Systems and methods for independent control and operations of tubing and annulus at the wellhead

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12163396-B2
Application number	US-202217971319-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 21, 2022
Priority date	Oct 21, 2022
Publication date	Dec 10, 2024
Grant date	Dec 10, 2024

Abstract

A tubing spool of a wellhead assembly can include a body having a body cavity, a first channel, and a second channel disposed therein, where the body cavity is configured to receive a tubing hanger used to couple to and suspend a tubing string, where the first channel is configured to be in communication with a tubing string cavity within the tubing string, where the second channel is configured to be in communication with an annulus located between the tubing string and a production casing, and where the first channel and the second channel are each configured to facilitate flow of at least one of a plurality of fluids in either direction independently of each other. The tubing spool can also include a first back pressure valve disposed within the first channel and a second back pressure valve disposed within the second channel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for operating a wellhead assembly, the method comprising:
installing the wellhead assembly at a wellbore, wherein the wellhead assembly comprises:
a plurality of flow control valves, wherein each of the plurality of flow control valves has a fully closed position and a fully open position, wherein the plurality of flow control valves comprises a first flow control valve, a second flow control valve, a third flow control valve, and a fourth flow control valve;
piping coupled to the plurality of flow control valves;
a tubing hanger that is coupled to and suspends a tubing string; and
a tubing spool comprising:
a body having a body cavity, a first channel, and a second channel disposed therein, wherein the tubing hanger is positioned within the body cavity of the body, wherein the first channel is in communication with a tubing string cavity of the tubing string, wherein the second channel is in communication with an annulus located between the tubing string and a production casing, wherein the first channel and the second channel are coupled to the piping, and wherein the first channel and the second channel are each configured to facilitate flow of at least one of a plurality of fluids in either direction independently of each other;
a first back pressure valve disposed within the first channel in the body of the tubing spool to isolate the first channel within the body of the tubing spool; and
a second back pressure valve disposed within the second channel in the body of the tubing spool to isolate the second channel within the body of the tubing spool,
wherein each of the plurality of flow control valves is located outside the tubing spool, wherein the first flow control valve and the second flow control valve control flow relative to the first channel, and wherein the third flow control valve and the fourth flow control valve control flow relative to the second channel;

closing the first flow control valve and the third flow control valve;
opening the second flow control valve and the fourth flow control valve; and
operating a production system in communication with the second flow control valve and the fourth flow control valve to produce the annulus and the tubing string.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after operating the production system in communication with the second flow control valve and the fourth flow control valve to produce the annulus and the tubing string:
closing the second flow control valve while keeping the first flow control valve and the third flow control valve closed to isolate the annulus;
leaving the fourth flow control valve open; and
operating the production system in communication with the fourth flow control valve to produce the tubing string.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after operating the production system in communication with the second flow control valve and the fourth flow control valve to produce the annulus and the tubing string:
closing the second flow control valve while leaving the third flow control valve closed;
opening the first flow control valve while leaving the fourth flow control valve closed;
operating the production system in communication with the fourth flow control valve to produce the tubing string; and
operating an injection system in communication with the first flow control valve to inject into the annulus.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flow relative to the first channel and the second channel occurs during a gas lift operation.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flow relative to the first channel and the second channel occurs during production of a gas well.

6. A method for operating a wellhead assembly, the method comprising:
installing the wellhead assembly at a wellbore, wherein the wellhead assembly comprises:
a plurality of flow control valves, wherein each of the plurality of flow control valves has a fully closed position and a fully open position, wherein the plurality of flow control valves comprises a first flow control valve, a second flow control valve, a third flow control valve, and a fourth flow control valve;
piping coupled to the plurality of flow control valves;
a tubing hanger that is coupled to and suspends a tubing string; and
a tubing spool comprising:
a body having a body cavity, a first channel, and a second channel disposed therein, wherein the tubing hanger is positioned within the body cavity of the body, wherein the first channel is in communication with a tubing string cavity of the tubing string, wherein the second channel is in communication with an annulus located between the tubing string and a production casing, wherein the first channel and the second channel are coupled to the piping, and wherein the first channel and the second channel are each configured to facilitate flow of at least one of a plurality of fluids in either direction independently of each other;
a first back pressure valve disposed within the first channel in the body of the tubing spool to isolate the first channel within the body of the tubing spool; and
a second back pressure valve disposed within the second channel in the body of the tubing spool to isolate the second channel within the body of the tubing spool,
wherein each of the plurality of flow control valves is located outside the tubing spool, wherein the first flow control valve and the second flow control valve control flow relative to the first channel, and wherein the third flow control valve and the fourth flow control valve control flow relative to the second channel;

opening the second flow control valve and the third flow control valve;
closing the first flow control valve and the fourth flow control valve;
operating a production system in communication with the second flow control valve to produce the annulus; and
operating an injection system in communication with the third flow control valve to inject into the tubing string.

7. A method for operating a wellhead assembly, the method comprising:
installing the wellhead assembly at a wellbore, wherein the wellhead assembly comprises:
a plurality of flow control valves, wherein each of the plurality of flow control valves has a fully closed position and a fully open position, wherein the plurality of flow control valves comprises a first flow control valve, a second flow control valve, a third flow control valve, and a fourth flow control valve;
piping coupled to the plurality of flow control valves;
a tubing hanger that is coupled to and suspends a tubing string; and
a tubing spool comprising:
a body having a body cavity, a first channel, and a second channel disposed therein, wherein the tubing hanger is positioned within the body cavity of the body, wherein the first channel is in communication with a tubing string cavity of the tubing string, wherein the second channel is in communication with an annulus located between the tubing string and a production casing, wherein the first channel and the second channel are coupled to the piping, and wherein the first channel and the second channel are each configured to facilitate flow of at least one of a plurality of fluids in either direction independently of each other;
a first back pressure valve disposed within the first channel in the body of the tubing spool to isolate the first channel within the body of the tubing spool; and
a second back pressure valve disposed within the second channel in the body of the tubing spool to isolate the second channel within the body of the tubing spool,
wherein each of the plurality of flow control valves is located outside the tubing spool, wherein the first flow control valve and the second flow control valve control flow relative to the first channel, and wherein the third flow co

Assignees

• Chevron Usa Inc

Inventors

• Painter Jay Patrick
• Hejl Kevin Frank Leo

Classifications

• E21B33/072

  for cable-operated tools (E21B33/076 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B33/04 Primary

  Casing heads; Suspending casings or tubings in well heads · CPC title

• E21B33/035 Primary

  specially adapted for underwater installations (E21B33/043, E21B33/064, E21B33/076 take precedence) · CPC title