Page 265 - Hydrocarbon

252 Completion Technology and Intelligent Wells

Nipple Profile Lock

shear pin

lock
recess
no-go locking dogs
shoulder

collet
seal
bore
seals

screw connection
for plug, gauge etc.

Figure 10.24 Nipple pro¢le and associated lock.

direct decision-making capability incorporated into the flow control, the term
intelligent is a misnomer.
The configuration shown in Figure 10.25 is for a cased and perforated
completion, although (more complex) variations exist for sand control completions.
The valves are either electrically or hydraulically controlled from surface via the
control cables. Packers isolate each section of the reservoir or different reservoirs.
The valves can be the on-off type or for added control, and complexity, can be
variable. Most smart wells will also deploy gauges for pressure and temperature
measurements both inside and outside of the tubing at each control valve. The
gauge signals are usually multiplexed into the valve control signals. Smart
completions are particularly useful where reservoir access by traditional means
(through tubing intervention) is limited. This could be because the well is remote,
for example an unmanned offshore platform or difficult or expensive to access as in
the case of a subsea well.
Multilaterals are a further, relatively recent, complex completion. If a wellbore is
partially abandoned and a hole milled above the abandoned section to the side of the
main bore, this is a sidetrack. It is a common operation when the original wellbore is
no longer usable, but there are nearby reserves. It is usually considerably cheaper