# US 11,441,365 B2 · One-piece production/annulus bore stab with integral flow paths

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 11,441,365 B2
- Document ID: US11441365B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/644,451
- Filed: 2021-12-15
- Published: 2022-04-07
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2019-02-05
- Assignees: FMC Technologies, Inc.
- Applicants: FMC Technologies, Inc.
- Inventors: Richard Murphy
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441365B2

## CPC

- E21B 17/18: Pipes provided with plural fluid passages {(E21B17/203 takes precedence)}
- E21B 33/03: Well heads; Setting-up thereof
- E21B 33/04: Casing heads; Suspending casings or tubings in well heads
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS

## Abstract

One illustrative production/annulus bore stab disclosed herein includes a one-piece body that comprises a first cylindrical outer surface and a second cylindrical outer surface and a plurality of individual fluid flow paths defined entirely within the one-piece body. In this illustrative example, each of the individual fluid flow paths is fluidly isolated from one another and each of the fluid flow paths comprise a first inlet/outlet at a first end of the fluid flow path that is positioned in the first cylindrical outer surface and a second inlet/outlet at a second end of the fluid flow path that is positioned in the second cylindrical outer surface.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A subsea well completion system, comprising:
a production tree comprising:
a production fluid flow path, an annulus fluid flow path, and an annulus fluid collection chamber; and
a production/annulus bore stab comprising:
a unitary body having a first cylindrical outer surface, a second cylindrical outer surface, and an inner cylindrical surface that defines a central production bore, and
a plurality of individual annulus fluid flow paths defined entirely within the unitary body, each of the individual annulus fluid flow paths being fluidly isolated from one another within the unitary body, each of the individual annulus fluid flow paths comprising a first inlet/outlet at a first end of the fluid flow path and a second inlet/outlet at a second end of the fluid flow path, wherein the first inlet/outlet is positioned in the first cylindrical outer surface and the second inlet/outlet is positioned in the second cylindrical outer surface;
wherein at least a first portion of the unitary body is adapted to be positioned within and sealingly coupled to the production tree such that the plurality of individual annulus fluid flow paths defined within the unitary body are in fluid communication with the annulus fluid collection chamber via the first inlet/outlets or the second inlet/outlets.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The subsea well completion system of claim 1, wherein the annulus fluid collection chamber is defined at least partially between the first cylindrical outer surface and the production tree when the production/annulus bore stab is positioned within and sealingly coupled to the production tree.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The subsea well completion system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of individual annulus fluid flow paths are the same length from the first end to the second end.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The subsea well completion system of claim 1, wherein a second portion of the unitary body is adapted to be positioned within and sealingly coupled to a tubing hanger.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The subsea well completion system of claim 4, wherein a diameter of the first cylindrical outer surface is larger than a diameter of the second cylindrical outer surface.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The subsea well completion system of claim 4, wherein a diameter of the first cylindrical outer surface is the same as a diameter of the second cylindrical outer surface.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The subsea well completion system of claim 4, wherein the unitary body is adapted to be positioned within and sealingly coupled to the tubing hanger such that the plurality of individual annulus fluid flow paths are in fluid communication with an annulus fluid flow path within the tubing hanger.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The subsea well completion system of claim 1, wherein the first inlet/outlets are aligned radially around a circumference of the first cylindrical outer surface at a same longitudinal position along the unitary body.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The subsea well completion system of claim 1, wherein the first inlet/outlets are evenly spaced around a circumference of the first cylindrical outer surface.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The subsea well completion system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of individual annulus fluid flow paths is defined by respective drilled bores in the unitary body.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The subsea well completion system of claim 10, wherein the production/annulus bore stab includes flow path plugs sealingly located with the drilled bores proximate at least a first end of the unitary body.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The subsea well completion system of claim 1, wherein the production annulus bore stab comprises a flange adapted to couple with the production tree.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The subsea well completion system of claim 12, wherein the flange is integral with the unitary body.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The subsea well completion system of claim 1, wherein the unitary body has an axial length and a longitudinal centerline and wherein each of the plurality of individual annulus fluid flow paths comprises an axial length portion having a centerline that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal centerline.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The subsea well completion system of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of individual annulus fluid flow paths comprises a first flow path transition region between the axial length portion and the first inlet/outlet, wherein a centerline of the first flow path transition region extends between the axial length portion and a center of the first inlet/outlet and defines a first angle with the centerline of the axial length portion.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The subsea well completion system of claim 15, wherein the first angle is an obtuse angle.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The subsea well completion system of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of individual annulus fluid flow paths comprises a second flow path transition region between the axial length portion and the second inlet/outlet, wherein a centerline of the second flow path transition region extends between the axial length portion and a center of the second inlet/outlet and defines a second angle with the centerline of the axial length portion.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The subsea well completion system of claim 16, wherein the second angle is an obtuse angle.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The subsea well completion system of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of individual annulus flow paths comprises first and second radially-oriented flow paths that are in fluid communication with the axial length portion, the first radially-oriented flow path terminating at the first inlet/outlet, the second radially-oriented flow path terminating at the second inlet/outlet, wherein a centerline of each of the first and second radially-oriented openings is positioned substantially normal to the flow path centerline.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The subsea well completion system of claim 1, wherein the unitary body has an axial length and wherein each of the plurality of individual annulus flow paths extends for substantially the entire axial length of the unitary body.

### Claim 21

A subsea well completion system, comprising:
a production tree comprising:
a valve block that defines a production fluid flow path, an annulus fluid flow path, and an annulus fluid collection chamber; and
a production/annulus bore stab, comprising:
a central production fluid flow path defined through a unitary body, the central production fluid flow path in fluid communication with the production fluid flow path of the tree, and
a plurality of individual annulus fluid flow paths defined entirely within the unitary body, each of the individual annulus fluid flow paths being fluidly isolated from one another within the unitary body, each of the individual annulus fluid flow paths comprising a first inlet/outlet at a first end of the fluid flow path positioned in a first cylindrical outer surface of the unitary body and a second inlet/outlet at a second end of the fluid flow path positioned in a second cylindrical outer surface of the unitary body, each of the first inlet/outlets located at a common first longitudinal position of the unitary body and each of the second inlet/outlets located at a common second longitudinal position of the unitary body;
wherein at least a first portion of the unitary body is sealingly coupled to the production tree such that the plurality of individual annulus fluid flow paths defined within the unitary body are in fluid communication with the annulus fluid collection chamber via the first inlet/outlets.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The subsea well completion system of claim 21, wherein the first inlet/outlets are aligned radially around a circumference of the first cylindrical outer surface.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The subsea well completion system of claim 22, wherein the first inlet/outlets are evenly spaced around a circumference of the first cylindrical outer surface.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The subsea well completion system of claim 23, wherein the production annulus bore stab comprises a flange coupled with the production tree.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The subsea well completion system of claim 24, wherein the flange is integral with the unitary body.

### Claim 26 (depends on 24)

The subsea well completion system of claim 24, wherein the annulus fluid collection chamber is defined at least partially between the first cylindrical outer surface and the production tree.

### Claim 27 (depends on 24)

The subsea well completion system of claim 24, wherein a diameter of the first cylindrical outer surface is larger than a diameter of the second cylindrical outer surface.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The subsea well completion system of claim 27, wherein the unitary body has an axial length and wherein each of the plurality of individual annulus flow paths extends for substantially the entire axial length of the unitary body.

### Claim 29 (depends on 26)

The subsea well completion system of claim 26, wherein each of the plurality of individual annulus fluid flow paths is defined by respective drilled bores in the unitary body.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The subsea well completion system of claim 29, wherein the production/annulus bore stab includes flow path plugs sealingly located with the drilled bores proximate at least a first end of the unitary body.
