US3605887A - Apparatus for selectively producing and testing fluids from a multiple zone well - Google Patents

Abstract

APPARATUS FOR SELECTIVELY PRODUCING AND TESTING FLUIDS FROM A MULTIPLE ZONE WELL INCLUDING A PACKER SEALING OFF ONE OF THE ZONES ANOTHER AND A TUBING STRING IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH THE LOWER ZONE. A LOWER ZONE CROSS-OVER IS DISPOSED ABOVE THE PACKER IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH THE TUBING STRING FOR DIVERTING FLUIDS FROM THE LOWER ZONE AND INTO THE ANNULUS BETWEEN THE TUBING STRING AND THE WELL. AN UPPER ZONE FLUID INLET IS IN FLUID COMMINICATION WITH THE TUBING STRING ABOVE THE LOWER ZONE CROSS-OVER. A PUMP EXTENSION IS SELECTIVELY MOVABLE IN THE TUBING STRING BETWEEN A POSITION SEALING OFF THE TUBING STRING AT ONE POINT ABOVE THE LOWER ZONE CROSS-OVER AND BELOW THE UPPER ZONE FLUID INLET AND AT ANOTHER POINT BELOW BOTH THE LOWER ZONE CROSSOVER AND

THE UPPER ZONE FLUID INLET. THE PUMP EXTENSION INCLUDES A FIRST NORMALLY OPEN FLUID INLET FOR REMOVING FLUIDS FROM BOTH OF THE ZONES AND A SECOND NORMALLY CLOSED FLUID INLET FOR REMOVING FLUIDS FROM THE LOWER ZONE.

Description

p 20, 1911 .A. LAMBIE 3,605,887

APPARATUS FOR SE TIVELY PRODUCING AND TESTING FLUIDS M A MULTIPLE ZONE WELL 19d May 21, 1970 Lal l 5 FIG 2 L 4 uni \J \J INVENTOR. DARRYL A. LAMBIE United States Patent APPARATUS FOR SELECTIVELY PRODUCING AND TESTING FLUIDS FROM A MULTIPLE ZONE WELL Darryl A. Lambie, Midland, Tex., assignor to Shell Oil Company, New York, N.Y. Filed May 21, 1970, Ser. No. 39,340 Int. Cl. E2lb 43/00 U.S. Cl. 166-105 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for selectively producing and testing fluids from a multiple zone well including a packer sealing off one of the zones from another and a tubing string in fluid communication with the lower zone. A lower zone cross-over is disposed above the packer in fluid communication with the tubing string for diverting fluids from the lower zone and into the annulus between the tubing string and the well. An upper zone fluid inlet is in fluid communication with the tubing string above the lower zone cross-over. A pump extension is selectively movable in the tubing string between a position sealing off the tubing string at one point above the lower zone cross-over and below the upper zone fluid inlet and at another point below both the lower zone crossover and the upper zone fluid inlet. The pump extension includes a first normally open fluid inlet for removing fluids from both of the zones and a second normally closed fluid inlet for removing fluids from the lower zone.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The invention relates to well completion; and more particularly, to the selective production and testing of fluids normally produced from multiple zone wells.

Description of the prior art It is often desirable to produce fluids from a well borehole extending into a multiple zone within a subterranean earth formation. In such cases, confluent production of the zones will result in significant capital cost savings in artificial lift equipment and decreased operating costs. Confluent production from such multiple zones will eliminate the need for dual beam units, tandem pumping equipment, or lower zone gas vent strings. However, present equipment is not suitable for both providing confluent production from multiple zone and selective testing of such zones that may be necessary in order to monitor flood response therein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide apparatus for the confluent production of multiple zones traversed by a well borehole.

It is a further objection of this invention to provide apparatus for both the confluent production of multiple zones and the selective testing of the fluids produced from such zones.

These and other objects are preferably accomplished by installing both a packer in the well borehole sealing off one of the zones from another and a tubing string in fluid communication with the lower zone. A lower zone cross-over is disposed above the packer in fluid communication with the tubing string for diverting fluids from the lower zone and into the annulus between the tubing string and the well. An upper zone fluid inlet is in fluid communication with the tubing string above the lower zone cross-over. A pump extension is selectively movable in the tubing string between a position sealing off the tubing string at one point above the lower zonecross-over and below the upper zone fluid inlet and at another point below both the lower zone crossover and the upper zone fluid inlet. The pump extension includes a first normally open fluid inlet for removing fluids from both of the zones and a second normally closed fluid inlet for removing fluids from the lower zone. In this manner, by selectively moving the pump extension within the tubing string and opening and closing the fluid inlets therein, fluids may be both produced simultaneously from the multiple zones or selectively tested from each of the zones.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view, partly schematic, of apparatus for both producing and selectively testing fluids from multiple zones traversed by a well borehole;

FIG. 2 is a vertical schematic illustration of the testing of fluids produced from the upper zone of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a vertical schematic illustration of the testing of fluids produced from the lower zone of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing, awell borehole 10 is shown wherein the wellborehole 10 traverses an upper zone 11 and alower zone 12 within asubterranean earth formation 13. It is to be understood that a plurality ofsuch zones 11 and 12 may be disposed along wellborehole 10, all of the zones containing formation fluids therein, which fluids are to be produced therefrom in the manner set forth hereinbelow.

Wellborehole 10 may be cased, as atcasing 14, along the extent ofzones 11 and 12 withcasing 14 cemented therein, as at cementing 15, all as is well known in the art.

A conventional retrievable orpermanent packer 16 or the like is disposed inwell borehole 10 in a manner sealing otflower zone 12 from upper zone 11. Wellborehole 10 is also perforated at locations therein providing fluid communication betweenborehole 10 andzones 11 and 12, as for example, atperforations 17 communicating with upper zone 11 andperforations 18 communicating withlower zone 12. It is is to be understood that such perforations may be formed by any means known in the art, as for example, by jet perforating means, and, although only two such perforations are shown, any number of perforations may be formed along the extents ofzones 11 and 12.

Aconventional tubing string 19 is disposed inwell borehole 10, theupper end 20 extending out of wellborehole 10 to conventional oil recovery equipment (not shown) atearth surface 21, and the lower end preferably includes a conventional on-offsealing connector 22 having a left-hand J-latch locking device thereon. In this manner, tension may be put on thetubing string 19 and a minimum amount of rotation oftubing string 19 is required to pull thetubing string 19 oif ofpermanent tubing extension 23 which passes throughpacker 16 and has itslower end 24 in fluid communication with fluids flowing fromzone 12 throughperforations 18 as can be seen by the arrows in FIG. 1. Thus, fluids flowing fromzone 12 pass up thetubing string 19.

A conventional one-way ball valve 25 is preferably disposed inextension 23 for preventing backflow of fluids from the upper zone 11 to thelower zone 12. Of coursevalve 25 is not necessary if the pressure of thezones 11 and 12 is about equal.Tubing string 19 further preferably includes aportion 19a extending upwardly fromconnector 22 to assist in removingtubing string 19 from wellborehole 10 as is well known in the art.

A lowerzone cross-over member 26 communicates with the interior oftubing string 19 and preferably extends first outwardly and perpendicular totubing string 19, then upwardly and parallel thereto as can be seen in FIG. 1. Theupper end 27 ofmember 26 opens intoannulus 28 formed betweentubing string 19 andcasing 14.

Adip tube 29 is in fluid communication withtubing string 19 above the junction ofmember 26 withstring 19 and preferably extends first downwardly and outwardly fromtubing string 19, then downwardly substantially parallel totubing string 19 andportion 19a as can be seen in FIG. 1. Thelower end 30 ofdip tube 29 is preferably disposed as close as possible to packer 16 so as to prevent corrosive formation fluids from standing onpacker 16 and damaging any of the apparatus.

A plurality of sealing bores are preferably formed or otherwise provided at various locations alongtubing string 19 betweenzones 11 and 12. For example, afirst sealing bore 31 is preferably formed intubing string 19 above the point of communication ofdip tube 29 withtubing string 19. Asecond sealing bore 32 is preferably formed intubing string 19 below sealingbore 31 and between the points of communication of bothdip tube 29 andcross-over member 26 withtubing string 19. Finally, athird sealing bore 33 is preferably formed intubing string 19 below the point of communication ofcross-over member 26 withtubing string 19.

Apumping unit 34 is disposed intubing string 19, theunit 34 including abarrel portion 35.Barrel portion 35 includes apump extension 36 having a sealingnipple member 42 at its lower end extending downtubing string 19 for reasons to be discussed further hereinbelow. Preferably, bothbarrel portion 35 and sealingnipple member 42 carryfriction cups 37 and 38 or the like, respectively, thereon for engagement withsealing bores 31 and 32, respectively. Thus, thepump barrel portion 35 is held in place in sealingbore 31 byfriction cups 37. The length ofextension 36 is preferably one integral piece necessitating extensions of various lengths to be screwed or otherwise fastened tobarrel portion 35 for carrying out further operations in accordance with the invention, as will be discussed hereinbelow.

Pump extension 36 is perforated, as ataperture 39, for providing fluid communication withdip tube 29. A normally closedport 40 is disposed at the lower end ofpump extension 36 having a selectivelyremovable cap 41 or the like thereon.

Barrel portion 35 ofpumping unit 34 is open at its upper end and aconventional sucker rod 43 extends therethrough. Theupper end 44 ofrod 43 extends to conventional pump actuating equipment (not shown) onearth surface 21. At its lower end,rod 43 is coupled to a cnventional pump plunger 45. A conventionaltravelling ball valve 46, adapted to engagevalve seat 47 carried bybarrel portion 35, is disposed inbarrel portion 35 belowplunger 45. A conventionalstanding ball valve 48, adapted to engagevalve seat 49 carried bybarrel portion 35, is disposed inbarrel portion 35 belowball valve 46. A chamber 50 is formed inbarrel portion 35 betweenvalves 46 and 48.

-In operation,packer 16 is installed in well borehole in a manner sealing ofzones 11 and 12. Communication is provided betweenwell borehole 10 andzones 11 and 12 throughperforations 17 and 18, respectively. Atubing string extension 23 is fixed inpacker 16 so that its lower end communicates with formation fluids fromzone 12. Thetubing string 19 and its associated equipment is latched to the upper end ofextension 23 by means ofsealing connector 22. Thetubing string 19 is thus hung in tension. Preferably, a one-way valve 25 is installed inextension 23 for reasons discussed hereinabove. Thepumping unit 34 is installed intubing string 19 and latched therein as throughcups 37 and bore 31. In this first position of the apparatus as set forth in FIG. 1, thewell borehole 10 is set up for normal confluent production of formation fluids fromzones 11 and 12. In this case,port 40 is plugged bycap 41 andport 39, onpump extension 36, is open.

In operation, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 1, fluids produced fromlower zone 12enter perforations 18 and go uptubing extension 23past valve 25,. Sincepump extension 36seals tubing string 19 abovemember 26, the lower zone formation fluids flow throughcrossover member 26 and out theupper end 27 thereof intoannulus 28. Simultaneously, formation fluids produced from upper zone 11 pass throughperforations 17 and down theannulus 28 where the upper zone formation fluids mix with the lower zone formation fluids inannulus 28. Gas interference in thepumping unit 34 is mini mized by venting gas from the formation fluids from bothzones 11 and 12 upannulus 28 and outannulus outlet 51.

The mixed formation fluids inannulus 28 enter thelower end 30 ofdip tube 29 and pass intotubing string 19. Sincetubing string 19 is sealed both above and belowport 39, the fluids enterport 39 and flow throughextension 36 to thepumping unit 34.

On the up-stroke ofsucker rod 43 andplunger 45, travellingvalve 46 is closed and fluid is displaced out the to oftubing 20 to suitable on-surface recovery equipment (not shown). Simultaneously, fluids pass standingvalve 48 and fill chamber 50. On the downstroke ofrod 43 andplunger 45, standingball valve 48 is closed and travellingvalve 46 is open. Fluid in chamber 50 is then displaced intotubing 19 above travellingvalve 46. In this manner, commingled production fluids from both upper andlower zones 11 and 12 are recovered simultaneously using essential single-beam pumping equipment. In such case, these steps may be accomplished using the equipment of FIG. 1.

For example, referring now to FIG. 2, a schematic illustration of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1 is shown wherein like numerals refer to like parts of FIG. 1. In order to test the upper zone 11, a longer section similar tosection 36 is threaded onto or otherwise fastened tobarrel portion 35 to the length indicated whereby thecups 38 of sealingnipple member 42 engage the third sealing bore 33 while the cups 7 ofbarrel portion 35 engage the first sealing bore 31.Port 40 is plugged bycap 41 andaperture 39 is open. Sincetubing string 19 is now sealed ofi from fluids passing therethrough by means ofcups 38 and bore 33, only formation fluids from the upper zone 11 enter thetubing string 19 through bothdip tube 29 andcross-over member 26 intoport 39 and intobarrel portion 35 of thepumping unit 34 as indicated by the arrows and in the manner discussed hereinabove with respect to the apparatus of FIG. 1.

In like manner, referring now to FIG. 3 wherein like numerals refer to like parts of FIG. 2, onlylower zone 12 may be tested. In this feature of my invention, the apparatus is set up inwell borehole 10 in the manner discussed hereinabove with respect to FIG. 2. However,cap 41 is removed, thus openingport 40. Theaperture 39 onextension 36 is closed (or, alternatively,pump extension 36 is imperforate), so that formation fluids enteringcrossover member 26 anddip tube 29 cannot enterextension 36. Thus, only fluids from thelower zone 12 can enter theextension 36 into thebarrel portion 35 of pumpingunit 34 throughport 40 as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 3.

In summary, single beam pumping apparatus is disclosed whereby multiple zones traversed by a well borehole may be either confluently produced therefrom or selectively treated. Although the productive capacity of the apparatus is no greater than in dual or tandem beam installations, substantial reduced operating costs lower the economic limit of such zones and increase the total oil production therefrom. Finally a plurality of such zones may be treated in like manner with suitable packers, dip tubes, and cross-over members as required.

I claim as my invention:

1. Apparatus for selectively producing and testing fluids from multiple zones traversed by a well borehole extending into a subterranean earth formation, said zones being in fluid communication with said well borehole with at least one of said zones being lower than another of said zones, the apparatus comprising:

packing means disposed in said well borehole sealing 05 at least one of said zones from another of said zones;

tubing string means extending down said well borehole through said packing means into fluid communication with said lower zone and forming an annulus in said well borehole;

lower zone cross-over means disposed above said packing means in fluid communication with said tubing string means and opening into said annulus above said packing means;

upper zone fluid inlet means in fluid communication with said tubing string means above the junction of said lower zone cross-over means with said tubing string means;

selectively movable pumping means disposed in said tubing string means in a manner adapted to seal off said tubing string means at one point above the junction of said lower zone cross-over means with tubing string means and below the point of fluid communication between said tubing string means and said upper zone fluid inlet means and at another point below the junction of said lower zone cross-over means with said tubing string means; and

said pumping means having a first normally open fluid inlet means therein in selective fluid communication with fluids entering said tubing string means from said upper zone fluid inlet means and a second normally closed fluid inlet means at the lower end thereof in selective fluid communication with fluids entering said tubing string means from said lower zone.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one-way valve means is disposed in said tubing string means above said packing means and below said junction of said cross-over means with said tubing string means.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said lower zone cross-over means extends outwardly from its point of junction with said tubing string means, then upwardly and substantially parallel to said tubing string means in the annulus formed between said tubing string means and said well borehole.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said upper zone fluid inlet means extends outwardly from and substantially downwardly with respect to said tubing string means, the lower end of said fluid inlet means being disposed above but substantially adjacent to said packing means in the annulus formed between said tubing string means and said well borehole.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said tubing string means includes an extension portion extending through and fixed within said packing means; and

the remainder of said tubing string means being detachably removable from said extension portion and thus from said well borehole.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pumping means includes a sucker rod having a pumping unit at the lower end thereof; and

a pump extension extending downwardly in said tubing string means.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said tubing string means includes a first sealing bore therein above the point of fluid communication of said fluid inlet means with said tubing string means;

a second sealing bore therein between the points of fluid communication of both said fluid inlet means and said cross-over means with said tubing string means;

a third sealing bore therein below the point of fluid communication of said cross-over means with said tubing string means; and

said pumping means including sealing bore engagement means thereon adapted to selectively and simultaneously engage at least two of said sealing bores.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,005,414 10/1961 Coberley 166-105 3,172,469 3/1965 Coberley et al 166-105 JAMES H. LEPPINK, Primary Examiner

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