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US 6,328,113 B1Granted
Isolation of subterranean zones
AssigneeShell Oil Company
InventorRobert Lance Cook
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
One or more subterranean zones are isolated from one or more other subterranean zones using a combination of solid tubulars and slotted tubulars.
Claims35
An apparatus, comprising:
- one or more solid tubular members, each solid tubular member including one or more external seals;
- one or more slotted tubular members coupled to the solid tubular members;
- and
- a shoe coupled to one of the slotted tubular members.
1 more element
An apparatus, comprising:
- one or more primary solid tubulars, each primary solid tubular including one or more external annular seals;
- n slotted tubulars coupled to the primary solid tubulars;
- n−1 intermediate solid tubulars coupled to and interleaved among the slotted tubulars, each intermediate solid tubular including one or more external annular seals;
- and
- a shoe coupled to one of the slotted tubulars.
2 more elements
A method of isolating a first subterranean zone from a second subterranean zone in a wellbore, comprising:
- positioning one or more primary solid tubulars within the wellbore, the primary solid tubulars traversing the first subterranean zone;
- positioning one or more slotted tubulars within the wellbore, the slotted tubulars traversing the second subterranean zone;
- fluidicly coupling the slotted tubulars and the solid tubulars;
- and
- preventing the passage of fluids from the first subterranean zone to the second subterranean zone within the wellbore external to the solid and slotted tubulars.
2 more elements
A method of extracting materials from a producing subterranean zone in a wellbore, at least a portion of the wellbore including a casing, comprising;
- positioning one or more primary solid tubulars within the wellbore;
- fluidicly coupling the primary solid tubulars with the casing;
- positioning one or more slotted tubulars within the wellbore, the slotted tubulars traversing the producing subterranean zone;
- fluidicly coupling the slotted tubulars with the solid tubulars;
- fluidicly isolating the producing subterranean zone from at least one other subterranean zone within the wellbore;
- and
- fluidicly coupling at least one of the slotted tubulars with the producing subterranean zone.
4 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a subterranean formation including a wellbore;
- one or more solid tubular members positioned within the wellbore, each solid tubular member including one or more external seals;
- one or more slotted tubular members positioned within the wellbore coupled to the solid tubular members;
- and
- a shoe positioned within the wellbore coupled to one of the slotted tubular members;
- wherein at least one of the solid tubular members and the slotted tubular members are formed by a radial expansion process performed within the wellbore.
3 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a subterranean formation including a wellbore;
- one or more primary solid tubulars positioned within the wellbore, each primary solid tubular including one or more external annular seals;
- n slotted tubulars positioned within the wellbore coupled to the primary solid tubulars;
- n−1 intermediate solid tubulars positioned within the wellbore coupled to and interleaved among the slotted tubulars, each intermediate solid tubular including one or more external annular seals;
- and
- a shoe coupled to one of the slotted tubulars;
- wherein at least one of the primary solid tubulars, the slotted tubulars, and the intermediate solid tubulars are formed by a radial expansion process performed within the wellbore.
4 more elements
A method of isolating a first subterranean zone from a second subterranean zone in a wellbore, comprising:
- positioning one or more primary solid tubulars within the wellbore, the primary solid tubulars traversing the first subterranean zone;
- positioning one or more slotted tubulars within the wellbore, the slotted tubulars traversing the second subterranean zone;
- radially expanding at least one of the primary and slotted tubulars within the wellbore;
- fluidicly coupling the slotted tubulars and the solid tubulars;
- and
- preventing the passage of fluids from the first subterranean zone to the second subterranean zone within the wellbore external to the solid and slotted tubulars.
3 more elements
A method of extracting materials from a producing subterranean zone in a wellbore, at least a portion of the wellbore including a casing, comprising;
- positioning one or more primary solid tubulars within the wellbore;
- positioning one or more slotted tubulars within the wellbore, the slotted tubulars traversing the producing subterranean zone;
- radially expanding at least one of the primary solid tubulars and the slotted tubulars within the wellbore;
- fluidicly coupling the primary solid tubulars with the casing;
- fluidicly coupling the slotted tubulars with the solid tubulars;
- fluidicly isolating the producing subterranean zone from at least one other subterranean zone within the wellbore;
- and
- fluidicly coupling at least one of the slotted tubulars with the producing subterranean zone.
5 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a subterranean formation including a wellbore;
- n solid tubular members positioned within the wellbore, each solid tubular member including one or more external seals;
- n−1 slotted tubular members positioned within the wellbore coupled to and interleaved among the solid tubular members;
- and
- a shoe positioned within the wellbore coupled to one of the slotted tubular members.
2 more elements
A system for isolating a first subterranean zone from a second subterranean zone in a wellbore, comprising:
- means for positioning one or more primary solid tubulars within the wellbore, the primary solid tubulars traversing the first subterranean zone;
- means for positioning one or more slotted tubulars within the wellbore, the slotted tubulars traversing the second subterranean zone;
- means for fluidicly coupling the slotted tubulars and the solid tubulars;
- and
- means for preventing the passage of fluids from the first subterranean zone to the second subterranean zone within the wellbore external to the solid and slotted tubulars.
2 more elements
A system for extracting materials from a producing subterranean zone in a wellbore, at least a portion of the wellbore including a casing, comprising;
- means for positioning one or more primary solid tubulars within the wellbore;
- means for fluidicly coupling the primary solid tubulars with the casing;
- means for positioning one or more slotted tubulars within the wellbore, the slotted tubulars traversing the producing subterranean zone;
- means for fluidicly coupling the slotted tubulars with the solid tubulars;
- means for fluidicly isolating the producing subterranean zone from at least one other subterranean zone within the wellbore;
- and
- means for fluidicly coupling at least one of the slotted tubulars with the producing subterranean zone.
4 more elements
A system for isolating a first subterranean zone from a second subterranean zone in a wellbore, comprising:
- means for positioning one or more primary solid tubulars within the wellbore, the primary solid tubulars traversing the first subterranean zone;
- means for positioning one or more slotted tubulars within the wellbore, the slotted tubulars traversing the second subterranean zone;
- means for radially expanding at least one of the primary and slotted tubulars within the wellbore;
- means for fluidicly coupling the slotted tubulars and the solid tubulars;
- and
- means for preventing the passage of fluids from the first subterranean zone to the second subterranean zone within the wellbore external to the solid and slotted tubulars.
3 more elements
A system for extracting materials from a producing subterranean zone in a wellbore, at least a portion of the wellbore including a casing, comprising;
- means for positioning one or more primary solid tubulars within the wellbore;
- means for positioning one or more slotted tubulars within the wellbore, the slotted tubulars traversing the producing subterranean zone;
- means for radially expanding at least one of the primary solid tubulars and the slotted tubulars within the wellbore;
- means for fluidicly coupling the primary solid tubulars with the casing;
- means for fluidicly coupling the slotted tubulars with the solid tubulars;
- means for fluidicly isolating the producing subterranean zone from at least one other subterranean zone within the wellbore;
- and
- means for fluidicly coupling at least one of the slotted tubulars with the producing subterranean zone.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.