Downhole hydraulic coupling assembly

Abstract

A completions system utilizing a unique hydraulic coupling. The system includes an upper completion stinger configured for coupling to a lower completion tubular. Both the stinger and the tubular are outfitted with hydraulic lines therethrough. Thus, as the stinger is coupled to the tubular, hydraulic lines are also coupled. However, the termination of each line is sealingly covered by a slidable sleeve in advance of attaining the coupling between the stinger and tubular. Therefore, the lines are protected from contamination during potentially significant periods of well deployment that may occur in advance of completed coupling and system installation. Furthermore, the manner of hydraulic coupling between the stinger and tubular reduces the likelihood of damage to the hydraulic lines during the installation process.

1 . A downhole hydraulic completions assembly comprising:
 an upper completion stinger with a hydraulic stinger line therethrough, the stinger line terminating at a passage isolated by a slidable stinger sleeve relative a main body of said stinger; and   a lower completion tubular with a hydraulic tubular line therethrough, the tubular line terminating at a port isolated by a slidable tubular sleeve relative a main body of said tubular, the passage and the port for hydraulic coupling therebetween upon physical coupling of said stinger to said tubular.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the physical coupling provides shifting of the sleeves to expose the passage to the port. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein said upper completion stinger further comprises a mule shoe with collets for interlocking with a surface of the tubular sleeve. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein at least one of said passage and said port is of a circumferential configuration. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 4  wherein the stinger line is a first hydraulic line of said stinger, the circumferential passage configured to accommodate a second hydraulic line of said stinger. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 4  wherein the tubular line is a first hydraulic line of said tubular, the circumferential port configured to accommodate a second hydraulic line of said tubular. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the stinger sleeve is disposed about the main body of said stinger and the tubular sleeve is disposed adjacent an inner wall of said tubular. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 7  wherein the tubular sleeve is equipped with a scraper ring for interfacing the inner wall. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the stinger sleeve is interiorly disposed relative the main body of said stinger and the tubular sleeve is disposed about a main body of said tubular. 
     
     
         10 . A hydraulically outfitted downhole completions system comprising:
 upper completions disposed in a cased portion of a well, said upper completions having a stinger with a hydraulic line therethrough and terminating at a passage isolated by a slidable sleeve relative a main body of the stinger; and   lower completions disposed in an at least partially open portion of the well adjacent the cased portion, said lower completions having a tubular coupling to the stinger and equipped with a hydraulic line therethrough, the line of the tubular terminating at a port isolated by a slidable sleeve relative a main body of the tubular.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the coupling aligns the passage and the port for hydraulic communication there between. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the coupling provides shifting of the sleeves to expose the passage to the port for the communication. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10  wherein said upper completions further comprises production tubing coupled to the stinger to provide a conduit for production fluid flow to a surface of an oilfield adjacent the well. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein said lower completions further comprises production intake equipment in fluid communication with the hydraulic line through the tubular, the system further comprising chemical injection equipment disposed at the oilfield surface and hydraulically coupled to the hydraulic line through the tubular via the hydraulic line through the stinger. 
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 installing a lower completion tubular in a well, the tubular accommodating a hydraulic line through a main body thereof and a slidable sleeve for sealing off a port at a terminal end of the line; and   deploying an upper completion stinger to a location adjacently uphole of the tubular, the stinger accommodating a hydraulic line through a main body thereof and a slidable sleeve for sealing off a passage at a terminal end of the line through the stinger.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising:
 initiating coupling of the stinger to the tubular; and 
 maintaining the sealing with the sleeves during said initiating. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising:
 aligning the passage with the port; and 
 shifting the sleeves away from the passage and the port during said aligning to allow for hydraulic coupling between the lines. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising performing a hydraulically actuated application in the well through the lines. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the application is one of chemical injection and operation of a hydraulically actuatable downhole tool. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising:
 decoupling the stinger from the tubular: 
 resealing the passage and the port with the sleeves during the decoupling; and 
 withdrawing the stinger from the well.