Wellbore completion assembly with real-time data communication apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9957793-B2
Application number	US-201414549447-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 20, 2014
Priority date	Nov 20, 2014
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

In one aspect an apparatus for use in a wellbore is disclosed that in one non-limiting embodiment includes a completion assembly that contains a filter section having a tubular with a plurality of through holes filled with a filter material for restricting flow of solid particles through the holes for placement of the filter section across from a zone along the wellbore, a sensor inside the tubular for providing information about a parameter of interest during treatment of and/or production from the zone into the tubular, and a first circuit coupled to the sensor that transmits wireless signals corresponding to measurements made by the sensor to a second circuit that transmits the received signals to the surface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for use in a wellbore, comprising:
a completion assembly including a tubular that includes a plurality of through holes filled with a filter material to form a filter section that restricts flow of solid particles through such holes and a sensor in a through hole of the tubular for providing information about a parameter of interest during treatment of a zone or production of a fluid from the zone into the tubular;
a first circuit coupled to the sensor that transmits first signals corresponding to measurements made by the sensor, wherein the first signals are wireless signals;
a second circuit spaced from the first circuit on a member placed inside the tubular to receive the first signals; and
a communication link between the second circuit and a surface location that transmits second signals responsive to the first signals to the surface location.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first circuit and the second circuit form an inductive coupling for transmission and reception of the first signals.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the second circuit provides electrical energy to the first circuit via the inductive coupling.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a protective screen between the filter section and the wellbore.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the filter section includes a plurality of serially connected pipe sections with a fluid flow path between adjoining pipe sections and wherein each such pipe section includes a plurality of filter material-filled through holes and a sensor and wherein the first circuit is common to the sensors in such pipe sections.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each hole in the plurality of through holes containing the filter material includes a dissolvable material that provides a pressure barrier for each such hole during a treatment operation and dissolves subsequent to the treatment operation to provide a fluid flow path through each such hole.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the filter section includes a sliding sleeve that provides one of: a flow path for treating a zone across the filter section; and a flow path for a fluid from a zone across from the filter section into the tubular.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the tubular is an outer assembly deployable in the wellbore and the member is an inner assembly configured to supply a treatment fluid to an annulus between the tubular and the wellbore to treat the zone.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor provides measurements selected from a group consisting of: pressure, temperature, flow rate, constituent of a fluid, and water content.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a controller that controls flow of a fluid from the zone into the wellbore in response to measurements from the sensor.

11. A method of completing a wellbore, comprising:
placing a completion assembly in the wellbore that includes a filter section across from a zone, the filter section including:
a tubular that includes a plurality of through holes filled with a material that restricts flow of solid particles through such holes and a sensor inside a through hole of the tubular that provides measurements relating to a parameter of interest during a downhole operation relating to the zone, and a first circuit that transmits wireless signals responsive to the measurements by the sensor, and
a member inside the tubular, the member having a second circuit that receives the wireless signals from the first circuit and transmits signals responsive to the received signals to a surface location;

performing the downhole operation relating to the zone; and
determining the parameter of interest from signals transmitted by the first circuit during the downhole operation.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising isolating the zone, wherein the downhole operation includes treating the zone with a treatment fluid and wherein the parameter of interest relates to flow of the treatment fluid.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising controlling the treatment operation in response to the determined parameter of interest.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising producing a formation fluid from the zone through the filter section, wherein the parameter of interest relates to flow of a formation fluid into the filter section.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first circuit and the second circuit comprise an inductive coupling for transmission of signals from the sensor to a surface location.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the parameter of interest is selected from a group consisting of: pressure; temperature; flow rate; a constituent of a fluid; water content; and
water flooding.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising providing a protective screen between the filter section and the zone.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the filter section includes a plurality of serially connected pipe sections with a fluid flow path between adjoining pipe sections and wherein each such pipe section includes a plurality of filter material-filled through holes and a sensor and wherein the circuit is common to the sensors in such pipe sections.

19. The method of claim 11 further comprising placing a dissolvable material on or in the filter material that provides a pressure barrier during the treatment operation and dissolves subsequent to the treatment operation to provide a fluid flow path through the filter material.

20. The method of claim 11 further comprising providing a sliding sleeve in the filter section to provide one of: a flow path for treating the zone; and a flow path for a fluid from the zone into the tubular.

Assignees

• Allen Jason
• Ireland Kelly
• Andrew Colin
• Legrand Philippe
• Kirkpatrick Tommy
• Barnard Jason
• Baker Hughes A Ge Co Llc

Inventors

• Allen Jason
• Ireland Kelly
• Andrew Colin
• Legrand Philippe
• Kirkpatrick Tommy
• Barnard Jason

Classifications

• E21B47/12

  Means for transmitting measuring-signals or control signals from the well to the surface, or from the surface to the well, e.g. for logging while drilling · CPC title

• E21B47/06

  Measuring temperature or pressure · CPC title

• E21B34/14

  operated by movement of tools, e.g. sleeve valves operated by pistons or wire line tools {(E21B34/066 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• E21B43/16

  Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons · CPC title

• E21B43/08

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