High flow screen system with degradable plugs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10597983-B2
Application number	US-201615559655-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2016
Priority date	Dec 19, 2016
Publication date	Mar 24, 2020
Grant date	Mar 24, 2020

Abstract

An apparatus and method according to which a zone of a wellbore that traverses a subterranean formation is completed. The apparatus includes a flow joint including a first internal flow passage, and a plurality of openings formed radially therethrough, a plurality of plugs disposed within the plurality of openings to form a fluid and pressure tight seal with the flow joint, thus impeding fluid flow through the plurality of openings, and a screen disposed exteriorly about the flow joint and axially along the plurality of openings, and thus also along the plurality of plugs, wherein, when the plurality of plugs are exposed to a downhole fluid, the plurality of plugs are adapted to degrade so that fluid flow is permitted through the plurality of openings. The plurality of plugs may include protective layers adapted to be damaged or removed to expose the plurality of plugs to the downhole fluid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A filter assembly adapted to extend within a wellbore that traverses a subterranean formation, the filter assembly comprising:
a flow joint comprising a first internal flow passage, and a first plurality of openings formed radially therethrough;
a first plurality of plugs disposed within the first plurality of openings to form a fluid and pressure tight seal with the flow joint, thus impeding fluid flow through the first plurality of openings;
a screen disposed exteriorly about the flow joint and axially along the first plurality of openings, and thus also along the first plurality of plugs; and
a fluid-return joint comprising a second internal flow passage in fluid communication with the first internal flow passage, a second plurality of openings formed radially therethrough, and a closure member that is actuable between:
an open configuration, in which the closure member permits radially inward fluid flow through the second plurality of openings; and
a closed configuration, in which the closure member prevents, or at least reduces, radially inward fluid flow through the second plurality of openings;

wherein, when the first plurality of plugs are exposed to a downhole fluid, the first plurality of plugs are adapted to degrade so that fluid flow is permitted through the first plurality of openings.

2. The filter assembly of claim 1 ,
wherein at least a portion of the screen is disposed exteriorly about the fluid-return joint and axially along the second plurality of openings.

3. The filter assembly of claim 2 , wherein the closure member comprises a second plurality of plugs selectively removable from the second plurality of openings by a mechanical or chemical process.

4. The filter assembly of claim 2 , wherein the closure member comprises a frac sleeve positioned interior to the second plurality of openings and configured to be engaged by a shifting tool to actuate the frac sleeve between the open and closed configurations.

5. The filter assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a granular media packed around the screen within the wellbore;
wherein, when the first plurality of plugs are degraded so as to permit fluid flow through the first plurality of openings, fluid flows radially through the first plurality of openings at a velocity; and
wherein a size, a quantity, and/or a distribution of the first plurality of openings is/are configured to minimize the velocity of the fluid flow therethrough so that erosion of the screen adjacent the first plurality of openings and/or washout of the granular media packed around the screen within the wellbore is prevented, or at least reduced.

6. The filter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of plugs each include a protective layer adapted to be damaged or removed to expose the first plurality of plugs to the downhole fluid; and
wherein the protective layers of the first plurality of plugs are adapted to be damaged or removed by ablation, abrasion, erosion, perforation, heating, ripping, corrosion, scratching, blasting, and/or magnets.

7. The filter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of plugs comprises:
a metal that is susceptible to degradation by the downhole fluid, the metal comprising aluminum, magnesium, zinc, silver, and/or copper; and/or
a metal alloyed with a dopant so as to be susceptible to degradation by the downhole fluid, the dopant comprising nickel, copper, aluminum, calcium, iron, tin, chromium, silver, gold, gallium, palladium, indium, zinc, zirconium, and/or carbon.

8. The filter assembly of claim 1 ,
wherein the downhole fluid is an electrolytic fluid and respective portions of the first plurality of plugs comprise cathodes and anodes, respectively, of a galvanic cell; and
wherein, in the presence of the electrolytic fluid, the first plurality of plugs are adapted to corrode so that the first plurality of plugs no longer impede fluid flow through the first plurality of openings in the flow joint.

9. A completion section adapted to extend within a wellbore that traverses a subterranean formation, the completion section comprising:
a packing valve adapted to direct the flow of a treatment fluid into the wellbore when the completion section is disposed within the wellbore;
a filter assembly adapted to be positioned downhole from the packing valve when the completion section is disposed within the wellbore, the filter assembly comprising:
a flow joint comprising a first internal flow passage, and a first plurality of openings formed radially therethrough;
a fluid-return joint comprising a second internal flow passage in fluid communication with the first internal flow passage, a second plurality of openings formed radially therethrough, and a closure member that is actuable between:
an open configuration, in which the closure member permits radially inward fluid flow through the second plurality of openings; and
a closed configuration, in which the closure member prevents, or at least reduces, radially inward fluid flow through the second plurality of openings;

a first plurality of plugs disposed within the first plurality of openings to form a fluid and pressure tight seal with the flow joint, thus impeding fluid flow through the first plurality of openings, wherein, when the first plurality of plugs are exposed to a downhole fluid, the first plurality of plugs are adapted to degrade so that fluid flow is permitted through the first plurality of openings;
a screen disposed exteriorly about the flow joint and the fluid-return joint, axially along the first plurality of openings and the second plurality of openings, and thus also along the first plurality of plugs.

10. The completion section of claim 9 , further comprising a granular media packed around the screen within the wellbore;
wherein, when the first plurality of plugs are degraded so as to permit fluid flow through the first plurality of openings, fluid flows radially through the first plurality of openings at a velocity; and
wherein a size, a quantity, and/or a distribution of the first plurality of openings is/are configured to minimize the velocity of the fluid flow therethrough so that erosion of the screen adjacent the first plurality of openings and/or washout of the granular media packed around the screen within the wellbore is prevented, or at least reduced.

11. The completion section of claim 9 , wherein the first plurality of plugs each include a protective layer adapted to be damaged or removed to expose the first plurality of plugs to the downhole fluid; and
wherein the protective layers of the first plurality of plugs are adapted to be damaged or removed by ablation, abrasion, erosion, perforation, heating, ripping, corrosion, scratching, blasting, and/or magnets.

12. The completion section of claim 9 ,
wherein the downhole fluid is an electrolytic fluid and respective portions of the first plurality of plugs comprise cathodes and anodes, respectively, of a galvanic cell; and
wherein, in the presence of the electrolytic fluid, the first plurality of plugs are adapted to corrode so that the first plurality of plugs no longer impede fluid flow through the first plurality of openings in the flow joint.

13. The completion section of claim 9 , wherein the first plurality of plugs comprises:
a metal that is susceptible to degradation by the downhole fluid, the metal comprising aluminum, magnesium, zinc, silver, and/or copper; and/or
a metal alloyed with a dopant so as to be susceptible to degradation by the downhole fluid, the dopant comprising nickel, copper, aluminum, calcium, iron, tin, chromium, silver, gold, gallium, palladium, indium, zinc,

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Fripp Michael
• Richards William Mark
• Frosell Thomas J
• Greci Stephen M

Classifications

• E21B2200/06

  Sleeve valves · CPC title

• E21B17/1078

  Stabilisers or centralisers for casing, tubing or drill pipes (E21B17/1007 - E21B17/1064 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B43/08

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

• E21B34/063 Primary

  Valve or closure with destructible element, e.g. frangible disc (E21B34/103 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B43/045 Primary

  Crossover tools · CPC title