Technique and apparatus for selective multi-zone vertical and/or horizontal completions

An openable flow control apparatus for use in a subterranean well having a production zone and containing fluid in the well, comprising

• a conduit section having an internal axial flow passage and at least one transverse flow passage providing a radial passageway from the exterior of the conduit section, exposed to the production zone, to the internal axial flow passage,
• means selectively closing the transverse flow passage including a member blocking the radial passageway, and
• a screen, attached to and carried by the conduit section, on the exterior of the conduit section preventing particles larger than a predetermined size from entering the transverse flow passage.

The process of completing a well comprising the steps of providing a vertical well penetrating a hydrocarbon bearing formation, drilling a deviated well bore away from the vertical well through an opening therein and providing a more-or-less horizontal well bore section extending into the hydrocarbon bearing formation, running a production liner assembly into the vertical well including a conduit having a pair of packers straddling the opening and at least one flow control device between the packers, sealing the packers against the cased well, and pumping a permeable sand control material downwardly through the production liner assembly, upwardly around the production liner assembly and upwardly through a bypass around the packers into the vertical well above the packers.

The process of completing a well comprising the steps of providing a vertical well penetrating at least one hydrocarbon bearing formation, establishing a first completion and providing communication between the vertical well and the formation by drilling a deviated well bore away from the vertical well through an opening and providing a well bore extending into the formation, establishing a second completion between the vertical well and the formation, running into the vertical a production liner assembly including a conduit having a pair of first casing packers straddling the deviated well bore opening and at least one openable flow control device between the packers, a pair of second casing packers straddling the second completion and at least one openable flow control device between the packers, and sealing the packers against the vertical well.

An openable flow control apparatus for use in a subterranean well having a production zone and containing fluid in the well, comprising

• a conduit section having an internal axial flow passage, at least one transverse flow passage to the exterior of the conduit section, and a plurality of ribs extending axially along the exterior of the conduit section,
• means selectively closing the transverse flow passage, and
• a screen on the exterior of the conduit section, wrapped around the ribs, preventing particles larger than a predetermined size from entering the transverse flow passage.