Intelligent well system and method
View Patent ↗An intelligent well system and method has a sand face completion and a monitoring system to monitor application of a well operation. Various equipment and services may be used. In another aspect, the invention provides a monitoring system for determining placement of a well treatment. Yet another aspect of the invention is an instrumented sand screen. Another aspect is a connector for routing control lines.
1. A completion for a multilateral well having at least two branches, comprising:
a sand screen in at least two lateral branches of the multilateral well;
a gravel pack in the at least two lateral branches; and
a control line in at least one of the gravel packs.
2. The completion of claim 1 , wherein the control line is a fiber optic line.
3. The completion of claim 1 , further comprising an isolation packer in the at least two lateral branches.
4. The completion of claim 1 , wherein one of the at least two lateral branches is disposed above the other.
5. The completion of claim 1 , wherein the sand screen incorporates an intelligent completion device.
6. A method for completing a lateral branch of a multilateral well, comprising:
running a sand screen into the lateral branch;
isolating a portion of the lateral branch above the sand screen;
gravel packing around the sand screen;
providing a control line in a region where the gravel packing occurs; and
monitoring the gravel pack with a sensor positioned in the lateral branch.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein monitoring comprises monitoring with a fiber optic sensor.
8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising running a second sand screen into a second lateral branch.
9. The method of claim 6 , further comprising locating the sensor in the sand screen.
10. The method of claim 6 , further comprising deploying a distributed temperature sensor along at least a portion of the lateral branch.
11. A completion for a multilateral well having at least two branches, comprising:
a sand screen in at least two lateral branches of the multilateral well;
a gravel pack in the at least two lateral branches; and
wherein the sand screen comprises a shunt tube.
12. A completion for a multilateral well having at least two branches, comprising:
a sand screen in at least two lateral branches of the multilateral well;
a gravel pack in the at least two lateral branches; and
wherein the sand screen comprises a base pipe, a filter media and a shroud.
13. A method of completing a well, comprising:
placing a plurality of completions in a plurality of lateral branches of a multilateral well bore;
deploying a screen with an intelligent completion device in each of the plurality of lateral branches; and
completing the plurality of lateral branches with a gravel pack operation.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising arranging the plurality of lateral branches as an upper lateral branch and a lower lateral branch.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein deploying comprises deploying the screen in a cased section of the at least one lateral branch.
16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising positioning a packer in each of the plurality of lateral branches.
17. A system comprising:
a sand screen deployed in a lateral branch of a well bore, the sand screen having an intelligent completion device to monitor a characteristic of a gravel packs, wherein the sand screen further comprises at least one shunt tube to transport a gravel laden slurry during the gravel pack.
18. The system of claim 17 , further comprising a second sand screen, deployed in a second lateral branch of the well bore, and a second intelligent completion device.
19. The system of claim 18 , further comprising a controller communicatively coupled to the intelligent completion device and to the second intelligent completion device.
20. The system of claim 17 , further comprising a controller communicatively coupled to the intelligent completion device.
21. A system comprising:
a sand screen deployed in a lateral branch of a well bore, the sand screen having an intelligent completion device to monitor a characteristic of a gravel pack;
wherein the sand screen comprises a base pipe, a filter media and a shroud.
22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the intelligent completion device is deployed intermediate the filter media and the shroud.
23. The system of claim 21 , wherein the intelligent completion device is coupled to the shroud.
24. The system of claim 21 , wherein the intelligent completion device is disposed in a wall of the base pipe.
25. The system of claim 21 , further comprising a control line extending through the sand screen.
26. A method of completing a well, comprising:
placing a plurality of completions in a plurality of lateral branches of a multilateral well bore;
deploying a screen with an intelligent completion device in at least one lateral branch of the plurality of lateral branches;
completing the plurality of lateral branches with a gravel pack operation; and
routing a control line along the screen.
27. The method of claim 26 , further comprising arranging the plurality of lateral branches as an upper lateral branch and a lower lateral branch.
28. The method of claim 26 , wherein deploying comprises deploying the screen in a cased section of the at least one lateral branch.
29. The method of claim 26 , further comprising positioning a packer in each of the plurality of lateral branches.
30. A method of completing a well, comprising:
placing a plurality of completions in a plurality of lateral branches of a multilateral well bore;
deploying a screen with an intelligent completion device in at least one lateral branch of the plurality of lateral branches;
completing the plurality of lateral branches with a gravel pack operation; and
routing a control line within a wall of the screen.
31. The method of claim 30 , further comprising arranging the plurality of lateral branches as an upper lateral branch and a lower lateral branch.
32. The method of claim 30 , wherein deploying comprises deploying the screen in a cased section of the at least one lateral branch.
33. The method of claim 30 , further comprising positioning a packer in each of the plurality of lateral branches.
34. A method of completing a well, comprising:
placing a plurality of completions in a plurality of lateral branches of a multilateral well bore;
deploying a screen with an intelligent completion device in at least one lateral branch of the plurality of lateral branches;
completing the plurality of lateral branches with a gravel pack operation; and
locating the intelligent completion device in a wall of the screen.
35. The method of claim 34 , further comprising arranging the plurality of lateral branches as an upper lateral branch and a lower lateral branch.
36. The method of claim 34 , wherein deploying comprises deploying the screen in a cased section of the at least one lateral branch.
37. The method of claim 34 , further comprising positioning a packet in each of the plurality of lateral branches.
38. A system comprising:
a sand screen deployed in a lateral branch of a well bore, the sand screen having:
an intelligent completion device to monitor a characteristic of a gravel pack; and
a fiber optic disposed within a wall of the sand screen.
39. The system of claim 38 , further comprising a second sand screen, deployed in a second lateral branch of the well bore, and a second intelligent completion device.
40. The system of claim 39 , further comprising a controller communicatively coupled to the intelligent completion device and to the second intelligent completion device.
41. The system of claim 38 , further comprising a controller communicatively coupled to the intelligent completion device.