Shunt Assembly for Borehole Junction Fluid Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Drilling lateral boreholes from a main borehole while maintaining efficient fluid flow and preventing interference with the main borehole fluid flow is challenging, particularly in hydrocarbon recovery and carbon dioxide sequestration, due to the presence of isolated sand lobes and shale barriers in subsurface formations.
Innovation Solution
The method involves installing shunt assemblies with azimuthal directional orientation in the main production tubular, allowing for the drilling of lateral boreholes and the installation of completions, using a shunt tube to bypass plugged sections and prevent sand ingress, enabling fluid flow from or to the subsurface formation without disrupting the main borehole fluid flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If lateral boreholes are drilled from a main borehole to access isolated sand lobes, then access to hydrocarbons in multiple sand lobes is improved, but fluid flow in the main borehole is disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The main borehole is segmented into multiple isolated zones using packers, allowing lateral boreholes to be drilled from specific segments without disrupting fluid flow in other segments. Each segment can be independently accessed while maintaining overall system integrity and continuous fluid flow paths.
Solution Approach 2:
A shunt assembly with a bypass passage acts as an intermediary element that allows fluid to flow around the lateral borehole junction area. The shunt tube provides an alternative flow path that circumvents the disruption caused by the lateral borehole entry point, maintaining continuous fluid flow in the main borehole.
2Ease of manufacture
If a lateral borehole is drilled through an opening in the shunt assembly, then installation of completion in the lateral borehole is enabled, but sand may enter and drop down the main borehole
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful function of the opening (allowing sand to enter the main borehole) is separated from its useful function (allowing lateral borehole installation). The opening is provided in the shunt assembly wall, while the shunt tube provides a separate bypass path that excludes sand from entering the main borehole through the opening.
Solution Approach 2:
The shunt tube acts as an intermediary structure that provides a protected flow path around the opening. It allows fluid to bypass the opening area where sand could enter, while still enabling the opening to serve its purpose for lateral borehole installation and completion placement.
3Reliability
If the shunt assembly blocks fluid flow to maintain zonal isolation, then sand control is improved, but fluid flow from subsurface formation is disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The shunt assembly segments the fluid flow path into two separate channels: one through the shunt tube for bypassing the opening area, and another through the opening for lateral borehole access. This segmentation allows sand control at the opening while maintaining fluid flow through the shunt tube bypass path.
Solution Approach 2:
The shunt tube serves as an intermediary flow path that mediates between the need for sand control at the opening and the need for continuous fluid flow from the formation. It provides an alternative route that preserves productivity while enabling sand control measures at the lateral borehole junction.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for flowing a fluid from and/or to a subsurface formation includes disposing a main production tubular in a main borehole penetrating the subsurface formation, the main production tubular being coupled to a shunt assembly, the shunt assembly defining an opening oriented and biased in a desired direction for a lateral borehole penetrating the subsurface formation and having a shunt tube that bypasses the opening. The method also includes drilling the lateral borehole through the opening in the shunt assembly and installing a completion having a lateral production tubular coupled to a completion device in the lateral borehole through the opening. The method further incudes flowing the fluid from the subsurface formation to the shunt tube and/or from the shunt tube to the subsurface formation.