Flow-Control Accessories

Flow-control accessories add to the flexibility of the cased-hole completion design and
perform a multitude of tasks, from temporarily plugging off the tubing string to establishing
temporary communication between the tubing and the annulus. Profile seating nipples and
sliding sleeves have a special locking groove and a honed sealbore to allow a flow-control
device to lock in the nipple and seal off when installed. By design, the sleeves and nipples
will have a smaller ID than that of the tubing string. For this reason, careful consideration
must be given to the overall application and completion design when selecting and sizing the
various models of profile seating nipples and sleeves. This is especially true in any case in
which through-tubing operations or perforating are planned.

Correct application of flow-control accessories can greatly reduce the time and money spent
on diagnosing well problems (such as tubing or leaks) should they occur. Strategically placed
profile seating nipples above and below the packer aid in isolating the leak to the packer or
the tubing string. Once the source of the failure is known, a plan can be formulated to resolve
the problem. Not much can be done to fix a packer leak without well intervention; however,
special flow-control devices are available to straddle across sections of leaking tubing and
deter workovers. In either case, the knowledge gained by being able to use flow-control
accessories and devices to perform downhole diagnostics is extremely valuable in planning
corrective action to be addressed in the subsequent workover.

Wireline Re-Entry Guides

In some operations, it is necessary to run electric wireline, slickline tools, or coiled-tubing
assemblies past the end of the tubing string and into the casing below (Fig.1). Upon retrieving
these tools, there may be problems pulling them back into the tubing string if the tubing is
run open-ended and unprotected. Sharp edges and square shoulders of pin threads,
couplings, or muleshoes can cause the tools to snag or hang up on re-entry. The wireline re-
entry guide is run on the end of the tubing string (or the tailpipe below the packer) and is
designed to facilitate re-entry into the tubing string of those electric-line or slickline
assemblies. It has an internally beveled, bell-shaped ID that eliminates any sharp edges or
square shoulders and helps align the tools as they are pulled back up into the tubing string.
  Fig.1—Wireline re-entry guide.

Profile Seating Nipples

Profile seating nipples are often referred to as "top no-go," "bottom no-go," and "selective"
types. As the names indicate, each has a unique machined profile with a locking groove to
accept a flow-control device that is run and installed on slickline or coiled tubing. The profile
seating nipple also has a honed and polished sealbore to allow the slickline device to not
only land and lock into the nipple, but also to seal off, assuming the accessory item to be
installed also has a packing stack.

Profile seating nipples are positioned at strategic locations within the tubing string to allow
the accurate placement of slickline plugs, check valves, bottomhole chokes, downhole flow
regulators, and bottomhole pressure recorders. At least one profile seating nipple is
recommended near the bottom.

Top No-Go Profile Seating Nipple

The "top no-go" nipple accepts a lock assembly with a no-go shoulder located on the lock
itself (Fig. 2). When the lock assembly is run in the hole, the no-go shoulder on the lock
engages or locates on top of the nipple. Once located, the locks are engaged into the locking
groove, and the installation process is complete. Care must be taken when designing the
completion to ensure that there are no ID restrictions above the nipple to prevent passage of
the lock assembly. The "top no-go" nipple is generally run when a single nipple is required
in the hole and the largest ID possible is required through the nipple profile. However, more
than one "top no-go" may be run if the IDs of the profiles are reduced sufficiently as the
nipples progress in the hole to allow passage of the appropriate locking assembly through
the nipple located immediately above the intended target nipple.

 Fig. 2—Top no-go profile nipple and lock assembly.

Bottom No-Go Profile Seating Nipple

The "bottom no-go" nipple has a no-go shoulder located in the bottom of the nipple (Fig 3).
The lock assembly or slickline device landed in this type of nipple locates the nipple by landing
on the bottom no-go. Once landed and located in the nipple, the locks can be engaged and
the installation completed. Because its ID will not allow passage of any flow-control device
through the nipple, the bottom no-go nipple is always run as the lowermost nipple in the
completion. Another benefit of having a no-go nipple in the completion is that any other
slickline tools or tubing swabs that are lost in the tubing string should not fall to the bottom.
The lost equipment usually can be fished out of the tubing string or, in cases when it cannot,
the tubing can be pulled to recover the tools.

 Fig. 3—Bottom no-go profile nipple and lock assembly.

Selective Profile Seating Nipple

"Selective" type profile nipples are perhaps the most versatile of the three (Fig 4). In such a
design, an unlimited number of the same size and type profile seating nipples may be run in
the hole because the locking assembly or flow-control device is able to find and selectively
land in any of them. In most systems, either the packing stack or a collett indicator is used to
help the slickline operator locate the nipple, and alternately picking up and slacking off
through the nipple actuates the locks and sets the flow-control device. The benefit of this type
system is a larger ID through the completion and fewer slickline accessory items that must be
inventoried. Generally, it is still advised that a no-go nipple be run on the bottom of the tubing
string to prevent any lost tools from falling into the cased hole below the completion.

 Fig. 4—Selective profile nipple.

Sliding Sleeves
In oil- and gas-well completions, the sliding sleeve provides a means of establishing
communication between the tubing and annulus for fluid circulation, selective zone
production, or injection purposes (Fig 5). The sliding sleeve is ported from ID to OD and has
an internal closing sleeve that can be cycled multiple times using slickline or coiled-tubing
shifting tools. When in the open position, the sleeve allows communication from tubing to
annulus, and when closed, pressures are once again isolated.

 Fig. 5—Sliding sleeve (shown in closed position).

The sliding sleeve also incorporates a nipple profile and polished sealbore above and below
the ports to allow the landing of various flow-control devices or an isolation tool should the
sleeve fail to close. The isolation tool locks into the profile in the upper end of the sleeve, and
seal stacks on the tool straddle the ports to achieve isolation. The success of sliding sleeves
depends on well conditions. High temperature, sour gas, scale, and sand may cause
operational problems in the opening and closing of sliding sleeves.

Blast Joints
The blast joint is used in multiple-zone wells in which the tubing extends past a producing
zone to deter the erosional velocity of the produced fluids and formation sand from cutting
through the tubing string. In most cases, the blast joint is simply a thick, heavy wall joint of
steel pipe; however, there are also more sophisticated designs that use materials such as
Carbide® for severe service applications. Care must be taken when running and spacing out
the tubing string to position the blast joint evenly across the open perforations. It is wise to
run enough length of blast joint to provide 5 to 10 ft of overlap across the perforations to
allow for errors in tubing measurements.

Flow Couplings
Flow couplings are usually the same OD as the tubing couplings and have the same ID as the
tubing string with which they are run. They are run above and below any profile seating nipple
and sliding sleeve in which it is anticipated that the turbulence created by the flow through
the nipple restriction can reach erosional velocity and damage the tubing string. The flow
coupling does not stop the erosion; however, because of its thick cross section, it can and will
extend the life of the completion because more material must be lost to erosion before failure
occurs than in the case of the tubing string alone. Flow couplings are recommended when a
flow-control device is to be installed on a permanent basis (i.e., safety valve or bottomhole
choke).

Blanking Plugs
Blanking plugs may be landed in profile seating nipples or sliding sleeves to temporarily plug
the tubing string, allowing pressure to be applied to the tubing string to test tubing or set a
hydraulic packer, or to isolate and shut off the flow from the formation. The basic blanking
plug consists of a lock subassembly, a packing stack, and a plug bottom. Each size and type of
blanking plug is designed to fit a specific size and type of profile seating nipple or sleeve.
Slickline blanking plugs always have an equalizing device incorporated into the design to allow
pressure above and below the plug to equalize before releasing the lock from the nipple to
prevent the tool string from being blown up the hole.

Bottomhole Choke
Bottomhole chokes are flow-control devices that are landed in profile seating nipples. The
bottomhole choke restricts flow in the tubing string and allows control of production from
different zones. It can be used to prevent freezing of surface controls. The choke assembly
consists of a set of locks, packing mandrel, packing assembly, and choke bean. The choke bean
is available with orifices of varying sizes. The orifice size must be predetermined and sized
specifically for the intended application.
Pump-out plug

Figure 6: Pump out plug

Pump-out plugs act as a temporary bridge that isolates the tubing from the annulus in order
to set a packer. Available in a variety of configurations, the plug is removed by simply applying
pressure to the tubing.
Packer installations: A temporary plug is established below the packer by dropping a ball
down the tubing string and allowing it to fall to the seat contained in the pump out plug. The
required packer setting pressure is applied and held for the time required for the specific
packer application. After the packer has been set, tubing pressure is increased to shear the
pins retaining the ball seat. The ball and seat fall to the bottom of the well, leaving the pump
plug housing with a fully open tubing ID.

Reservoir isolation valve

This component, placed towards the foot of the completion string, is used to provide two way
isolation from the formation for completion operations without the need for kill weight fluids.
And without running and retrieving plugs. They are sometimes called hydro mechanical
valves. The general principle is to select a valve that can be closed (usually by mechanical
operation) and then opened by pressure or pressure cycles. These valves can be positioned
in the reservoir completion, below a dedicated packer, or in the tubing. Some valves can be
closed by flow and find application in a tailpipe for setting a hydraulic set packer. Examples of
their use are in the sand control and perforating. They are particularly common with modern
screen.