Wellbore system and method of completing a wellbore

Abstract

A wellbore system comprises a borehole formed in an earth formation, the borehole having a borehole section containing a volume of gravel pack particles and at least one body of a swellable material. Each body of swellable material is adapted to expand from an unexpanded state to an expanded state upon contact of the swellable material with a selected fluid, wherein a flow passage is present in said borehole section allowing fluid to bypass the volume of gravel pack particles when the body of swellable material is in the unexpanded state. The body of swellable material is arranged to substantially close the flow passage upon expansion of the body of swellable material to the expanded state.

1 . A wellbore system comprising a borehole formed in an earth formation, the borehole having a borehole section containing a volume of gravel pack particles and at least one body of a swellable material, each body of swellable material being adapted to expand from an unexpanded state to an expanded state upon contact of the swellable material with a selected fluid, wherein a flow passage is present in said borehole section allowing fluid to bypass the volume of gravel pack particles when the body of swellable material is in the unexpanded state, wherein the body of swellable material is arranged to substantially close the flow passage upon expansion of the body of swellable material to the expanded state wherein the body of swellable material is arranged to push the volume of gravel pack particles into the flow passage upon swelling of the swellable material. 
   
   
       2 . (canceled) 
   
   
       3 . The wellbore system of  claim 1  wherein the body of swellable material includes a sleeve arranged around a tubular element extending into said borehole section. 
   
   
       4 . The wellbore system of  claim 3  wherein the sleeve is at least partly covered by the volume of gravel pack particles. 
   
   
       5 . The wellbore system of  claim 3  wherein the tubular element is provided with a plurality of said sleeves mutually spaced along the tubular element. 
   
   
       6 . The wellbore system of  claim 5 , wherein the tubular element is provided with fluid inlet means arranged at a portion of the tubular element located between a pair of adjacent sleeves. 
   
   
       7 . The wellbore system of  claim 3  wherein the tubular element is arranged to transport fluid produced from the earth formation to surface. 
   
   
       8 . The wellbore system of  claim 1  wherein said at least one body of swellable material includes a plurality of particles of swellable material. 
   
   
       9 . The wellbore system of  claim 8 , wherein the particles of swellable material are intermixed with the gravel pack particles. 
   
   
       10 . The wellbore system of  claim 9 , wherein the particles of swellable material include a weighting material so as to increase the density of the particles of swellable material. 
   
   
       11 . The wellbore system of  claim 10 , wherein the weighting material comprises iron powder. 
   
   
       12 . The wellbore system of  claim 1  wherein said borehole section extends substantially horizontally or inclined relative to vertical. 
   
   
       13 . The wellbore system of  claim 1  wherein the selected fluid is one of water contained in the earth formation and oil contained in the earth formation. 
   
   
       14 . A method of completing a borehole formed in an earth formation, the method comprising:
 a) inserting a volume of gravel pack particles into a borehole section of the borehole;   b) inserting at least one body of swellable material into the borehole section, each body of swellable material being adapted to expand from an unexpanded state to an expanded state upon contact of the swellable material with a selected fluid, wherein a flow passage is present in said borehole section allowing fluid to bypass the volume of gravel pack particles when the body of swellable material is in the unexpanded state, and wherein the body of swellable material is arranged to substantially close the flow passage upon expansion of the body of swellable material to the expanded state; and   c) allowing the body of swellable material to expand due to contact of the swellable material with the selected fluid, thereby substantially closing the flow passage.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the body of swellable material pushes the volume of gravel pack particles into the flow passage upon swelling of the swellable material. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising injecting a treatment fluid into the volume of gravel pack particles after the flow passage is substantially closed. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the volume of gravel pack material is permeable, and wherein the treatment fluid is adapted to reduce or eliminate the permeability of at least a portion of the volume of gravel pack material. 
   
   
       18 . (canceled) 
   
   
       19 . (canceled)