Abstract:
The present invention provides a screen for a well that utilizes a partial screen wrapping used to advantage with side conduits (e.g., alternate flowpaths), control lines, intelligent completions devices, and the like. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This is a divisional of U.S. Ser. No. 10/079,670, filed Feb. 20, 2002 which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 09/779,861, filed Feb. 8, 2001 as well as U.S. Ser. No. 10/021,724 filed Dec. 12, 2001 (which claims priority to provisional patent applications Nos. 60/261,752 filed Jan. 16, 2001, 60/286,155 filed Apr. 24, 2001 and 60/296,042 filed Jun. 5, 2001). The following is also based upon and claims priority to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/354,552, filed Feb. 6, 2002. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a well screen for use in a wellbore aspects relates to a well screen. More specifically, the present invention relates to a partial filter media used to advantage with side conduits (i.e., alternate flowpaths), control lines, and the like.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     It is common to place a sand screen in a well to filter solids from the production fluid (e.g., hydrocarbons, water). It is often desirable to route cables or side conduits adjacent the screens. For example, a side conduit, or shunt tube, may be used to improve a gravel pack in a well. As another example, a control line may be routed to bypass at least a portion of the sand screen. Likewise, it may be desirable to route other types of conduits, like chemical injection lines, to bypass at least a portion of the screen. It may also be desirable to mount other equipment (e.g., sensors) adjacent the screens. Many other such examples exist.  
         [0004]     Typically, however, mounting a device (e.g., control line, side conduit, other equipment) adjacent the screen or inside the screen reduces the inside diameter of the screen. Mounting equipment inside the screen&#39;s base pipe may create other issues as well.  
         [0005]     Accordingly, there exists a continuing need for a screen and related devices that maximizes the inner diameter of the screen while still allowing devices such as control lines, tubes, side conduits, and equipment to bypass the screen or mount adjacent the screen.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0006]     In general, according to one embodiment, the present invention provides a partial filter media used to advantage with side conduits (i.e., alternate flowpaths), control lines, and the like. Other features and embodiments will become apparent from the following description, the drawings, and the claims. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  is a illustrates a well having a screen with a partial screen wrapping and screen-adjacent devices placed therein.  
         [0008]      FIGS. 2 through 5  illustrate various embodiments of the screen of the present invention.  
         [0009]      FIGS. 6 through 17  are cross-sectional views of various embodiments of the screen of the present invention.  
         [0010]      FIGS. 18 through 24  are cross-sectional views of various embodiments of the expandable screen of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0011]     In the following description of the present invention, numerous details are set forth to provide an understanding of the present invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these details and that numerous variations or modifications from the described embodiments may be possible.  
         [0012]     In this description, the terms “up” and “down”; “upward” and downward”; “upstream” and “downstream”; and other like terms indicating relative positions above or below a given point or element are used in this description to more clearly described some embodiments of the invention. However, when applied to apparatus and methods for use in wells that are deviated or horizontal, such terms may refer to a left to right, right to left, or other relationship as appropriate.  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  illustrates a typical gravel pack completion in which a wellbore  10  penetrates a subterranean zone  12  that includes a productive formation. The wellbore  10  has a casing  16  that has been cemented in place. The casing  16  has a plurality of perforations  18  which allow fluid communication between the wellbore  10  and the productive formation  14 . A well tool  20  is positioned within the casing  16  in a position adjacent productive formation  14 , which is to be gravel packed.  
         [0014]     The well tool  20  comprises a tubular member  22  attached to a production packer  24 , a cross-over  26 , one or more screens  28  and optionally a lower packer  30 . Blank sections  32  of pipe may be used to properly space the relative positions of each of the components. An annulus area  34  is created between each of the components and the wellbore casing  16 .  
         [0015]     In a typical gravel pack operation the packer elements  24 ,  30  are set to ensure a seal between the tubular member  22  and the casing  16 . Gravel laden slurry is pumped down the tubular member  22 , exits the tubular member through ports in the cross-over  26  and enters the annulus area  34 . Slurry dehydration occurs when the carrier fluid leaves the slurry. One way the carrier fluid can leave the slurry is by way of the perforations  18  and entering into the formation  14 . The carrier fluid can also leave the slurry by way of the screen  28  and entering the tubular member  22 . The carrier fluid entering through the screen  28  flows up through the tubular member  22  until the cross-over  26  places it into the annulus area  36  above the production packer  24 , where it can be circulated to the surface. With proper slurry dehydration the gravel grains should be deposited within the annulus area  34  and pack tightly together. Note that there are many processes used to provide a gravel pack in a well and the above description is but one example.  
         [0016]     As used herein, the term “screen” refers to wire wrapped screens, mechanical type screens and other filtering mechanisms typically employed with sand screens. Screens generally have a perforated base pipe with a filter media (e.g., wire wrapping, mesh material, pre-packs, multiple layers, woven mesh, sintered mesh, foil material, wrap-around slotted sheet, wrap-around perforated sheet, or a combination of any of these media to create a composite filter media and the like) disposed thereon to provide the necessary filtering. The filter media may be made in any known manner (e.g., laser cutting, water jet cutting and many other methods). Sand screens need to have openings small enough to restrict gravel flow, often having gaps in the 60-120 mesh range, but other sizes may be used. The screen element  28  can be referred to as a screen, sand screen, or a gravel pack screen. Many of the common screen types include a spacer that offsets the screen from a perforated base tubular that the screen surrounds. The spacer provides a fluid flow annulus between the screen and the base tubular. Screens of various types commonly known to those skilled in the art. Note that other types of screens will be discussed in the following description. Also, it is understood that the use of other types of base pipes, e.g. slotted pipe, remains within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0017]     However, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the sand screens of the present invention have a first portion  46  that has a filter media  42  thereon and a second portion  48  that does not have a filter media thereon. Thus, the filter media  42  is provided around a portion of the circumference of the base pipe  40  only as shown in the figures. Thus, in the embodiment of the present invention shown, the base tubular, or base pipe,  40  comprises apertures  44  located within a certain radial arc. A screen element, or filter media,  42  is attached to the exterior of the base tubular  40  and covers the apertures  44  ( FIG. 2 ). The portion of the base tubular containing apertures is referred to as the first portion, or radial aperture zone,  46 . The portion of the base tubular  40  not containing apertures is referred to as the second portion, or radial blank zone,  48 .  
         [0018]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , one or more adjacent-screen devices  50  are placed radially adjacent to the second portion of the screen  28 . Placing the adjacent-screen devices  50  radially adjacent to the second portion of the screen  28  increases the inner diameter of the screen  28  by reducing the overall outer profile of the screen  28 . Note that the outer diameter of the screen  28  is limited by the inner diameter of the casing  16  and other considerations.  
         [0019]     As used herein, the general term adjacent-screen device  50  shall be used to refer generally to equipment placed in the well that is radially adjacent to a screen. For example, adjacent screen devices may comprise control lines and cables, side conduits (e.g., shunt tubes, chemical injection lines, fluid conduits, hydraulic control lines), intelligent completion devices, (e.g., sensors) and other equipment. Examples of control lines  52  are electrical, hydraulic, fiber optic lines and combinations of thereof. Note that the communication provided by the control lines  52  may be with downhole controllers rather than with the surface and the telemetry may include wireless devices and other telemetry devices such as inductive couplers and acoustic devices.  
         [0020]     Examples of intelligent completions devices  54  are gauges, sensors, valves, sampling devices, a device used in intelligent or smart well completion, temperature sensors, pressure sensors, flow-control devices, flow rate measurement devices, oil/water/gas ratio measurement devices, scale detectors, actuators, equipment sensors (e.g., vibration sensors), sand detection sensors, water detection sensors, data recorders, viscosity sensors, density sensors, bubble point sensors, pH meters, multiphase flow meters, acoustic sand detectors, solid detectors, composition sensors, resistivity array devices and sensors, acoustic devices and sensors, other telemetry devices, near infrared sensors, gamma ray detectors, H 2 S detectors, CO 2  detectors, downhole memory units, downhole controllers, perforating devices, shape charges, locators, and other downhole devices. In addition, the control line itself may comprise an intelligent completions device as in the example of a fiber optic line that provides functionality, such as temperature measurement, pressure measurement, sand detection, phase measurement, oil-water content measurement, seismic measurement, and the like. In one example, the fiber optic line provides a distributed temperature functionality (or distributed temperature sensor) so that the temperature along the length of the fiber optic line may be determined.  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  illustrates one embodiment of the present invention in which the filter media  42  comprises multiple layers. The figure shows a control line  52  extending through the second portion  48  of the screen  28 . In one embodiment, the screen  28  is made by cutting along the longitudinal wire to which the wrapped wire (for example) of the filter media  42  is welded. This cut is made on such that the longitudinal wire remains with the screen section to be used in the screen  28 . Two boss rings are then cut to provide the same gap as in the cut screen. The boss rings are then welded to each end of the screen with the cutaway section of ring oriented with that of the screen. A base pipe  40  is selectively perforated such that the portion of the base pipe  40  corresponding to the second portion  48  remains unperforated and the screen section is positioned on the base pipe  40  so that the cutaway section is aligned with the unperforated portion of the base pipe. The screen section and boss members are then welded to the base pipe  40  so that the unperforated section and the cutaway sections define the second portion  48  of the screen  28 .  
         [0022]      FIG. 3  illustrates another embodiment in which the filter media  42  comprises an inner mesh layer and an outer wire wrap layer. The figure also shows a control line  52  extending through the second portion  48  of the screen  28  as well as an intelligent completions device (e.g., a sensor)  54  placed in the second portion  48 . The intelligent completions device  54  has a control line  52  extending therefrom that is also positioned in the second portion  48 . In one embodiment, the screen  28  is made in a manner similar to that of the screen of  FIG. 2 . Note that the mesh material may be provided in a predetermined width so that the material does not require cutting to define a cut-away portion for the second portion  48 .  
         [0023]      FIG. 4  illustrates another embodiment in which the filter media  42  is a mesh material. The second portion  48  extends along a helical path and has a control line  52  positioned therein. Accordingly,  FIG. 4  illustrates that the second portion  48  may follow a path other than a linear path along the screen  28 . Thus, the path of the second portion  48  along the screen  28  may be arcuate. In one embodiment, the screen is manufactured by cutting the filter media  42  to define the helical (or arcuate) path and attaching the filter media to the base pipe  40  with the arcuate path aligned with an unperforated section of the base pipe  40  to define the second portion  48 .  
         [0024]     In  FIG. 5 , the second portion  48  does not extend the length of the screen  28 . Instead, the second portion  48  is in the form of a cut-out. An intelligent completions device  54  is placed in the cut-out second portion  48 . In the illustration, a control line  52  extends from the intelligent completions device  54  outside of the second portion  48  (adjacent the first portion  46 ).  
         [0025]     Referring to  FIG. 6 , an embodiment of the screen  28  is illustrated in cross-section. As in the previously described embodiments, the filter media  42  is provided around a portion of the circumference of the base pipe  40 . The screen material  42  extends about a portion of the circumference of the base pipe  40  to define the first portion  46  of the circumference that is covered by the screen material  42  and the second portion  48  of the circumference that is not covered by the screen material  42 . As shown in the figures there may be one or any number of second, unwrapped portions  48  (as well as first portions  46 ).  
         [0026]     One or more side conduits, or shunt tubes,  56  (two shown) are affixed directly onto or adjacent the base pipe  40  in the second portion  48  and extend longitudinally along the length of the base pipe  40  (or at least a portion of the length thereof). The side conduits  56  are shown as having an elliptical cross-section, but other cross-sections (e.g. rectangular) may be used with the present invention.  
         [0027]     An example of an embodiment of the screen  28  used with a control line  52  is shown in  FIG. 7 . In the illustrated embodiment, both a side conduit  56  and two control lines  52  are affixed, or adjacent, to the base pipe  40 . In this embodiment, the control line  52  comprises an intelligent completions device  50 .  
         [0028]      FIG. 8  shows another embodiment of the invention in which the screen  28  has a side conduit  56  mounted in the second portion  48  thereof. A shroud  70  surrounds the screen  28  providing protection for the screen  28  and side conduit  56 . In the embodiment shown, the shroud  70  is eccentrically mounted with respect to the screen  28 .  
         [0029]      FIG. 9  shows another exemplary embodiment in which the one wall of the side conduits  56  is formed by the base pipe itself by welding a u-shaped member to the base pipe. In the embodiment of this figure, the screen material is then connected to the side conduit  56  (at its outer diameter as measured from the center of the base pipe).  FIG. 9  illustrates two such side conduits  56 .  FIG. 10  is similar to  FIG. 9 , but shows four such side conduits. In one embodiment, the screen  28  is manufactured by selectively perforating a base pipe  40  and connecting the side conduits  56  to the unperforated portion thereof to form a first assembly. A filter media  42  is laser cut or water jet cut to the desired filtering specification and size and is connected to the first assembly.  
         [0030]      FIG. 11  illustrates an alternative embodiment in which an outer member  60  is mounted to the base pipe  40  (as by attaching the outer member  60  to the side conduits  56 ). The outer member  60  and the base pipe  40  define a side passageway  62  therebetween which may be used to transport fluids, solids (e.g., sand), slurries and other materials. Note that the outer member  60  surrounds an unperforated portion of the base pipe  40  (a second portion  48 ).  
         [0031]      FIG. 12  illustrates yet another embodiment similar to  FIG. 9 . In this embodiment, the filter media  42  is connected to the side conduit  56  on one end and spacing members  64  on the other end. The spacing members  64  may also provide protection for the control line  40  and may have the associated and required strength to provide such protection. Note that the base pipe  40  in  FIG. 12  is unperforated about its full circumference in the cross section shown. Thus, in this embodiment, the flow may be directed to another perforated area of the screen, to a valve, to pressure equalizing equipment (e.g., a tortuous path), or to other equipment through the annulus between the filter media  42  and the base pipe  40  as desired.  
         [0032]      FIG. 13  discloses another embodiment similar to that shown in  FIG. 12 , but further including a protective shroud  70 . In the embodiment shown, the shroud  70  has an optional side opening  72  that facilitates placement of the control line in the second portion  24 .  
         [0033]     In  FIG. 14 , the base pipe  40  includes a side pocket  82  and comprises a side pocket mandrel  80 . The side pocket mandrel  80  has a conventional design in that it has a main bore  84  and a side pocket  82  and is capable of receiving a device, such as an adjacent-screen device  50  in the side pocket  82 . A filter media  42  extends about a portion of the side pocket mandrel  80 . For example, the filter media  42  may extend about the portion of the side pocket mandrel  80  defining the main bore  84  and attach to the portion of the side pocket mandrel  80  surrounding the side bore  82  (as shown in the figure). The portion covered by the filter media  42  is perforated and represents the first portion  46  of the screen  28 .  
         [0034]     FIGS.  15  shows another embodiments of the screen  28  having a protective shroud  70 . The figure illustrates a sand screen  28  in which the second portion  48  of the screen  28  covers a greater portion of the circumference (arc) than the first portion  46 . The figure shows a number of adjacent-screen devices  50  in the second portion  48 . The large arc of the second portion  48  facilitates the placement of numerous adjacent-screen devices  50  as well as alignment of control lines  52  and side conduits  56  with other equipment. The figure shows a number of control lines  52 , a side conduit  56 , and an intelligent completions device  54  in the second portion.  
         [0035]      FIG. 16  shows a screen  28  having three first and second portions  46 , 48  with adjacent-screen devices  50  mounted in the second portions.  
         [0036]      FIG. 17  illustrates an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the adjacent-screen device  50  mounted in the second portion  48  is a shape charge  90 . A clip  92  holds the shape charge  90  to the base pipe  40 . Note that with a helical or other pattern of the second portion  48  along the length of the screen  28  a plurality of shaped charges can provide a spiral or other shot pattern. In this manner the shape charges are provided on the screen  28  and the well may be perforated and then gravel packed without moving the completion in a single trip into the well. Methods and devices for detonating the shape charges  90  are well known.  
         [0037]     In another embodiment of the present invention, the screen  28  is of the expandable type. Expandable screens generally have an expandable base pipe  100 , an expandable shroud, or protective tube,  102 , and a filter media  104  of one or more layers interposed therebetween that can expand without losing its expanding characteristics. It should be noted that many types of expandable tubes are available. As examples, the expandable tubing may be a solid expandable tubing, a slotted expandable tubing (or other types wherein the structure is weakened by perforating the base pipe, as with holes), or any other type of expandable conduit. Examples of expandable tubing are the expandable slotted liner type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,012 issued Nov. 22, 1994 to Lohbeck, the folded tubing types of U.S. Pat. No. 3,489,220, issued Jan. 13, 1970 to Kinley, U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,823, issued Aug. 16, 1994 to Nobileau, U.S. Pat. No. 3,203,451, issued Aug. 31, 1965 to Vincent, the expandable sand screens disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,901,789, issued May 11, 1999 to Donnelly et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,263,966, issued Jul. 24, 2001 to Haut et al., PCT Application No. WO 01/20125 A1, published Mar. 22, 2001, U.S. Pat. No. 6,263,972, issued Jul. 24, 2001 to Richard et al., as well as the bi-stable cell type expandable tubing disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/973,442, filed Oct. 9, 2001. Each length of expandable tubing may be a single joint or multiple joints.  
         [0038]      FIG. 18  discloses one embodiment of the present invention comprising an expandable base pipe  100 , an expandable shroud  102  and a filter media  104 . In the embodiment shown, the filter media  104  is a series of scaled filter sheets. The screen  28  has a first portion  46  that has a filter media  104  thereon and a second portion  48  that does not have a filter media thereon. A protective member  106  is provided on the second portion  48  and an adjacent screen device  50  (e.g., a control line  52 ) is placed therein. The protective member  106  may take the form, as an example, of a channel that extends the length of the screen  28 . In another embodiment, the protective member  106  extends only a portion of the full length of the screen  28  or comprises multiple devices spaced along the length of the screen  28 . The protective member may be attached to the expandable base pipe  100 , the expandable shroud  102 , or formed as an integral part of one or more of these elements.  
         [0039]     In  FIG. 19 , the protective member  106  is formed as part of the expandable shroud  102 . In the embodiment shown, the shroud  102  forms two protective members  106 . A first protective member  108  is in the form of a channel. Although not shown, the filter media  104  could pass beneath the shroud channel. A second protective member  110  forms an internal cavity  112  through which a control line  52  may pass or an intelligent completions device  54  may reside. In an alternative embodiment, the internal cavity  112  may itself comprise a side conduit  56 .  
         [0040]      FIG. 20  shows another embodiment of the present invention illustrating two additional alternative protective members  106 . The first protective member  114  shown comprises a pair of parallel bars  116  mounted to the expandable base pipe  100  and the expandable shroud  102  on either side of the second portion  48 . The bars  116  extend longitudinally along the screen  28 . A clip  118  is then locked to the two bars  116  to secure the control line  52  in place.  
         [0041]     The second protective member  120  shown in  FIG. 20  is a channel. The channel  120  has a dovetail groove forming a mouth with a smaller width than the inner portion of the channel  120 . In this embodiment, the control line  52  is noncircular and capable of fitting through the mouth in one orientation after which it is reoriented so that it cannot pass through the mouth. Thereby the control line  52  is held in the channel  120 .  
         [0042]      FIG. 21  illustrates one possible technique for manufacturing a screen  28  of the present invention. One or more protective members  106  are mounted to the base pipe  100 . In the illustration, one of the protective members  106  is a channel attached to the base pipe  100 . A control line  52  is placed in the channel. A clip (not shown) may be used to maintain the control line  52  in the channel. The other illustrated protective members  106  comprises a side conduit  56  mounted to the expandable base pipe  100  and a protruding member  122  spaced therefrom and also mounted to the base pipe  100 . A control line  52  may be placed in the space between the side conduit  56  and the protruding member  122 . The filter media  104  are attached to shroud sections  102  (although they may also be connected to the base pipe  100 ). The filter media  104  is provided in sheets that are arranged in an overlapping fashion so that the sheets slide over one another during expansion.  
         [0043]     The side conduit  56  of the expanding embodiment of the screen  28  may be used, for example, to deliver chemicals to the well (chemical injection line), to deliver fluids to below the screen  28 , to gravel pack areas around the screen  28  that are not fully expanded or where there is an annulus, to deliver fracturing fluids, or for other purposes. Thus, the method would be to place the expandable screen  28  having a side conduit  56  attached thereto into the well, expand the expandable screen, and deliver a fluid through the side conduit  56  to complete the desired operation.  
         [0044]      FIG. 22  illustrates another embodiment of the present invention expanded in a wellbore  10 . The screen  28  has an expandable base pipe  100 , an expandable shroud  102 , and a series of scaled filter sheets therebetween providing the filter media  104 . Some of the filter sheets are connected to the protective member  106 . The figure shows, for illustration purposes, a control line  52 , an intelligent completions device  54 , and a side conduit  56  positioned within the second portion  48  of the screen  28 .  
         [0045]      FIG. 23  illustrates another embodiment of the present invention in which the expandable base pipe  100  has a relatively wider unexpanding portion (e.g., a relatively wider thick strut in a bistable cell) that defines the second portion  48 . The screen  28  does not have a shroud, although one may be included as previously discussed. One or more grooves  124  extend the length of the screen  28 . An adjacent-screen device  50  may be placed in the groove  124  or other area of the second portion  48 . Additionally, the base pipe  100  may form a longitudinal passageway  126  therethrough that may comprise or in which an adjacent-screen device  50  may be placed.  FIG. 24  shows a groove  124  in the expandable base pipe  100  that has a dovetail design as previously described. Note that, although the grooves and passageways are described as formed in the expandable base pipe  100 , they may also be formed in a shroud  102  of the screen  28 .  
         [0046]     Although only a few exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention 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. Thus, although a nail and a screw may not be structural equivalents in that a nail employs a cylindrical surface to secure wooden parts together, whereas a screw employs a helical surface, in the environment of fastening wooden parts, a nail and a screw may be equivalent structures. It is the express intention of the applicant not to invoke 35 U.S.C. § 112, paragraph 6 for any limitations of any of the claims herein, except for those in which the claim expressly uses the words ‘means for’ together with an associated function.