Horizontal Wellbore Fluid Flow Management System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional artificial lift systems for horizontal wellbores suffer from poor efficiency due to disorganized fluid flow and premature depletion near the heel, leading to gas locking, fluid pounding, and low recovery factors, as they fail to effectively manage the separation of liquid and gas phases in the transitional build section of the wellbore.
Innovation Solution
A downhole fluid flow management system comprising a wavebreaker, fluidseeker, slug catchers, and a momentum sub, which separates and retains liquids while allowing gases to escape, ensuring efficient phase separation and maintaining momentum, thereby enhancing the performance of the pumping system by positioning the intake for the artificial lift system in the build section.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a single pump inlet is used at the heel of the horizontal wellbore, then the wellbore can be produced using conventional artificial lift, but heel-preferential depletion occurs and productivity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the single pump inlet into multiple pump inlets distributed along the horizontal wellbore section. This segmentation allows drawdown to occur at multiple locations rather than concentrating it at the heel, thereby improving overall productivity while maintaining the benefits of conventional artificial lift systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates different drawdown conditions at different locations along the wellbore. By positioning multiple pump inlets at specific locations, each section of the wellbore experiences localized drawdown appropriate to its productivity potential, preventing heel-preferential depletion and optimizing overall well performance.
2Area of stationary object
If multiple horizontal boreholes are used to increase reservoir exposure, then well exposure increases, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention makes a single horizontal wellbore perform the function that would otherwise require multiple wellbores. By distributing multiple pump inlets along one horizontal section, the wellbore can effectively drain multiple reservoir zones and fracture networks, achieving the reservoir exposure benefit without the complexity of drilling and completing multiple separate wellbores.
3Ease of manufacture
If the pump intake is positioned above the perforations in the horizontal section, then the pump can be installed, but the dynamic fluid level drops below the intake over time, leading to poor pumping efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from a single vertical dimension for pump intake positioning to a two-dimensional distribution of multiple pump inlets along the horizontal wellbore. This allows the system to maintain reliable fluid intake by having multiple entry points distributed along the productive section, so that as fluid levels change, other inlets remain submerged and functional.
4Device complexity
If reservoir energy is used for initial production, then no additional equipment is needed, but the reservoir drive quickly dwindles and production decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention implements multiple pump inlets in advance, before the reservoir energy dwindles completely. This preliminary action ensures that as the reservoir drive diminishes, the distributed inlet system continues to effectively manage drawdown and maintain production, extending the productive life of the well beyond what would be achievable with a single inlet or relying solely on natural reservoir energy.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system improves the efficiency of fluid production by ensuring effective liquid/gas separation, reducing slugging, and maintaining the momentum of wellbore fluids, leading to increased recovery factors and reduced wear on pumping equipment.
Implementation Method 1
separates and retains liquids while allowing gases to escape, ensuring efficient phase separation
Implementation Method 2
having a length and volume configured to capture a slug volume and slow its advance
Implementation Method 3
maintaining momentum, thereby enhancing the performance of the pumping system
Data Source
AI summary
A flow management and separation system for a horizontal wellbore having a primary artificial lift device having an intake has (a) a sealed central flowpath from a fluidseeker weighted keel inlet, through a recovery flow tube, a seal bore extension and a dip tube having a pump intake sealing assembly in fluid communication with the lift device intake; and (b) a mixed fluid flow path from a fluidseeker internal bypass passage, through an annulus of at least one slug catcher comprising a perforated shell.