Isolation system and gravel pack assembly and uses thereof

Claim 1

A gravel packing and isolation assembly with complementary crossover assembly which comprises: a gravel packing assembly including a production screen assembly having a proximal end and a distal end, said screen defining an area of fluid passage between a screen interior and a screen exterior; an isolation pipe defining at least one port therethrough, said isolation pipe having a proximal end and a distal end, at least one of the proximal and distal ends being affixed to said production screen assembly; first sealing means for sealing the proximal end of said isolation pipe with said production screen assembly; second sealing means for sealing the distal end of said isolation pipe with said production screen assembly; and an isolation valve comprising a sleeve movably coupled with said isolation pipe, said sleeve defining at least one aperture, said sleeve having an open position with the aperture of said sleeve in fluid communication with the port in said isolation pipe, said sleeve having a closed position with the aperture of said sleeve not in fluid communication with the port of said isolation pipe, said sleeve in the open position permitting fluid passage between the exterior of said screen assembly and the interior of said isolation pipe, said sleeve in the closed position preventing fluid passage between the exterior of said screen assembly and the interior of said isolation pipe; a crossover assembly having a distal end and further having an exterior surface configured to selectively engage said gravel packing assembly for creating selective flow paths to accomplish gravel packing of a well production zone said crossover assembly releasably connected to said gravel packing assembly; a service string attached to said distal end of said crossover assembly; and a shifting tool attached to said service string, said shifting tool being operable for selectively engaging and positioning the sleeve of said isolation valve.

Claim 9

A method for gravel packing and isolating a production zone within a wellbore on a single trip of a tool string into the wellbore, said method comprising the steps of: (a) running into the wellbore a tool string comprising a packer assembly having a production screen with a production screen isolation valve disposed interior of the screen and a crossover assembly having an open bore therethrough and having a shifting tool on the distal end, the crossover assembly being selectively operable to provide: (i) a first flow path from the interior of the tool string at a location above the packer assembly to the annulus between the tool string and the wellbore below the packer assembly and (ii) a second flow path from the interior of the tool string below the packer assembly to the annulus between the tool string and the wellbore above the packer assembly, the shifting tool being operable with the isolation valve to control fluid flow through the production screen; (b) sealingly engaging the packer assembly to the wellbore adjacent the desired production zone for maintaining the position of the packer assembly and sealing the annulus between the packer assembly and the wellbore; (c) selectively operating the crossover assembly to establish the first fluid flow path and the second fluid flow path, thereby creating circulation from the annulus through the production screen; (d) injecting a gravel slurry through the tool string to the crossover assembly and thereby gravel packing the annulus outside the production screen; (e) selectively operating the crossover assembly to close the production screen isolation valve with the shifting tool; and (f) withdrawing the crossover assembly from the gravel packing assembly.

Claim 10

A method for gravel packing and isolating a production zone within a wellbore on a single trip of a tool string into the wellbore, said method comprising the steps of: (a) running into the wellbore a tool string comprising a packer assembly having a production screen with a production screen isolation valve disposed interior of the screen and a crossover assembly having an open bore therethrough and having a shifting tool on the distal end, the crossover assembly being selectively operable to provide: (i) a first flow path from the interior of the tool string at a location above the packer assembly to the annulus between the tool string and the wellbore below the packer assembly and (ii) a second flow path from the interior of the tool string below the packer assembly to the annulus between the tool string and the wellbore above the packer assembly, the shifting tool being operable with the isolation valve to control fluid flow through the production screen; (b) sealingly engaging the packer assembly to the wellbore adjacent the desired production zone for maintaining the position of the packer assembly and sealing the annulus between the packer assembly and the wellbore; (c) selectively operating the crossover assembly to establish the first fluid flow path and the second fluid flow path, thereby creating circulation from the annulus through the production screen; (d) injecting a gravel slurry through the tool string to the crossover assembly and thereby gravel packing the annulus outside the production screen; (e) selectively operating the crossover assembly to close the production screen isolation valve with the shifting tool; and (f) withdrawing the crossover assembly from the gravel packing assembly.

Claim 13

A method for gravel packing and isolating a well production zone, the method comprising the steps of: (a) interconnecting a gravel packer with an isolation assembly having a controllable isolation valve for controlling flow through a production screen; (b) releasably attaching the gravel packer and isolation assembly to a crossover assembly having a service string extension with shifting tool; (c) inserting into a wellbore a tool string including the interconnected gravel packer and isolation assembly and releasably attached crossover assembly; (d) setting the gravel packer adjacent the well production zone; (e) releasing the crossover assembly from the gravel packer; (f) performing a gravel packing procedure; (g) selectively positioning the isolation valve to the desired position with the shifting tool; and (h) removing the crossover assembly from the well bore leaving the gravel packer and isolation assembly within the well bore.

Claim 14

A method for gravel packing and isolating a well production zone, the method comprising the steps of: (a) interconnecting a gravel packer with an isolation assembly having a controllable isolation valve for controlling flow through a production screen; (b) releasably attaching the gravel packer and isolation assembly to a crossover assembly having a service string extension with shifting tool; (c) inserting into a wellbore a tool string including the interconnected gravel packer and isolation assembly and releasably attached crossover assembly; (d) setting the gravel packer adjacent the well production zone; (e) releasing the crossover assembly from the gravel packer; (f) performing a gravel packing procedure; (g) selectively positioning the isolation valve to the desired position with the shifting tool; and (h) removing the crossover assembly from the well bore leaving the gravel packer and isolation assembly within the well bore.