A flow control apparatus (800) includes a tubular member (818) having a plurality of openings (820, 822, 824, 826) that allow fluid flow between an exterior and an interior flow path (828) of the tubular member (818) and a multi-stage flow restricting section (804) operably positioned in a fluid flow path between a fluid source disposed exteriorly of the tubular member (818) and the interior flow path (828). The flow restricting section (804) including a plurality of flow restricting devices (838, 844, 850) each operable to create a pressure drop. Actuatable devices (830, 832, 834, 836) operably associated with the openings (820, 822, 824, 826) are sequentially actuatable to allow fluid flow through the associated openings (820, 822, 824, 826), thereby sequentially reducing the pressure drop experienced by fluids flowing from the fluid source to the interior flow path (828).

Apparatus for adjustably controlling the inflow of production fluids from a subterranean well

The invention relates to a method of performing production operations of an oilfield having at least one process facility and at least one wellsite operatively connected thereto, each at least one wellsite having a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation for extracting fluid from an underground reservoir therein. The method steps include receiving a number of steps each from at least one of a number of collaborators, specifying an automated workflow including the number of steps and for generating a first well plan, obtaining first data associated with the production operations, applying the automated workflow to the first data to generate the first well plan, adjusting the production operations based on the first well plan, and modifying at least one of the number of steps based on input from at least one of the number of collaborators to generate an updated automated workflow.

System and method for performing oilfield simulation operations

Hydrocarbon recovery has led to compaction and subsidence from the North Sea, to Venezuela, and to the western coast of the US. Subsidence at the Wilmington and Ekofisk oil fields are two of the most widely recognized examples due both to the magnitude of subsidence as well as the cost of remediation. However, while lesser known, subsidence is a challenge for a number of reservoirs. In Venezuela, subsidence due to reservoir depletion has led to severe flooding along the coast of Lake Maracaibo. In the Netherlands, subsidence at the large Groningen gas field, though only on the order of tens of centimeters, poses significant challenges since large portions of the Netherlands are below sea level and protected by dikes. Reservoir compaction and surface, or seabed, subsidence has many impacts, challenges, solutions, and even benefits. Seabed subsidence at the Ekofisk field, for example, has had a well known effect by reducing platform airgap and resulting in the jacking of platforms in 1987, the barrier placement in 1989, and the Ekofisk II redevelopment in 1998. Likewise, subsidence has led to significant pipeline concerns due to excess compressional or tensional strain. Reservoir compaction, the cause of subsidence, has led to numerous casing deformations and poses a notable challenge for well completion. However, reservoir compaction also provides significant drive energy and greatly contributes to increased production and reserves.

Compaction and subsidence issues within the petroleum industry: From wilmington to ekofisk and beyond

Casing impairment leads to loss of pressure integrity, pinching of production tubing, or an inability to lower workover tools. Usually, impairment arises through shear owing to displacement of the rock strata along bedding planes or along more steeply inclined fault planes. These displacements are shear failures. They are triggered by stress concentrations generated by volume changes resulting from production or injection activity. Volume changes may arise from pressure changes, temperature changes, or solids movement (solids injection or production). Dominant casing-deformation mechanisms are localized horizontal shear at weak lithology interfaces within the overburden; localized horizontal shear at the top of production and injection intervals; and casing buckling within the producing interval, primarily located near perforations. Mitigating casing damage usually means reducing the amount of shear slip or finding a method of allowing slip or distortion to occur without immediately affecting the casing. Strengthening the casing-cement system seldom will eliminate shear, although in some circumstances it may retard it. Proper well location or inclination, underreaming, special completions approaches, reservoir management, and other methods exist to reduce the frequency or rate of casing shear.

Casing Shear: Causes, Cases, Cures

Apparatus associated with the production of hydrocarbons comprising a joint assembly comprising a main body portion having primary and secondary fluid flow paths, wherein the main body portion is attached to a load sleeve assembly at one end and a torque sleeve assembly at the opposite end. The load sleeve may include at least one transport conduit and at least one packing conduit. The main body portion may include a sand control device, a packer, or other well tool for use in a downhole environment. Included is a coupling assembly having a manifold region in fluid flow communication with the second fluid flow path of the main body portion and facilitating the make-up of first and second joint assemblies with a single connection.

Wellbore method and apparatus for completion, production and injection

Methods and systems are provided that may be utilized to make completion design an integral part of the well planning process by enabling the rapid evaluation of completion performance. This integration may include an earth model and may specify wellpath parameters, completion parameters, and other parameters in a simulation of operations using the earth model. The simulation generates well performance measures, which may be optimized depending on well performance technical limits. The optimization may be used to maximize an objective function. The system may include multiple users at the same or different locations (e.g. over a network) interacting through graphic user interfaces (GUI's).

Well Performance Modeling In A Collaborative Well Planning Environment

A method and apparatus associated with the production of hydrocarbons is disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a tubular member having a central opening within an internal portion of the tubular member, wherein the central opening allows hydrocarbons to flow through the tubular member. Also, the tubular member includes openings between the central opening and a region external to the tubular member. In addition to the tubular member, at least two adjacent wire segments are disposed around the tubular member. The at least two adjacent wire segments create at least two flow paths to the central opening. Also, the at least two adjacent wire segments form at least two openings configured to prevent particles greater than a specific size from entering the openings in the tubular member.

Wellbore apparatus and method for completion, production and injection

A tool assembly is provided that includes an actuatable tool such as a valve or a setting tool. And includes a location device that senses the location of the tool assembly within a tubular body based on a physical signature. The tool assembly also includes an on-board controller configured to send an activation signal to the actuatable tool when the location device has recognized a selected location of the tool based on the physical signature. The actuatable tool, the location device, and the on-board controller are together dimensioned and arranged to be deployed in the wellbore as an autonomous unit.

Autonomous downhole conveyance system

A method and apparatus for producing hydrocarbons is described. In the method, a failure mode for a well completion is identified. A numerical engineering model to describe an event that results in the failure mode is constructed. The numerical engineering model is converted into a response surface. Then, the response surface is associated with a user tool configured to provide the response surface for analysis of another well.

Well modeling associated with extraction of hydrocarbons from subsurface formations

The method and apparatus can create excavation cavities suitable for drilling multilateral wellbores through the excavation using a kick-off. One embodiment of the method comprises isolating a wellbore at a determined location, excavating a downhole cavity in a wellbore above the determined location, and removing the apparatus for isolating the wellbore and the apparatus for excavating the downhole cavity from the wellbore to provide full access to the wellbore and the excavation cavity.

Bruce A. Dale

Papers

Well Performance Modeling In A Collaborative Well Planning Environment

Wellbore apparatus and method for completion, production and injection

Autonomous downhole conveyance system

Well modeling associated with extraction of hydrocarbons from subsurface formations

Method and apparatus for a downhole excavation in a wellbore