Downhole production casing string

Abstract

The present invention relates to a downhole production casing string for insertion in a borehole in a reservoir, the downhole production casing string having a first end nearest a top of the borehole and a second end furthest away from the top, the downhole production casing string extending along a longitudinal axis and comprising at least one opening which during production allows hydrocarbon-containing fluid from the reservoir into the downhole production casing string, a plurality of casing parts having end sections and a base section between the end sections, the base section having an outer diameter, and at least one annular projecting element having an outer face and at least one helical groove arranged in or on the outer face and having an overall outer diameter which is larger than the outer diameter of the base section. Furthermore, the invention relates to a downhole production casing string system for completing a well downhole and to a method of implementing a production casing string according to the invention.

Claims

1. A downhole production casing string for insertion in a pre-drilled borehole in a reservoir, the downhole production casing string having a first end nearest a top of the borehole and a second end furthest away from the top, the downhole production casing string extending along a longitudinal axis and comprising: at least one opening which during production allows hydrocarbon-containing fluid from the reservoir into the downhole production casing string, a plurality of casing parts having end sections and a base section between the end sections, the base section having an outer diameter, and at least one annular projecting element having an outer face and at least one helical groove arranged in or on the outer face and having an overall outer diameter which is larger than the outer diameter of the base section, wherein the at least one annular projecting element is fixed to the plurality of casing parts so as to rotate together during insertion of the string down the borehole, the helical groove being configured to act as a screw to rotatably engage one or more borehole projections remaining after drilling and tending to impede free passage of the string and to advance the string past the borehole projections, wherein the downhole production casing further comprises at least one fluid-expandable annular barrier, the annular projecting element being positioned in front of the annular barrier closer to the second end of the casing string, and wherein a diameter of the annular projecting element is larger than a diameter of the annular barrier before expansion of the annular barrier, so as to protect the annular barrier against damage when, following drilling, the annular projecting element and the annular barrier are together inserted into the borehole.

2. A downhole production casing string according to claim 1, wherein the annular projecting element is a casing collar connecting the casing parts.

3. A downhole production casing string according to claim 1, wherein the annular projecting element is arranged between two annular barriers.

4. A downhole production casing string according to claim 1, wherein the annular projecting element at least partly secures the at least one expandable annular barrier to one of the casing parts.

5. A downhole production casing string according to claim 4, wherein the annular barrier comprises a casing part , an expandable sleeve surrounding the casing part and having an inner sleeve face facing the casing part and an outer sleeve face facing the borehole, each end of the expandable sleeve being connected with the casing part in two connections, and an annular space between the inner sleeve face of the expandable sleeve and the casing part, and wherein the annular projecting element is arranged on an outer casing face adjacent at least the connection closest to the second end of the production casing string.

6. A downhole production casing string according to claim 4, wherein the annular barrier comprises a casing part, an expandable sleeve surrounding the casing part and having an inner sleeve face facing the casing part and an outer sleeve face facing the borehole, each end of the expandable sleeve being connected with the casing part in two connections, and an annular space between the inner sleeve face of the expandable sleeve and the casing part, and wherein the annular projecting element at least constitutes the one connection arranged closest to the second end of the production casing string.

7. A downhole production casing string according to claim 1, wherein the opening has an angle in relation to a radial direction transverse to the longitudinal axis so that the hydrocarbon-containing fluid is guided into the production casing string in the angle different from 90°.

8. A downhole production casing string according to claim 1, wherein the helical groove has a cutting edge.

9. A downhole production casing string according to claim 1, wherein the annular projecting element comprises several grooves forming a helix about the longitudinal axis.

10. A downhole production casing string according to claim 1, wherein the annular projecting element tapers towards the second end of the production casing string.

11. A downhole production casing string according to claim 1, wherein the outer diameter of the annular projecting element is the overall outer diameter of the production casing string.

12. A downhole production casing string according to claim 1, wherein the opening is arranged in the groove for letting fluid from the reservoir into the production casing string.

13. A downhole production casing string according to claim 12, wherein the production casing string has an inner face along which a sliding sleeve is slidably arranged for sliding between a closed position, in which the sliding sleeve blocks the opening, and an open position, in which the fluid is allowed to flow through the opening and into the production casing string.

14. A downhole production casing string according to claim 12, wherein the opening is arranged closer to the first end of the production casing string than to the second end of the production casing string, or closer to the second end of the production casing string than to the first end of the production casing string.

15. A downhole production casing string system for completing a well downhole, comprising: a production casing string according to claim 1, and a rotation equipment for rotating the production casing string about the axis as the production casing string is inserted into the borehole.

16. A method of implementing a production casing string according to claim 1 in a borehole downhole, comprising: connecting casing parts and the at least one annular projecting element for forming the production casing string, following drilling, entering the production casing string into the borehole as the casing parts are assembled, and rotating the production casing string and the at least one annular projecting element about the axis as the production casing string enters the borehole, the helical groove acting as a screw to engage the borehole projections and advance the string past the borehole projections as a result of rotation of the helical groove.

17. A method according to claim 16, further comprising detaching part of a wall of the borehole from the wall by cutting in or hitting against the borehole wall by means of the annular projecting element.

18. A method according to claim 16, further comprising allowing fluid to flow from the borehole, in through an opening in the annular projecting element and into the downhole production casing string.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention and its many advantages will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, which for the purpose of illustration show some non-limiting embodiments and in which

(2) FIG. 1 shows a downhole production casing string system for completing a well downhole having a production casing string,

(3) FIG. 2 shows an annular projection element as part of a casing collar,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the production casing string of FIG. 2 transverse to a longitudinal extension,

(5) FIG. 4a shows a cross-sectional view of the production casing string of FIG. 2 along the longitudinal extension,

(6) FIG. 4b shows a cross-sectional view of the production casing string along its longitudinal extension,

(7) FIG. 5 shows a production casing string having an annular barrier,

(8) FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the production casing string having an annular barrier,

(9) FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of another annular barrier having an annular projection element,

(10) FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of an annular barrier having another annular projection element,

(11) FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional view of an annular barrier having another annular projection element, and

(12) FIG. 10 shows a production casing string having two annular barriers.

(13) All the figures are highly schematic and not necessarily to scale, and they show only those parts which are necessary in order to elucidate the invention, other parts being omitted or merely suggested.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(14) FIG. 1 shows a downhole production casing string 1 during insertion in a borehole 2 in a reservoir 3. The borehole has been drilled and the drill string pulled out of the well before the downhole production casing string 1 is inserted. The downhole production casing string has a first end 4 nearest a top of the borehole and a second end 5 furthest away from the top. The downhole production casing string extends along a longitudinal axis 6 which is substantially coincident with the longitudinal axis of the borehole. The downhole production casing string extends all the way to the top of the well but the first end 4 of the production casing string may also be connected with a drill pipe or another tubular for insertion of the production casing string into the borehole.

(15) The downhole production casing string 1 comprises an opening 7 through which hydrocarbon-containing fluid is let into the downhole production casing string from the reservoir in order to produce oil or gas. The downhole production casing string is mounted from a plurality of casing parts 8. The casing parts have end sections 9 and a base section 10 between the end sections forming one pipe section. An annular projecting element 11 is arranged between the casing parts 8 connecting two adjacent casing parts. Each annular projecting element 11 has an outer face 12 and at least one helical groove 14a arranged in the outer face. The base section has an outer diameter D.sub.o, and each annular projecting element 11 has an overall outer diameter D.sub.oo which is larger than the outer diameter of the base section, so that when the production casing string is inserted in the borehole, the annular projecting elements 11 are the elements hitting against the wall of the borehole. The string is rotated as indicated by the arrows, and since each annular projecting element 11 has helical grooves, the annular projecting elements 11 function as a screw easing the implementation of the production casing string in the borehole. When drilling a borehole, the wall has a lot of rock projections which may prevent free passage of known production casing strings. By having annular projecting elements 11 with a helical groove, the production casing string can easily be screwed past these borehole projections, and thus the risk of the production casing string getting stuck in the borehole during insertion is substantially reduced. Furthermore, when inserting the production casing string, the annular projecting elements 11 may hit against the borehole projections and in this way release the tip of the borehole projection from the remaining part, easing the passage of the production casing string further down the borehole. In this way, the annular projecting elements function to even out some of the irregularities of the borehole during the insertion of the downhole production casing string. As the production casing string is inserted and the annular projecting elements hit against the rock projections, the annular projecting elements 11 of the production casing string also protect other completion components in the production casing string by clearing the path.

(16) The downhole production casing string system 100 shown in FIG. 1 comprises the aforementioned production casing string and a rotation equipment 50 for rotating the production casing string along the helical groove as the production casing string is inserted into the borehole. The rotation equipment 50 is arranged on a derrick but may also be arranged on any suitable rig or vessel. The casing parts are assembled with the annular projecting elements 11 above the rotation equipment 50 and subsequently inserted in the borehole, and new casing parts are mounted onto the production casing string 1.

(17) In FIGS. 1 and 2, the annular projecting elements 11 are casing collars connecting the casing parts 8. The annular projecting elements 11 have helical grooves as shown in FIG. 2, where each groove extends partly around the outer face 12 of the annular projecting element 11 covering the whole circumference of the outer face 12 of the annular projecting element 11 as shown in cross-section in FIG. 3.

(18) As shown in FIG. 2, the base section of the casing parts has an outer diameter D.sub.o, and the annular projecting element 11 has an outer diameter which is the overall outer diameter D.sub.oo of the production casing string, and which is larger than the outer diameter of the base section of the casing parts.

(19) As can be seen in FIG. 4a, the casing parts have end sections 9 and a base section 10 between the end sections 9, and the end sections 9 are connected to the annular projecting elements 11 by a threaded connection. In one of the grooves, an opening is arranged for letting well fluid into the production casing string during production, or for jetting fracturing fluid out of the production casing string in order to fracture the formation. When the opening is used for production, the well fluid is allowed to flow along the groove, and the groove thus provides a fluid channel in the event that the annular projecting element 11 abuts the wall of the borehole. If the opening is used for letting out fracturing fluid and into the formation, the grooves are used for distribution of the fracturing fluid all the way around the circumference of the annular projecting element 11. As shown in FIG. 2, the groove tapers towards the first end and the second end of the production casing string, so that fluid can always flow into the groove.

(20) The annular projecting element 11 has an internal groove 31 in which a sliding sleeve 32 is arranged, as shown in FIG. 4a. The sliding sleeve has indentations for matching a key tool in order to open and close the sleeve by sliding the sliding sleeve back and forth to cover and uncover the opening.

(21) In FIG. 4a, the opening has an angle in relation to the longitudinal axis, shown as the opening having an angle β in relation to a radial direction transverse to the longitudinal axis, so that the hydrocarbon-containing fluid is guided into the production casing string in the angle different from 90°. The angle is approximately 45° in FIG. 4a, but in another embodiment, the angle may be 10-80°, preferably 25-75°, more preferably 35-55°. In this way, when entering the production casing string, the fluid is not jetted directly into the wall opposite the opening, and therefore wear on the wall is significantly reduced.

(22) The angled opening may also be part of an insert 51 which is inserted in an opening in the annular projecting element 11 as shown in FIG. 4b. The insert may be made of ceramic material or tungsten carbide. The annular projecting element 11 further has indentations 53, matching dogs 52 or similar elements which are forced outwards by a spring, so that when the dogs of the sliding sleeve are arranged opposite an indentation 53, the dogs engage the indentation.

(23) As can be seen in FIG. 1, the annular projecting element 11 tapers towards the first end 4 and the second end 5 of the production casing string. Thus, as shown in the cross-sectional view in FIGS. 4a and 4b, the annular projecting element 11 has a decreasing thickness towards the casing parts and in the area where the annular projecting element 11 and the casing parts engage by the threaded connection 33. The helical groove arranged closest to the second and bottom end of the production casing string is provided with a cutting edge 34, so that when the edge 35 of the groove hits against a projection in the borehole wall, that projection is cut off. Thus, while inserting the production casing string having annular projecting elements 11, the inner diameter of the borehole is evened out. By being able to even out the borehole, packers or annular barriers being part of the production casing string can more easily be successfully set later on, as they are to abut the wall of the borehole to provide the zone isolation.

(24) In FIG. 5, the annular projecting element 11 is part of an annular barrier. As shown in FIG. 6, the annular barrier comprises a casing part 8, an expandable sleeve 15 surrounding the casing part and having an inner sleeve face 16 facing the casing part and an outer sleeve face 17 facing the borehole. Each end 18, 19 of the expandable sleeve is connected with the casing part in two connections 22 defining an annular space 20 between the inner sleeve face of the expandable sleeve and the casing part. The annular projecting element 11 is arranged on an outer casing face 23 and constitutes one of the connections 22, namely the one connection closest to the second end of the production casing string and thus in front of the annular barrier, when inserted into the borehole. In FIG. 5, an annular projecting element 11 is arranged in each end of the expandable sleeve 15 for connecting the sleeve 15 to the casing part 8. As shown in FIG. 6, the annular projecting element 11 constitutes a connection part 22 overlapping the ends 18, 19 of the sleeve, so that the sleeve is sandwiched between the annular projecting element 11 and the casing part 8. The outer diameter of the annular projecting element 11 is larger than the outer diameter D.sub.o of the connections in the area overlapping the sleeve. Sealing means 24 are arranged on the outer face 17 of the sleeve 15 for providing a good seal against the borehole when the expandable sleeve is expanded by letting fluid into the space through the expansion opening 21 as indicated by the dotted line. The annular projecting element 11 of FIG. 6 has thus no opening in connection with the groove.

(25) In FIG. 7, the annular projecting element 11 is also part of the connection part 22 connecting the expandable sleeve to the casing part 8. Furthermore, openings 7 are arranged in each groove 14a. The openings are joined in a common flow channel in fluid communication with the inside of the production casing string if the sliding sleeve is in its open position. The sliding sleeve is shown in its open position in FIG. 7.

(26) The annular projecting element 11 and the connection 22 or connection part 22 may also be two separate elements as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. The thickness t.sub.1 of the annular projecting element 11 is larger than the thickness t.sub.2 of the connection or connection part 22. In FIG. 9, the annular projecting element 11 is a separate component easily mounted on the outer face of the casing part in connection with an annular barrier in order to protect the annular barrier while the production casing string is inserted into the borehole. The annular projecting element 11 comprises a plurality of openings for jetting fracturing fluid or letting well fluid flow into the production casing string.

(27) FIG. 10 shows a production casing string having two annular barriers and three annular projecting elements 11 arranged between them. The number of annular projecting elements 11 depends on the length of each annular barrier, and thus the production casing string can be mounted to fit a variety of boreholes and completion designs.

(28) As shown in the right side of FIG. 10, the opening 7 is arranged closer to the second end of the production casing string than to the first end of the production casing string. The openings may also be arranged closer to the first end of the production casing string than to the second end of the production casing string, as shown in the left side of FIG. 10. By having the openings arranged closer to the first end of the production casing string than to the second end of the production casing string, the openings are not filled with particles during insertion of the production casing string. By arranging the openings at a distance from the centre of the annular projecting element 11, the fluid may flow more easily into the production casing string.

(29) By fluid or well fluid is meant any kind of fluid that may be present in oil or gas wells downhole, such as natural gas, oil, oil mud, crude oil, water, etc. By gas is meant any kind of gas composition present in a well, completion, or open hole, and by oil is meant any kind of oil composition, such as crude oil, an oil-containing fluid, etc. Gas, oil, and water fluids may thus all comprise other elements or substances than gas, oil, and/or water, respectively.

(30) By a casing is meant any kind of pipe, tubing, tubular, liner, string etc. used downhole in relation to oil or natural gas production.

(31) Although the invention has been described in the above in connection with preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be evident for a person skilled in the art that several modifications are conceivable without departing from the invention as defined by the following claims.