Gravel packing apparatus having locking jumper tubes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9394765-B2
Application number	US-201314029033-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 17, 2013
Priority date	Dec 7, 2012
Publication date	Jul 19, 2016
Grant date	Jul 19, 2016

Abstract

A gravel packing apparatus has first and second joints each including a sand control screen assembly having a filter medium positioned exteriorly of a base pipe and a slurry delivery subassembly positioned exteriorly of the sand control screen assembly. Each slurry delivery subassembly includes a transport tube extending longitudinally along at least a portion of the sand control screen assembly. A jumper tube extends between and is sealably coupled to the transport tube of the first joint and the transport tube of the second joint. A first locking assembly is positioned between the jumper tube and the transport tube of the first joint and a second locking assembly is positioned between the jumper tube and the transport tube of the second joint.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gravel packing apparatus comprising:
first and second joints each including a sand control screen assembly having a filter medium positioned exteriorly of a base pipe and a slurry delivery subassembly positioned exteriorly of the sand control screen assembly, the slurry delivery subassembly including at least one transport tube extending longitudinally along at least a portion of the sand control screen assembly;
at least one jumper tube extending between and sealably coupled to the at least one transport tube of the first joint and the at least one transport tube of the second joint, the at least one jumper tube comprising:
a first tubular member defining first and second ends;
a second tubular member configured to slidingly engage within the first tubular member to telescopically from the first end of the first tubular member; and
a third tubular member configured to slidingly engage within the first tubular member to telescopically extend the length of the at least one jumper tube from the second end of the first tubular member;

a first locking assembly positioned between the second tubular member of the at least one jumper tube and the at least one transport tube of the first joint; and
a second locking assembly positioned between the third tubular member of the at least one jumper tube and the at least one transport tube of the second joint.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 ,
wherein a first component of the first locking assembly is supported by the transport tube of the first joint and a second component of the first locking assembly is supported by the second tubular member of the at least one jumper tube; and
wherein a first component of the second locking assembly is supported by the transport tube of the second joint and a second component of the second locking assembly is supported by the third tubular member of the at least one jumper tube.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein the first component of the first and second locking assemblies further comprises a groove.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein the second component of the first and second locking assemblies further comprises a collet assembly.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein the second component of the first and second locking assemblies further comprises a locking ring.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein the second component of the first and second locking assemblies is operably positionable to the exterior of the first component of the first and second locking assemblies, respectively.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein the second component of the first and second locking assemblies is operably positionable to the interior of the first component of the first and second locking assemblies, respectively.

8. A gravel packing apparatus comprising:
a first joint including a sand control screen assembly having a filter medium positioned exteriorly of a base pipe and a slurry delivery subassembly positioned exteriorly of the sand control screen assembly, the slurry delivery subassembly including at least one transport tube extending longitudinally along at least a portion of the sand control screen assembly, the transport tube including a first component of a first locking assembly;
a second joint including a sand control screen assembly having a filter medium positioned exteriorly of a base pipe and a slurry delivery subassembly positioned exteriorly of the sand control screen assembly, the slurry delivery subassembly including at least one transport tube extending longitudinally along at least a portion of the sand control screen assembly, the transport tube including a first component of a second locking assembly;
at least one jumper tube operable to be sealably coupled between the at least one transport tube of the first joint and the at least one transport tube of the second joint, the at least one jumper tube comprising:
a first tubular member defining first and second ends;
a second tubular member configured to slidingly engage within the first tubular member to telescopically extend the length of the at least one jumper tube from the first end of the first tubular member, the second tubular member including a second component of the first locking assembly; and
a third tubular member configured to slidingly engage within the first tubular member to telescopically extend the length of the at least one jumper tube from the second end of the first tubular member, the third tubular member including a second component of the second locking assembly;

wherein, axial engagement of the at least one jumper tube with the transport tube of the first joint operatively engages the first and second components of the first locking assembly; and
wherein, axial engagement of the at least one jumper tube with the transport tube of the second joint operatively engages the first and second components of the second locking assembly.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 8 wherein the first component of the first and second locking assemblies further comprises a groove.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 8 wherein the second component of the first and second locking assemblies further comprises a collet assembly.

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 8 wherein the second component of the first and second locking assemblies further comprises a locking ring.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 8 wherein the second component of the first and second locking assemblies is operably positionable to the exterior of the first component of the first and second locking assemblies, respectively.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 8 wherein the second component of the first and second locking assemblies is operably positionable to the interior of the first component of the first and second locking assemblies, respectively.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 8 wherein axial engagement of the at least one jumper tube with the transport tube of the second joint further comprises telescopically extending the at least one jumper tube.

15. A method for assembling a gravel packing apparatus, the method comprising:
providing first and second joints each comprising a sand control screen assembly having a filter medium positioned exteriorly of a base pipe and a slurry delivery subassembly positioned exteriorly of the sand control screen assembly, the slurry delivery subassembly including at least one transport tube extending longitudinally along at least a portion of the sand control screen assembly;
threadably coupling the respective base pipes of the first and second joints together;
providing at least one jumper tube to be sealably coupled between the at least one transport tube of the first joint and the at least one transport tube of the second joint, the at least one jumper tube comprising first, second, and third tubular members;
axially engaging the second tubular member of the at least one jumper tube with the transport tube of the first joint to establish a sealing and locking relationship therebetween;
slidingly engaging the second tubular member within the first tubular member to telescopically extend the length of the at least one jumper tube from a first end of the first tubular member;
slidingly engaging the third tubular member within the first tubular member to telescopically extend the length of the at least one jumper tube from a second end of the first tubular member; and
axially engaging the third tubular member of the at least one jumper tube with the transport tube of the second joint to establish a sealing and locking relationship thereb

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Least Brandon Thomas
• Cunningham Gregory Scott
• Lopez Jean Marc
• Veit Jan

Classifications

• E21B17/046

  with ribs, pins, or jaws, and complementary grooves or the like, e.g. bayonet catches · CPC title

• E21B43/08

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

• E21B43/04 Primary

  Gravelling of wells · CPC title

• E21B43/10

  Setting of casings, screens, liners {or the like} in wells · CPC title

• E21B17/07

  Telescoping joints for varying drill string lengths; Shock absorbers · CPC title