Abstract:
An expandable liner assembly including an expandable tubular, a plurality of openings in the tubular, and a plurality of beaded matrixes in operable communication with the openings. A method for completing a section of wellbore.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/052,919, filed May 13, 2008, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/875,584, filed Oct. 19, 2007, the entire contents of which are specifically incorporated herein by reference. 

   BACKGROUND 
   Well completion and control are the most important aspects of hydrocarbon recovery short of finding hydrocarbon reservoirs to begin with. A host of problems are associated with both wellbore completion and control. Many solutions have been offered and used over the many years of hydrocarbon production and use. While clearly such technology has been effective, allowing the world to advance based upon hydrocarbon energy reserves, new systems and methods are always welcome to reduce costs or improve recovery or both. 
   SUMMARY 
   An expandable liner assembly including an expandable tubular, a plurality of openings in the tubular, and a plurality of beaded matrixes in operable communication with the openings. 
   A method for completing a section of wellbore including running an expandable liner to a target depth, expanding the liner, and producing through the beaded matrixes. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Referring now to the drawings wherein like elements are numbered alike in the several Figures: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective sectional view of a plug as disclosed herein; 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic sectional illustration of a tubular member having a plurality of the plugs of  FIG. 1  installed therein; 
       FIGS. 3A-3D  are sequential views of a device having a hardenable and underminable substance therein to hold differential pressure and illustrating the undermining of the material; 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic view of a tubular with a plurality of devices disposed therein and flow lines indicating the movement of a fluid such as cement filling an annular space; 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic sectional view of a tubular with a plurality of devices disposed therein and a sand screen disposed therearound; and 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic view of an expandable configuration having flow ports and a beaded matrix. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , a beaded matrix plug flow control device  10  includes a plug housing  12  and a permeable material (sometimes referred to as beaded matrix)  14  disposed therein. The housing  12  includes in one embodiment a thread  16  disposed at an outside surface of the housing  12 , but it is to be understood that any configuration providing securement to another member including welding is contemplated. In addition, some embodiments will include an o-ring or similar sealing structure  18  about the housing  12  to engage a separate structure such as a tubular structure with which the device  10  is intended to be engaged. In the  FIG. 1  embodiment, a bore disposed longitudinally through the device is of more than one diameter (or dimension if not cylindrical). This creates a shoulder  20  within the inside surface of the device  10 . While it is not necessarily required to provide the shoulder  20 , it can be useful in applications where the device is rendered temporarily impermeable and might experience differential pressure thereacross. Impermeability of matrix  14  and differential pressure capability of the devices is discussed more fully later in this disclosure. 
   The matrix itself is described as “beaded” since the individual “beads”  30  are rounded though not necessarily spherical. A rounded geometry is useful primarily in avoiding clogging of the matrix  14  since there are few edges upon which debris can gain purchase. 
   The beads  30  themselves can be formed of many materials such as ceramic, glass, metal, etc. without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Each of the materials indicated as examples, and others, has its own properties with respect to resistance to conditions in the downhole environment and so may be selected to support the purposes to which the devices  10  will be put. The beads  30  may then be joined together (such as by sintering, for example) to form a mass (the matrix  14 ) such that interstitial spaces are formed therebetween providing the permeability thereof In some embodiments, the beads will be coated with another material for various chemical and/or mechanical resistance reasons. One embodiment utilizes nickel as a coating material for excellent wear resistance and avoidance of clogging of the matrix  14 . Further, permeability of the matrix tends to be substantially better than a gravel or sand pack and therefore pressure drop across the matrix  14  is less than the mentioned constructions. In another embodiment, the beads are coated with a highly hydrophobic coating that works to exclude water in fluids passing through the device  10 . 
   In addition to coatings or treatments that provide activity related to fluids flowing through the matrix  14 , other materials may be applied to the matrix  14  to render the same temporarily (or permanently if desired) impermeable. 
   Each or any number of the devices  10  can easily be modified to be temporarily (or permanently) impermeable by injecting a hardenable (or other property causing impermeability) substance  26  such as a bio-polymer into the interstices of the beaded matrix  14  (see  FIG. 3  for a representation of devices  10  having a hardenable substance therein). Determination of the material to be used is related to temperature and length of time for undermining (dissolving, disintegrating, fluidizing, subliming, etc) of the material desired. For example, Polyethylene Oxide (PEO) is appropriate for temperatures up to about 200 degrees Fahrenheit, Polywax for temperatures up to about 180 degrees Fahrenheit; PEO/Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) for temperatures up to about 250 degrees Fahrenheit; Polylactic Acid (PLA) for temperatures above 250 degrees Fahrenheit; among others. These can be dissolved using acids such as Sulfamic Acid, Glucono delta lactone, Polyglycolic Acid, or simply by exposure to the downhole environment for a selected period, for example. In one embodiment, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is rendered molten or at least relatively soft and injected into the interstices of the beaded matrix and allowed to cool. This can be accomplished at a manufacturing location or at another controlled location such as on the rig. It is also possible to treat the devices in the downhole environment by pumping the hardenable material into the devices in situ. This can be done selectively or collectively of the devices  10  and depending upon the material selected to reside in the interstices of the devices; it can be rendered soft enough to be pumped directly from the surface or other remote location or can be supplied via a tool run to the vicinity of the devices and having the capability of heating the material adjacent the devices. In either case, the material is then applied to the devices. In such condition, the device  10  will hold a substantial pressure differential that may exceed 10,000 PSI. 
   The PVC, PEO, PVA, etc. can then be removed from the matrix  14  by application of an appropriate acid or over time as selected. As the hardenable material is undermined, target fluids begin to flow through the devices  10  into a tubular  40  in which the devices  10  are mounted. Treating of the hardenable substance may be general or selective. Selective treatment is by, for example, spot treating, which is a process known to the industry and does not require specific disclosure with respect to how it is accomplished. 
   In a completion operation, the temporary plugging of the devices can be useful to allow for the density of the string to be reduced thereby allowing the string to “float” into a highly deviated or horizontal borehole. This is because a lower density fluid (gas or liquid) than borehole fluid may be used to fill the interior of the string and will not leak out due to the hardenable material in the devices. Upon conclusion of completion activities, the hardenable material may be removed from the devices to facilitate production through the completion string. 
   Another operational feature of temporarily rendering impermeable the devices  10  is to enable the use of pressure actuated processes or devices within the string. Clearly, this cannot be accomplished in a tubular with holes in it. Due to the pressure holding capability of the devices  10  with the hardenable material therein, pressure actuations are available to the operator. One of the features of the devices  10  that assists in pressure containment is the shoulder  20  mentioned above. The shoulder  20  provides a physical support for the matrix  14  that reduces the possibility that the matrix itself could be pushed out of the tubular in which the device  10  resides. 
   In some embodiments, this can eliminate the use of sliding sleeves. In addition, the housing  12  of the devices  10  can be configured with mini ball seats so that mini balls pumped into the wellbore will seat in the devices  10  and plug them for various purposes. 
   As has been implied above and will have been understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, each device  10  is a unit that can be utilized with a number of other such units having the same permeability or different permeabilities to tailor inflow capability of the tubular  40 , which will be a part of a string (not shown) leading to a remote location such as a surface location. By selecting a pattern of devices  10  and a permeability of individual devices  10 , flow of fluid either into (target hydrocarbons) or out of (steam injection, etc.) the tubular can be controlled to improve results thereof Moreover, with appropriate selection of a device  10  pattern a substantial retention of collapse, burst and torsional strength of the tubular  40  is retained. Such is so much the case that the tubular  40  can be itself used to drill into the formation and avoid the need for an after run completion string. 
   In another utility, referring to  FIG. 4 , the devices  10  are usable as a tell tale for the selective installation of fluid media such as, for example, cement. In the illustration, a casing  60  having a liner hanger  62  disposed therein supports a liner  64 . The liner  64  includes a cement sleeve  66  and a number of devices  10  (two shown). Within the liner  64  is disposed a workstring  68  that is capable of supplying cement to an annulus of the liner  64  through the cement sleeve  66 . In this case, the devices  10  are configured to allow passage of mud through the matrix  14  to an annular space  70  between the liner  64  and the workstring  68  while excluding passage of cement. This is accomplished by either tailoring the matrix  14  of the specific devices  10  to exclude the cement or by tailoring the devices  10  to facilitate bridging or particulate matter added to the cement. In either case, since the mud will pass through the devices  10  and the cement will not, a pressure rise is seen at the surface when the cement reaches the devices  10  whereby the operator is alerted to the fact that the cement has now reached its destination and the operation is complete. In an alternate configuration, the devices  10  may be selected so as to pass cement from inside to outside the tubular in some locations while not admitting cement to pass in either direction at other locations. This is accomplished by manufacturing the beaded matrix  14  to possess interstices that are large enough for passage of the cement where it is desired that cement passes the devices and too small to allow passage of the solid content of the cement at other locations. Clearly, the grain size of a particular type of cement is known. Thus if one creates a matrix  14  having an interstitial space that is smaller than the grain size, the cement will not pass but will rather be stopped against the matrix  14  causing a pressure rise. 
   In another embodiment, the devices  10  in tubular  40  are utilized to supplement the function of a screen  80 . This is illustrated in  FIG. 5 . Screens, it is known, cannot support any significant differential pressure without suffering catastrophic damage thereto. Utilizing the devices  10  as disclosed herein, however, a screen segment  82  can be made pressure differential insensitive by treating the devices  10  with a hardenable material as discussed above. The function of the screen can then be fully restored by dissolution or otherwise undermining of the hardenable material in the devices  10 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 6 , an expandable liner  90  is illustrated having a number of beaded matrix areas  92  supplied thereon. These areas  92  are arranged at a surface of and in operable communication with openings  93  in liner  90 . It is noted that, as illustrated, openings  93  in this embodiment do not include beaded matrix therein. As one of skill in the art will appreciate, this arrangement affords a lower pressure drop as radial Darcy flow rather than linear Darcy flow is facilitated through the matrix material at areas  92 . Areas  92  are intended to be permeable or renderable impermeable as desired through means noted above but in addition allow the liner to be expanded to a generally cylindrical geometry upon the application of fluid pressure or mechanical expansion force. The liner  90  further provides flex channels  94  for fluid conveyance. Liner  90  provides for easy expansion due to the accordion-like nature thereof. It is to be understood, however, that the tubular of  FIG. 2  is also expandable with known expansion methods and due to the relatively small change in the openings in tubular  40  for devices  10 , the devices  10  do not leak. 
   It is noted that while in each discussed embodiment the matrix  14  is disposed within a housing  12  that is itself attachable to the tubular  40 , it is possible to simply fill holes in the tubular  40  with the matrix  14  with much the same effect. In order to properly heat treat the tubular  40  to join the beads however, a longer oven would be required. For convenience and simplicity the housing form of devices  10  or the beaded matrixes themselves are collectively termed “beaded matrixes”. 
   While preferred embodiments have been shown and described, modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustrations and not limitation.