Downhole Well Control Device for Managing Fluid Pressure

Solution Overview

Problem

During oilfield operations, undesirable conditions such as kicks, mud losses, and underground blowouts pose hazards to equipment and personnel, and existing technologies struggle to effectively control these situations, particularly in managing fluid pressure, flow rates, and conduit paths in wellbores.

Innovation Solution

A downhole well control device that can hydraulically isolate sections of a wellbore, control fluid flow, and communicate with surface equipment to manage out-of-norm conditions, using a combination of pipe bore, annulus, and bypass flow control devices, along with a communication system for bidirectional data transfer, to independently or concurrently treat kicks, fluid losses, and underground blowouts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stress or pressure

If surface blowout preventers are used to control kicks, then wellbore pressure control is improved, but device complexity and inability to isolate specific zones worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewellbore pressure controlVSAvoidcontrol system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stress or pressureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The wellbore is divided into multiple isolatable zones using downhole packers and flow control devices. Each zone can be independently controlled with its own flow control mechanism, allowing selective treatment of kicks or losses in specific formations without affecting other zones. This segmentation transforms the single-zone control limitation into multi-zone independent control capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Downhole flow control devices and packers act as intermediaries between the surface control system and specific wellbore zones. These devices receive control signals from the surface and execute localized flow control actions, serving as intermediaries that translate surface commands into zone-specific responses, thereby reducing the complexity of direct surface control while improving targeted pressure management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If conventional well control methods are used, then kick control is improved, but ability to independently treat multiple out-of-norm conditions worsens

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvekick control reliabilityVSAvoidmulti-condition treatment capability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The wellbore is divided into multiple isolatable zones using downhole packers and flow control devices. Each zone can be independently controlled with its own flow control mechanism, allowing selective treatment of kicks or losses in specific formations without affecting other zones. This segmentation transforms the single-zone control limitation into multi-zone independent control capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs dynamically adjustable flow control devices that can be remotely reconfigured between different operational states (open, closed, throttled) based on real-time well conditions. This dynamic adaptability allows the same hardware to respond to different out-of-norm conditions (kicks, losses, blowouts) by changing its flow control state, providing versatile multi-condition treatment capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Object-affected harmful factors

If drilling fluid pressure is increased to prevent kicks, then kick prevention is improved, but fluid loss into formation worsens

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvekick preventionVSAvoiddrilling fluid loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The wellbore is divided into multiple isolatable zones using downhole packers and flow control devices. Each zone can be independently controlled with its own flow control mechanism, allowing selective treatment of kicks or losses in specific formations without affecting other zones. This segmentation transforms the single-zone control limitation into multi-zone independent control capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different flow control strategies are applied to different wellbore zones based on their specific conditions. Zones prone to kicks receive higher pressure control, while zones susceptible to fluid loss receive restricted or controlled flow. This localized quality approach allows simultaneous prevention of kicks in some zones while minimizing fluid loss in other zones through zone-specific flow management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS8151904B2Method for improved well control with a downhole device

Publication Date: 2012.04.10 BAKER HUGHES CO

AI summary

A drilling system includes a downhole well control device that can be used to control out-of-norm wellbore conditions. The downhole well control device can control one or more selected fluid parameters. The well control device in cooperation or independent of surface devices exerts control over one or more drilling or formation parameters to manage an out-of-norm wellbore condition. An exemplary well control device hydraulically isolates one or more sections of a wellbore by selectively blocking fluid flow in a pipe bore and an annulus. The control device also selectively flows fluid from the pipe bore to the annulus. A communication device provides on-way or bidirectional signal and/or data transfer between the controller(s), surface personnel and the well control device. Exemplary application of the well control device include controlling a well kick, controlling drilling fluid being lost to the formation and controlling a simultaneous kick and loss.