Method and apparatus for managing annular fluid expansion and pressure within a wellbore

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9835009-B2
Application number	US-201414653794-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 25, 2014
Priority date	Mar 25, 2014
Publication date	Dec 5, 2017
Grant date	Dec 5, 2017

Abstract

A well, well head, drilling and completion system, and method for relieving pressure buildup between concentric casing annuli. The well head includes casing hangers and a tubing hanger that may include annular pressure relief conduits formed therein, which selectively vent casing annuli to the interior of the production tubing. Annular pressure relief valves are located within the annular pressure relief conduits, which may open and/or shut based on pressure, temperature, or elapsed time.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A hanger system for an oil and gas well, the hanger system, comprising:
a first piping hanger having an upper end and a lower end with a first pressure relief conduit formed within the first piping hanger and extending between the upper and lower ends of the first piping hanger;
a first piping string carried by the first piping hanger;
a second piping hanger having an upper end and a lower end with a second pressure relief conduit formed within the second piping hanger and extending between the upper and lower ends of the second piping hanger;
a second piping string carried by the second piping hanger;
a third piping hanger having an upper end and a lower end with a third pressure relief conduit formed within the third piping hanger;
a third piping string carried by the third tubing hanger; and
a seal bushing disposed between the first piping hanger and the second piping hanger, the seal bushing including a fourth pressure relief conduit formed within the seal bushing that is in fluid communication with the first and second pressure relief conduits;
wherein the first piping hanger and the second piping hanger are positioned in proximity to one another so that the first pressure relief conduit is in fluid communication with the second pressure relief conduit;
wherein the second piping hanger and the third piping hanger are positioned in proximity to one another so that the second pressure relief conduit is in fluid communication with the third pressure relief conduit.

2. The hanger system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pressure relief valve disposed along the first pressure relief conduit or the second pressure relief conduit.

3. The hanger system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first pressure relief valve disposed along the first pressure relief conduit or the second pressure relief conduit; and
a second pressure relief valve disposed along the third pressure relief conduit.

4. The hanger system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first piping string is an outer casing;
the second piping string is an intermediate casing disposed within said outer casing;
the third piping string is a production tubing string; and
the third piping hanger is a production tubing hanger, the production tubing hanger having a central bore extending between the third piping hanger upper and lower ends with the third pressure relief conduit extending from the lower end of the production tubing hanger to the central bore.

5. The hanger system of claim 1 , wherein the fourth pressure relief conduit extends between an upper end and a lower end of the seal bushing.

6. The hanger system of claim 5 , wherein:
the seal bushing defines a cavity,
the fourth pressure relief conduit is in fluid communication with the cavity; and
at least the first or the second pressure relief conduit is in fluid communication with the cavity.

7. A well comprising:
a wellbore formed in the earth;
a well head housing disposed atop of said wellbore;
an outer casing disposed in said wellbore, a top end of said outer casing connected to and in fluid communication with said well head housing;
an intermediate casing disposed within said outer casing, a region between said outer casing and said intermediate casing defining an outer annulus;
an intermediate casing hanger connected to a top end of said intermediate casing and seated with said well head housing above said top end of said outer casing, said intermediate casing hanger suspending said intermediate casing;
a production tubing disposed in said intermediate casing;
a tubing hanger connected to a top end of said production tubing and seated within said well head housing above said intermediate casing hanger, said tubing hanger suspending said production tubing;
an outer annular pressure relief conduit formed within said intermediate casing hanger, said outer annular pressure relief conduit forming at least part of a pressure relief flow path from said outer annulus to an interior region of said production tubing;
an outer annular pressure relief valve disposed within said pressure relief flow path;
an inner casing disposed between said intermediate casing and said production tubing;
an inner casing hanger connected to a top end of said inner casing and seated within said well head housing above said intermediate casing hanger and below said tubing hanger;
an intermediate annular pressure relief conduit formed within said inner casing hanger and forming at least part of said pressure relief flow path; and
an intermediate annular seal bushing disposed between an interior wall of said well head housing and an exterior wall of at least one of said intermediate casing and said intermediate casing hanger, said intermediate annular seal bushing including an intermediate bushing pressure relief conduit that forms at least a portion of said pressure relief flow path.

8. The well of claim 7 wherein:
said outer annular pressure relief valve is disposed within said outer annular pressure relief conduit.

9. The well of claim 7 further comprising:
an inner annular pressure relief conduit formed within said tubing hanger, said inner annular pressure relief conduit forming at least part of said pressure relief flow path; and
an inner annular pressure relief valve disposed within said pressure relief flow path downstream of said outer annular pressure relief valve.

10. The well of claim 9 wherein:
said inner annular pressure relief valve is disposed within said inner annular pressure relief conduit.

11. The well of claim 9 further comprising:
a region between said intermediate casing and said inner casing defining an intermediate annulus;
a region between said inner casing and said production tubing defining an inner annulus; and
an intermediate annular pressure relief valve disposed within said pressure relief flow path downstream of said outer annular pressure relief valve and upstream of said inner annular pressure relief valve.

12. The well of claim 11 wherein:
said intermediate annular pressure relief valve is disposed within said intermediate annular pressure relief conduit.

13. The well of claim 11 wherein:
said inner annular pressure relief conduit is fluidly coupled to said inner annulus upstream of said inner annular pressure relief valve.

14. The well of claim 11 wherein:
said intermediate annular pressure relief conduit is fluidly coupled to said intermediate annulus upstream of said intermediate annular pressure relief valve.

15. The well of claim 11 further comprising:
an inner annular seal bushing disposed within said well head housing between said inner casing hanger and said tubing hanger, said inner annular seal bushing including an inner annular cavity that is fluidly coupled to said inner annulus; and
an inner bushing pressure relief conduit formed within said inner annular seal bushing, fluidly coupled to between said intermediate annular pressure relief conduit and said inner annular pressure relief conduit, and forming at least a portion of said pressure relief flow path;
wherein the intermediate annular seal bushing is disposed within said well head housing between said intermediate casing hanger and said inner casing hanger, said intermediate annular seal bushing including an intermediate annular cavity that is fluidly coupled to said intermediate annulus;
wherein the intermediate bushing pressure relief conduit is formed within said intermediate annular seal bushing, and is fluidly coupled between said outer annular pressure relief conduit and said intermediate annular pressure relief conduit.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Hess Joe E
• Cuthbert Andy J

Classifications

• E21B33/043

  specially adapted for underwater well heads ({E21B33/0407,} E21B33/047 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B47/065

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic

• E21B34/02 Primary

  in well heads · CPC title

• E21B47/06

  Measuring temperature or pressure · CPC title

• E21B21/08

  Controlling or monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid, e.g. automatic filling of boreholes, automatic control of bottom pressure (valve arrangements therefor E21B21/10) · CPC title