A Gravel Pack System That Allows Continuous Chemical Treatment to the Pay Zone Without Interrupting Production

Abstract

The use of semisubmersible rigs, subsea trees and workovers in deepwater wells result in costly rig mobilization. Solving problems remotely, with an interventionless method, provides huge savings and fewer risks to the operator. This paper focuses on the preparation of the first global installation of a gravel pack system that allows continuous chemical treatment pumping to the pay zone area without interrupting production. For wells with production issues such as barium and calcium sulfates causing obstruction of the sand-control screen base-pipe holes, this system will allow pumping of scale inhibitors (or any other chemical treatment) to the end of the horizontal well (toe) or to other parts of open-hole or cased-hole sections without needing to stop production. This system was designed to allow continuous pumping of chemicals to inhibit scaling, corrosion and other production-related issues through one small-diameter flowline down to the interior of the sand control screens at two or more distinct parts of the well (while the well is still producing) or per a specific treating program. The number of injection nodes with the same flowline conduit can vary from well to well because the system incorporates zonal isolation with feed through capabilities, using reactive element packer and multiple sequential injection nipples technology. The first installation will require only two nodes. The system allows for screen assembly and gravel pack installation in one trip, while the flowline conduit reconnects the upper string assembly, using an anchor reconnect seal assembly. For the horizontal open hole installation, the system also incorporates a high-flow liner system for flowline conduit/sensors protection and a special feed through quick connector to simplify certain steps in the assembly, and it allows for torque transmission in open hole deployment. This paper will describe the system functionality, identify its main components and present the test program developed to demonstrate the system consistently, qualifying it for field installation.