Downhole casing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9422775-B2
Application number	US-201214114595-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 27, 2012
Priority date	Apr 29, 2011
Publication date	Aug 23, 2016
Grant date	Aug 23, 2016

Abstract

The present invention relates to a casing module for being part of a downhole casing system, comprising a base pipe extending in a longitudinal direction and having a circumference, a functional assembly mounted over the base pipe to define a casing module flow path between the functional assembly and the base pipe, and a main flow path arranged substantially in a center of the base pipe and extending in a longitudinal direction of the casing system, wherein at least a part of the casing module flow path is an annular flow path extending both in the longitudinal direction of the base pipe and continuously around the entire circumference of the base pipe, and the base pipe has end sections at which a plurality of supporting structures protrude from an outer surface to provide support for the functional assembly, the supporting structures defining a plurality of casing module flow paths extending in the longitudinal direction. The present invention furthermore relates to a downhole casing system for performing operations in a wellbore containing well fluid.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A casing module for being part of a downhole casing system, comprising:
a base pipe extending in a longitudinal direction and having a circumference,
a functional assembly mounted over the base pipe to define a casing module flow path between the functional assembly and the base pipe, and
a main flow path arranged substantially in a centre of the base pipe and extending in a longitudinal direction of the casing system,
wherein
at least a part of the casing module flow path is an annular flow path extending both in the longitudinal direction of the base pipe and continuously around the entire circumference of the base pipe,
the base pipe has end sections at which a plurality of supporting structures protrude from an outer surface to provide support for the functional assembly the supporting structures defining a plurality of casing module flow paths extending in the longitudinal direction, and
wherein the annular flow path extends substantially the entire distance between the supporting structures at one of the end section to the supporting structures at the other end section.

2. A casing module according to claim 1 , wherein the functional assembly comprises a filtering element mounted over the base pipe.

3. A casing module according to claim 1 , wherein the functional assembly comprises a perforated outer pipe element mounted over the base pipe to provide an injection casing module for injecting fluid into an annulus surrounding the downhole casing system.

4. A casing module according to claim 1 , wherein the functional assembly comprises end rings mounted over the end sections of the base pipe.

5. A downhole casing system for performing operations in a wellbore containing well fluid, the downhole casing system comprising:
at least one casing module according to claim 1 , and
at least one inflow control module extending in a longitudinal direction and adapted to be connected with the casing module, the inflow control module comprising:
at least one control module flow path in fluid communication with the casing module flow path,
a main flow path fluidly connected with the main flow path of the base pipe, and
a plurality of connecting passages fluidly connecting the control module flow path with the main flow path extending through the inflow control module and the casing module.

6. A downhole casing system according to claim 5 , further comprising:
at least one coupling module extending in a longitudinal direction and adapted to be connected to the casing module and/or another module such as an inflow control module, the coupling module comprising:
at least one coupling flow path in fluid communication with the casing module flow path and/or the control module flow path, and
a main flow path fluidly connected with the main flow path of the base pipe and/or the main flow path of the inflow control module.

7. A downhole casing system according to claim 5 , wherein the inflow control module comprises a sliding sleeve arranged along a surface of the main flow path to control the flow through the connecting passages.

8. A downhole casing system according to claim 5 , wherein the inflow control module has end sections at which a plurality of longitudinal grooves are arranged for providing part of the control module flow path, the inflow control module further comprising end rings mounted over the longitudinal grooves.

9. A downhole casing system according to claim 5 , wherein the inflow control module comprises a plurality of longitudinal extending bores fluidly connecting the longitudinal grooves with the connecting passages.

10. A downhole casing system according to claim 9 , wherein each of the connecting passages comprises a circumferential groove connected to at least one of the longitudinally extending bores.

11. A downhole casing system according to claim 10 , wherein the circumferential groove of one connecting passage intersects the circumferential groove of another connecting passage.

12. A downhole casing system according to claim 5 , wherein one or more connecting passages are provided in the casing module or in the coupling module for fluidly connecting the main flow path extending through the casing system with the casing module flow path and the coupling flow path, respectively.

13. A downhole casing system according to claim 5 , wherein valves, throttles and/or inflow control devices are arranged in the connecting passages.

Assignees

• Hallundbæk Jørgen
• Andersen Tomas Sune
• Welltec As

Inventors

• Hallundbæk Jørgen
• Andersen Tomas Sune

Classifications

• E21B21/12

  using drilling pipes with plural fluid passages, e.g. closed circulation systems · CPC title

• E21B17/18 Primary

  Pipes provided with plural fluid passages {(E21B17/203 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• E21B34/06

  in wells · CPC title

• E21B17/203

  with plural fluid passages · CPC title

• E21B43/08

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