Producing gas through variable bore production tubing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023383621-A1
Application number	US-202217804764-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 31, 2022
Priority date	May 31, 2022
Publication date	Nov 30, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

An uphole section has a first diameter. A midhole section has a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter. The midhole section is attached to the uphole section prior to installation into a wellbore. A downhole section has a third diameter that is smaller than the second diameter. The downhole section is attached to the midhole section prior to installation into the wellbore.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A prefabricated production tubing string comprising:
an uphole section having a first diameter, the uphole section designed based on a combination of hydrate and erosion tendencies within a wellbore in which the prefabricated production tubing string is to be installed; a midhole section having a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter, the midhole section attached to the uphole section prior to installation into a wellbore, the midhole section designed based on optimal production rate and installation requires of the wellbore; and a downhole section having a third diameter that is smaller than the second diameter, the downhole section being attached to the midhole section prior to installation into the wellbore, the downhole section designed based on mechanical strength of the wellbore.

2 . The production tubing string of claim 1 , wherein the first diameter and the third diameter are substantially equal.

3 . The production string of claim 1 , wherein the first diameter is greater than the third diameter.

4 . The production string of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first transition between the uphole section and the midhole section, the first transition comprising a first end coupled to the uphole section and a second end coupled to the midhole section, the first end having a diameter substantially the same as the uphole section and the second end having a diameter substantially the same as the midhole section; and a second transition between the midhole section and the downhole section, the transition comprising a first end coupled to the midhole section and a second end coupled to the downhole section, the first end having a diameter substantially the same as the midhole section, the second end having a diameter substantially similar to the downhole section.

5 . The production string of claim 4 , wherein the first transition and the second transition comprise a corrosion or erosion resistant alloy.

6 . The production string of claim 1 , wherein the uphole section is substantially 10% of a total length of the tubing string.

7 . The production string of claim 1 , wherein the midhole section is substantially 75% of a total length of the tubing string.

8 . The production string of claim 1 , wherein the downhole section is substantially 15% of a total length of the tubing string.

9 . A method comprising:
designing an uphole section of a production tubing string based on a combination of hydrate and erosion tendencies within a wellbore in which the production tubing string is to be installed, the uphole section having a first diameter; designing a midhole section of the production tubing string based on optimal production rate and installation requires of the wellbore; designing a downhole section of the production tubing string based on mechanical strength of the wellbore; fabricating the production string having the designed uphole section, the designed midhole section and the designed downhole section; producing gas through the production tubing string, the production tubing string comprising:
an uphole section having a first diameter;
a midhole section having a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter; and
diameter. a downhole section having a third diameter that is smaller than the second

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein a production rate of the gas exceeds 300 million standard cubic feet of gas per day.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein a pressure of the production gas exceeds 10,000 pounds per square inch.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the production gas comprises sour production gas.

13 . A production system comprising:
a wellbore; a production string within the wellbore, the production string comprising:
an uphole section having a first diameter, the uphole section designed based on a combination of hydrate and erosion tendencies within a wellbore in which the prefabricated production tubing string is to be installed;
a midhole section having a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter, the midhole section designed based on optimal production rate and installation requires of the wellbore; and
a downhole section having a third diameter that is smaller than the second diameter, the downhole section designed based on mechanical strength of the wellbore.

14 . The production system of claim 13 , wherein the wellbore is a deviated or horizontal wellbore.

15 . The production system of claim 13 , wherein the first diameter and the third diameter are substantially equal.

16 . The production system of claim 13 , wherein the first diameter is less than the third diameter.

17 . The production system of claim 13 , further comprising:
a first transition between the uphole section and the midhole section, the first transition comprising a first end coupled to the uphole section and a second end coupled to the midhole section, the first end having a diameter substantially the same as the uphole section and the second end having a diameter substantially the same as the midhole section; and a second transition between the midhole section and the downhole section, the transition comprising a first end coupled to the midhole section and a second end coupled to the downhole section, the first end having a diameter substantially the same as the midhole section, the second end having a diameter substantially similar to the downhole section.

18 . The production system of claim 17 , wherein the first transition and the second transition comprise a corrosion or erosion resistant alloy.

19 . The production string of claim 17 , wherein the uphole section is substantially 10% of a total length of the production string.

20 . The production string of claim 17 , wherein the midhole section is substantially 75% of a total length of the production string.

21 . The production string of claim 17 , wherein the downhole section is substantially 15% of a total length of the production string.

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Hall-Thompson Bryan
• Owoeye Oladele
• Nutaifi Abdulrahman
• Salako Olaoluwa S
• Alrumaih Ghadeer A

Classifications

• E21B34/12 Primary

  operated by movement of casings or tubings · CPC title

• E21B17/02

  Couplings; joints {(expandable couplings or joints E21B43/106)} · CPC title

• E21B43/12 Primary

  Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells (E21B43/25 takes precedence; valve arrangements E21B34/00) · CPC title