CA1187784A - Dual ball valve sampler safety valve - Google Patents
Dual ball valve sampler safety valveInfo
- Publication number
- CA1187784A CA1187784A CA000408828A CA408828A CA1187784A CA 1187784 A CA1187784 A CA 1187784A CA 000408828 A CA000408828 A CA 000408828A CA 408828 A CA408828 A CA 408828A CA 1187784 A CA1187784 A CA 1187784A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- mandrel assembly
- housing
- valve
- pressure
- mandrel
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Landscapes
- Sampling And Sample Adjustment (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF DISCLOSURE
In accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a full-bore sampler and safety valve ap-paratus includes a housing having an actuator mandrel slidably arranged therein, axially spaced normally open ball valve elements mounted on the mandrel assembly and cooperable with fixed eccentric pins on the housing for simultaneously closing a flow passage extending through the housing when the mandrel assembly is shifted from one axial position to another, a hydraulically operable piston on the mandrel assembly normally subject to balanced pressures, and means responsive to a predetermined pressure of fluids in the well annulus for exposing the hydraulically operable means to well pressure to cause shifting of the actuator mandrel assembly and simultaneous closing of the ball valve elements.
In accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a full-bore sampler and safety valve ap-paratus includes a housing having an actuator mandrel slidably arranged therein, axially spaced normally open ball valve elements mounted on the mandrel assembly and cooperable with fixed eccentric pins on the housing for simultaneously closing a flow passage extending through the housing when the mandrel assembly is shifted from one axial position to another, a hydraulically operable piston on the mandrel assembly normally subject to balanced pressures, and means responsive to a predetermined pressure of fluids in the well annulus for exposing the hydraulically operable means to well pressure to cause shifting of the actuator mandrel assembly and simultaneous closing of the ball valve elements.
Description
~ '7~ ~
3 This invention relates generally to drill stem testing 4 tools, and particularly to a new and improved full bore sampler and safety valve apparatus for trapping a flowing sample of 6 formation fluids that may be produced from an isolated well 7 intervalO
A drill stem test may be considered to be a temporary ll completion of an earth formation that has been intersected by a 12 well bore. A packer is run into the well on a pipe string and is 13 set to isolaté the interval of the well bore to be tested, and 14 then a test valve is opened to permit fluids in the formation to flow into the bore hole and up into the pipe string to obtain an 16 indication of the commercial potential of the well. Pressure 17 data is recorded with the test interval open and then shut in, 18 from which many useful parameters such as permeability and ini-l9 tial reservoir pressure can be determined. It also is desirable to collect an actual sample of the fluids for subsequent labora-21 tory analysis.
22 A sampler that has been used for many years with great 23 success is disclosed in Nutter U.S. Patent No. 3,308,887, as-24 signed to the assignee of this invention. As shown in Figure 3B
of this patent, the flow of formation fluid is routed through an 26 annular chamber having sleeve valves at each end that simulta-27 neously can be opened and closed. When the valves finally are 28 closed at the end of the test, a flowing sample of ~he fluid 29 being produced is entrapped at formation conditions of tempera-ture and pressure. However, the testing apparatus shown in the Il .
~ '7~3 ~
1 Nutter patent has a barrler that blocks vertical access through
3 This invention relates generally to drill stem testing 4 tools, and particularly to a new and improved full bore sampler and safety valve apparatus for trapping a flowing sample of 6 formation fluids that may be produced from an isolated well 7 intervalO
A drill stem test may be considered to be a temporary ll completion of an earth formation that has been intersected by a 12 well bore. A packer is run into the well on a pipe string and is 13 set to isolaté the interval of the well bore to be tested, and 14 then a test valve is opened to permit fluids in the formation to flow into the bore hole and up into the pipe string to obtain an 16 indication of the commercial potential of the well. Pressure 17 data is recorded with the test interval open and then shut in, 18 from which many useful parameters such as permeability and ini-l9 tial reservoir pressure can be determined. It also is desirable to collect an actual sample of the fluids for subsequent labora-21 tory analysis.
22 A sampler that has been used for many years with great 23 success is disclosed in Nutter U.S. Patent No. 3,308,887, as-24 signed to the assignee of this invention. As shown in Figure 3B
of this patent, the flow of formation fluid is routed through an 26 annular chamber having sleeve valves at each end that simulta-27 neously can be opened and closed. When the valves finally are 28 closed at the end of the test, a flowing sample of ~he fluid 29 being produced is entrapped at formation conditions of tempera-ture and pressure. However, the testing apparatus shown in the Il .
~ '7~3 ~
1 Nutter patent has a barrler that blocks vertical access through
2 the tool and which must be removed before other equipment such as
3 a pressure recorder or a perforator can be run into the well.
4 A sampler valve that uses a pair of vertically spaced ball valves to simultaneously open and close the respective ends of a 6 sample chamber is shown in U.S. Patent No. 4,063,593. The 7 device shown in this patent, while being full-bore, is considered 8 to be unduly complicated and thus subject to malfunction in use 9 in the well.
It is the general object of the present invention to provide 11 a new and improved full-bore sampler valve ~or trapping the last 12 flowing sample of formation fluids that are produced during a 13 drill stem test.
14 Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and Lmproved full-bore sampler apparatus that can be closed 16 responsive to a specific annulus pressure signal to trap a sample 17 and to also function as a safety valve when closed to shut in the 18 formation being tested.
19 ' 29 S~M~RY OF THE INVENTION
21 These and other objects are attained in accordance with the 22 concepts of the present invention through the provision of a 23 sampler valve apparatus comprising a housing having an axially 2~ shiftable actuator mandrel that carries spaced ball valve ele-ments that when open present an unobstructed vertical passage and 26 when closed block the open ends of a sample chamber for contain-27 ing a discrete volume of formation fluids. The actuator mandrel 28 carries a piston that is sealingly slidable within a cylinder 29 formed on the housing, with opposite sides of the piston ini-tially being subject to atmospheric or other low but equal Il . ' 7~
pressures. In response to a predetern~ined increase in the pressure oE
fluids in the well annulus outside the housing, a passageway leading to one side of the piston is opened so that well fluids at hydros-tatic pressure can act one one side of the piston to force the actuator mandrel to shift axially of the housing and to cause the ball valves to be rotated simultaneously to their closed positions. In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the axial vement of the ac-tuator m~ndrel can be employed to open a valve that functions to communicate the well annulus with an associated valve such as a reverse circulating valve to enable the same to be operated by subsequent changes in the pressures of fluids in the well annulus.
Thus, in accordance with one broad aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus adapted for use in closing the bore of a pipe string during a~elltesting operation comprising: a housing having an actuator mandrel assembly slidably disposed therein, said housing and mandrel assembly defining a flow passage; axially spaced full-opening va.Lve means mounted on said mandrel assembly for opening said flow passage in one longitudinal position of said mandrel assembly within said housing and for closing said flow passage in another longitudinal position -therein;
hydraulically operable means on said mandrel assembly normally s~ject to balanced pressures for shifting said mandrel assembly from said one position to said other posi-tion; and means responsive to a predetermined pressure of fluids in the well annulus surrounding sald housing for subjec-ting said hydraulically operable means to well annulus pressure to cause shifting of said mandrel assembly to said other position and closure of said flow passage by s id valve ne ns, a region of sald flow passaye located ~et~en : ~3~
.
'7'7~
said valve m,eans defining a sample chamber adapted to trap a flowing sample of formation fluids.
In accordance with another broad aspect of the invention there is pxovided---valve apparatus adapted for use in a well testing operation to close the bore of a pipe string and to trap a sample of fo.rn~tion fluids in response to -the ap~lication of a predetermined pressure to fluids stand-ing in the well annulus, comprising: a housing having means'at its ends for connecting the same in the pipe string; an actuator mandrel asse~bly slid-ably disposed in said housing, said assembly and housing defining a flcw passage; upper and lower ball valve elements rotatably mounted on said mandrel assembly for providing a full-opening bore through said apparatus when said mandrel assembly is in a lower position within said housing and for simultaneously closing said flow passage when said mandrel assembly is shifted to an upper position within said housing, said valve elements when closed defining walls of a sample chamber that is located in part in the bore of said mandrel assembly be,tween said valve elements; cylinder means in said housing; piston means on said mandrel assembly sealingly en-gaging said cylinder meansi seal means on said housing and mandrel assembly above and below said piston means and having substanially the same diameter of sealing engagement to provide variable capacity chambers initially at atn~ospheric or other low pressure located above and below said piston means;
port means leading from the lower one of said variable capacity chambers to the exterior of said housing; and rupture disc means normally closing said port means and responsive to a p,redetermined pressure differential for admitting well annulus fluids into said lower variable capacity chamber whereby the pressure of said fluids can act on the lower face of said piston -3a-means to shif-t said mandrel assembly upwardly to said upper position and cause closure of said ball valve elemen-ts.
B~IEF DESCRI~TION OF T~E DP~NGS
The present invention has o-ther objects, feat~.es and advantages that will become more clearly apparent in connection with the following detailed descrip-tion of a preferred emkodiment, taken in conjunc-tion with the appended drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a schematic view of a s-tring of drill stem testing tools positioned in a well being tested;
Figures 2A and 2C are longitudinal sectional views, with portions in side elevation, of a full bore s 9 1er and safety valve constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;
Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross-section view taken along lines 3--3 of Figure 2B;
Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the rupture disc assembly, Figure 5 is a cross-section taken along line 5~-5 of Figure 2B;
and -3b-1 Fig. 6 is a fragmerltary CrOsS-sectional view -ta~ell on lirl~s 2 6--6 o~ Figs. 2A and 2B.
Referring initially to Fig. 1, there is shown schematically 6 a string of drill stem testing tools suspended withill the well 7 casing 10 on drill pipe 11. The tools comprise a hook wall-type 8 packer 12 that functions to isolate the well interval to be 9 tested from the hydrostatic head of fluids thereabove, and a main 10 test valve assembly 13 that functions to permit or terminate the 11 flow of orm tion fluids from the isolated interval. The test 12 v~lve 13 preferably is of a type that may be opened and closed in 13 response to changes in the pressures of fluids in the annu:Lus 14 between the pipe 11 and the casing 10. The valve assembly 13 is lS well known and is covered by U.S. Patent No. RE 29,638 also 16 assigrled to'the assignee of the present invention.
18 Other equipment componenets such as a jar and a safety joint may 19 be employed in the string of tools but are not illustrated in the ~0 drawings. A per~orated tail pipe 14 may be connected to the 21 lower end of the mandrel of the packe~ 12 to enable fluids in the 22 well bore to enter the tools, and typical pressure recorders 15 ~3 are provided for the acquisition o~ pressure data during the 24 test.
A full-bore sa~npler safety valve 20 that is constructed in 26 accordance with the principles of the present lnvention is 27 connected in the pipe string just above the main test valve 28 assembly 13. As shown in detail in Figs~ 2A2C, the valve as~
29 sembly 20 includes a tubular housing 25 that has threads 26 at each end for connecting the same within the tool string. The !~ - 4 -~ I ~'7'~
1 housing 25 may include several sections that are threaded to-2 gether such as an upper sub 27, a sampler sub 28, a cylinder sub 3 29 and a lower sub 30. Upper and lower vertically spaced ball 4 valve assemblies 32 and 33 are rotatably mounted on an elongated actuator mandrel 34 that is axially slidable within the housing 6 25 between a lower position as shown in the drawings where the 7 ball valves are open, and an upper position where the valves 8 simultaneously are rotated closed. When the valves 32 and 33 are 9 closed, the region 35 therebetween and areas outside the mandrel provide a sample chamber fox entrapping a discrete volume of 11 formation fluid.
12 ~s shown in Fig. 2~, the lower section of the mandrel 13 assembly is provided with a piston 36 which carries a seal 37 14 that engages the wall 38 of an annular recess 39 formed in the cylinder section 29 of the housing 25. The mandrel assembly 34 16 also carries seals 40 and 44 that engage housing wall surfaces 42 17 and 43 above and below the recess 39, with the surfaces 42 and 43 18 being formed on the same diameter. Initially, the regions above 19 and below the piston 36 contain air at atmospheric pressure. The lower region is in communication with a pressure channel 45 that 21 terminates in an outwardly directed threaded port 46 tFig. 3) 22 which normally is closed by a rupture disk assembly 47 shown in 23 Fig. 4. As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, the 24 rupture disk 48 will remain intact until a predetermined pressure is applied thereto which causes the central portion ~9 of the 26 disk to fail and thereby admit annulus fluids under pressure into 27 the region below the piston 36.
28 The tubular section 50 of the mandrel assembly 34 that 29 carries the seal 40 is provided with an outwardly extending flange 51 which initially is located underneath a split lock ring .
_ 5 ~ 7~
1 52 to hold the same in its expanded condition. Upward movement 2 of the mandrel assembly 34 will move the flange 51 out from 3 underneath the split lock ring 52 and enable it to resile in-4 wardly to its retracted condition where it is positioned between the downwardly facing shoulder 53 on the lower end of the flange 6 51 and an upwardly facing shoulder 54 that is formed on the upper 7 end of the cylinder section 29 of the housing 25. In the re-8 tracted position, the lock ring 52 prevents downward movement of 9 the mandrel assembly 34 with respect to the housing 25.
The upper end section 56 of the mandrel assembly 34, as 11 shown in Fig. 2A, is provided with three vertically spaced seal 12 rings 57, 58, 59 that engage the inner wall surface 60 of the 13 upper housing sub 27. A port 62 extends laterally through the 14 wall of the sub 27 and a companion pressure channel 63 extends from a lateral opening 64 upwardly through the housing wall where 16 the channel may be communicated with the pressure operated piston 17 or the like in an associated pressure controlled well tool 21 18 (Fig. 1) such as a reversing valve. The upper and middle seal 19 rings 57, 58 normally are positioned respectively above and below the port 64 as sho~n to blank off the same, whereas the middle 21 and lower seal rings 58, 59 normally are located respectively 22 above and below the port 62 to blank it off to fluid flow. When 23 the mandrel assembly 34 is shifted upward as~previously des-24 cribed, the middle seal 58 moves above the port 64 to a position where the annular clearance space 65 communicates the two ports 26 62 and 64 with one another to enable well annulus pressure, and 27 changes in such pressure, to be applied to the associated well 28 tool 21 for the purpose of operating or controlling the same.
29 Upper and lower sleeves 66, 67 that are fixedly mounted within the housing section 28 carry eccentric pins 68 that are ~ ~ t7~ ~
1 laterally offset from the center line of the housing as shown in 2 Fig. 5. The mandrel assembly 34 in its central region includes 3 arms 70 and 70' to either side which have circular outer walls 71 4 ana flat inner walls 72. Upper and lower ball valve elements 73 and 74 are rotatably mounted on the arms 70 and 70' by diame-6 trically opposed trunion pins 75 that fit in holes 76 formed in 7 the flat side walls of the ball elements 73, 74 and extend into 8 apertures 77 formed in the arms 70 and 70'. Each ball valve 9 element has a bore 78 that when aligned with the housing axis presents an unobstructed vertical passage through the tool.
11 Upper and lower valve seat rings 79, 80 carry seals 81 that 12 slidably engage the spherical outer peripheries 82 o~ the res~
13 pective ball valve elements to close off the central flow passage 14 to fluid flow when the valves are rotated through an angle of 90 to the orientation shown in Figs. 2A and 2B.
16 Each of the ball valve elements 73, 74 has radially ex-17 tending cam slots 86 formed in the opposite side walls thereof 18 which are engaged by the eccentric pins 68, 68'. Thus arranged, 1~ upward shiting of the ball valve elements with the mandrel assembly 34 causes the elements to be rotated simultaneously to 21 thelr closed positions with respect to the seat rings 79 and 80, 22 and downward shifting causes the elements to simultaneously 23 rotate open. When closed, the region 35 between the ball valve 24 elements 73, 74 and the annulax open areas outside the mandrel from the seal 59 down to the seal 40 provide a chamber for trap-26 ping a ~lowing sample of formation fluids. The annular space 88 27 located between the mandrel assembly 34 and the inner wall of the 28 housing section 28 above the upper ball valve element 73 is 29 communicated by a vertical port 89 to a typical drain plug as-3~ sembly 90 shown in F'ig. 6 that enables the samp:e of formation ~ 34 1 fluids trapped in the chamber to be removed when the tool has 2 been removed from the well. An identical drain plug assembly may 3 be located in the wall of the cylinder section 29 at the lower 4 ~nd of a vertical port 89'.
In operation, the sampler-safety valve apparatus 20 as-8 sembled as shown in the drawings is incorporated into the string 9 of drill stem testing tools above the main test valve 13, and the string is run into the well on the pipe string 11. During run-11 ning of the tools and operation of the test valve 13, the ball 12 valve elements 73 and 74 are in their open positions shown in 13 Figs. 2A and 2B. The enclosed regions above and below the piston 14 36 initially contain an atmospheric pressure, so that the mandrel assembly 34 is completely balanced with respect to pressure.
16 The rupture disk 48 is selected to have a burst pressure 17 rating such that it will remain intact during all of the annulus 18 pressure changes that are employed to operate the main test valve 19 13. However, when it is desired to terminate the test and obtain a sample, a pressure increase in excess of that employed to 21 activate the test valve 13 is applied at the surface to the well 22 annulus 22. Such pressure increase ruptures the central region 23 49 of the disk 48 to ~dmit annulus fluid via the port 45 into the 24 reg.ion below the piston 36 on the mandrel assembly 34. Upward force on the piston 36 due to such pressure will shift the ~an-26 drel assembly 34 upwardly within the housing 25, causing both of 27 the valve elements 73, 74 to be rotated simultaneously to their 28 closed positions to trap a sample of formation fluids in the 29 chamber 35. The lock ring 52 flexes inwardly underneath the shoulder 53 on the mandrel to lock the sampler closed. The port ~3'7'7~
1 62 in the upper section 27 of the housing 25 is communicated with 2 the vertical port 63 via the clearance space 64 to enable opera-3 tion of associated equipment in response to subsequent changes in 4 the well annulus pressuxe.
When the tool string has been removed from the well, the 6 sample trapped in the chamber 35 and in the annular areas 88 7 outside the mandrel assembly can be removed by hooking up a drain 8 line to the threaded port 91 and then opening the plug valve 92.
9 The apparatus of the present invention also functions as a safety valve because the throughbore of the tool string can be 11 closed at any time in response to the specific pressure signal 12 required to actuate the sampler valves. It also will be re-13 cognized that'the ball valves 73 and 74 have the capability of 1~ cutting a wireline that may be extending therethrough where the valves must be closed quickly in the event of an emergency, or 16 where a wireline tool has become hung in the tool string below 17 the sampler.
18 It will now be apparent that a new and improved full bore 19 sampler-safety valve apparatus has been disclosed. Since certain changes or modifications may be made by those skilled in the art 21 without departing from the inventive concepts involved, it is the 22 aim of the appended claims to cover all such changes and modi-23 fications falling within the true spirit and scope of the present 2~ invention.
2g . _ g
It is the general object of the present invention to provide 11 a new and improved full-bore sampler valve ~or trapping the last 12 flowing sample of formation fluids that are produced during a 13 drill stem test.
14 Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and Lmproved full-bore sampler apparatus that can be closed 16 responsive to a specific annulus pressure signal to trap a sample 17 and to also function as a safety valve when closed to shut in the 18 formation being tested.
19 ' 29 S~M~RY OF THE INVENTION
21 These and other objects are attained in accordance with the 22 concepts of the present invention through the provision of a 23 sampler valve apparatus comprising a housing having an axially 2~ shiftable actuator mandrel that carries spaced ball valve ele-ments that when open present an unobstructed vertical passage and 26 when closed block the open ends of a sample chamber for contain-27 ing a discrete volume of formation fluids. The actuator mandrel 28 carries a piston that is sealingly slidable within a cylinder 29 formed on the housing, with opposite sides of the piston ini-tially being subject to atmospheric or other low but equal Il . ' 7~
pressures. In response to a predetern~ined increase in the pressure oE
fluids in the well annulus outside the housing, a passageway leading to one side of the piston is opened so that well fluids at hydros-tatic pressure can act one one side of the piston to force the actuator mandrel to shift axially of the housing and to cause the ball valves to be rotated simultaneously to their closed positions. In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the axial vement of the ac-tuator m~ndrel can be employed to open a valve that functions to communicate the well annulus with an associated valve such as a reverse circulating valve to enable the same to be operated by subsequent changes in the pressures of fluids in the well annulus.
Thus, in accordance with one broad aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus adapted for use in closing the bore of a pipe string during a~elltesting operation comprising: a housing having an actuator mandrel assembly slidably disposed therein, said housing and mandrel assembly defining a flow passage; axially spaced full-opening va.Lve means mounted on said mandrel assembly for opening said flow passage in one longitudinal position of said mandrel assembly within said housing and for closing said flow passage in another longitudinal position -therein;
hydraulically operable means on said mandrel assembly normally s~ject to balanced pressures for shifting said mandrel assembly from said one position to said other posi-tion; and means responsive to a predetermined pressure of fluids in the well annulus surrounding sald housing for subjec-ting said hydraulically operable means to well annulus pressure to cause shifting of said mandrel assembly to said other position and closure of said flow passage by s id valve ne ns, a region of sald flow passaye located ~et~en : ~3~
.
'7'7~
said valve m,eans defining a sample chamber adapted to trap a flowing sample of formation fluids.
In accordance with another broad aspect of the invention there is pxovided---valve apparatus adapted for use in a well testing operation to close the bore of a pipe string and to trap a sample of fo.rn~tion fluids in response to -the ap~lication of a predetermined pressure to fluids stand-ing in the well annulus, comprising: a housing having means'at its ends for connecting the same in the pipe string; an actuator mandrel asse~bly slid-ably disposed in said housing, said assembly and housing defining a flcw passage; upper and lower ball valve elements rotatably mounted on said mandrel assembly for providing a full-opening bore through said apparatus when said mandrel assembly is in a lower position within said housing and for simultaneously closing said flow passage when said mandrel assembly is shifted to an upper position within said housing, said valve elements when closed defining walls of a sample chamber that is located in part in the bore of said mandrel assembly be,tween said valve elements; cylinder means in said housing; piston means on said mandrel assembly sealingly en-gaging said cylinder meansi seal means on said housing and mandrel assembly above and below said piston means and having substanially the same diameter of sealing engagement to provide variable capacity chambers initially at atn~ospheric or other low pressure located above and below said piston means;
port means leading from the lower one of said variable capacity chambers to the exterior of said housing; and rupture disc means normally closing said port means and responsive to a p,redetermined pressure differential for admitting well annulus fluids into said lower variable capacity chamber whereby the pressure of said fluids can act on the lower face of said piston -3a-means to shif-t said mandrel assembly upwardly to said upper position and cause closure of said ball valve elemen-ts.
B~IEF DESCRI~TION OF T~E DP~NGS
The present invention has o-ther objects, feat~.es and advantages that will become more clearly apparent in connection with the following detailed descrip-tion of a preferred emkodiment, taken in conjunc-tion with the appended drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a schematic view of a s-tring of drill stem testing tools positioned in a well being tested;
Figures 2A and 2C are longitudinal sectional views, with portions in side elevation, of a full bore s 9 1er and safety valve constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;
Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross-section view taken along lines 3--3 of Figure 2B;
Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the rupture disc assembly, Figure 5 is a cross-section taken along line 5~-5 of Figure 2B;
and -3b-1 Fig. 6 is a fragmerltary CrOsS-sectional view -ta~ell on lirl~s 2 6--6 o~ Figs. 2A and 2B.
Referring initially to Fig. 1, there is shown schematically 6 a string of drill stem testing tools suspended withill the well 7 casing 10 on drill pipe 11. The tools comprise a hook wall-type 8 packer 12 that functions to isolate the well interval to be 9 tested from the hydrostatic head of fluids thereabove, and a main 10 test valve assembly 13 that functions to permit or terminate the 11 flow of orm tion fluids from the isolated interval. The test 12 v~lve 13 preferably is of a type that may be opened and closed in 13 response to changes in the pressures of fluids in the annu:Lus 14 between the pipe 11 and the casing 10. The valve assembly 13 is lS well known and is covered by U.S. Patent No. RE 29,638 also 16 assigrled to'the assignee of the present invention.
18 Other equipment componenets such as a jar and a safety joint may 19 be employed in the string of tools but are not illustrated in the ~0 drawings. A per~orated tail pipe 14 may be connected to the 21 lower end of the mandrel of the packe~ 12 to enable fluids in the 22 well bore to enter the tools, and typical pressure recorders 15 ~3 are provided for the acquisition o~ pressure data during the 24 test.
A full-bore sa~npler safety valve 20 that is constructed in 26 accordance with the principles of the present lnvention is 27 connected in the pipe string just above the main test valve 28 assembly 13. As shown in detail in Figs~ 2A2C, the valve as~
29 sembly 20 includes a tubular housing 25 that has threads 26 at each end for connecting the same within the tool string. The !~ - 4 -~ I ~'7'~
1 housing 25 may include several sections that are threaded to-2 gether such as an upper sub 27, a sampler sub 28, a cylinder sub 3 29 and a lower sub 30. Upper and lower vertically spaced ball 4 valve assemblies 32 and 33 are rotatably mounted on an elongated actuator mandrel 34 that is axially slidable within the housing 6 25 between a lower position as shown in the drawings where the 7 ball valves are open, and an upper position where the valves 8 simultaneously are rotated closed. When the valves 32 and 33 are 9 closed, the region 35 therebetween and areas outside the mandrel provide a sample chamber fox entrapping a discrete volume of 11 formation fluid.
12 ~s shown in Fig. 2~, the lower section of the mandrel 13 assembly is provided with a piston 36 which carries a seal 37 14 that engages the wall 38 of an annular recess 39 formed in the cylinder section 29 of the housing 25. The mandrel assembly 34 16 also carries seals 40 and 44 that engage housing wall surfaces 42 17 and 43 above and below the recess 39, with the surfaces 42 and 43 18 being formed on the same diameter. Initially, the regions above 19 and below the piston 36 contain air at atmospheric pressure. The lower region is in communication with a pressure channel 45 that 21 terminates in an outwardly directed threaded port 46 tFig. 3) 22 which normally is closed by a rupture disk assembly 47 shown in 23 Fig. 4. As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, the 24 rupture disk 48 will remain intact until a predetermined pressure is applied thereto which causes the central portion ~9 of the 26 disk to fail and thereby admit annulus fluids under pressure into 27 the region below the piston 36.
28 The tubular section 50 of the mandrel assembly 34 that 29 carries the seal 40 is provided with an outwardly extending flange 51 which initially is located underneath a split lock ring .
_ 5 ~ 7~
1 52 to hold the same in its expanded condition. Upward movement 2 of the mandrel assembly 34 will move the flange 51 out from 3 underneath the split lock ring 52 and enable it to resile in-4 wardly to its retracted condition where it is positioned between the downwardly facing shoulder 53 on the lower end of the flange 6 51 and an upwardly facing shoulder 54 that is formed on the upper 7 end of the cylinder section 29 of the housing 25. In the re-8 tracted position, the lock ring 52 prevents downward movement of 9 the mandrel assembly 34 with respect to the housing 25.
The upper end section 56 of the mandrel assembly 34, as 11 shown in Fig. 2A, is provided with three vertically spaced seal 12 rings 57, 58, 59 that engage the inner wall surface 60 of the 13 upper housing sub 27. A port 62 extends laterally through the 14 wall of the sub 27 and a companion pressure channel 63 extends from a lateral opening 64 upwardly through the housing wall where 16 the channel may be communicated with the pressure operated piston 17 or the like in an associated pressure controlled well tool 21 18 (Fig. 1) such as a reversing valve. The upper and middle seal 19 rings 57, 58 normally are positioned respectively above and below the port 64 as sho~n to blank off the same, whereas the middle 21 and lower seal rings 58, 59 normally are located respectively 22 above and below the port 62 to blank it off to fluid flow. When 23 the mandrel assembly 34 is shifted upward as~previously des-24 cribed, the middle seal 58 moves above the port 64 to a position where the annular clearance space 65 communicates the two ports 26 62 and 64 with one another to enable well annulus pressure, and 27 changes in such pressure, to be applied to the associated well 28 tool 21 for the purpose of operating or controlling the same.
29 Upper and lower sleeves 66, 67 that are fixedly mounted within the housing section 28 carry eccentric pins 68 that are ~ ~ t7~ ~
1 laterally offset from the center line of the housing as shown in 2 Fig. 5. The mandrel assembly 34 in its central region includes 3 arms 70 and 70' to either side which have circular outer walls 71 4 ana flat inner walls 72. Upper and lower ball valve elements 73 and 74 are rotatably mounted on the arms 70 and 70' by diame-6 trically opposed trunion pins 75 that fit in holes 76 formed in 7 the flat side walls of the ball elements 73, 74 and extend into 8 apertures 77 formed in the arms 70 and 70'. Each ball valve 9 element has a bore 78 that when aligned with the housing axis presents an unobstructed vertical passage through the tool.
11 Upper and lower valve seat rings 79, 80 carry seals 81 that 12 slidably engage the spherical outer peripheries 82 o~ the res~
13 pective ball valve elements to close off the central flow passage 14 to fluid flow when the valves are rotated through an angle of 90 to the orientation shown in Figs. 2A and 2B.
16 Each of the ball valve elements 73, 74 has radially ex-17 tending cam slots 86 formed in the opposite side walls thereof 18 which are engaged by the eccentric pins 68, 68'. Thus arranged, 1~ upward shiting of the ball valve elements with the mandrel assembly 34 causes the elements to be rotated simultaneously to 21 thelr closed positions with respect to the seat rings 79 and 80, 22 and downward shifting causes the elements to simultaneously 23 rotate open. When closed, the region 35 between the ball valve 24 elements 73, 74 and the annulax open areas outside the mandrel from the seal 59 down to the seal 40 provide a chamber for trap-26 ping a ~lowing sample of formation fluids. The annular space 88 27 located between the mandrel assembly 34 and the inner wall of the 28 housing section 28 above the upper ball valve element 73 is 29 communicated by a vertical port 89 to a typical drain plug as-3~ sembly 90 shown in F'ig. 6 that enables the samp:e of formation ~ 34 1 fluids trapped in the chamber to be removed when the tool has 2 been removed from the well. An identical drain plug assembly may 3 be located in the wall of the cylinder section 29 at the lower 4 ~nd of a vertical port 89'.
In operation, the sampler-safety valve apparatus 20 as-8 sembled as shown in the drawings is incorporated into the string 9 of drill stem testing tools above the main test valve 13, and the string is run into the well on the pipe string 11. During run-11 ning of the tools and operation of the test valve 13, the ball 12 valve elements 73 and 74 are in their open positions shown in 13 Figs. 2A and 2B. The enclosed regions above and below the piston 14 36 initially contain an atmospheric pressure, so that the mandrel assembly 34 is completely balanced with respect to pressure.
16 The rupture disk 48 is selected to have a burst pressure 17 rating such that it will remain intact during all of the annulus 18 pressure changes that are employed to operate the main test valve 19 13. However, when it is desired to terminate the test and obtain a sample, a pressure increase in excess of that employed to 21 activate the test valve 13 is applied at the surface to the well 22 annulus 22. Such pressure increase ruptures the central region 23 49 of the disk 48 to ~dmit annulus fluid via the port 45 into the 24 reg.ion below the piston 36 on the mandrel assembly 34. Upward force on the piston 36 due to such pressure will shift the ~an-26 drel assembly 34 upwardly within the housing 25, causing both of 27 the valve elements 73, 74 to be rotated simultaneously to their 28 closed positions to trap a sample of formation fluids in the 29 chamber 35. The lock ring 52 flexes inwardly underneath the shoulder 53 on the mandrel to lock the sampler closed. The port ~3'7'7~
1 62 in the upper section 27 of the housing 25 is communicated with 2 the vertical port 63 via the clearance space 64 to enable opera-3 tion of associated equipment in response to subsequent changes in 4 the well annulus pressuxe.
When the tool string has been removed from the well, the 6 sample trapped in the chamber 35 and in the annular areas 88 7 outside the mandrel assembly can be removed by hooking up a drain 8 line to the threaded port 91 and then opening the plug valve 92.
9 The apparatus of the present invention also functions as a safety valve because the throughbore of the tool string can be 11 closed at any time in response to the specific pressure signal 12 required to actuate the sampler valves. It also will be re-13 cognized that'the ball valves 73 and 74 have the capability of 1~ cutting a wireline that may be extending therethrough where the valves must be closed quickly in the event of an emergency, or 16 where a wireline tool has become hung in the tool string below 17 the sampler.
18 It will now be apparent that a new and improved full bore 19 sampler-safety valve apparatus has been disclosed. Since certain changes or modifications may be made by those skilled in the art 21 without departing from the inventive concepts involved, it is the 22 aim of the appended claims to cover all such changes and modi-23 fications falling within the true spirit and scope of the present 2~ invention.
2g . _ g
Claims (13)
1. Apparatus adapted for use in closing the bore of a pipe string during a well testing operation comprising: a housing having an actuator mandrel assembly slidably disposed therein, said housing and mandrel assembly defining a flow passage; ax-ially spaced full-opening valve means mounted on said mandrel assembly for opening said flow passage in one longitudinal posi-tion of said mandrel assembly within said housing and for closing said flow passage in another longitudinal position therein;
hydraulically operable means on said mandrel assembly normally subject to balanced pressures for shifting said mandrel assembly from said one position to said other position; and means res-ponsive to a predetermined pressure of fluids in the well annulus surrounding said housing for subjecting said hydraulically oper-able means to well annulus pressure to cause shifting of said mandrel assembly to said other position and closure of said flow passage by said valve means, a region of said flow passage lo-cated between said valve means defining a sample chamber adapted to trap a flowing sample of formation fluids.
hydraulically operable means on said mandrel assembly normally subject to balanced pressures for shifting said mandrel assembly from said one position to said other position; and means res-ponsive to a predetermined pressure of fluids in the well annulus surrounding said housing for subjecting said hydraulically oper-able means to well annulus pressure to cause shifting of said mandrel assembly to said other position and closure of said flow passage by said valve means, a region of said flow passage lo-cated between said valve means defining a sample chamber adapted to trap a flowing sample of formation fluids.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said valve means com-prise ball valve elements rotatably mounted on said mandrel as-sembly and cooperable with eccentric means fixed with respect to said housing, said ball valve elements each being sealing engaged with seat means surrounding said flow passage and included in said mandrel assembly.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said hydraulically operably means includes piston means on said mandrel assembly sealingly slidable within cylinder means in said housing; and seal means between said housing and mandrel assembly located on opposite sides of said piston means, said seal means being en-gaged on substantially the same seal diameter and defining the ends of enclosed chambers located on opposite sides of said piston means, each of said chambers initially containing a fluid such as air at substantially the same pressure.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said subjecting means comprises port means leading from the well annulus to said hydraulically operable means, and means including a rupture disc for closing said port means, said rupture disc having a central region that is designed to fail when a predetermined fluid pres-sure is applied thereto.
5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said subjecting means comprises port means in said housing leading from the exterior thereof to one of said chambers, and means including a rupture disc for closing said port means, said rupture disc having a central region that is designed to fail when a predetermined fluid pressure is applied thereto.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 further including means for locking said mandrel assembly in said other position to retain said valve means in said closed position.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said locking means includes detent means movable from an expanded to a contracted condition, means holding said detent means in expanded condition when said mandrel assembly is in said one position, recess means on said mandrel assembly for enabling movement of said detent means to its contracted condition when said mandrel assembly slides to said other position, and oppositely facing shoulder surfaces on said mandrel assembly and said housing engageable with said detent means when the same is in its contracted condi-tion.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 further including additional normally closed valve means in said housing for communicating the exterior of said housing with an interior region thereof in response to axial sliding of said mandrel assembly from said one position to said other position.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said additional valve means comprises axially spaced port means in said housing, one of said port means extending through the wall of said housing, and sleeve means carrying seal elements that are arranged to prevent fluid communication between said port means when said mandrel assembly is in said one position and to permit fluid communication when said mandrel assembly slides to said other position.
10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said sleeve means constitutes an end section of said mandrel assembly.
.
.
11. Valve apparatus adapted for use in a well testing operation to close the bore of a pipe string and to trap a sample of formation fluids in response to the application of a prede-termined pressure to fluids standing in the well annulus, com-prising: a housing having means at its ends for connecting the same in the pipe string; an actuator mandrel assembly slidably disposed in said housing, said assembly and housing defining a flow passage; upper and lower ball valve elements rotatably mounted on said mandrel assembly for providing a full-opening bore through said apparatus when said mandrel assembly is in a lower position within said housing and for simultaneously closing said flow passage when said mandrel assembly is shifted to an upper position within said housing, said valve elements then closed defining walls of a sample chamber that is located in part in the bore of said mandrel assembly between said valve elements;
cylinder means in said housing; piston means on said mandrel assembly sealingly engaging said cylinder means; seal means on said housing and mandrel assembly above and below said piston means and having substantially the same diameter of sealing engagement to provide variable capacity chambers initially at atmospheric or other low pressure located above and below said piston means; port means leading from the lower one of said variable capacity chambers to the exterior of said housing; and rupture disc means normally closing said port means and respon-sive to a predetermined pressure differential for admitting well annulus fluids into said lower variable capacity chamber whereby the pressure of said fluids can act on the lower face of said piston means to shift said mandrel assembly upwardly to said upper position and cause closure of said ball valve elements.
cylinder means in said housing; piston means on said mandrel assembly sealingly engaging said cylinder means; seal means on said housing and mandrel assembly above and below said piston means and having substantially the same diameter of sealing engagement to provide variable capacity chambers initially at atmospheric or other low pressure located above and below said piston means; port means leading from the lower one of said variable capacity chambers to the exterior of said housing; and rupture disc means normally closing said port means and respon-sive to a predetermined pressure differential for admitting well annulus fluids into said lower variable capacity chamber whereby the pressure of said fluids can act on the lower face of said piston means to shift said mandrel assembly upwardly to said upper position and cause closure of said ball valve elements.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 further including expansible and contractable detent means for locking said mandrel assembly in said upper position to correspondingly lock said ball valve elements in their closed positions.
13. The apparatus of claim 11 further including additional normally closed valve means on said mandrel assembly and said housing for providing selective fluid communication between the well annulus and an associated pressure controlled well tool.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US29065981A | 1981-08-06 | 1981-08-06 | |
| US290,659 | 1981-08-06 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1187784A true CA1187784A (en) | 1985-05-28 |
Family
ID=23117014
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000408828A Expired CA1187784A (en) | 1981-08-06 | 1982-08-05 | Dual ball valve sampler safety valve |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1187784A (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US11203916B2 (en) | 2019-10-11 | 2021-12-21 | Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. | Multi-ball valve assembly |
-
1982
- 1982-08-05 CA CA000408828A patent/CA1187784A/en not_active Expired
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US11203916B2 (en) | 2019-10-11 | 2021-12-21 | Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. | Multi-ball valve assembly |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| US4553598A (en) | Full bore sampler valve apparatus | |
| US4576234A (en) | Full bore sampler valve | |
| US6192984B1 (en) | Method of sampling a well using a control valve and/or floating piston | |
| US3986554A (en) | Pressure controlled reversing valve | |
| CA1195236A (en) | Circulation valve | |
| US3976136A (en) | Pressure operated isolation valve for use in a well testing apparatus and its method of operation | |
| US5180015A (en) | Hydraulic lockout device for pressure controlled well tools | |
| US4723606A (en) | Surface controlled subsurface safety valve | |
| US4603741A (en) | Weight actuated tubing valve | |
| US5156207A (en) | Hydraulically actuated downhole valve apparatus | |
| US5372193A (en) | Completion test tool | |
| US4907655A (en) | Pressure-controlled well tester operated by one or more selected actuating pressures | |
| US4252195A (en) | Well test systems and methods | |
| US4911242A (en) | Pressure-controlled well tester operated by one or more selected actuating pressures | |
| US4883123A (en) | Above packer perforate, test and sample tool and method of use | |
| US3308887A (en) | Well tester | |
| US5337827A (en) | Pressure-controlled well tester adapted to be selectively retained in a predetermined operating position | |
| US4915171A (en) | Above packer perforate test and sample tool and method of use | |
| US4804044A (en) | Perforating gun firing tool and method of operation | |
| US5193621A (en) | Bypass valve | |
| US5170844A (en) | Pressure responsive below-packer valve apparatus | |
| EP0704598A2 (en) | Tool for use in a wellbore testing string | |
| US3519075A (en) | Formation tester | |
| EP0175553B1 (en) | Well tool with selective bypass functions | |
| US3280917A (en) | Well tester |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEC | Expiry (correction) | ||
| MKEX | Expiry |