Isolation packer inflated by a fluid filtered from a gravel laden slurry

Abstract

Tools and methods for completing a wellbore that comprise an isolation packer with a particulate filter and inflatable element. The isolation packer is adapted to direct a gravel laden slurry to the particulate filter, where the filter removes a substantial amount of the particulate matter from the gravel laden slurry thereby producing an inflating fluid that is substantially free of particulate matter. The inflating fluid then inflates the inflatable element thereby creating a seal in the wellbore.

1 . An inflatable well completion tool comprising: 
 an inflatable element;    a particulate filter operatively coupled to the inflatable element; and    wherein the inflatable element is adapted for inflation by an inflating fluid obtained from filtering a gravel laden slurry using the particulate filter.    
   
   
       2 . The well completion tool of  claim 1  wherein the inflatable element is capable of movement between a deflated state and an inflated state.  
   
   
       3 . The well completion tool of  claim 2  wherein the inflatable element comprises a top end, a bottom end, an interior, and a passageway allowing communication of the inflating fluid between the top end of the inflatable element and the interior of the inflatable element.  
   
   
       4 . The well completion tool of  claim 3  wherein the passageway comprises at least one shunt tube.  
   
   
       5 . The well completion tool of  claim 3  wherein the passageway comprises at least one alternative channel.  
   
   
       6 . The well completion tool of  claim 3  wherein the inflatable element further comprises a passageway allowing communication of the inflating fluid between the bottom end of the inflatable element and the interior of the inflatable element.  
   
   
       7 . The well completion tool of  claim 6  wherein the passageway comprises a check valve that restricts reverse flow.  
   
   
       8 . The well completion tool of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a first sand screen;    a second sand screen; and    wherein the inflatable element isolates the first sand screen from the second sand screen.    
   
   
       9 . The well completion tool of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a sand screen; and    wherein the inflatable element is placed below the sand screen and isolates the sand screen from the well below the inflatable element.    
   
   
       10 . An isolation packer for use in a wellbore comprising: 
 an inflatable element;    a passageway communicating between an exterior and an interior of the inflatable element;    a particulate filter located on the passageway; and    wherein the inflatable element is capable of being inflated by an inflating fluid obtained from filtering, by the particulate filter, a gravel laden slurry traveling on the passageway.    
   
   
       11 . The isolation packer of  claim 10  wherein the passageway comprises at least one shunt tube.  
   
   
       12 . The isolation packer of  claim 10  wherein the passageway comprises at least one alternative channel.  
   
   
       13 . The isolation packer of  claim 10  further comprising: 
 a first sand screen;    a second sand screen; and    wherein the inflatable element isolates the first sand screen from the second sand screen.    
   
   
       14 . The isolation packer of  claim 10  further comprising: 
 a lowermost sand screen; and    wherein the inflatable element is placed below the lowermost sand screen and isolates the lowermost sand screen from the well below the inflatable element.    
   
   
       15 . The isolation packer of  claim 10  wherein the passageway comprises a check valve that restricts reverse flow.  
   
   
       16 . The isolation packer of  claim 10  further comprising a tubular body attached to the inflatable element.  
   
   
       17 . A wellbore isolation device comprising: 
 a tubular body member having first and second segments, each segment having an exterior and a longitudinal bore extending therethrough;    a bladder surrounding the second segment of the tubular body, the bladder having a wall, an interior, an upper end, and a lower end;    a passageway located adjacent the exterior of the first segment and extending through the wall of the bladder element;    a particulate filter located on the passageway and operatively coupled to the interior of the bladder; and    wherein the passageway allows a gravel laden slurry to be filtered by the particulate filter thereby producing an inflating fluid which enters and expands the bladder.    
   
   
       18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the passageway comprises a check valve that restricts reverse flow.  
   
   
       19 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the bladder is expandable in a radial direction.  
   
   
       20 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein the bladder is attached to the tubular body member.  
   
   
       21 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein the bladder has an upper end and a lower end, and both the upper end and the lower end are connected to the tubular body member.  
   
   
       22 . The device of  claim 21  wherein the second tubular body segment comprises an upper packer head and a lower packer head, and the bladder upper end is connected to the upper packer head and the bladder lower end is connected to the lower packer head.  
   
   
       23 . The device of  claim 22  wherein the passageway extends through the upper packer head and communicates between the exterior of the first segment of the tubular body member and the interior of the bladder.  
   
   
       24 . The device of  claim 22  wherein the passageway extends through the upper and lower packer heads and communicates between the exterior of the first and second segments of the tubular body member and the interior of the bladder.  
   
   
       25 . The device of  claim 17  wherein the passageway enables communication between the exterior of the first segment of the tubular body member and the interior of the bladder.  
   
   
       26 . The device of  claim 17  further comprising a third segment of the tubular body member wherein the passageway enables communication between the exterior of the first and third segments with the interior of the bladder.  
   
   
       27 . The device of  claim 17  wherein the passageway comprises a shunt tube.  
   
   
       28 . The device of  claim 17  wherein the passage way comprises an alternative channel.  
   
   
       29 . A wellbore isolation tool comprising: 
 a tubular body having a longitudinal bore therethrough and an exterior;    an expandable bladder attached to the tubular body;    a passageway providing communication between the expandable bladder and the exterior of the tubular body;    a particulate filter communicably coupled to the expandable bladder and located on the passageway; and    wherein the passageway allows a gravel laden slurry to be filtered by the particulate filter thereby producing an inflating fluid which enters and expands the expandable bladder.    
   
   
       30 . The wellbore isolation tool of  claim 29  wherein the passageway comprises a check valve that restricts reverse flow.  
   
   
       31 . The wellbore isolation tool of  claim 31  wherein the bladder has an upper end and a lower end, and both the upper end and the lower end are connected to the tubular body.  
   
   
       32 . The wellbore isolation tool of  claim 29  wherein the passageway comprises a shunt tube.  
   
   
       33 . The wellbore isolation tool of  claim 29  wherein the passage way comprises an alternative channel.  
   
   
       34 . An isolation packer system for use in a wellbore comprising: 
 a tubular body member having first, second and third segments, the first and third segments being on opposite ends of the second segment, each segment having an exterior and a longitudinal bore extending therethrough;    a bladder surrounding the second segment of the tubular body, the bladder having a wall and an interior;    a passageway located adjacent the first and third segments and extending through the wall of the bladder;    at least one particulate filter located on the passageway and in communication with the bladder; and    wherein the passageway allows a gravel laden slurry to be filtered by the particulate filter thereby producing an inflating fluid which enters and expands the bladder.    
   
   
       35 . The system of  claim 34  wherein the passageway enables communication between the exterior of the first and third segments with the interior of the bladder.  
   
   
       36 . The system of  claim 34  wherein during a gravel pack completion of a wellbore the passageway allows the gravel laden slurry to communicate between the exterior of the first and third segments and the at least one particulate filter.  
   
   
       37 . The system of  claim 34  wherein the passageway comprises a check valve that restricts reverse flow.  
   
   
       38 . The system of  claim 34  wherein the at least one particulate filter comprises a check valve that restricts reverse flow.  
   
   
       39 . The system of  claim 34  wherein the bladder is capable of radial expansion upon being filled with the inflating fluid.  
   
   
       40 . The system of  claim 39  whereupon radial expansion the bladder forms a seal between the tubular body and the wellbore wall.  
   
   
       41 . The system of  claim 34  wherein the passageway comprises a shunt tube.  
   
   
       42 . The system of  claim 34  wherein the passage way comprises an alternative channel.  
   
   
       43 . The system of  claim 34  further comprising a cup packer affixed along some portion of the wellbore wall for creating a pressure seal.  
   
   
       44 . A method of sealing an annulus in a well, comprising the steps of: 
 filtering a gravel laden slurry to produce an inflating fluid; and    expanding an inflatable element with the inflating fluid.    
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 44  further comprising the step of communicating, over a passageway, the inflating fluid between an exterior and an interior of the inflatable element.  
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 45  further comprising the step of restricting reverse flow of the inflating fluid on the passageway with a check valve.  
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 44  further comprising the step of obtaining the gravel laden slurry from a gravel packing of the well.  
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 44  further comprising the step of: 
 sealing an annulus of the well; and    isolating a first zone from a second zone.    
   
   
       49 . A method of completing a well comprising the steps of: 
 providing a sand screen completion having at least one inflatable element therein;    gravel packing at least a portion of the well with a gravel slurry;    filtering the gravel slurry with a particulate filter to produce an inflating fluid; and    inflating the inflatable element with the inflating fluid.    
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 49  further comprising the step of: 
 communicating between an exterior and interior of the inflatable element with a passageway.    
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 49  further comprising the step of restricting reverse flow on the passageway with a check valve.  
   
   
       51 . The method of  claim 49  further comprising the step of passing a portion of the gravel slurry through the passageway.  
   
   
       52 . The method of  claim 51  further comprising the steps of: 
 sealing an annulus of the well with the inflatable element; and    isolating a first zone from a second zone.