow passage34, as indicated by arrow36, to a desired collection location.

In the embodiment illustrated inFIG.1, the plurality of well screen joints28of well string20includes, for example, a lower well screen joint38positioned downhole of the common inflow area32and an upper well screen joint40positioned uphole of the common inflow area32. The lower well screen joint38and the upper well screen joint40establish the outlying portions of flow path30and are open to flow of fluid toward common inflow area32while being closed to flow away from the common inflow area32. At least one intermediate well screen joint42, e.g. a plurality of intermediate well screen joints42, may be located between the lower well screen joint38and the upper well screen joint40. The well screen joints28are sequentially connected to effectively provide a modular screen assembly that may be assembled in a variety of lengths for providing sand control. With additional reference toFIG.2, each of the well screen joints28may comprise a base pipe44surrounded at least in part by a filter screen46. The filter screens46may be constructed from a variety of materials and in various desired configurations, such as wire mesh configuration, direct wrap configuration, or other configuration suitable to filter out sand from the inflowing well fluid26.

The various components of well string20, e.g. well screen joints28, may be sequentially connected by suitable joint couplings48. By way of example, the joint couplings48may be in the form of conventional box end and pin end couplings which are made up via threaded engagement while supported on a screen table before being deployed downhole. Once made up, i.e. connected together, each joint coupling48may be enclosed by a shroud50, e.g. a slidable shroud which is slid axially over the corresponding joint coupling48in a manner which continues the flow path30past the corresponding joint coupling48.

In the embodiment illustrated, the common inflow area32is established by a sliding sleeve device52having at least one port54, e.g. 1-6 ports, located through a device housing56to enable flow of the well fluid26from the flow path30to the internal production passage34of well string20. As illustrated, the sliding sleeve device52may comprise an outer device shroud58surrounding housing56and located so as to form and direct the flow path30to the port(s)54. The sliding sleeve device52also may comprise an internal sliding sleeve60slidably mounted along the interior of housing56and shiftable between positions allowing flow or blocking flow through the port(s)54. InFIG.2, the sliding sleeve60is positioned at a flow blocking location.

It should be noted the sliding sleeve device52may be constructed as a separate component, e.g. as a separate well string joint. However, the sliding sleeve device52also may be combined with other components such as filter screens and/or other well string components which may be utilized in a given operation. In the embodiment illustrated inFIG.2, for example, the adjacent filter screens46illustrated immediately uphole and downhole may be formed as part of the sliding sleeve device52or as separate well screen joints28. In some embodiments, the well string20also comprises a plurality of centralizers53, e.g. spiral centralizers or other suitable centralizers, which help centralize the well string20within wellbore22.

Referring generally toFIG.3, an enlarged portion of the well string20is illustrated to provide an example of the various well string joints28which may be constructed so as to create flow path30along the exterior of the base pipe(s)44. In this example, the illustrated well string joint28is the upper well string joint40. Well fluid26flows from formation24, into wellbore22, through the filter screen46, and into flow path30between the filter screen46and the base pipe44. The illustrated base pipe44is a solid base pipe in that it is formed with a base pipe wall62having no lateral ports therethrough. Accordingly, the fluid26is maintained along the exterior of the base pipe44as it flows along flow path30.

The flow of fluid26along flow path30continues from filter screen46and moves along a passage or passages formed between base pipe44and a bypass ring64. The bypass ring64is connected between filter screen46and a shroud support structure66which slidably supports shroud50. In the example illustrated, the shroud50comprises an outer end ring68which is welded or otherwise secured to a shroud body70. The flow of fluid26, as indicated by flow arrows, continues along flow path30between the support structure66and base pipe44and then along the passage or passages formed between shroud50and base pipe34.

As further illustrated inFIG.4, the flow of fluid26continues along path30beneath shroud50and crosses along the exterior of joint coupling48beneath shroud50. In this example, the flow path30continues beneath a second shroud support structure72and then between the illustrated centralizer53and the next sequential base pipe44. After exiting the centralizer53, the fluid26flows along flow path30to the passage or passages between the next sequential filter screen46and the corresponding base pipe44. In this area, additional fluid26may enter the flow path30through this next sequential filter screen46to form a combined flow of fluid26moving toward the common inflow area32, e.g. ports54of sliding sleeve device52.

Referring generally toFIGS.5and6, an embodiment of sliding sleeve device52is illustrated. In this example, sliding sleeve device52comprises device housing56which as an interior forming a portion of the internal flow passage34. The device housing56also includes the port or ports54extending laterally therethrough. The internal sliding sleeve60may be shifted between open flow (seeFIG.5) and closed flow (seeFIG.6) positions which allow flow of fluid26into internal flow passage34or block flow of fluid26into internal flow passage34, respectively. Sliding sleeve60may utilize seals73arranged to seal off flow through port(s)54when in the closed position. The device housing56may be formed as a unitary structure or from a plurality of components threadably or otherwise secured together as illustrated. Each end of the device housing56may comprise an appropriate coupling mechanism74, e.g. a threaded coupling mechanism, to which adjacent well screen joints may be made up, i.e. connected. The outer shroud58is positioned about the device housing56to establish and continue the flow path30to the port(s)54from both an uphole direction and a downhole direction.

As illustrated, the fluid26received from both uphole and downhole filter screens46flows along the flow path30between the corresponding base pipes44and additional bypass rings64. The fluid26then flows into the portion of flow path30located between device housing56and outer shroud58of sliding sleeve device52and continues to flow to the port(s)54when sliding sleeve60is in the open flow position as illustrated inFIG.5. The port(s)54allow the flowing fluid26to move into the internal flow passage34for production to a desired collection location as described above.

Based on the construction of the well screen joints28and sliding sleeve device52, the flow path30is maintained external to the base pipes44until the fluid26is able to enter internal flow passage34via port(s)54. As a result, the inflow of fluid from a plurality of well screen joints28may be blocked at the single common inflow area32via, for example, shifting the single sliding sleeve60. If, for example, unwanted water influx or gas influx occurs in this particular well zone23, the inflow of fluid may be blocked simply by actuating a single device, e.g. shifting the single sleeve60, which blocks inflow from a plurality of well screen joints28disposed along the well zone23. Shifting of sliding sleeve60may be achieved relatively quickly and inexpensively by, for example, running a shifting tool downhole to engage the sliding sleeve60and to shift it in a linear direction to the desired operational position.

Referring generally toFIGS.7and8, an example of one type of slidable shroud50is illustrated. In this embodiment, the shroud50is initially slid back over shroud support structure66to a position surrounding, for example, the corresponding filter screen46, as illustrated inFIG.7. The shroud50may be held in this position by a suitable retention mechanism76, e.g. set screws securing the shroud50to the support structure66.

In this retracted position, an end section78of the base pipe44is exposed to provide access to the base pipe44during a makeup operation at the rig as sequential sections of the well string20are connected to each other via joint coupling48. Following makeup of the joint coupling48, the well string20may be shifted in a downhole direction and the retention mechanism76may be released so that the shroud50may be slid linearly over the joint coupling48and into engagement with the second shroud support structure72, as illustrated inFIG.8. The set screws or other suitable retention mechanism76may then be used to secure the shroud50in place over the joint coupling48. For example, setscrews/retention mechanism76may be used to secure the shroud50to the second shroud support structure72.

It should be noted that fluid tight seals may be used between the shroud50and the support structures66,72, as well as between other component connections forming flow path30. However, in a variety of applications such connections do not require fluid tight seals and may be simply constructed as metal-to-metal connections or other connection suitable to provide sand control by preventing the influx of sand into flow path30.

InFIG.9, an example of one of the base pipes44is illustrated as extending into a corresponding centralizer53. As illustrated, this base pipe44(as well as the other base pipes44in a given well zone23) is formed with the solid base pipe wall62, thus preventing flow of fluid26to the internal production passage34as it travels along the exterior of the base pipe44. As a result, the fluid26is forced to flow along the flow path30externally of production passage34until the fluid26is allowed to enter via the one or more ports54. The flow path30may be defined by the components of well string20via various configurations of features, e.g. longitudinal channels78extending beneath the centralizer53. Such longitudinal channels78or other annular spaces or features may be used to accommodate the flow of fluid26as it enters the well string20via filter screens46and moves in the appropriate directions towards port(s)54.

Depending on the parameters of a given operation and the environment in which such operation is conducted, the number of filter screens46and well screen joints28associated with a given common inflow area32may vary substantially. For example, two filter screens46, three filter screens46, or multiple filter screens46, e.g. at least 10 filter screens, may be associated with the single common inflow area32/single sliding sleeve device52for the given well zone23. The arrangement of well screen joints28and sliding sleeve device52may be repeated along the well string20for different well zones23disposed along the overall wellbore22.

Furthermore, additional or other components may be incorporated into the well string20according to the parameters of a given operation. The size and configuration of various components also may be adjusted according to the specific operation. For example, the sliding sleeve device52may comprise a variety of sliding sleeves60which may be manipulated by downhole actuators, by running a shifting tool downhole, or by other suitable mechanisms. Additionally, other types of actuatable devices may be used to allow or block flow through the port(s)54at the common inflow area32. In some embodiments, the shroud50may be formed from solid sheet-metal. However, other applications may utilize shrouds50with slots or other types of holes able to provide pressure balancing while preventing the influx of sand. The shrouds50, device housing56, and other components may be made as unitary components or as combinations of separate subcomponents. Various connections may be formed by threaded engagement, welding, or other suitable coupling techniques.