US3685580A — Dual zone completion system

Claim 1

Independent Claim 362 words

Apparatus for use with a well having an upper producing zone and a lower producing zone, said apparatus comprising: a first tubing string extending downwardly from the top of the well into said upper zone, at least a portion of said first tubing string being disposed within the interior of a first production string which extends into said upper producing zone; a second tubing string extending downwardly from the top of the well into said lower zone, at least a portion of said second tubing string being disposed within the interior of a second production string which extends into said lower producing zone; means including hanger means for supporting said production strings and said tubing strings in substantially fixed relationship to one another whereby a first annular space is formed between said first production string and said first tubing string and a second annular space is formed between said second production string and said second tubing string, flowline means including a first production flowline and a second production flowline extending outwardly from said well; valve means operatively associated with said tubing strings and said flowline means to selectively establish fluid communication therebetween; actuating means associated with said valve means whereby operation of said actuating means causes said valve means to selectively assume three distinct operating conditions; said valve means in its first operating condition establishing a fluid flow circuit between said first production flowline, said second tubing string, said second annular space and said second production flowline whereby through-the-flowline operations may be carried out with respect to said lower producing zone; said valve means in its second operating condition establishing a fluid flow circuit between said first production flowline and said first tubing string and between said second production flowline and said second tubing string whereby production fluid may be produced from both said upper zone and said lower zone without commingling of said production fluid; and said valve means in its third operating condition establishing a fluid flow circuit between said first production flowline, said first tubing string, said first annular space and said second production flowline whereby through-the-flowline operations may be carried out with respect to said upper producing zone.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 362 words

Apparatus for use with a well having an upper producing zone and a lower producing zone, said apparatus comprising: a first tubing string extending downwardly from the top of the well into said upper zone, at least a portion of said first tubing string being disposed within the interior of a first production string which extends into said upper producing zone; a second tubing string extending downwardly from the top of the well into said lower zone, at least a portion of said second tubing string being disposed within the interior of a second production string which extends into said lower producing zone; means including hanger means for supporting said production strings and said tubing strings in substantially fixed relationship to one another whereby a first annular space is formed between said first production string and said first tubing string and a second annular space is formed between said second production string and said second tubing string, flowline means including a first production flowline and a second production flowline extending outwardly from said well; valve means operatively associated with said tubing strings and said flowline means to selectively establish fluid communication therebetween; actuating means associated with said valve means whereby operation of said actuating means causes said valve means to selectively assume three distinct operating conditions; said valve means in its first operating condition establishing a fluid flow circuit between said first production flowline, said second tubing string, said second annular space and said second production flowline whereby through-the-flowline operations may be carried out with respect to said lower producing zone; said valve means in its second operating condition establishing a fluid flow circuit between said first production flowline and said first tubing string and between said second production flowline and said second tubing string whereby production fluid may be produced from both said upper zone and said lower zone without commingling of said production fluid; and said valve means in its third operating condition establishing a fluid flow circuit between said first production flowline, said first tubing string, said first annular space and said second production flowline whereby through-the-flowline operations may be carried out with respect to said upper producing zone.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 41 words

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said actuating means is operatively associated with a single hydraulic control line with the operating condition assumed by said valve means being responsive to the degree of pressure of the fluid in said line.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 121 words

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a production well-head assembly is disposed above said hanger means, said wellhead assembly including conduit means disposed between said flowline means and said tubing strings and in operative association therewith; bypass means branching off from said conduit means and in fluid communication with said first and second annular spaces; and said valve means being operatively associated with said conduit means and with said bypass means to interrupt fluid communication between said first production flowline and said first tubing string when said valve means is in said first operating condition and to interrupt fluid communication between said second production flowline and said second tubing string when said valve means is in said third operating condition.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 132 words

The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said wellhead assembly conduit means includes a first throughbore and a second throughbore passing through said wellhead assembly in spaced relationship to one another; said bypass means comprising a first bypass conduit and a second bypass conduit, said first bypass conduit branching off from said first throughbore and said second bypass conduit brancHing off from said second throughbore, said first bypass conduit being in fluid communication with said second annular space and said second bypass conduit being in fluid communication with said first annular space; and said valve means when in said second and third operating conditions interrupting fluid flow within said first bypass conduit and said valve means when in said first and second operating conditions interrupting fluid flow within said second bypass conduit.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 29 words

The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said hanger means includes circulating port means through which fluid flow communication is established between said bypass means and said annular spaces.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 114 words

In combination: first and second tubing strings extending into a well; first and second production strings extending into said well and respectively disposed in concentric spaced relationship with respect to said first and second tubing strings; first valve means and second valve means, said valve means being operatively associated with said tubing strings and with said production strings to modify the path of fluid flow therethrough; and actuating means associated with said valve means whereby operation of said actuating means causes said valve means to move to one of a plurality of selected positions to condition said tubing strings and said production strings for either production of fluid from said well or through-the-flowline operations.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 114 words

In combination: first and second tubing strings extending into a well; first and second production strings extending into said well and respectively disposed in concentric spaced relationship with respect to said first and second tubing strings; first valve means and second valve means, said valve means being operatively associated with said tubing strings and with said production strings to modify the path of fluid flow therethrough; and actuating means associated with said valve means whereby operation of said actuating means causes said valve means to move to one of a plurality of selected positions to condition said tubing strings and said production strings for either production of fluid from said well or through-the-flowline operations.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 26 words

The combination according to claim 6 wherein said actuating means comprises a plurality of actuator units operatively associated with and controlled by a single control line.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 172 words

In combination: first and second tubing strings extending into a well; first and second production strings extending into said well and respectively concentrically disposed in spaced relationship with respect to said first and second tubing strings; manifold means positioned at the upper ends of said tubing strings and said production strings, said manifold means defining fluid flow passage means in communication with respective interiors of said tubing strings and said production strings; flowline means extending from said manifold means and in fluid communication with said fluid flow passage means; bypass means operatively associated with and in fluid communication with said flowline means and said manifold fluid flow passage means; valve means associated with said flowline means and said bypass means, said valve means being selectively movable to one of a plurality of preselected positions to permit through-the-flowline operations to be carried out with respect to the well through said flowline means or the passage of production fluid from said well through said flowline means; and actuator means to position said valve means.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 172 words

In combination: first and second tubing strings extending into a well; first and second production strings extending into said well and respectively concentrically disposed in spaced relationship with respect to said first and second tubing strings; manifold means positioned at the upper ends of said tubing strings and said production strings, said manifold means defining fluid flow passage means in communication with respective interiors of said tubing strings and said production strings; flowline means extending from said manifold means and in fluid communication with said fluid flow passage means; bypass means operatively associated with and in fluid communication with said flowline means and said manifold fluid flow passage means; valve means associated with said flowline means and said bypass means, said valve means being selectively movable to one of a plurality of preselected positions to permit through-the-flowline operations to be carried out with respect to the well through said flowline means or the passage of production fluid from said well through said flowline means; and actuator means to position said valve means.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1975-08-22	1976-02-21	1976-08-22	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1979-08-22	1980-02-21	1980-08-22	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1983-08-22	1984-02-21	1984-08-22	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Dual zone completion system

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag