Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
81785523
THERMAL REGULATING WELL COMPLETION DEVICES AND METHODS
SUMMARY
[0001] A thermal regulating completion device in accordance to one or more
embodiments includes an inner mandrel having a bore, an outer mandrel carrying
a
seal element, and a passage located between the inner and outer mandrels to
circulate a cooling fluid between an inlet port and an outlet port. A
completion in
accordance to one or more embodiments includes a downhole steam generator
(DSG) having a water inlet and a discharge to convey a hot effluent away from
the
DSG, a stinger having an inner mandrel forming a stinger bore in communication
with the discharge and an outer mandrel carrying a seal element, and a passage
located between the inner mandrel and the outer mandrel to circulate a cooling
fluid
from an inlet port to an outlet port. A method includes generating a hot
effluent at a
downhole steam generator, discharging the hot effluent through a bore of a
stinger
landed in a packer, and circulating water through a passage located proximate
to the
stinger seal.
[0001a] Some embodiments disclosed herein provide a thermal regulating device,
comprising: a downhole steam generator; a supply line to the downhole steam
generator
configured to deliver fluid to the downhole steam generator from which the
downhole
steam generator is configured to generate a hot effluent; a temperature-
sensitive
completion component in the well; and a heat sink configured to insulate the
temperature-
sensitive completion component from thermal energy in the hot effluent,
wherein the heat
sink includes the fluid from the supply line before reaching the downhole
steam generator.
[0001b] Some embodiments disclosed herein provide a thermal regulating
completion
device, the device comprising: an inner mandrel having a bore; an outer
mandrel
surrounding the inner mandrel and carrying a seal element; and a passage
located between
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81785523
the inner mandrel and the outer mandrel to circulate a cooling fluid from an
inlet port to an
outlet port, wherein the passage surrounds an insulation located between the
inner mandrel
and the outer mandrel.
[0001c] Some embodiments disclosed herein provide a completion, comprising: a
downhole steam generator (DSG) having a water inlet and a discharge to convey
a hot
effluent away from the DSG; a stinger having an inner mandrel forming a
stinger bore in
communication with the discharge and an outer mandrel carrying a seal element;
and a
passage located between the inner mandrel and the outer mandrel to circulate a
cooling
fluid from an inlet port to an outlet port, wherein the stinger includes an
insulation located
between the inner mandrel and the outer mandrel, and wherein the passage
surrounds the
insulation.
[0001d] Some embodiments disclosed herein provide a method, comprising:
generating a hot effluent at a downhole steam generator (DSG) incorporated in
an upper
completion that is deployed in a wellbore; discharging the hot effluent
through a bore of a
stinger landed in a packer, the stinger carrying a seal element; and
circulating a water
through a passage from an inlet port to an outlet port, the passage located
proximate to the
stinger seal, wherein the stinger comprises: an inner mandrel forming the
stinger bore; an
outer mandrel carrying the seal element; and an insulation located between the
inner
mandrel and the outer mandrel wherein the passage surrounds the insulation.
[0002] The foregoing has outlined some of the features and technical
advantages in
order that the detailed description of thermal regulating well completion
devices,
systems and methods that follows may be better understood. Additional features
and advantages of the thermal regulating well completion devices, systems and
method will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of
the
invention. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features
of the
la
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-07-16
81785523
claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in limiting
the scope
of claimed subject matter.
lb
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0003] Embodiments of thermal regulating well completion devices, systems and
methods are
described with reference to the following figures. The same numbers are used
throughout the
figures to reference like features and components. It is emphasized that, in
accordance with
standard practice in the industry, various features are not necessarily drawn
to scale. In fact, the
dimensions of various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for
clarity of discussion.
[0004] Figures 1 illustrates a well system and completion in which thermal
regulating devices,
systems and methods may be incorporated and utilized.
[0005] Figure 2 illustrates a well system and completion in which thermal
regulating devices,
systems and methods may be incorporated and utilized.
[0006] Figure 3 illustrates a thermal regulating device incorporated in a
completion and
discharging an outlet fluid to a downhole steam generator in accordance to one
or more
embodiments.
[0007] Figure 4 illustrates a thermal regulating device incorporated in a
completion and
discharging an outlet fluid through a lower completion in accordance to one or
more
embodiments.
[0008] Figure 5 illustrates a thermal regulating device incorporated in a
completion having
insulation and a cooling fluid passage in accordance to one or more
embodiments.
[0009] Figure 6 illustrates a well completion incorporating thermal regulating
devices and
methods in accordance to one or more embodiments.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0010] It is to be understood that the following disclosure provides many
different embodiments,
or examples, for implementing different features of various embodiments.
Specific examples of
components and arrangements are described below to simplify the disclosure.
These are, of
course, merely examples and are not intended to be limiting, in addition, the
disclosure may
repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various examples. This
repetition is for the
purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a
relationship between the various
embodiments and/or configurations discussed.
[0011] As used herein, the terms "connect," "connection," "connected," "in
connection with,"
and "connecting" are used to mean "in direct connection with" or "in
connection with via one or
more elements"; and the term "set" is used to mean "one element" or "more than
one element".
Further, the terms "couple," "coupling," "coupled," "coupled together," and
"coupled with" are
used to mean "directly coupled together" or "coupled together via one or more
elements". As
used herein, the terms "up" and "down"; "upper" and "lower"; "top" and
"bottom"; and other
like terms indicating relative positions to a given point or element are
utilized to more clearly
describe some elements. Commonly, these terms relate to a reference point as
the surface from
which drilling operations are initiated as being the top point and the total
depth being the lowest
point, wherein the well (e.g., wellbore, borehole) is vertical, horizontal or
slanted relative to the
surface.
[0012] Figure 1 illustrates a well system 5 having a completion 10 in which
thermal regulating
devices, systems and methods may be incorporated and utilized. A wellbore 12
extends from a
surface 14 to a formation 16 which is in communication with wellbore 12. At
least a portion of
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wellbore 12 may be lined with casing 18. Completion 10 is illustrated in
Figure 1 as a steam
injection and production completion. The thermal regulating devices, systems
and method are
not limited to the completion illustrated in Figure 1. Completion 10 includes
a lower completion
20 installed downhole above tbrmation 16 and an upper completion 22 deployed
below wellhead
24 and landed in lower completion 20.
[0013] Lower completion 20 includes a packer 26 (i.e. production packer)
having a polished
bore receptacle (PBR) 28 and a tail pipe 30 extending below packer 26. Lower
completion 20
may include an isolation device 32 such as a valve (i.e. flow control device)
located in tail pipe
30 below packer 26. The thermal regulating devices, systems and methods may be
utilized to
protect temperature-sensitive components of the lower completion 20 (e.g. seal
elements) from
the downhole temperatures that may be elevated for example in response to hot
effluent 74 (e.g.,
steam, gas, liquid) discharged from upper completion 22.
[0014] Upper completion 22 includes a downhole steam generator (DSG) 36 (e.g.
combustor)
that utilizes a fuel such as natural gas or methane, and air to convert water
to a hot effluent 74,
for example steam, for injection into formation 16. Upper completion 22 may
include a control
line 38 extending from the surface to one or more downhole devices. Control
line 38 may be a
cable, or umbilical, having more than one conduit for transmitting power and
or signals. For
example, control line 38 may include hydraulic conduits, electrical
conductors, optic fibers and
the like. Control line 38 is illustrated in Figure 1 connecting a surface
controller 40 with
downhole steam generator 36. Control line 38 may be connected for example to
sensors, gauges,
hydraulic and electrically operated flow control devices, and artificial lift
devices (e.g. pumps).
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Controller 40 may include without limitation electronic circuits, processors,
transmitters,
receivers and power supplies (i.e. hydraulic, electric), and valves (valve
manifolds).
[0015] Upper completion 22 is deployed in the wellbore on a tubing 42
extending from the
wellhead to a stinger 44 (seal assembly, stabber assembly) which is landed in
PBR 28 of lower
completion 20. In accordance to one or more embodiments stinger 44 is
configured as a thermal
regulating device 44 to thermally regulate lower completion 20, including
stinger seals 84. The
systems and methods of the present disclosure can be used with any type of
packer and with any
type of lower completions component that may be sensitive to elevated
temperatures. The
thermal regulating systems and methods of the present disclosure distributes
high-temperature
fluids and low-temperature fluids as appropriate to protect such temperature-
sensitive
components and to efficiently selectively distribute thermal energy.
[0016] Upper completion 22 includes a Y-tool 76 at a top end that separates or
splits a second or
bypass conduit 78 from tubing 42. Bypass conduit 78 is connected back to or
combined with
tubing 42 downhole at a lower inverted Y-tool 46. Tubing 42 is connected to
thermal regulating
stinger 44 below inverted Y-tool 46. The section of tubing 42 located between
Y-tool 76 and
inverted Y-tool 46 is referred to as continuous conduit 80 from time to time.
[0017] Downhole steam generator 36 is connected to bypass conduit 78 and it is
in
communication with air supply 60 or water supply 64 via tubing 42 to receive
air or water during
steaming operations. Hot effluent 74 (e.g. steam and flue gas) is discharged
from DSG 36 into a
section of bypass conduit 78 referred to as discharge 48. Discharge 48 of DSG
36 is connected
to thermal regulating stinger 44 through inverted Y-tool 46. In accordance
with some
embodiments a valve 50 (e.g. check valve) is connected within steam discharge
48 between DSG
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36 and inverted Y-tool 46 to prevent back flow into DSG 36 from below lower
completion 20,
e.g. formation fluid. Tubing 42 may include a include a barrier 52, for
example a valve or nipple
and plug, located in continuous conduit 80 to selectively close the conduit to
divert supply fluid
(i.e. water or air) to DSG 36 through bypass conduit 78. A plug 53 is
illustrated in Figure 1
landed in barrier 52 blocking tubing 42 in continuous conduit 80. Continuous
conduit 80 can be
blocked or closed for example during steam generating and injection operations
so that a DSG
operational fluid: such as water or air can be supplied through tubing 42 into
bypass conduit 78.
During production operations tubing 42 is opened so that formation fluid 72
can be produced to
the surface.
[0018] Upper completion 22 includes a fuel supply tubing 54 in communication
between DSG
36 and a fuel supply 56 (e.g. natural gas, methane, hydrogen, etc.) located at
the surface. Fuel
supply 56 may include a compressor. Air is communicated to DSG 36 from air
supply 60 for
example via tubing 42 and bypass conduit 78 or through supply tubing 66. Water
may be
supplied from water supply 64 for example via tubing 42 and bypass conduit 78,
via supply
tubing 66, or through the tubing-casing annulus (i.e. wellbore 12). The air
and gas are
combusted at DSG 36 to convert the supplied water into a hot effluent 74 which
is discharged
through the lower completion and into the formation. Hot effluent 74 may
include the flue gas
from the combustion at DSG 36.
[0019] Cooling or insulating fluid, for example water, may be supplied (i.e.
communicated) to a
cooling inlet port 34 of regulating device 44 for example from water supply
64. The cooling
fluid may be communicated to regulating device 44 for example through a supply
conduit or
through wellbore 12. The cooling fluid may be discharged below packer 26 (e.g.
into tail pipe
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30) or discharged above lower completion 20 and in some embodiments
communicated to the
inlet of DSG 36. For example, with reference to Figure 1, cooling fluid is
communicated from
water supply 64 through a supply conduit 58 to inlet port 34 of thermal
regulating stinger device
44. The cooling fluid may he discharged below packer 26 (e.g., FIG. 4) or
communicated to
DSG 36. In the Figure 1 illustration, DSG supply water may be communicated
directly to DSG
36 from the surface for example through tubing 42 and bypass 78 or via supply
tubing 66. In
accordance to some embodiments, DSG supply water may include the fluid
discharged from the
outlet of the thelinal regulating device.
[0020] Figure 2 illustrates a steam completion 10 installed in wellbore 12. In
this embodiment
upper completion 22 is configured to be deployed during steaming operations
and then pulled out
of the wellbore prior to placing the well on production. A production
completion may be run
into the wellbore for the production stage. Upper completion 22 includes a
fuel supply conduit
54 and an air supply tubing 66 extending from the surface to DSG 36. In the
depicted
completion, water 62 is supplied as cooling fluid from water supply 64 (FIG.
1) into wellbore 12
and into cooling inlet port 34 of the seal element regulating device 44. Inlet
port 34 is open to
and in communication with the annulus (i.e. wellbore 12) above packer 26 in
Figure 2. Water 62
may be supplied to inlet port 34 through a supply conduit, such as supply
tubing, for example
tubing 58 (FIG. 1), instead of through wellbore 12. Water 62 is circulated
through regulating
device 44 and discharged as outlet or preheated water 63 through an outlet
port 35. Inlet port 34
and or outlet port 35 may include or be formed by a one-way flow control
device (e.g., cheek
valve) allowing in one direction from inlet port 34 to outlet port 35 and
blocking flow in the
reverse direction.
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[0021] Outlet port 35 may be in communication with the water inlet of the DSG
or the stinger
bore. In Figure 2, outlet water 63 is discharged above packer 26 and
communicated to inlet 65 of
DSG 36 via conduit 67. In accordance to some embodiments, outlet water 63 may
be discharged
back into wellbore 12 above packer 26. In some embodiments, outlet water 63 is
discharged into
wellbore 12 and communicated to DSG 36 through inlet 65 that is open to
wellbore 12. Water
62 may be heated when it is circulated through regulating device 44 and the
preheated outlet
water 63 communicated to DSG 36 may aid in generating higher quality steam.
[0022] Figure 3 illustrates a regulating device 44 utilized in a completion 10
in accordance to
some embodiments. Packer 26 is deployed and set in the well with packer seal
element 68 and
slips 70 engaging casing 18. Thermal regulating stinger 44 includes an outer
mandrel or sleeve
82 carrying one or more seal elements 84 for sealing with polished bore
receptacle 28 of packer
26. Thermal regulating stinger 44 includes an inner sleeve or mandrel 86
forming a stinger bore
88. Stinger bore 88 is in communication with discharge 48 of DSG 36 and tail
pipe 30.
[0023] In accordance to one or more embodiments, a passage 92 in communication
with or
connecting inlet port 34 and outlet port 35 is located between inner mandrel
86 and outer
mandrel 82. Inlet port 34 and or outlet port 35 may include or be formed by a
one-way flow
control device allowing one-way fluid flow in the direction from inlet port 34
to outlet port 35
and blocking fluid flow in the direction from outlet port 35 through inlet
port 34. Passage 92
may be formed by a member 90
sleeve or coil) surrounding inner mandrel 86. For example,
with reference to Figure 3, member 90 is illustrated as a coil member
surrounding inner mandrel
86 (e.g. co-axially aligned) and providing passage 92 as a helical path around
the inner mandrel.
Passage 92 is illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 formed by a sleeve member 90.
Cooling fluid 62
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(e.g. water) is circulated through passage 92 and discharged as a preheated
outlet fluid 63 and
supplied into DSG 36 and converted to hot effluent 74 in Figure 3. Circulating
the water through
passage 92 may provide a thermal regulating layer between hot effluent 74 and
the stinger seal
elements 84 and packer 26. Figure 3 illustrates water 62 being supplied to
inlet port 34 through
supply tubing 58 and outlet water 63 communicated from outlet port 35 to DSG
inlet 65 through
a conduit 67. Outlet port 35 is located at an upper end 43 of thermal
regulating stinger device 44
in Figure 3.
[0024] Figure 4 illustrates thermal regulating stinger 44 discharging the
cooling fluid through
lower completion 20 in accordance to one or more embodiments. Passage 92 is
illustrated in
Figure 4 formed by sleeve member 90. Cooling fluid 62 is supplied via wellbore
12 or supply
tubing, for example tubing 58, to inlet port 34 of thermal regulating stinger
44 and is circulated
through passage 92 from inlet port 34 located at an upper end 43 of thermal
regulating device 44
to outlet port 35, which is in communication with bore 88, located at a lower
end 45 of theintal
regulating device. Fluid flow through passage 92 may be limited to one-way
fluid flow from
inlet port 34 through discharge port 35. For example, inlet port 34 and or
outlet port 35 may
include or be formed by a one-way flow control device allowing one-way fluid
flow in the
direction from inlet port 34 to outlet port 35 and blocking fluid flow in the
direction from outlet
port 35 through inlet port 34. The circulated fluid 62 may remove heat (i.e.
conduction) and
thermally regulate elements such as seal elements 84 and 68 that are exterior
of passage 92 from
the hot effluent 74 passing from DSG 36 through stinger bore 88 of thermal
regulating device 44.
The cooling fluid is discharged as outlet fluid 63 at outlet port 35 into
wellbore 12 below lower
completion 20 for example into stinger bore 88 and tail pipe 30. Outlet fluid
63 may mix with
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hot effluent 74. In this example, water 62 may be supplied to inlet 65 of DSG
36 through
wellbore 12 or through a supply conduit, for example supply tubing 42.
100251 Figure 5 illustrates thermal regulating stinger device 44 having
thermal insulation 94
located with passage 92 between outer mandrel 82 and inner mandrel 86. In this
example,
insulation 94 is illustrated as a tubular member (e.g. sleeve) located
concentrically about inner
mandrel 86. Insulation 94 may be made of various materials including solids,
gases and liquids
and constructed in various configurations to provide thermal insulation
between hot effluent 74
and the exterior elements such as seal elements 84, 68. Insulation 94 may be
constructed of one
or more materials that have a low thermal conductivity and or to reflect
thermal radiation.
Insulation 94 may include a material or fluid disposed in a wall portion of
insulation sleeve 94.
100261 Passage 92 extends between inlet port 34 and outlet port 35 for example
spiraling about
inner mandrel 86. Passage 92 is illustrated in Figure 5 formed by sleeve
member 90. Water 62
may be communicated into inlet port 34 through wellbore 12. For example with
additional
reference to Figure 2, inlet port 34 may be open to the annulus (wellbore 12)
above packer 26
and water 62 may be supplied through wellhead 24 (FIG. 1) into wellbore 12 and
communicated
into open inlet port 34. Water 62 may be communicated for example from the
surface through
supply tubing, for example tubing 58, through inlet port 34 and into passage
92. Water 62 may
be discharged from outlet port 35 as outlet water 63 into wellbore 12 above
packer 26, below
packer 26 into tail pipe 30 or stinger bore 88 for example as illustrated in
Figure 4, or directly
into DSG 36 for example as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. In accordance to
some embodiments,
fluid flow may be restricted to one-way flow through passage 92 in the
direction from inlet port
34 to outlet port 35.
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[0027] DSG supply water may be communicated to DSG 36 for conversion to hot
effluent 74
from the surface through supply tubing and or through wellbore 12. The water
supplied to the
DSG inlet may include outlet water 63 discharged from the thermal insulating
device. For
example, in some embodiments water inlet 65 of DSG 36 may be open to wellbore
12, i.e. in
communication with the wellbore annulus, above packer 26 to receive water for
conversion to
hot effluent 74. Surface water supply 64 (FIG. 1) may be communicated through
the wellhead
into the wellbore and communicated to DSG 36 for example through inlet 65.
Outlet water 63
may be discharged into wellbore 12 above packer 26 and supplied to DSG 36
through open inlet
65. Outlet water 63 may be discharged from outlet port 35 and communicated
directly into DSG
36 for example through a conduit (e.g., FIGS. 2 and 3). Water inlet 65 may be
in communication
with surface water supply 64 (FIG. 1) for example through a supply conduit for
example as
illustrated in Figures 1 and 4.
[0028] Insulation 94 is illustrated in Figure 5 located between inner mandrel
86 and passage 92;
however, it may be located between passage 92 and outer mandrel 82. In
accordance to an
embodiment, thermal insulating stinger 44 may include inner mandrel 86,
insulation 94 formed
as a sleeve surrounding inner mandrel 86. passage 92 formed by member 90
surrounding
insulation 94 and outer mandrel 82 resisting the external pressure and
supporting stinger seals
84.
[0029] Figure 6 illustrates an example of a completion 10 incorporating
thermal insulating
stinger 44 and a thermal regulating device 144. In this example, thermal
regulating stinger 44
includes insulation 94 disposed between outer mandrel 82 and inner mandrel 86.
In accordance
to embodiments, thermal regulating stinger 44 does not include cooling fluid
passage 92.
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Thermal regulating device 144 includes a coil shaped member 90 forming a
cooling passage 92
(FIGS. 3-5) in communication between inlet port 34 and outlet port 35. Thermal
regulating
device 144 is deployed proximate to thermal insulating stinger 44 and packer
26. Thermal
insulating device 144 may be in contact with stinger 44 and or packer 26.
Cooling fluid 62 may
be supplied from water supply 64 (FIG. 1) for example through wellbore 12 or
supply tubing 58
and circulated through coil member 90 of thermal insulating device 144 and
discharged through
outlet port 35. For example, the water may be discharged as outlet water 63
into wellbore 12 or
into a conduit 67 and communicated to inlet 65 of DSG 36. The supply tubing 58
can discharge
fluid such as water into a space 91 above the stinger 44 through openings 93
in the supply
tubing. The supply tubing 58 can include one-way valves or other mechanisms to
control flow of
fluid into and out of the supply tubing 58. The loose fluid cools temperature-
sensitive
components, such as seal elements 68. The loose water discharged can be left
in the well or
removed through the supply tubing 58 or another conduit.
100301 The foregoing outlines features of several embodiments so that those
skilled in the art
may better understand the aspects of the disclosure. Those skilled in the art
should appreciate
that they may readily use the disclosure as a basis for designing or modifying
other processes and
structures for carrying out the same purposes and/or achievinu, the same
advantages of the
embodiments introduced herein. Those skilled in the art should also realize
that such equivalent
constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the disclosure, and
that they may make
various changes, substitutions and alterations herein without departing from
the spirit and scope
of the disclosure. The scope of the invention should be determined only by the
language of the
claims that follow. The term "comprising" within the claims is intended to
mean "including at
least" such that the recited listing of elements in a claim arc an open group.
The terms "a," "an"
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and other singular terms are intended to include the plural forms thereof
unless specifically
excluded.
13
