Single Trip Wellbore Completion System Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current subterranean hydrocarbon services require multiple trips into and out of the wellbore for each zone, increasing operational risks, rig time, and costs, especially when completing boreholes with multiple producing zones, as each zone is typically completed and produced individually.
Innovation Solution
A completion string design that allows for the deployment of all necessary hardware in a single trip, featuring concentric strings with isolation packers, sand control assemblies, circulating assemblies, and shunt tube systems, enabling fluid communication and monitoring between well zones without the need for additional service strings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple service strings are deployed to complete each zone individually, then each zone can be completed with dedicated equipment, but operational time and costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple zone completion capabilities into a single service string by integrating multiple conveyors, each capable of deploying completion hardware for different zones. This allows all zones to be completed during one trip into the wellbore, eliminating the need for multiple separate trips and significantly reducing operational time and costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The service string is designed with multi-functionality to perform completion operations for multiple zones simultaneously. The conveyors can deploy various completion hardware (packers, sand control assemblies, valves) for different zones within the same string, making the system universal enough to handle diverse completion requirements across all zones without needing zone-specific separate equipment.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple trips are made into the wellbore for each zone, then each zone receives appropriate completion services, but operational risks and personnel hours increase
Solution Approach 1:
By merging multiple zone completion capabilities into a single service string deployment, the patent eliminates the need for repeated trips into the wellbore. This reduces operational risks associated with multiple trips, such as equipment failure, wellbore damage, and personnel exposure to hazardous conditions, while still maintaining the ability to provide zone-specific completion services.
3Adaptability or versatility
If traditional completion systems are used requiring multiple service strings, then each string can be optimized for its specific zone, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple service string functions into a single integrated system with multiple conveyors on one string. This reduces the overall number of separate equipment assemblies needed, simplifying the deployment process and reducing logistical complexity, while maintaining the ability to optimize completion services for each zone through the modular conveyor design.
Data Source
AI summary
A completion string includes at least one isolation packer positioned between well zones of a plurality of well zones, and a sand control assembly and a circulating assembly each disposed uphole of a washdown shoe in the bottom-most well zone. A top well zone includes a return valve assembly, a production packer, and a second circulating assembly and a second sand control assembly downhole of the production packer. The completion string also includes an outer string spanning from the bottom-most well zone to the top well zone, and an inner production string concentrically arranged within the outer string, creating an inner-annulus between the outer string and inner production string. The inner-annulus is continuous from the washdown shoe to the return valve assembly, and the inner production string includes a production valve disposed between the sand control assembly and the circulating assembly in each of the bottom-most and top well zones.