EP0980463A1 - Using equipment in a well system - Google Patents
Using equipment in a well systemInfo
- Publication number
- EP0980463A1 EP0980463A1 EP98925514A EP98925514A EP0980463A1 EP 0980463 A1 EP0980463 A1 EP 0980463A1 EP 98925514 A EP98925514 A EP 98925514A EP 98925514 A EP98925514 A EP 98925514A EP 0980463 A1 EP0980463 A1 EP 0980463A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- equipment
- well system
- well
- production
- entrance
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 53
- 238000005553 drilling Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 21
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 20
- 238000012423 maintenance Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 11
- 238000012544 monitoring process Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 10
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 claims description 34
- 229930195733 hydrocarbon Natural products 0.000 claims description 27
- 150000002430 hydrocarbons Chemical class 0.000 claims description 27
- 239000004215 Carbon black (E152) Substances 0.000 claims description 25
- 238000011161 development Methods 0.000 claims description 3
- 238000012545 processing Methods 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000000835 fiber Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- 230000000977 initiatory effect Effects 0.000 claims description 2
- 230000003287 optical effect Effects 0.000 claims description 2
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 description 4
- 238000005755 formation reaction Methods 0.000 description 4
- 230000005641 tunneling Effects 0.000 description 4
- 230000003245 working effect Effects 0.000 description 4
- 230000005540 biological transmission Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000002347 injection Methods 0.000 description 3
- 239000007924 injection Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000010426 asphalt Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000007689 inspection Methods 0.000 description 2
- 241000256247 Spodoptera exigua Species 0.000 description 1
- 238000010793 Steam injection (oil industry) Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004888 barrier function Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000004140 cleaning Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000004020 conductor Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000006073 displacement reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000005672 electromagnetic field Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000003384 imaging method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000001939 inductive effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000003780 insertion Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000037431 insertion Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000005065 mining Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005086 pumping Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000004576 sand Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B23/00—Apparatus for displacing, setting, locking, releasing or removing tools, packers or the like in boreholes or wells
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
- E21B43/30—Specific pattern of wells, e.g. optimising the spacing of wells
- E21B43/305—Specific pattern of wells, e.g. optimising the spacing of wells comprising at least one inclined or horizontal well
Definitions
- the invention relates to a method for using equipment in a well system for the production of hydrocarbon fluids and to a well system in which the method can be applied.
- the use of a U-shaped well in which equipment is moved as described in the preamble of claims 1 and 5 is known from US patent specifications Nos . 4,532,986 and 5,450,902.
- An object of the present invention is to provide a method for moving drilling, service, maintenance and/or monitoring equipment into, through and/or from a well system for the production of hydrocarbon fluids which allows an easy and safe access to the well system and downhole use of the equipment for drilling, service, maintenance and/or monitoring operations at any time and which results in but lower production losses.
- a further object is to provide a well system which can at any time be serviced, maintained, monitored and extended throughout the period in which hydrocarbon fluid production via the system takes place.
- a method for moving drilling, service, maintenance and/or monitoring equipment into, through and/or from a well system for the production of hydrocarbon fluids which well system comprises a plurality of entrance points at or near the earth surface and a system of one or more underground wellbores which provide a subsurface connection between said entrance points, wherein equipment is moved into, through and/or from the well system via a first of said entrance points and production of hydrocarbon fluids takes place via another entrance point during at least part of the period that the equipment is moved and/or actuated to perform downhole drilling, service, maintenance and/or monitoring operations in the well system.
- said first and any other entrance points are wellheads of hydrocarbon fluid production wells and the production of hydrocarbon fluids via the wellhead that forms the first of said entrance points is interrupted or minimized by arranging the equipment between the first of said entrance points and a downhole seal which prevents or reduces flow of hydrocarbon fluids from the well system towards the first of said wellheads during at least part of the period that the equipment s actuated within and/or moved into, through and/or from the well system.
- the first of said entrance points is a dedicated equipment launch and retrieval point which is not used for normal production operations.
- the equipment is moved through the well system by carrier means which are connected to surface power supply and/or control facilities via an electrical, fibre optical, hydraulic, or other umbilical conduit which passes through the first of said entrance points.
- the carrier means optionally comprises plugging equipment which temporarily provides a plug which blocks or reduces flow of fluids from the well system towards the first of said entrance points during at least part of the period that the carrier means and/or other equipment are used in or moved into, through or from the well system.
- the well system comprises a plurality of entrance points at or near the earth surface and a system of underground wellbores which provides a subsurface connection between said entrance points, wherein equipment is movably arranged in the well system, and wherein the equipment consists of drilling, service, maintenance and/or monitoring equipment which can be actuated downhole and/or which can be inserted and/or removed from the well system via a first of said entrance points whilst production of hydrocarbon fluids takes place via another entrance point.
- the invention also relates to a method for the phased development of such a well system.
- the method comprises drilling and completing a hydrocarbon fluid production well via a well entrance point at or near the earth surface and initiating the production of hydrocarbon fluids via that entrance point; and subsequently drilling another well via another entrance point at or near the earth surface such that the wellbores of the wells intersect and form a subsurface corridor via which equipment can be moved, wherein production of hydrocarbon fluids via the already completed well continues during at least part of the period that the other well is being drilled and/or completed.
- the process of drilling further wellbores and wellbranches may continue after completion of said other well whilst production via at least one entrance point continues.
- No. 4,390,067 discloses the use of a pattern of interconnected horizontal and vertical wells in which steam is injected to generate heated corridors in a viscous oil bearing formation.
- steam is injected via some wellheads and oil is produced, using beam pumps installed at some of the other wellheads .
- US patent specification No. 4,283,088 discloses the use of an underground working tunnel and workings from where heat injection and oil production wells are drilled into a viscous oil bearing formation by mining personnel operating in the tunnel and workings.
- the tunnel and workings are ventilated and perform as a subsurface work area from which a series of generally upwardly oriented heat injection and oil production wells are drilled.
- the tunnel and workings therefore do not form part of the well system itself.
- the well system comprises a first wellhead 1 and a second wellhead 2.
- the wellheads 1 and 2 are located at the earth surface 3 and interconnected via a system of underground wellbores.
- the system of wellbores comprises of a first and a second vertical wellbore 4 and 5 and a pair of substantially horizontal wellbores 6 and 7, which interconnect the vertical wellbores 4 and 5 at different depths.
- a pair of wellbranches 8 and 9 have been drilled from the first vertical wellbore 4 and a pair of wellbranches 10 and 11 have been drilled from the upper horizontal wellbore 6.
- the well system traverses upper and lower oil and/or gas bearing formations 12 and 13 that are shown in the drawing as shaded areas. Inflow of oil and/or gas into the well system takes place at inflow zones 14 and 15 which are depicted in the drawing as dark shaded areas.
- inflow zones 14 and 15 could each be separate oil and/or gas reservoirs .
- the well system is equipped with a series of valves
- the tool 17 is connected to power and control means (not shown) at the earth surfaces 3 via an umbilical cable 18 which has been reeled into the well system from a reeling drum 19.
- the first wellhead 1 is provided with a lubricator 20 which provides a fluid tight seal around- the umbilical cable 18.
- the configuration shown allows production of oil and/or gas to continue via the inflow regions 14 and the second vertical wellbore 5 towards the second wellhead 2 as illustrated by the black areas in the well system and arrows 21 while the equipment carrier tool 17 and the equipment carried thereby is moved via the first wellhead 1 into, through and from the well system.
- the service equipment carried by the carrier tool 17 may consist of logging, cleaning, maintenance, inspection drilling and/or other equipment which can be used downhole over prolonged periods while production via the second wellhead 2 continues.
- the equipment can be used both during well completion and production operations, for example for well inspection and maintenance, production monitoring (including well logging) and well inflow control, transportation of components into and from the well system, deployment of sensors and for the assembly and disassembly of downhole equipment.
- the tool 17 may be equipped with wheels or other propulsion means (not shown) and a nose section which comprises an expandable seal and which is secured to the tool body as an axially slidable plunger so that the tool can propel itself forward as a kind of inchworm into a wellsection which has not yet been isolated by a valve or other flow stopper.
- carrier tool 17 may itself be used to install or set valves 16 or sealing plugs at branch points or other locations where a temporary or permanent flow interruption is required.
- the tool may be lowered into the well system by mounting the drum 19 and lubricator 20 on top of the second wellhead 2.
- production from the lower horizontal wellbore 7 and the wellbranches 8 and 9 may continue via the first wellhead 1.
- the tool may contain its own power supply and a wireless data transmission link.
- power and or data transmission may be facilitated by transmitting an electromagnetic field via the well tubing or casing or a conductor which is permanently embedded in the well and by providing the tool 17 with an inductive coupler which serves as a movable electrical contact.
- the absence of an umbilical 18 would obviate the need for the reeling drum 19 and lubricator 20 and in such case the tool 17 can be inserted into the well system by sluices (not shown) in the wellheads 1 and 2.
- the well system may be provided with a series of downhole base points (not shown) .
- Such downhole base points may be formed by areas where the wellbore and/or production tubing inside the wellbore has an enlarged diameter or side pocket which serves as a dock-in station for the tool 17 and/or the equipment .carried thereby during periods when they are not in use.
- the downhole base point may be provided with dedicated links for power and communication to the surface 3. If the tool 17 and equipment are powered by batteries, the batteries can be rechanged at the base point or points. If the tool 17 and/or equipment comprise sensors and a memory for storing data gathered then the -- data thus gathered can be unloaded at a base point and transmitted to data processing equipment at the surface. In such case the tool 17 itself may be used to as a shuttle that reloads batteries of permanently installed sensors or other equipment in the vicinity of a base point and to unload data collected thereby and sequentially transmit such data to the surface. Furthermore the batteries of the tool itself may be used to provide power downhole, for example to set a valve or to actuate a drilling or other device.
- the use of the method and well system according to the invention is not limited to a well system with two wellheads 1 and 2 where production via one of the well- heads 2 can be continued whilst service operations are carried out via the other wellhead 1.
- the well system may also comprise three or more wellheads and only one of the wellheads may be equipped with launch and sluice means for launching equipment into the well system.
- This wellhead may for example be located at the deck of an offshore platform and be a dedicated entry point for launching equipment into the well system and for manipulating the equipment downhole, whilst no oil and/or gas is produced via this entry point during normal operations.
- the other wellheads of such a well system could be arranged subsea and produce oil and/or gas towards production facilities at the platform.
- the well system may also comprise a pair of parallel or co-axial tubings in a single vertical well, which tubings are interconnected downhole via a wellbore that forms a closed loop from and towards the vertical well. If in such case the well is equipped with co-axial tubings it may generally be desirable to use the inner tubing for the transport of the carrier tool and/or other equipment into and from the well system and to use the surrounding tubing or tubings for the production of oil and/or gas.
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- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Geology (AREA)
- Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
- Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
- General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
- Earth Drilling (AREA)
- Geophysics And Detection Of Objects (AREA)
- Physical Or Chemical Processes And Apparatus (AREA)
Abstract
A method and well system are disclosed which allow drilling, service, maintenance and/or monitoring equipment to be used downhole and to be moved into, through and/or from the well system whilst production of oil and/or gas can continue during at least part of the period during which the equipment is moved or used in the well system. The well system thereto comprises a plurality of entrance points at the earth surface and a system of underground wellbores which provide a subsurface connection between said entrance points so that production of oil and/or gas can continue via at least one of said entrance points whilst equipment is moved and/or operated via another entrance point.
Description
USING EQUIPMENT IN A WELL SYSTEM
The invention. relates to a method for using equipment in a well system for the production of hydrocarbon fluids and to a well system in which the method can be applied. The use of a U-shaped well in which equipment is moved as described in the preamble of claims 1 and 5 is known from US patent specifications Nos . 4,532,986 and 5,450,902.
In the U-shaped well known from US patent specification a steam barrier is movably arranged between a steam injection well and bitumen production well to enhance bitumen production. US patent specification No. 5,450,902 discloses the use of a reciprocating piston and one way valve to such hydrocarbons into the well and then pump these hydrocarbons towards a production well. The known movable equipment therefore is essentially passive fluid displacement equipment, which is installed downhole before production operations are started.
In many cases there is a need for moving equipment into, through and/or from oil or gas production wells for use downhole after start-up of the well, for example to install or remove a sand screen or measuring equipment, or to plug a well section or to drill a further extension or well-branch.
Generally these activities require killing of the well by pumping a high density liquid into the well whereupon the so-called X-mas tree can be removed from the wellhead and the equipment can be moved into, through and/or from the well. Occasionally it is possible to apply an underbalanced drilling or workover technique where the downhole fluid pressure in the well remains
lower than the reservoir fluid pressure, but in any case-- the activities require extensive precautions to avoid a blow-out and will generate substantial production losses over a significant period of time. An object of the present invention is to provide a method for moving drilling, service, maintenance and/or monitoring equipment into, through and/or from a well system for the production of hydrocarbon fluids which allows an easy and safe access to the well system and downhole use of the equipment for drilling, service, maintenance and/or monitoring operations at any time and which results in but lower production losses. A further object is to provide a well system which can at any time be serviced, maintained, monitored and extended throughout the period in which hydrocarbon fluid production via the system takes place.
Therefore, in accordance with the invention there is provided a method for moving drilling, service, maintenance and/or monitoring equipment into, through and/or from a well system for the production of hydrocarbon fluids, which well system comprises a plurality of entrance points at or near the earth surface and a system of one or more underground wellbores which provide a subsurface connection between said entrance points, wherein equipment is moved into, through and/or from the well system via a first of said entrance points and production of hydrocarbon fluids takes place via another entrance point during at least part of the period that the equipment is moved and/or actuated to perform downhole drilling, service, maintenance and/or monitoring operations in the well system.
Optionally, said first and any other entrance points are wellheads of hydrocarbon fluid production wells and the production of hydrocarbon fluids via the wellhead that forms the first of said entrance points is
interrupted or minimized by arranging the equipment between the first of said entrance points and a downhole seal which prevents or reduces flow of hydrocarbon fluids from the well system towards the first of said wellheads during at least part of the period that the equipment s actuated within and/or moved into, through and/or from the well system.
Alternatively, the first of said entrance points is a dedicated equipment launch and retrieval point which is not used for normal production operations.
Suitably, the equipment is moved through the well system by carrier means which are connected to surface power supply and/or control facilities via an electrical, fibre optical, hydraulic, or other umbilical conduit which passes through the first of said entrance points. In such case the carrier means optionally comprises plugging equipment which temporarily provides a plug which blocks or reduces flow of fluids from the well system towards the first of said entrance points during at least part of the period that the carrier means and/or other equipment are used in or moved into, through or from the well system.
The well system according to the invention comprises a plurality of entrance points at or near the earth surface and a system of underground wellbores which provides a subsurface connection between said entrance points, wherein equipment is movably arranged in the well system, and wherein the equipment consists of drilling, service, maintenance and/or monitoring equipment which can be actuated downhole and/or which can be inserted and/or removed from the well system via a first of said entrance points whilst production of hydrocarbon fluids takes place via another entrance point.
The invention also relates to a method for the phased development of such a well system. The method comprises
drilling and completing a hydrocarbon fluid production well via a well entrance point at or near the earth surface and initiating the production of hydrocarbon fluids via that entrance point; and subsequently drilling another well via another entrance point at or near the earth surface such that the wellbores of the wells intersect and form a subsurface corridor via which equipment can be moved, wherein production of hydrocarbon fluids via the already completed well continues during at least part of the period that the other well is being drilled and/or completed. The process of drilling further wellbores and wellbranches may continue after completion of said other well whilst production via at least one entrance point continues. It is observed that US patent specification
No. 4,390,067 discloses the use of a pattern of interconnected horizontal and vertical wells in which steam is injected to generate heated corridors in a viscous oil bearing formation. In this known system steam is injected via some wellheads and oil is produced, using beam pumps installed at some of the other wellheads .
US patent specification No. 4,283,088 discloses the use of an underground working tunnel and workings from where heat injection and oil production wells are drilled into a viscous oil bearing formation by mining personnel operating in the tunnel and workings. The tunnel and workings are ventilated and perform as a subsurface work area from which a series of generally upwardly oriented heat injection and oil production wells are drilled. The tunnel and workings therefore do not form part of the well system itself.
Furthermore, International patent application No. PCT/GB94/00515 (publication WO 94/21889) discloses in Fig. 2 that a U-shaped well may be used to facilitate
geothermal energy from an underlying layer to enhance the- production of fluids from an underground reservoir.
The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to "the accompanying drawing which shows a schematic perspective view of a well system according to the invention.
The well system comprises a first wellhead 1 and a second wellhead 2. The wellheads 1 and 2 are located at the earth surface 3 and interconnected via a system of underground wellbores. The system of wellbores comprises of a first and a second vertical wellbore 4 and 5 and a pair of substantially horizontal wellbores 6 and 7, which interconnect the vertical wellbores 4 and 5 at different depths. Furthermore a pair of wellbranches 8 and 9 have been drilled from the first vertical wellbore 4 and a pair of wellbranches 10 and 11 have been drilled from the upper horizontal wellbore 6.
The well system traverses upper and lower oil and/or gas bearing formations 12 and 13 that are shown in the drawing as shaded areas. Inflow of oil and/or gas into the well system takes place at inflow zones 14 and 15 which are depicted in the drawing as dark shaded areas.
It is observed that the inflow zones 14 and 15 could each be separate oil and/or gas reservoirs . The well system is equipped with a series of valves
16 which in the illustration shown are closed and thereby prevent inflow of oil and/or gas into the first vertical wellbore 4 towards the first wellhead 1. A service equipment carrier tool 17 has been lowered into the lower horizontal wellbore 7.
The tool 17 is connected to power and control means (not shown) at the earth surfaces 3 via an umbilical cable 18 which has been reeled into the well system from a reeling drum 19. The first wellhead 1 is provided with
a lubricator 20 which provides a fluid tight seal around- the umbilical cable 18.
The configuration shown allows production of oil and/or gas to continue via the inflow regions 14 and the second vertical wellbore 5 towards the second wellhead 2 as illustrated by the black areas in the well system and arrows 21 while the equipment carrier tool 17 and the equipment carried thereby is moved via the first wellhead 1 into, through and from the well system. The service equipment carried by the carrier tool 17 may consist of logging, cleaning, maintenance, inspection drilling and/or other equipment which can be used downhole over prolonged periods while production via the second wellhead 2 continues. The equipment can be used both during well completion and production operations, for example for well inspection and maintenance, production monitoring (including well logging) and well inflow control, transportation of components into and from the well system, deployment of sensors and for the assembly and disassembly of downhole equipment.
The tool 17 may be equipped with wheels or other propulsion means (not shown) and a nose section which comprises an expandable seal and which is secured to the tool body as an axially slidable plunger so that the tool can propel itself forward as a kind of inchworm into a wellsection which has not yet been isolated by a valve or other flow stopper.
Furthermore the carrier tool 17 may itself be used to install or set valves 16 or sealing plugs at branch points or other locations where a temporary or permanent flow interruption is required.
If access to the well system via the second wellhead 2 is needed, for example if service or other operations are to be carried out in the wellbranches 11, the tool may be lowered into the well system by mounting
the drum 19 and lubricator 20 on top of the second wellhead 2.
In such case production from the lower horizontal wellbore 7 and the wellbranches 8 and 9 may continue via the first wellhead 1.
It will be understood that instead of using an umbilical 18 for power supply to and data transmission from and to the tool 17 and the equipment carried thereby the tool may contain its own power supply and a wireless data transmission link.
Furthermore, power and or data transmission may be facilitated by transmitting an electromagnetic field via the well tubing or casing or a conductor which is permanently embedded in the well and by providing the tool 17 with an inductive coupler which serves as a movable electrical contact. The absence of an umbilical 18 would obviate the need for the reeling drum 19 and lubricator 20 and in such case the tool 17 can be inserted into the well system by sluices (not shown) in the wellheads 1 and 2.
In order to avoid the use of an umbilical cable 18 and/or frequent insertion of the tool 17 into the well system and removal therefrom the well system may be provided with a series of downhole base points (not shown) . Such downhole base points may be formed by areas where the wellbore and/or production tubing inside the wellbore has an enlarged diameter or side pocket which serves as a dock-in station for the tool 17 and/or the equipment .carried thereby during periods when they are not in use.
The downhole base point may be provided with dedicated links for power and communication to the surface 3. If the tool 17 and equipment are powered by batteries, the batteries can be rechanged at the base point or points. If the tool 17 and/or equipment comprise
sensors and a memory for storing data gathered then the -- data thus gathered can be unloaded at a base point and transmitted to data processing equipment at the surface. In such case the tool 17 itself may be used to as a shuttle that reloads batteries of permanently installed sensors or other equipment in the vicinity of a base point and to unload data collected thereby and sequentially transmit such data to the surface. Furthermore the batteries of the tool itself may be used to provide power downhole, for example to set a valve or to actuate a drilling or other device.
The use of the method and well system according to the invention is not limited to a well system with two wellheads 1 and 2 where production via one of the well- heads 2 can be continued whilst service operations are carried out via the other wellhead 1. The well system may also comprise three or more wellheads and only one of the wellheads may be equipped with launch and sluice means for launching equipment into the well system. This wellhead may for example be located at the deck of an offshore platform and be a dedicated entry point for launching equipment into the well system and for manipulating the equipment downhole, whilst no oil and/or gas is produced via this entry point during normal operations. The other wellheads of such a well system could be arranged subsea and produce oil and/or gas towards production facilities at the platform. In such case chemicals, steam or other injection fluids may be injected into the well system via the equipment entry point and in case processing facilities at the platform are occasionally overloaded or out of service oil and/or gas could be reinjected into the well system via the equipment entry point. If a tool 17 is to be inserted into a subsea wellhead this may be accomplished by using an underwater vehicle.
It will also be understood that the well system can -- be developed in phases. The well system shown in the drawing may initially be developed by drilling the second vertical well-bore 5 and the lower horizontal wellbore 7. On the basis of downhole reservoir imaging techniques carried out from the already drilled wellbores 5 and 7 the upper horizontal wellbore and wellbranches 10 and 11 are drilled accurately into the reservoir formation (s) . Subsequently production of oil and/or gas is started via the second wellhead 2 and accurate production and reservoir data can be collected. After evaluating these data the first wellbore 4 is drilled and linked to the horizontal wellbores 6 and 7 such that these sections provide a downhole corridor between the vertical wellbores 4 and 5 through which equipment can be moved. Then it is possible to further expand the wellsystem by drilling and completing the wellbranches 8 and 9 whilst production of oil or gas continues via the second wellhead 2. Subsequent to commencing oil or gas production via both wellheads 1 and 2 the wellsystem can be further expanded by using re-entry drilling techniques where the equipment is moved into and from the wellsystem via one of the wellheads 1 or 2 whilst production via the other wellhead 1 or 2 continues.
Thus production constraints can be removed continuously and the flow performance of the wells can be optimized at any time. Development flexibility may also be improved by connecting one well with spare vertical flow capacity to the production face of an adjacent well where production is restricted by vertical flow constraints .
Furthermore, the wellheads need not to be spaced apart as illustrated in the drawing. The well system may also comprise a pair of parallel or co-axial tubings in a
single vertical well, which tubings are interconnected downhole via a wellbore that forms a closed loop from and towards the vertical well. If in such case the well is equipped with co-axial tubings it may generally be desirable to use the inner tubing for the transport of the carrier tool and/or other equipment into and from the well system and to use the surrounding tubing or tubings for the production of oil and/or gas.
These and other features, objects and advantages of the method and system according to the present invention will become apparent from and/or are further disclosed in the accompanying claims, abstract and drawing.
Claims
1. A method for using equipment in a well system for the production of hydrocarbon fluids, which well system comprises a plurality of entrance points at or near the earth surface and a system of one or more underground wellbores which provide a subsurface connection between said entrance points, characterized in that the method comprises moving drilling, service, maintenance and/or monitoring equipment into, through and/or from the well system via a first of said entrance points and that production of hydrocarbon fluids takes place via another entrance point during at least part of the period that the equipment is moved and/or actuated to perform downhole drilling, service, maintenance and/or monitoring operations in the well system.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first and any other entrance points are wellheads of hydrocarbon fluid production wells and the production of hydrocarbon fluids via the wellhead that forms the first of said entrance points is interrupted or minimized by arranging the equipment between the first of said entrance points and a downhole seal which prevents or reduces flow of hydrocarbon fluids from the well system towards the first of said wellheads during at least part of the period that the equipment is actuated within and/or moved into, through and/or from the well system.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the equipment is moved through the well system by carrier means which are connected to surface power supply and/or control facilities via an electrical, fibre optical hydraulic, or other umbilical conduit which passes through the first of said entrance points.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the carrier means are" provided with plugging equipment which temporarily provides a plug which blocks or reduces flow of fluids from the well system towards the first of said entrance points during at least part of the period that the carrier means and/or other equipment are actuated in or moved into, through or from the well system.
5. A well system for production of hydrocarbon fluids which comprises a plurality of entrance points at or near the earth surface and a system of underground wellbores which provides a subsurface connection between said entrance points, wherein equipment is movably arranged in the well system, characterized in that the equipment consists of drilling, service, maintenance and/or monitoring equipment which can be actuated downhole and/or which can be inserted and/or removed from the well system via a first of said entrance points whilst production of hydrocarbon fluids takes place via another entrance point.
6. The well system of claim 5, wherein the entrance points are mutually spaced and the system of underground wellbores comprises at least one lateral wellbore which provides a subsurface connection between at least two entrance points through which equipment can be moved and a number of wellbranches which are connected to the lateral wellbore.
7. The well system of claim 6, wherein the system comprises a number of downhole base points in which equipment and/or carrier means can be docked while production of hydrocarbon fluids via the well system takes place and in which battery packs of the equipment and/or carrier means can be reloaded and data gathered by the equipment and/or carrier means can be unloaded and transmitted to data processing equipment at the earth surface.
8. The well system of claim 5, wherein the equipment is arranged between the first of said entrance points and a downhole fluid seal which prevents or reduces flow of hydrocarbon fluids towards the first of said entrance points.
9. A method for the phased development of a well system according to claim 5, the method comprising drilling and completing a hydrocarbon fluid production well via a well entrance point at or near the earth surface and initiating the production of hydrocarbon fluids via that entrance point; and subsequently drilling another well via another entrance point at or near the earth surface such that the wellbores of the wellbores of the wells intersect and form a subsurface corridor via which drilling equipment can be moved, wherein production of hydrocarbon fluids via the already completed well continues during at least part of the period that the other well is being drilled and/or completed.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein one or more well branches are drilled from the well system using drilling equipment which is inserted into, operated in and/or removed from the well system via a first entrance point whilst production of hydrocarbon fluids takes place via another entrance point.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
EP98925514A EP0980463A1 (en) | 1997-04-28 | 1998-04-27 | Using equipment in a well system |
Applications Claiming Priority (4)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
EP97201266 | 1997-04-28 | ||
EP97201266A EP0875661A1 (en) | 1997-04-28 | 1997-04-28 | Method for moving equipment in a well system |
EP98925514A EP0980463A1 (en) | 1997-04-28 | 1998-04-27 | Using equipment in a well system |
PCT/EP1998/002578 WO1998049424A1 (en) | 1997-04-28 | 1998-04-27 | Using equipment in a well system |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0980463A1 true EP0980463A1 (en) | 2000-02-23 |
Family
ID=8228268
Family Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP97201266A Withdrawn EP0875661A1 (en) | 1997-04-28 | 1997-04-28 | Method for moving equipment in a well system |
EP98925514A Withdrawn EP0980463A1 (en) | 1997-04-28 | 1998-04-27 | Using equipment in a well system |
Family Applications Before (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP97201266A Withdrawn EP0875661A1 (en) | 1997-04-28 | 1997-04-28 | Method for moving equipment in a well system |
Country Status (11)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (2) | EP0875661A1 (en) |
CN (1) | CN1091833C (en) |
AR (1) | AR012500A1 (en) |
AU (1) | AU730212B2 (en) |
CA (1) | CA2285476C (en) |
EA (1) | EA199900978A1 (en) |
EG (1) | EG21404A (en) |
ID (1) | ID22927A (en) |
NO (1) | NO995247L (en) |
OA (1) | OA11210A (en) |
WO (1) | WO1998049424A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (31)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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US6679322B1 (en) | 1998-11-20 | 2004-01-20 | Cdx Gas, Llc | Method and system for accessing subterranean deposits from the surface |
US8297377B2 (en) | 1998-11-20 | 2012-10-30 | Vitruvian Exploration, Llc | Method and system for accessing subterranean deposits from the surface and tools therefor |
US6681855B2 (en) | 2001-10-19 | 2004-01-27 | Cdx Gas, L.L.C. | Method and system for management of by-products from subterranean zones |
US8376052B2 (en) | 1998-11-20 | 2013-02-19 | Vitruvian Exploration, Llc | Method and system for surface production of gas from a subterranean zone |
US7048049B2 (en) | 2001-10-30 | 2006-05-23 | Cdx Gas, Llc | Slant entry well system and method |
US6662870B1 (en) | 2001-01-30 | 2003-12-16 | Cdx Gas, L.L.C. | Method and system for accessing subterranean deposits from a limited surface area |
US6425448B1 (en) * | 2001-01-30 | 2002-07-30 | Cdx Gas, L.L.P. | Method and system for accessing subterranean zones from a limited surface area |
US6280000B1 (en) | 1998-11-20 | 2001-08-28 | Joseph A. Zupanick | Method for production of gas from a coal seam using intersecting well bores |
US6454000B1 (en) | 1999-11-19 | 2002-09-24 | Cdx Gas, Llc | Cavity well positioning system and method |
US6598686B1 (en) | 1998-11-20 | 2003-07-29 | Cdx Gas, Llc | Method and system for enhanced access to a subterranean zone |
US7025154B2 (en) | 1998-11-20 | 2006-04-11 | Cdx Gas, Llc | Method and system for circulating fluid in a well system |
US6708764B2 (en) | 2002-07-12 | 2004-03-23 | Cdx Gas, L.L.C. | Undulating well bore |
US6412556B1 (en) | 2000-08-03 | 2002-07-02 | Cdx Gas, Inc. | Cavity positioning tool and method |
EP1184538A1 (en) * | 2000-09-04 | 2002-03-06 | Shell Internationale Researchmaatschappij B.V. | System for downhole separation |
US6725922B2 (en) | 2002-07-12 | 2004-04-27 | Cdx Gas, Llc | Ramping well bores |
US8333245B2 (en) | 2002-09-17 | 2012-12-18 | Vitruvian Exploration, Llc | Accelerated production of gas from a subterranean zone |
AU2003244819A1 (en) * | 2003-06-30 | 2005-01-21 | Petroleo Brasileiro S A-Petrobras | Method for, and the construction of, a long-distance well for the production, transport, storage and exploitation of mineral layers and fluids |
AU2005306537B2 (en) | 2004-11-19 | 2011-04-28 | Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. | Methods and apparatus for drilling, completing and configuring U-tube boreholes |
BRPI0618662A2 (en) | 2005-11-16 | 2011-09-06 | Shell Int Research | wellbore system |
CN102434144A (en) * | 2011-11-16 | 2012-05-02 | 中国石油集团长城钻探工程有限公司 | Oil extraction method for u-shaped well for oil field |
EP2802737B1 (en) * | 2012-01-13 | 2016-06-22 | Landmark Graphics Corporation | Method and system of planning and/or drilling wellbores |
EP2820239A4 (en) | 2012-03-02 | 2016-07-20 | Halliburton Energy Services Inc | Subsurface well systems with multiple drain wells extending from a production well and methods for use thereof |
CN103362442B (en) * | 2012-03-30 | 2016-01-13 | 刘洪斌 | Drilling well multiple spot communication loop gathers geothermal method |
CN102606129B (en) * | 2012-04-10 | 2014-12-10 | 中国海洋石油总公司 | Method and system for thin interbed oilfield development |
CN102900404A (en) * | 2012-11-01 | 2013-01-30 | 中国海洋石油总公司 | Method for exploiting naked eye type manmade migration channels between gas pools |
CN102913205A (en) * | 2012-11-01 | 2013-02-06 | 中国海洋石油总公司 | Method for building uncased-hole gravel-filled artificial migration passage between gas reservoirs |
CN102900403B (en) * | 2012-11-01 | 2014-05-07 | 中国海洋石油总公司 | Method for establishing artificial natural gas migration channel between gas reservoirs |
BR112015013255A2 (en) * | 2012-12-13 | 2017-07-11 | Halliburton Energy Services Inc | method for recovering seabed hydrocarbon gas and assembly for recovering seabed hydrocarbon gas |
CN103615224B (en) * | 2013-11-08 | 2016-02-10 | 中国石油天然气股份有限公司 | Method for exploiting heavy oil reservoir by improving steam assisted gravity drainage through solvent and well pattern structure |
WO2016144943A1 (en) * | 2015-03-09 | 2016-09-15 | Saudi Arabian Oil Company | Activating a well system tool |
CN106545296A (en) * | 2016-12-02 | 2017-03-29 | 淮北矿业股份有限公司 | A kind of surface drilling grouting treatment method of deep mining coal seam base plate limestone water damage |
Family Cites Families (9)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3241611A (en) * | 1963-04-10 | 1966-03-22 | Equity Oil Company | Recovery of petroleum products from oil shale |
US4283088A (en) * | 1979-05-14 | 1981-08-11 | Tabakov Vladimir P | Thermal--mining method of oil production |
US4390067A (en) * | 1981-04-06 | 1983-06-28 | Exxon Production Research Co. | Method of treating reservoirs containing very viscous crude oil or bitumen |
US4532986A (en) * | 1983-05-05 | 1985-08-06 | Texaco Inc. | Bitumen production and substrate stimulation with flow diverter means |
US4757859A (en) * | 1984-09-24 | 1988-07-19 | Otis Engineering Corporation | Apparatus for monitoring a parameter in a well |
US5246273A (en) * | 1991-05-13 | 1993-09-21 | Rosar Edward C | Method and apparatus for solution mining |
CA2158637A1 (en) * | 1993-03-17 | 1994-09-29 | John North | Improvements in or relating to drilling and the extraction of fluids |
US5450902A (en) * | 1993-05-14 | 1995-09-19 | Matthews; Cameron M. | Method and apparatus for producing and drilling a well |
WO1998015712A2 (en) * | 1996-10-08 | 1998-04-16 | Baker Hughes Incorporated | Method of forming wellbores from a main wellbore |
-
1997
- 1997-04-28 EP EP97201266A patent/EP0875661A1/en not_active Withdrawn
-
1998
- 1998-04-18 EG EG41998A patent/EG21404A/en active
- 1998-04-24 AR ARP980101900 patent/AR012500A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1998-04-27 WO PCT/EP1998/002578 patent/WO1998049424A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1998-04-27 AU AU77607/98A patent/AU730212B2/en not_active Ceased
- 1998-04-27 CN CN98804394A patent/CN1091833C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1998-04-27 EP EP98925514A patent/EP0980463A1/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1998-04-27 EA EA199900978A patent/EA199900978A1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1998-04-27 ID IDW991280A patent/ID22927A/en unknown
- 1998-04-27 CA CA002285476A patent/CA2285476C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
1999
- 1999-10-27 NO NO995247A patent/NO995247L/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1999-10-28 OA OA9900237A patent/OA11210A/en unknown
Non-Patent Citations (1)
Title |
---|
See references of WO9849424A1 * |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
WO1998049424A1 (en) | 1998-11-05 |
CA2285476A1 (en) | 1998-11-05 |
ID22927A (en) | 1999-12-16 |
AR012500A1 (en) | 2000-10-18 |
OA11210A (en) | 2003-07-18 |
CN1252851A (en) | 2000-05-10 |
AU730212B2 (en) | 2001-03-01 |
EA000922B1 (en) | 2000-06-26 |
NO995247L (en) | 1999-11-17 |
CN1091833C (en) | 2002-10-02 |
AU7760798A (en) | 1998-11-24 |
CA2285476C (en) | 2006-11-21 |
EP0875661A1 (en) | 1998-11-04 |
NO995247D0 (en) | 1999-10-27 |
EA199900978A1 (en) | 2000-06-26 |
EG21404A (en) | 2001-10-31 |
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