Distributed fluid injection system for wellbores

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11767743-B2
Application number	US-201916523063-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 26, 2019
Priority date	Jul 27, 2018
Publication date	Sep 26, 2023
Grant date	Sep 26, 2023

Abstract

A downhole fluid injection system comprising: a first fluid line including a first end, a second end, and an intermediate portion, the first end being connected to a fluid source, the first fluid line being extendable along a first portion of a wellbore; and a second fluid line including a first end section, a second end section, and an intermediate section, the second fluid line being extendable along a second portion of the wellbore that extends at an angle relative to the first portion and includes a plurality of fluid injectors arranged along the intermediate section.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A downhole fluid injection system comprising:
a first fluid line including a first end, a second end, and an intermediate portion, the first end being connected to a fluid source, the first fluid line being extendable along a first portion of a wellbore, the second end of the first fluid line including a first connector portion;
an electric submersible pump (ESP) coupled to the first fluid line and arranged uphole of the first connector portion; and
a second fluid line including a first end section, a second end section, and an intermediate section, the second fluid line being extendable along a second portion of the wellbore that extends at an angle relative to the first portion and includes a plurality of fluidically connected fluid injectors arranged along the intermediate section, the first fluid line and the second fluid line being run into the wellbore with the ESP to perform wellbore operations, the first end section of the second fluid line including a second connector portion, the first connector portion of the first fluid line being selectively disconnectable from the second connector portion of the second fluid line allowing the first fluid line and the ESP to be withdrawn from the wellbore while the second fluid line and the plurality of fluidically connected fluid injectors remain downhole, the first connector portion being selectively reconnectable to the second connector portion of the second fluid line to continue wellbore operations after being withdrawn.

2. The fluid injection system according to claim 1 , wherein the second fluid line comprises a length of coil tubing.

3. The fluid injection system according to claim 1 , wherein the second fluid line comprises a plurality of discrete tubing segments coupled through one or more connectors, the plurality of fluid injectors being arranged in one or more of the plurality of discrete tubing segments.

4. The fluid injection system according to claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the wellbore is a vertical section of the wellbore and the second section of the wellbore is a horizontal section of the wellbore, the first and second connector portions being arranged in the vertical section of the wellbore.

5. A resource exploration and recovery system comprising:
a surface system including a fluid source;
a subterranean system including a casing tubular extending into a wellbore of a formation, the wellbore including a vertical section and a horizontal section including a toe portion and a heel portion; and
a fluid injection system extending into the second system from the first system, the fluid injection system comprising:
a first fluid line including a first end, a second end, and an intermediate portion, the first end connected to the fluid source, the second end of the first fluid line including a first connector portion;
an electric submersible pump (ESP) coupled to the first fluid line and arranged uphole of the first connector portion; and
a second fluid line including a first end section, a second end section, and an intermediate section, the second fluid line extending along the horizontal portion and includes a plurality of fluidically connected fluid injectors arranged along the intermediate section, the first fluid line and the second fluid line being run into the wellbore with the ESP to perform wellbore operations, the first end section of the second fluid line including a second connector portion, the first connector portion of the first fluid line being selectively disconnectable from the second connector portion of the second fluid line allowing the first fluid line and the ESP to be withdrawn from the wellbore while the second fluid line and the plurality of fluidically connected fluid injectors remain downhole, the first connector portion being selectively reconnectable to the second connector portion of the second fluid line to continue wellbore operations after being withdrawn.

6. The resource exploration and recovery system according to claim 5 , wherein the second fluid line comprises a length of coil tubing.

7. The resource exploration and recovery system according to claim 5 , wherein the second fluid line comprises a plurality of discrete tubing segments coupled though one or more connectors, the plurality of fluid injectors being arranged in one or more of the plurality of discrete tubing segments.

8. The resource exploration and recovery system according to claim 5 , wherein the first connector portion is coupled to the second connector portion uphole of the heel portion.

9. The resource exploration and recovery system according to claim 5 , at least one of the plurality of fluid injectors is arranged at the toe portion of the horizontal section.

10. The resource exploration and recovery system according to claim 5 , wherein the first fluid line and the ESP are positioned in the vertical section of the wellbore.

11. A method of injecting fluids into a horizontal section of a wellbore comprising:
introducing a fluid injection system including an electric submersible pump (ESP) into a vertical section of the wellbore, the ESP being fluidically connected between a first fluid line and a second fluid line;
guiding a portion of the second fluid line of the fluid injection system into the horizontal section of the wellbore;
performing wellbore operations by injecting a fluid through the first fluid line, into the second fluid line and through a plurality of fluidically connected fluid injectors arranged along the portion of the fluid injection system;
disconnecting a connector coupled between the ESP and the second fluid line of the fluid injection system in the horizontal section;
withdrawing the first fluid line and the ESP from the wellbore;
re-introducing the first fluid line and the ESP into the wellbore; and
re-connecting the connector joining the ESP with the second fluid line to commence further wellbore operations.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein injecting the fluid includes introducing fluid into the toe portion of the horizontal section.

Assignees

• Lerohl David
• Nazarenko Pavel
• Holmes Kevin
• Raggio John
• Baker Hughes A Ge Co Llc

Inventors

• Lerohl David
• Nazarenko Pavel
• Holmes Kevin
• Raggio John

Classifications

• E21B43/16 Primary

  Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons · CPC title

• E21B43/128

  Adaptation of pump systems with down-hole electric drives · CPC title

• E21B43/25 Primary

  Methods for stimulating production {(by vibrating earth formations E21B43/003)} · CPC title

• E21B17/06

  Releasing-joints, e.g. safety joints · CPC title