Flow distribution assemblies with shunt tubes and erosion-resistant fittings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10024116-B2
Application number	US-201414760291-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2014
Priority date	Aug 22, 2014
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

An example shunt tube assembly includes at least one shunt tube that defines an inner flow path for a fluid and provides an upper portion and a lower portion. At least one shunt fitting is positioned inline between the upper and lower portions of the at least one shunt tube. The shunt fitting provides an outlet that fluidly communicates with the inner flow path to provide an exit for at least a portion of the fluid to be discharged from the at least one shunt tube.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A shunt tube assembly, comprising:
at least one shunt tube defining an inner flow path for a fluid and providing an upper portion and a lower portion;
at least one shunt fitting positioned inline between the upper and lower portions of the at least one shunt tube, the at least one shunt fitting providing an outlet that fluidly communicates with the inner flow path to provide an exit for at least a portion of the fluid to be discharged from the at least one shunt tube;
a first coupling assembly including a first coupling fixedly attached to a first end of the shunt fitting at a position between the upper and lower portions of the at least one shunt tube; and
a second coupling assembly including a second coupling fixedly attached to a second end of the shunt fitting at a position between the upper and lower portions of the at least one shunt tube.

2. The shunt tube assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of a fracturing fluid, a gravel slurry, and any combination thereof.

3. The shunt tube assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one shunt fitting is coupled to the upper and lower portions of the at least one shunt tube by at least one of welding, brazing, an adhesive, a mechanical fastener, shrink fitting, and any combination thereof.

4. The shunt tube assembly of claim 1 , wherein a cross-sectional shape of the at least one shunt tube is at least one of circular, polygonal, oval, and kidney-shaped.

5. The shunt tube assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one shunt fitting comprises an erosion-resistant material selected from the group consisting of a carbide, a ceramic, a cobalt alloy, and a surface-hardened metal.

6. The shunt tube assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one shunt tube comprises an erosion-resistant material selected from the group consisting of a carbide, a ceramic, a cobalt alloy, a surface-hardened metal, and a composite.

7. The shunt tube assembly of claim 1 , wherein an inner surface of at least one of the at least one shunt fitting and the at least one shunt tube is clad with an erosion-resistant material selected from the group consisting of a carbide, a cobalt alloy, and a ceramic.

8. The shunt tube assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second couplings are attached to the first and second ends of the shunt fitting, respectively, by at least one of welding, brazing, an adhesive, a mechanical fastener, shrink fitting, and any combination thereof.

9. The shunt tube assembly of claim 1 , wherein one or both of the first and second couplings are directly attached to the upper and lower portions of the shunt tube, respectively.

10. The shunt tube assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
an upper extension included in the first coupling assembly and extending between the first coupling and the upper portion of the shunt tube; and
a lower extension included in the second coupling assembly and extending between the second coupling and the lower portion of the shunt tube.

11. The shunt tube assembly of claim 1 , wherein the outlet comprises a nozzle that extends from the shunt fitting at an angle.

12. The shunt tube assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a work string extendable within a wellbore, wherein the at least one shunt tube extends along an exterior of the work string; and
one or more sand screens disposed about a portion of the work string and interposing the work string and the one or more shunt tubes.

13. A method, comprising:
introducing a flow distribution assembly into a wellbore on a work string, the flow distribution assembly including at least one shunt tube extending along an exterior of the work string and defining an inner flow path for a fluid, the at least one shunt tube providing an upper portion and a lower portion;
conveying the fluid from the at least one shunt tube into an annulus defined between the work string and the wellbore; and
discharging at least a portion of the fluid from the at least one shunt tube at a shunt fitting positioned inline between the upper and lower portions of the at least one shunt tube, the shunt fitting providing an outlet that fluidly communicates with the inner flow path, wherein:
a first end of the shunt fitting is fixedly coupled to a first coupling at a position between the upper and lower portions of the at least one shunt tube; and
a second end of the shunt fitting is fixedly coupled to a second coupling at a position between the upper and lower portions of the at least one shunt tube.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of a fracturing fluid, a gravel slurry, and any combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising preventing erosion of the shunt fitting, wherein the shunt fitting comprises an erosion-resistant material selected from the group consisting of a carbide, a ceramic, a cobalt alloy, and a surface-hardened metal.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising preventing erosion of the at least one shunt tube, wherein the at least one shunt tube comprises an erosion-resistant material selected from the group consisting of a carbide, a ceramic, a cobalt alloy, a surface-hardened metal, and a composite.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising preventing erosion of an inner surface of at least one of the shunt fitting and the at least one shunt tube, wherein the inner surface of the at least one of the shunt fitting and the at least one shunt tube is clad with an erosion-resistant material selected from the group consisting of a carbide, a cobalt alloy, and a ceramic.

18. A shunt tube assembly, comprising:
at least one shunt tube defining an inner flow path for a fluid and defining an opening that provides fluid communication between the inner flow path and an exterior of the at least one shunt tube; and
a shunt nozzle extending from a body of a shunt fitting positioned inline between upper and lower portions of the at least one shunt tube, the shunt nozzle aligned with the opening and mounted to an outer surface of the at least one shunt tube, the shunt nozzle fluidly communicating with the inner flow path to provide an exit for at least a portion of the fluid to be discharged from the at least one shunt tube,
wherein:
a first end of the shunt fitting is fixedly coupled to a first coupling at a position between the upper and lower portions of the at least one shunt tube; and
a second end of the shunt fitting is fixedly coupled to a second coupling at a position between the upper and lower portions of the at least one shunt tube.

19. The shunt tube assembly of claim 18 , wherein the shunt nozzle extends from the at least one shunt tube at an angle ranging between 1° and 179° with respect to the at least one shunt tube.

20. The shunt tube assembly of claim 18 , wherein a cross-sectional shape of the shunt nozzle is at least one of circular, polygonal, oval, and kidney-shaped.

21. The shunt tube assembly of claim 18 , wherein the shunt nozzle comprises an erosion-resistant material selected from the group consisting of a carbide, a ceramic, a cobalt alloy, and a surface-hardened metal.

22. The shunt tube assembly of claim 18 , wherein the at least one shunt tube comprises an erosion-resistant material selected from the group consisting of a carbide, a ceramic, a cobalt alloy, a surface-hardened metal, and a composite.

23. The shunt tube assembly of claim 18 , wherein an inner surface of at least one of

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Veit Jan
• Greci Stephen Michael
• Gommel Matthew Ryan

Classifications

• E21B17/00 Primary

  Drilling rods or pipes; Flexible drill strings; Kellies; Drill collars; Sucker rods; {Cables;} Casings; Tubings · CPC title

• E21B43/04 Primary

  Gravelling of wells · CPC title

• E21B43/08

  Screens or liners {(expandable screens or liners E21B43/108)} · CPC title