Method of Producing Hydrocarbon Fluids From Casing

Abstract

A method of producing hydrocarbon fluids from a wellbore. The method comprises providing a wellbore, with the wellbore having been completed with a tubular string along a horizontal section. The tubular string may be a string of production casing, or joints of slotted tubular bodies. The method also includes running a fluid pumping system into the wellbore. The fluid pumping system comprises a sucker rod string, a traveling valve residing at a lower end of the sucker rod string, and a standing valve releasably connected to a lower end of the traveling valve. The method additionally includes landing the standing valve into a seating nipple along the horizontal section of the wellbore, and then releasing the standing valve from the traveling valve while the fluid pumping system is in the wellbore. The method further includes operating a pumping unit at a surface to produce hydrocarbon fluids from the production casing.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method of producing hydrocarbon fluids from a wellbore, comprising:
 providing a wellbore, the wellbore having been completed with a horizontal section;   running a fluid pumping system into the wellbore, the fluid pumping system comprising:
 a sucker rod string, 
 a traveling valve residing at a lower end of the sucker rod string, and 
 a standing valve releasably connected to a lower end of the traveling valve; 
   landing the standing valve into a seating nipple along the horizontal section of the wellbore;   releasing the standing valve from the traveling valve while the fluid pumping system is in the wellbore; and   operating a pumping unit at a surface to reciprocate the sucker rod string and traveling valve, and to produce hydrocarbon fluids from the production casing.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the horizontal section of the wellbore comprises:
 at least one joint of production casing;   a plurality of slotted tubular bodies; and   a packer placed between the at least one joint of production casing and the plurality of slotted tubular bodies, such that when the packer is set, an elastomeric element seals an annular region between the production casing and an inner bore of the slotted tubular bodies, ensuring upward flow of production fluids through the casing en route to the surface;   and wherein the seating nipple resides above the slotted tubular bodies.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the slotted tubular bodies comprise joints of sand screen or joints of slotted liner. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the horizontal section of the wellbore comprises:
 a string of production casing cemented into the wellbore; and   a plurality of perforations placed along the string of production casing;   and wherein the seating nipple resides above the perforations.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the wellbore does not have a string of production tubing therein; and   the sucker rod string extends into and reciprocates within the horizontal section of the wellbore.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the horizontal section of the wellbore does not have a string of production tubing therein; and   the sucker rod string extends into and reciprocates within the horizontal section of the wellbore.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein releasing the standing valve from the traveling valve comprises applying a compressive force through the working string and against the releasable connection, and then pulling the rod string and connected traveling valve up from the standing valve, but without pulling the rod string to a surface. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the releasable connection comprises:
 a tubular housing comprising a proximal end and a distal end, and a bore there along;   a connector at the distal end of the tubular housing connected to the standing valve; and   a holding arm component comprising at least two arms, wherein each of the at least two arms is configured to pivot at the proximal end of the tubular housing such that when an engagement pin located at a lower end of the traveling valve moves into the bore a first time, the arms pivot inwardly into a latched position and latch onto a shoulder of the engagement pin, but when the engagement pin moves into the bore a second time, the arms pivot outwardly to a released position and release the shoulder of the engagement pin.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the releasable connection further comprises:
 a spring residing within the bore of the tubular housing and abutting the connector; and   a sliding component configured to move along the bore of the tubular housing in response to a downward force applied by the engagement pin, wherein:
 the sliding component includes a series of splines residing radially around an outer diameter of the sliding component; and 
 downward movement of the engagement pin urges the sliding component to move downward within the tubular housing. 
   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 operatively connecting a top end of the rod string to a polished rod at the surface, wherein the polished rod is associated with the pumping unit.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 adjusting a location at which a harness is secured to the polished rod by clamps in order to appropriately space the traveling valve above the standing valve.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the sucker rod string comprises one or more friction reducer couplings along a transition section of the wellbore. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 running a sand screen and connected packer into the wellbore using a working string, wherein the sand screen is operatively connected to a lower end of the packer; and   setting the packer inside of a joint of production casing along the horizontal section of the wellbore;   wherein the sand screen comprises the casing.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the packer comprises a J-slot mechanism; and   setting the packer comprises operating the J-slot mechanism by applying a compressive force through the working string and against the J-slot mechanism.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the working string is a string of coiled tubing;   the sand screen and connected packer are run into the wellbore before the fluid pumping system is run into the wellbore; and   the method further comprises:
 releasing the coiled tubing from the packer after the packer has been set; and 
 pulling the coiled tubing from the wellbore. 
   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein releasing the standing valve from the traveling valve comprises applying a compressive force through the working string and against the releasable connection, and then pulling the rod string and connected traveling valve up from the standing valve, but without pulling the rod string to a surface. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the packer is set using a wireline.