Completion System Sliding Sleeve Deployment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The deployment and operation of completion systems in wellbores are complex and costly, often requiring multiple trips and involving numerous components like annular flow isolation valves and packers, which complicate sand control applications and increase rig time.
Innovation Solution
A simplified deployment methodology using mechanical flow isolation valves and sliding sleeves, which allow for two or three trip completions, reducing hardware and enabling efficient sand control by eliminating certain conventional features like annular flow isolation valves and polished bore receptacles, and facilitating fluid circulation and well control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional completion systems use annular flow isolation valves and multiple trips for deployment, then fluid control capability is improved, but device complexity and rig time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes annular flow isolation valves and polished bore receptacles from the completion system, retaining only mechanical flow isolation valves. This extraction of unnecessary components reduces device complexity while maintaining essential fluid control capabilities through the retained mechanical valves and sliding sleeves.
Solution Approach 2:
The sliding sleeve mechanism serves multiple functions: it acts as both a flow isolation device and a means for deploying the completion system. By combining these functions into a single component, the system reduces the number of separate components needed, thereby reducing complexity while maintaining operational capability.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional completion systems deploy multiple trips with distinct sections, then placement precision is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple completion sections into a single integrated assembly that can be deployed in one trip. The sliding sleeve mechanism allows different functional sections to be pre-assembled and deployed together, eliminating the need for multiple separate trips while maintaining proper placement through the integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The completion system is pre-assembled with all necessary components (sand screens, flow isolation valves, sliding sleeves) configured before deployment. This preliminary assembly allows the entire system to be installed in fewer trips, reducing rig time while ensuring proper placement configuration is achieved before entering the wellbore.
3Ease of operation
If conventional completion systems use multiple trips and numerous components, then operational control is improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By removing unnecessary components such as annular flow isolation valves and polished bore receptacles, the system reduces the number of operations required during deployment and commissioning. This extraction streamlines the deployment process, improving productivity while the retained mechanical valves and sliding sleeves maintain sufficient operational control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameter from multiple trips to one or two trips by modifying the deployment methodology. This parameter change in the number of trips directly improves productivity while the sliding sleeve mechanism and mechanical valves maintain the necessary operational control for well completion.
Data Source
AI summary
A technique provides a simplified and cost-effective approach for deployment and operation of completion systems. The construction of the overall completion system and the deployment methodology provide an efficient approach for placement and operation of completion systems in a variety of wellbores. In many applications, the system and methodology may be used for sand control applications in which the completion equipment comprises sand control features, such as sand screens deployed along well zones.