Vented gravel packing system and method of use

Abstract

An apparatus and method are disclosed for gravel packing an interval of a wellbore. The apparatus comprises a sand control screen generally comprising three main sections; a filter section, a blank pipe section, and a vent section. In one embodiment, the vent section comprises a removable vent. In another embodiment, the vent section comprises a vented valve assembly may remain downhole after gravel packing is complete. Both embodiments include a sand height control check valve for ensuring that the proper sand height of the gravel pack is achieved.

1 . An apparatus for gravel packing an interval in a wellbore comprising: 
 a tool body capable of being lowered into the wellbore; and    a sand control vent screen positioned within the wellbore and having an upper and lower end, the upper end of the sand control vent screen comprising a removable vent section, coupled to the tool body, such that the tool body is capable of removing removable vent section.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sand control vent screen further comprises 
 a blank pipe section having an upper and lower end, the upper end coupled to the removable vent sections, and    a filter section having an upper and lower end, the upper coupled to the lower end of the blank pipe section.    
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the upper end of the blank pipe section further comprises one or more shear pins, coupling the upper end of the blank pipe section to the removable vent section.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the blank pipe section further comprises 
 a check valve, disposed within the lower end of the blank pipe section such that fluid flow from within the blank pipe section to within the filter section is prohibited.    
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the check valve further comprises 
 one or more shear pins, coupling the check valve to the lower end of the blank pipe section.    
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the shear pins are designed to fail when exposed to a predetermined shear force which results in the de-coupling of the check valve from the lower end of the blank pipe section.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the check valve is a ball-type check valve.  
   
   
       8 . A method of gravel packing an interval in a cased wellbore comprising the steps of: 
 running into the cased wellbore, a tool body coupled to a sand control vent screen, the sand control vent screen defining an annulus relative to the cased wellbore and having an upper and lower end, the upper end comprising a removable vent section;    disposing sand control media within the annulus defined by the sand control vent screen and the cased wellbore;    employing the tool body coupled to the sand control vent screen to remove the removable vent section: and    installing a mechanical packer to isolate the annulus defined by the sand control vent screen and the cased wellbore.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the sand control vent screen further comprises: 
 a blank pipe section having an upper and lower end, the upper end coupled to the removable vent sections;    a filter section having an upper and lower end, the upper end coupled to the lower end of the blank pipe section; and    a check valve, disposed within and coupled to the lower end of the blank pipe section such that fluid flow from within the blank pipe section to within the filter section is prohibited.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the step of: 
 causing the check valve to de-couple from the blank pipe section after depositing a predetermined quantity of sand control media within the annulus defined by the sand control vent screen and the cased wellbore.    
   
   
       11 . An apparatus for gravel packing an interval in a wellbore comprising: 
 a tool body capable of being lowered into the wellbore; and    a sand control vent screen positioned within the wellbore and having an upper and lower end, the upper end of the sand control vent screen comprising a vented valve assembly, 
 the vented valve assembly comprising an upper housing having a plurality of openings defined therethrough  
 a check valve disposed below and coupled to the upper housing, and  
 a vent section disposed below and coupled to the check valve, such that when the check valve is open the vent section is in fluid communication with the upper housing.  
   
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the sand control vent screen further comprises 
 a blank pipe section having an upper and lower end, the upper end coupled to the vent section of the vented valve assembly, and    a filter section having an upper and lower end, the upper end coupled to the lower end of the blank pipe section.    
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the upper end of the blank pipe section is removably coupled to the vent section of the vented valve assembly.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the upper end of the blank pipe section further comprises. 
 one or more shear pins, coupling the upper end of the blank pipe section to the vent section of the vented valve assembly.    
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the blank pipe section further comprises 
 a second check valve disposed within the lower end of the blank pipe section ad such that fluid flow from within the blank pipe section to within the filter section is prohibited.    
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the second check valve further comprises 
 one or more shear pins coupling the check valve to the lower end of the blank pipe section.    
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the shear pins are designed to fail when exposed to a predetermined shear force which results in the de-coupling of the check valve from the lower end of the blank pipe section.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the check valve of the vented valve assembly and the second check valve are ball-type check valves.  
   
   
       19 . A method of gravel packing an interval containing production fluids in a cased wellbore comprising the steps of: 
 running into the cased wellbore, a tool body coupled to a sand control vent screen the sand control vent screen defining an annulus relative to the cased wellbore and having an upper and lower end, the upper end comprising a vented valve assembly, 
 the vented valve assembly comprising an upper housing having a plurality of openings defined therethrough,  
 a check valve disposed below and coupled to the upper housing, and  
 a vent section disposed below and coupled to the check valve, such that when the check valve is open the vent section is in fluid communication with the upper housing;  
   disposing sand control media within the annulus defined by the sand control vent screen and the cased wellbore;    installing a mechanical packer to isolate the annulus defined by the sand control vent screen and the cased wellbore.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the sand control vent screen further comprises: 
 a blank pipe section having an upper and lower end, the upper end coupled to the vent section of the vented valve assembly;    a filter section having an upper and lower end, the upper end coupled to the lower end of the blank pipe section; and    a second check valve disposed within and coupled to the lower end of the blank pipe section such that fluid flow from within the blank pipe section to within the filter section is prohibited.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising the step of causing said second check valve to de-couple from the blank pipe section after depositing a predetermined quantity of sand control media within the annulus defined by the sand control vent screen and the cased wellbore.