System and method for accessing a well

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9909380-B2
Application number	US-201514631808-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2015
Priority date	Feb 25, 2015
Publication date	Mar 6, 2018
Grant date	Mar 6, 2018

Abstract

A system and method for accessing a well is disclosed. The system includes a first cap positionable within a bore of a completion member such as a tree or a spool. The first cap has a sealable interface to accept a second cap, and the second cap when sealed to the first cap is capable of providing a barrier against a release of well fluid external to the well.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A well access system for a well including a bore containing a fluid, including:
a completion member comprising a bore and an annulus;
a first cap positionable within the completion member bore, the first cap comprising:
a sealable interface to accept a second cap;
a first bore in fluid communication with the completion member bore;
a second bore in fluid communication with the completion member annulus; and
the sealable interface comprising a larger pass-through area than the first bore; and

the second cap configured to be accepted by the sealable interface and configured to provide a barrier against a release of the fluid external to the well when the second cap is sealed to the first cap.

2. The well access system of claim 1 , wherein the second cap is configured to be run in open water for positioning and sealing in the first cap.

3. The well access system of claim 1 , wherein the first cap is a tree cap.

4. The well access system of claim 1 , wherein the second cap is a tree cap.

5. The well access system of claim 1 , wherein the second cap is positionable within the sealable interface.

6. The well access system of claim 1 , wherein the second cap is positionable around the sealable interface.

7. The well access system of claim 1 , further including a valve positionable within the first bore and moveable between an open position and a closed position.

8. The well access system of claim 7 , wherein the valve in the closed position is configured to provide a first barrier against a release of the fluid external to the well and the second cap is configured to provide a second barrier against a release of the fluid external to the well.

9. The well access system of claim 1 , further including:
a hanger positionable within the completion member bore and configured to support production tubing including a production bore; and
a valve positionable below the hanger in the production bore and positionable to be in fluid communication with the well bore.

10. The well access system of claim 1 , further including a plug profile forming a part of the first bore of the first cap.

11. The well access system of claim 1 , further including:
a hanger positionable in the completion member bore; and
a plug profile forming a part of a bore of the hanger.

12. The well access system of claim 1 , wherein the completion member is a horizontal tree.

13. The well access system of claim 1 , wherein the completion member is a vertical tree.

14. The well access system of claim 1 , wherein the completion member is an adapter spool.

15. The well access system of claim 1 , wherein the completion member is a subsea completion member.

16. A method for accessing a well having a bore containing a fluid, comprising:
positioning a first cap within a bore of a completion member,
wherein the first cap comprises:
a sealable interface to accept a second cap configured to provide a barrier against a release of the fluid external to the well;
a first bore in fluid communication with the bore of the completion member;
a second bore in fluid communication with an annulus of the completion member; and
the sealable interface comprising a larger pass-through area than the first bore.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising running the second cap in open water for engagement with the first cap.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising positioning the second cap to seal within or around the sealable interface.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
removing the second cap; and
directly or indirectly positioning a riser for fluid communication with one of the first bore and the second bore.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first cap and the second cap are tree caps.

Assignees

• Onesubsea Ip Uk Ltd

Inventors

• June David R

Classifications

• E21B33/035 Primary

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

• E21B33/038 Primary

  Connectors used on well heads, e.g. for connecting blow-out preventer and riser · CPC title

• E21B33/0353

  Horizontal or spool trees, i.e. without production valves in the vertical main bore · CPC title