US 2016/0356133 A1 · DOWNHOLE PRESSURE MAINTENANCE SYSTEM USING REFERENCE PRESSURE

Abstract

A method and apparatus that includes an elongated base pipe having an external surface at least partially defining an external region and an internal surface at least partially defining an internal region; and a pressure maintenance device disposed in the base pipe and includes a first flow path that extends between an opening in the external surface and an opening in the internal surface; a first valve that controls the flow of a first fluid through the first flow path; a first pressure differential sensor that controls the actuation of the first valve and is in fluid communication with the external region; and a pressurized fluid source in fluid communication with the first pressure differential sensor; wherein a first pressure differential threshold associated with the first pressure differential sensor is the difference between a pressure within the external region and the pressurized fluid source.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A completion assembly comprising:

an elongated base pipe having an external surface at least partially defining an external region and an internal surface at least partially defining an internal region;
and
a pressure maintenance device disposed in the base pipe and comprising:
a first flow path that extends between an opening in the external surface and an opening in the internal surface;
a first valve that controls the flow of a first fluid from the internal region to the external region through the first flow path;
a first pressure differential sensor that controls the actuation of the first valve and is in fluid communication with the external region;
and
a pressurized fluid source in fluid communication with the first pressure differential sensor;
wherein a first pressure differential threshold associated with the first pressure differential sensor is the difference between a pressure within the external region and the pressurized fluid source.

6 more elements

A method of maintaining an isolated portion of an external region of a completion string within a predetermined pressure range, the method comprising:

positioning a completion string that has an internal surface that at least partially defines an internal region and an external surface that at least partially defines an external region within a wellbore;
pressurizing a pressurized fluid source located within a pressure maintenance device that is located within a wall of the completion string to a reference pressure that is associated with a wellbore hydrostatic pressure within the external region;
isolating a portion of the external region from the wellbore hydrostatic pressure to form the isolated portion of the external region;
and
allowing a first fluid within the internal region to flow through a first flow path within the pressure maintenance device to the isolated portion of the external region when a pressure differential between the external region and the reference pressure is less than a first pressure differential threshold that is associated with the predetermined pressure range.

2 more elements

A method of providing pressure maintenance comprising:

positioning a completion string within a wellbore, the completion string having an internal surface that at least partially defines an internal region and an external surface that at least partially defines an external region;
isolating a portion of the external region from a wellbore hydrostatic pressure;
fluidically connecting the internal region to the isolated portion of the external region via a first flow path;
providing a first valve that controls the flow of a first fluid through the first flow path, the first valve comprising a first pressure differential sensor;
opening the first valve when the first pressure differential sensor measures a pressure differential between an external pressure within the isolated portion of the external region and a reference pressure that is less than a first pressure threshold;
and
closing the first valve when the pressure differential between the external pressure and the reference pressure is greater than or equal to the first pressure threshold.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Downhole pressure maintenance system using reference pressure

Life of this patent

Downhole pressure maintenance system using reference pressure

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22