Apparatus and method for gravel packing a horizontal open hole production interval

An apparatus for gravel packing a production interval of a wellbore using an alpha-beta gravel packing technique, the apparatus comprising:

• a packer assembly;
• a work string traversing the packer assembly, the work string including first and second sand control screen assemblies, a first restrictor member having a radially reduced section positioned therebetween and a cross-over assembly providing a lateral communication path downhole of the packer assembly for a gravel packing fluid and a lateral communication path uphole of the packer assembly for a return fluid;
• and
• a wash pipe assembly in communication with the lateral communication path uphole of the packer assembly and extending into the first and second sand control screen assemblies such that an annulus is formed therebetween, the wash pipe assembly including a valve positioned adjacent to the first restrictor member, the valve actuatable from a closed position to an open position when a beta wave is proximate a location adjacent to the valve and the pressure in the annulus upstream of the valve exceeds the pressure in the annulus downstream of the valve by a predetermined magnitude.

A method for gravel packing a production interval of a wellbore, the method comprising the steps of:

• positioning first and second sand control screen assemblies within the production interval;
• disposing a wash pipe assembly within the first and second sand control screen assemblies such that an annulus is formed therebetween, the wash pipe assembly including a valve positioned in a location between the first and second sand control screen assemblies;
• injecting a fluid slurry containing gravel into the production interval exteriorly of the first and second sand control screen assemblies;
• depositing gravel on a low side of the production interval by propagating an alpha wave from the near end to the far end of the production interval;
• depositing gravel on a high side of the production interval on top of the gravel on the low side of the production interval by propagating a beta wave from the far end to the near end of the production interval;
• and
• actuating the valve from a closed position to an open position when the beta wave is proximate the location of the valve.

A method for gravel packing a production interval of a wellbore, the method comprising the steps of:

• positioning first and second sand control screen assemblies within the production interval;
• disposing a wash pipe assembly within the first and second sand control screen assemblies such that an annulus is formed therebetween, the wash pipe assembly including a valve positioned in a location between the first and second sand control screen assemblies;
• gravel packing the production interval by propagating an alpha wave from the near end to the far end of the production interval and propagating a beta wave from the far end to the near end of the production interval;
• actuating the valve from a closed position to an open position when the beta wave is proximate the location of the valve and the pressure in the annulus upstream of the valve exceeds the pressure in the annulus downstream of the valve by a predetermined magnitude;
• and
• intensifying the differential pressure upstream and downstream of the valve by reducing the flow area in the annulus with a first restrictor member disposed between the first and second sand control screen assemblies.

A differential pressure valve comprising:

• a housing having an opening;
• a sleeve having an opening, the sleeve slidably disposed within the housing forming an annulus therebetween, the sleeve having first and second sleeve positions relative to the housing, in the first sleeve position, the opening of the sleeve is in fluid isolation from the opening of the housing, in the second sleeve position, the opening of the sleeve is in fluid communication with the opening of the housing;
• first and second biasing members disposed within the annulus;
• and
• a piston disposed within the annulus and between the first and second biasing members, the piston having first and second piston positions relative to the sleeve, in the first piston position, the piston is biased in a first direction relative to the sleeve by a first pressure and in a second direction relative to the sleeve by the second biasing member and a second pressure, the piston operating from the first piston position to the second piston position when the bias force in the first direction exceeds the bias force in the second direction such that the first biasing member operates the sleeve from the first sleeve position to the second sleeve position.

A differential pressure valve comprising:

• a housing having an opening;
• a sleeve having an opening, the sleeve slidably disposed within the housing forming an annulus therebetween, the sleeve having a first sleeve position relative to the housing wherein the opening of the sleeve is in fluid isolation from the opening of the housing, the sleeve having a second sleeve position relative to the housing wherein the opening of the sleeve is in fluid communication with the opening of the housing;
• and
• a piston disposed within the annulus, the piston having first and second piston positions relative to the sleeve, the piston operating from the first piston position to the second piston position when the differential pressure across the piston exceeds a predetermined amount, the sleeve operating from the first sleeve position to the second sleeve position when the piston operates to the second piston position.