US2973039A - Multiple zone fluid circulating apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 28, 1961 W. S. PAYNE, JR

MULTIPLE ZONE FLUID CIRCULATING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 2, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 SALT WATER SAND MNN

5 SHALE SAND SAND

\ SHALE SAND SAN D INVENTOR W INF|ELD S. PAYNE, Jr.

ATTORNEY Feb. 28, 1961 w. s. PAYNE, JR

MULTIPLE ZONE FLUID CIRCULATING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 2, 1956 III INVENTOR WINFIELD S. PAYNE, Jr.

Eng

M, W i m ATTORNEY U d i s, Patent 2373,0319 ZONE rnum cmoumrmo APPARATUS Winfield s. Payne, Jr. Long Beach, this, assign: so Richfield Oil Corporation, 'Los -Angeles, cans, acor poration-of Delaware i FiledNov. 2, 19s6,"ser. No. 619,979 2 Claims. -(Cl.-1'66224) This invention relates to well apparatus for use in' th'e secondary recovery of hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation and more particularly {to apparatus for 'con trolling the flow of fluid from awater 'bearingformation into a'plurality of hydrocarbon bearing formations -in'a given well.

2,973,039 Patented Feb. 28, 1961 struction of the'f'appa'ratlis "there is virtually no limit in the i-nur'nber of hydrocarbonbear'ing zones in the well into which ithe flow of "water can be controlled even in bores of conventional diameter. 'In fact, the invention has its greatest usefulness when there are at least three of such zones. Asa further advantage of my apparatus,

' cemented casing in the wenbdr'e which is perforated at Within the-past years, it has become common'practice in the production of hydrocarbon fluids "from=the earth to apply secondary recovery methods such as water flooding to an oil reservoir after it has been somewhat depleted through natural flowing and pumping. The water introduced forces oil from the producing formation andmoves it toward nearby producing wells.

The usual practice in such cases is to obtain the water from suitable surface sources "or salt Water bearing sands overlying or underlying the producing zone. "Utilization of the salt water in water flooding operationsco'rrimonly involves drawing the salt water to the-surface, treating it, and then injecting it into the'waterinput wells; Expen s'ive chemical treatment is required in this process to overcome-"the chemical and bacteriological changes that occur when the salt water is brought to the surface. Whetherthe water is derived from a surface or a subsurface source of supply, it is essential that pumping equipment and pipe lines be provided to convey'thewater from the source to one'or more input wells. Also, in secondary recovery operations by water flooding, it is important to exercise control over the pressures and the volumes of the water that'are injected into "the hydrocarbon-bearing formation in order to effect'maximum oil recovery at a minimum cost and to recover the oil within a reasonable time after operations are commenced.

. In a water flooding operation an overlying or underlying salt water bearing sand could .be produced in a water input well and the water allowed to pass directly into the zone to be flooded through the same well bore, utilizing mechanical energy or the natural hydraulic energy of the salt Water bearing zones so as to effect substantial savings in water handling and water treating. Heretofore, such an operation has not been commonly followed since it had to be conducted without adequate control as to quantities of water being transferred through flow 'in the salt Water bearing sands to the producing zone and little or no control could be had as to which of aplurality of vertically spaced hydrocarbon-bearing strata within the 'Well were supplied water. Due to factors such as strata permeability and oil content of a hydrocarbon bearing formation, it is frequently desirable to inject Water at different rates into different vertically spaced locations of a single oil producing formation or into each of several vertically spaced producing sands which are more or less separated by an impervious stratum.

.The present invention is concerned with apparatus which ispart-icularly useful as it provides for the passage of controlled quantities of water from an upper or lower water-bearing formation to one or more of a plurality of underlying or overlying hydrocarbon-bearing formations asth'e case may be, and selectively as to the hydrocarbon b'e'aring'zone desired to be flooded. Moreover, this con trol ismade possible without necessitating'th'e removal of "a conduitstring from'the wellbore or otherwise involving a' l'arge expenditure-of timeor-money. Dueto the contheregion of the water bearing'forination and .at each of aplurality of "hy rocarbon bearing r'egionsthrough which the well casing extends. A tubing string is provided within the well casing and includes packing. means which forms-a .sealbetweenthe tubing string and well casing intermediate-the Water bearing formation and the hydrocarbon formations. Packers .between 'the casing and tubing also serve to separate the plurality of oil producing zones. The tubing is provided with a laterally enlarged portion adjacent each of the hydrocarbon producing zones. A tubular flow control member .seat is disposed within each laterally enlarged portion and each seat holds a tubular flow control member. The flowcontrol member can be placed in .or removedfrom'its flow control member seatby wire .line manipulation from the earths surface and the flow control member serves to provide control over the rate of waterflow into each hydrocarbon bearing zone. The laterally enlarged portions, flow-control memberseats and flow controlmember are sized so that the latter can .be lowered-in thetubing past the flow control member seats. The sizing and construetion permit the control of flow into any hydrocarbon bearing zone-through removal of the adjacent flow control memberwithout necessitating the withdrawal of a flow control member opposite an overlying zone.

The invention will be most readily understood .by reference to the attached drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal view, partly in section, of the apparatus of the invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the internal construction of a preferred form of enlarged tubing section with a flow control member placed in the flow control memberseat. v

Figure 3 is a vertical section illustrating in detail a preferred form of flow control member shown in Figure 2.

In Figure 1, well bore 10 extends through a Waterbearing formation 11 and penetrates a plurality of vertically spaced hydrocarbon oil-bearing formations 12. A well casing 13 extends downwardly through the well bore and is cemented therein. The casing is provided with perforations 14 in the region of water formation 11 to permit the entrance of Water thereinto. The casing is also perforated in the portions traversing the producing formations as indicated in general at 15. -A string of tubing 16 is'disposed within the casing 13 and is located so that each enlarged section 17 will be opposite an oil producing formation 12. The lower end of the tubing 16 is capped at 20. The string of-tubing is perforated at 18d to allow entrance of water thereinto migrating from watersand 11. This entrance may be provided with a back check valve (notshown) or an enlarged section and flow control member-such as that of Figure 2. On the outside of the tubing '16 are a plurality of'packers 18, "each ofwhich' closes the annular passage 19 between the-tubing string and'the casing between a pair of the formations 12. Packer 18b closes the'annular passage 19 between the water bearing formation and the hydrocarbon bearing formations and "prevents w-ater ads mitted into the *annular passage 19 from 'flmvin'g therethrough directly into the lower formations; but is spaced below the perforations at 18d to'permit fluid introduced into the annulus between the casing and tubing string to pass through the perforations at 180.. Thus, these perforations are generally at the level of the salt water sand or therebelow as long as they are above packer 18b. The several packers may be of any desired form which maintains a seal. 7 j

Flow control members are located inflow control member seats laterally offset withinthe enlarged tubing sections 17 sufliciently so that the flow control members can be separately inserted and withdrawn as with ""ap'raoao I f trol member 24 is the bottom portion 30. Disposed within the lower portion 30 is a removable, restricted orifice member 42. The orifice member has its longitudinal axis in substantial alignment with the axis of the bore of the flow control member above and-below it. Immediately adjacent the orifice on eachside are spaces 55 having internal diameters which are larger than the flow control memberbore.-;;The diameterof the throat of the restrict conventional wire lineequipment without removal of control orifice which contributes to the determination of the production string or interference with the overlying flow control members. Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, the numeral 17 represents a piping section adapted at itsends 9 to be engaged in the pipe string 16 of the well bore. Piping section 17 is provided with a through bore 8 and with a laterally enlarged portion 23 intermediate its ends. In the laterally enlarged portion 23 is an area comprising a flow control member seat 25. As shown, flow control member seat 25 is defined by the outer wall of the laterally enlarged portion of the piping section 17 and a wall 27. The lower end portion 29 of the flow control 'member seat 25 opens externally of the piping section 17. Means 22 are'provided to facilitate retention of the flow control member within the flow control member seat of the flow member combination. tageously means 22 takes the form of a ring spaced above the top of the flow control member seat area and may be formed by removing a section of wall 27 to provide the ring-like retaining member.

ed ,orifice; member. may, and to be effective" in} restricting flow isless than the diameter of the bore of the flow control member. As shown, restricted orifice member 42 is placed atfa position which is below apertures 40. This removable-orifice member constitutes a flow the flow characteristics of the fiow control combination.

Bottom portion 30 is provided with an aperture.44a to facilitate passage of fluids from the bore of the flow control member to the formation being controlled. The aperture provided in bottom portion 30 is advantageously located in theconical end portion 44 of the bottom por-' tion of the flow control member. The bottom portion 30 of the flow control member may be provided with a check valvemeans as described in application-Serial No 489,246, filed February 18, 1955, now Patent 2,869,646,

Advan v Disposed within the flow control member seat of the I r v p H the bore of the fiow control member 24, is prevented.

laterally enlarged portion 23 of piping section 17 is the tubular fiowcontrol member or bored valve body generally indicated by the numeral 24. Advantageously, the flow control member 24 may be considered to be composed of a plurality of threadingly engaged sections comprisingan upper portion 26, an intermediate portion 28 and a bottom portion 30. The flow control member can be a single unitary structure adapted to'have the characteristics discussed below or it may be composed of a adapted to prevent ingress of fluids and sands to the flow control member seat and flow control member from the formation.

To sealingly seat the flow control member 24 within the flow control member seat 25, resilient packingseal 46 is provided. By placing a seal 46 between the inlet and outlet apertures and 44a, respectively of the flow control member 24, flow of fluids through the length of the flow control member seat 25, unless it passes through Such seals maybe of any construction and be disposed on either the flow control member seat or the flow conr trol member 24 but resilient seals on the flow control member 24 are preferred.

plurality of sections. When the flow control member is l 1 composed of a plurality of sections, it should be understood that suitable O rings, such as 31 in Figure 3, can be included where an absolute seal is desired. 7

The upper portion 26 of the flow control member ineludes a means 32 associated therewith andadapted to a permit engagement with a well string tool (not shown) which is capable of inserting into and removing the flow control member from the flow control member seat. Cir.- cumferentially disposed about the upper portion 26 is a means 34 which may take the shape of a shouldered projection. Means 34 is adapted to engage the upper surface retaining means 22 when the flow control member is in operative position. Spaced below means 34 is a latching means 36 adapted to permit latching engagement with the lower side of the retaining means 22. Advantageously, latching means 36 may take the form and operate as described in US. Patent No. 2,679,903. Thus,

it can be seen that the shouldered projection prevents downward movement of the flow control member and the In another embodiment of the flow control member (see Fig. 26), the flow control member seat 25 is closed. off at its lower end portion 25b and instead of an aperr ture at the conical end portion 44 of the flow control member, the bottom portion' 30 of the flow control member 24 is provided'with a side aperture 50 below sealing means 46 and orifice member 42. The laterally enlarged portion 23 of piping section 17 is then provided with perforations 52 immediately adjacent the side aperture to communicate the exterior of the piping section with the flow control member seat and hence to the bore of the flow control member through the side aperture. The resilient'seal 46 is placed between the apertures 40 and the side aperture in the bottom portion 30 of theflow con trol member 24. In so positioning the resilient seal and openings in the flow control member seat and flow con-' trol member 24, the flow is defined by a path through apertures 40, bore 56 of intermediate portion of the flow control member 24 and the lowermost side aperture. For

. a more detailed description of the flow control member latching member prevents upward movement of the flow control member until the latching mechanism is released. 1 The intermediate portion 28 of the flow control mem ber24 is provided with a wall inlet aperture 40 or a plurality of such apertures. Advantageously, the wall 27 of the flow control member seat is provided with perforations 41 spaced around the wall and adjacent the apertures in the intermediate portion of the flow control member," i.e., 'apertures40 in Figure 2, to facilitateiflow. Also, flow to the bore :55 of the flow control member can pass through the space just below retaining member 2-2-;in t heflow control member seat.

. --Below. the intermediate; portion 28 ofthe flow described as well as other embodiments that may be employed reference is made to applications Serial No. 489,245, now abandoned, and Serial No. 473,782, US. Patent No. 2,869,645, filed February 18, 1955, and December 8, 1954, respectively.

In the present invention the opening 29 in the flow control member seat, which communicates the lower open ing 44a in the flow control member with the external portion of the pipe] section 19, should not communicate with the'pipe section bore 8 except through the flow control member 24. Thus, the bottom portion of the bore 56 of the flow control member seat does not communicate directly with the bore of the pipe string below the seal 46. In other words, this portion of the flow control member seat is. provided with means to maintain it sealingly separated from communication with the bore of the pipe sec; tion other than through the flow control member and the openings 40 and '41 respectively in the upper portion of the flow control member and flow control member seat which do communicate with the bore.

In operation, a plurality of piping sections 17 are placed in a pipe string in a well bore at a plurality of positions, each of which is adjacent a hydrocarbon bearing formation being controlled. Annular passage 19 is packed off by means of packers 18 and 18b. Flow control member 24 are then lowered into the pipe string by means of a suitable wire and directed into a flow control member seat at each formation. Water enters casing 13 from water-bearing formation 11 by Way of perforations 14 and flows down annular passage 19 to enter pipe section 16 through the check valve, perforations or flow control member at 18d. The water passes downwardly in the tubing string 16, enters the apertures 41 and goes into the flow control members through apertures 40, passes through the bores of the flow control member, out of the apertures located in conical end portions 44 and into the formations 12. The rate of flow of fluid through the separate flow control member is controlled by the characteristics of the removable orifice 42. For example, increased or decreased flow into a particular area can be obtained simply by lifting the flow control member to the surface and employing an orifice member having a larger or smaller throat diameter as the case may be. Similarly, difierent sized orifices can be employed in fiow control member at different formations and thereby permit rates of fluid input to diflerent formations to be adopted which are optimum for each particular formation. In the event it is desired to block ofi a formation, the flow controlling member may be replaced by a blank bean or solid member 42' (see Fig. 4).

Although the specific embodiment of the present invention has been described in regard to apparatus providing controlled passage of quantities of water from an upper formation to a plurality of lower hydrocarbon hearing formations, it may be effectively employed in situations wherein a water bearing formation underlies the plurality of hydrocarbon bearing formations. For instance, water bearing formation 11 may underlie the plurality of hydrocarbon bearing formations 12 with well bore 10, cemented casing 13, tubing 16, enlarged sections 17, packers 18, perforations 15 and flow control members 24 provided as previously described. Water passing from the salt water sand by way of adjacent perforations in the cemented casing enters the tubing through a check valve, perforations or flow control member at or below the level of the salt water sand and is carried to the upper hydrocrabon bearing formations by means of a suitable pump lowered into the tubing 16 and sized to pass enlarged sections 17. A packer, closes annular passage 19 between the hydrocarbon bearing formations and the water bearing formation to provide effective control of the water passing to the lowermost hydrocarbon hearing formation. By a combination of this system with that of the drawing, water could be passed to a plurality of hydrocarbon bearing strata in situations where at least one such stratum is on each of opposite sides of the water bearing sand.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for controlling the quantities of Water transferred from an upper water bearing region and injected into a plurality of lower hydrocarbon producing regions traversed by a well bore which comprises a well casing cemented in the well bore and perforated at the position of the water bearing region and at each of a plurality of hydrocarbon producing regions through which the well casing extends, a tubing string Within said well casing, packing means forming a seal between the tubing string and well casing intermediate the water bearing region and the hydrocarbon producing regions, said tubing string being perforated above said packing means so that water can flow from said water bearing region into said tubing string, packing means forming seals between the tubing string and well casing intermediate each pair of said plurality of hydrocarbon producing regions, a laterally enlarged tubing section in the tubing string adjacent each of said plurality of producing regions, a tubular flow control member seat in each of said plurality of laterally enlarged sections, said seat being in communication with the bore of said tubing section and having an opening communicating externally of said tubing section, a bored flow control member removably disposed in said flow control member seats, said flow control members being adapted to be removed and inserted in said seats by a well tool insertable into said tubing sections, said flow control members seats and laterally enlarged portions of said tubing section being proportioned to enable the flow control members to pass through said tubing section bore, a first opening in said flow control members communicating with the bore of said flow control members and the bore of said tubing section, a second opening in said flow control members vertically displaced from said first opening and communicating with the bore of said flow control members and the opening in the flow control member seats communicating externally of said tubing section, said flow control member having a removable member positioned between said first and second openings for restricting flow through said flow control members, flow preventing means disposed between the flow control member seats and flow control members intermediate the first and second openings in the flow control members, and means to sealingly separate the internal portion of the flow control member seats communicating with the second opening from communication with the bore of said tubing section except through the bore of said flow control members.

2. An apparatus for controlling the quantities of water transferred from a water-bearing region into a plurality of hydrocarbon-producing regions traversed by a well bore which comprises a well casing cemented in the well bore and perforated at the position of the water-bearing region and at each of a plurality of hydrocarbon-producing regions through which the well casing extends, a tubing string Within said well casing, packing means forming a seal between the tubing string and well casing intermediate the water-bearing region and the hydrocarbonproducing regions, perforations in said tubing string in communication with said water-bearing region so that water can be passed from said water-bearing region into said tubing string and to the level of said hydrocarbonproducing regions, packing means forming seals between the tubing string and well casing intermediate each pair of said plurality of hydrocarbon-producing regions, an enlarged tubing section in the tubing string adjacent each of a plurality of said producing regions and communicating with said plurality of hydrocarbon-producing regions, a flow control member seat in each of said enlarged tubing sections and a flow control member removably associated with each of said seats, said seats being in communication with the bore of said tubing section and having an opening externally of said tubing section, inlet and outlet openings in said flow control members to provide a fluid flow path to the respective adjacent hydrocarbonproducing regions, said flow control members having a removable member between said inlet and outlet openings for restricting flow through said flow control members, said seats being laterally ofliset from the vertical axis of the tubing string sufiicient to permit the raising and lowering of said control members through the tubing string and past flow control member seats in overlying enlarged tubing sections.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,227,538 Dorton Jan. 7, 1941 2,347,779 Heath May 2, 1944 2,537,066 Lewis Jan. 9, 1951 2,604,169 Miller July 22, 1952 2,679,903 McGowen et a1. June 1, 1954

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