Coal bed gas well apparatus and method with minable non-sparking tubular and valve components

Abstract

Disclosed is a wellbore configuration for use in coal bed gas production comprising tubing and down hole equipment made from non-sparking materials which can be mined out with the coal.

1 . A method of drilling, treating, and recovering gas from a coal bed formation prior to mining the formation, comprising the steps of:
 drilling a wellbore to extend horizontally in the coal bed formation;   providing tubing and a plurality of valves:   installing the tubing and a plurality of valves in the wellbore with the plurality of valves spaced along the wellbore;   selectively opening the valves and pumping treatment fluids from the tubing, through the valves and into the coal bed formation;   producing gas through the tubing from the coal bed formation; and   thereafter, mining the materials, tubing and valves located in the coal bed without creating sparks.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , additionally comprising the step of providing tubing and valve comprises providing tubing and valve made from materials consisting of non-sparking minable materials. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the non-sparking minable material comprises resin. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the non-sparking minable material comprises bronze. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the non-sparking minable material comprises monel metal. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the non-sparking minable material comprises a copper alloy. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the non-sparking minable material comprises aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the non-sparking minable material comprises a beryllium alloy. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of mining the tubing and valve comprises cutting the valve and tubing into pieces without creating sparks. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the step of mining the tubing and valve into pieces without creating sparks comprises engaging the tubing and valve with mining cutters. 
     
     
         11 . A valve for use in subterranean well assembly, comprising:
 a tubular body comprising an axially extending bore, means for connection the body to a tubing string and a radially extending port in the body providing a flow path between bore and the exterior of the body;   a cylindrical sleeve mounted in the bore to axially reciprocate in the body between a closed position blocking flow through the port and an open position wherein flow through the port is not blocked; and   the valve consists of minable non-sparking material.   
     
     
         12 . The valve of  claim 11 , wherein the minable non-sparking material comprises resin. 
     
     
         13 . The valve according to  claim 11 , additionally comprising a frangible split ring mounted in the tubular body positioned to engage the sleeve to retain it in the closed position. 
     
     
         14 . The valve according to  claim 13 , where in the C-ring consists of non-sparking minable material. 
     
     
         15 . The valve according to  claim 14 , wherein the minable non-sparking material in the C-ring comprises resin. 
     
     
         16 . The valve according to  claim 11 , additionally comprising resilient seal elements on the cylindrical sleeve. 
     
     
         17 . The valve according to  claim 11 , additionally comprising a frangible pin mounted in the body and engaging the cylindrical sleeve to retain the sleeve in the closed position. 
     
     
         18 . The valve according to  claim 17 , wherein the pin consists of non-sparking minable material. 
     
     
         19 . The valve according to  claim 18 , wherein the non-sparking minable material in the pin is resin. 
     
     
         20 . The valve according to  claim 11 , wherein the non-sparking minable material is brass.