CA2062865A1 - Hydraulically actuated downhole valve apparatus and method for testing formations - Google Patents

Abstract

David M. Haugen et al HYDRAULICALLY ACTUATED DOWNHOLE VALVE APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR
TESTING FORMATIONS.

ABSTRACT OF DISCLOSURE
An elongated valve means is operable between a closed and opened position and is connected to a tubing string for flowing fluid along an isolated flow path from a location downhole in a wellbore to the surface. The valve means includes a main housing within which a mandrel is axially aligned. A packer divides the borehole annulus into and upper and lower annular area. The valve device includes an annular power chamber formed between the mandrel and the main body, and slidably receives a power piston therewithin. The power piston is connected to a medial part of the mandrel. Metered flow from the upper borehole is indirectly effected on the piston face, thereby driving the piston uphole and carrying the mandrel therewith. The lower end of the mandrel has ports formed through a sidewall thereof which are brought into registry with a complementary port formed through the sidewall of the main housing. The housing port is in fluid communi-cation with the lower borehole annulus. Detects formed in the mandrel are engageable by a latch means which positions the mandrel axially as the ports are brought into registry with one another. The latch means is retracted by a piston operated arm. Fluid pressure from the upper borehole annulus indirectly actuates the piston operated arm. The movement of the piston actuated arm and the power piston sequentially occur so that the latch means successively engages adjacent detents while successive ones of the mandrel ports are brought into registry with the port of the housing. Accordingly, the valve means is opened to admit fluid thereinto and up to the surface of the ground, whereupon, the valve means is then moved to a first closed position, and thereafter again moved into the open position in response to hydrostatic pressure alter-nately being effected within the upper borehole annulus.

Description

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

After a borehole has been formed irto the ground, it is often desireable to test specific isolated geological stratas in order to determine the rate of production that can be realized therefrom.
This is sometime carried out durirg the drilling of the borehole, and at other times the testing is carried out after the borehole has been cased, cemerted, and while the drilling rig is still positioned over the borehole.

Barrington 4448254 discloses a flow tester valve apparatus which is responsive to annular pressure ar.d which utilizes a liquid spring chamber.

Barrington 4~44268 discloses a flow tester valve apparatus within which there is included a chamber filled with compressable liquid for actuating a power piston.

Helms 4125165 discloses a valve apparatus for use downhole in a bore hole ard employes a piston which is responsive to trapped pressure in a pressure chamber ancl to arnular pressure for cortrolling a valve.

Wray 3858649 discloses oil well testir.g ard sampling apparatus which utilizes dowrhole pressure and a spring means to hold a valve mears closed until the hydraulic pressure opers the tool to the formation ard ` 206286~

allows testing operations to be formed.

Holden 3856085 discloses a pressure responsive formation testing method and apparatus which utilizes the valve closing and the valve opening forces which are generated in response to a~nular pressure.

The presert invention differs from the above cited art by the provision of a valve device which is actuated by elevating borehole upper arnular pressure at a minimum rate to a predetermined magnitude.
The present invention avoids the dangerous practice of using high dome pressure, and enables the valve actuator means to be located above a packer while the valve means is located below the packer. A mandrel is received through the packer and connects the actuator to the valve means. The valve means includes a novel s~iding valve assembly as well as a r.ovel ball valve assembly.

The sliding valve assembly has a port associated therewith which is brought into registry with a plurality of mardrel ports, and wherein the mandrel is moved uphole by a power pistor. and latched into alternate positions of operation by increasing the upper anrular hydrostatic pressure. The movement of a latch mear.s ard the sliding valve are coordinated such that an increase in the arnular pressure unlatches the mardrel ar.d forces the mandrel to move uphole to the next latched positior., with each successive latch position effecting an opened ar,d the~ a closed valve co~figuration.

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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a valve devi~e; to a means for actuating a downhole tool~ ir.cluding a valve means; ard to a combination comprised of a valve means and a valve actuator. This invertion also comprehends a method of produeing a well and thereafter shuttirg in the well, and repeating this operatior. several times, in order to test a downhole payzone.

One specific embodimer.t of this irvertior ~omprehends a tubing conveyed packer having a valve device made ir. ac~ordance with the presert invertior. attaehed thereto ir, a manr.er to place the valve inlet immediately adjac~nt the payzone and thereby flow the produced fluid directly from the payzore and uphole to the surface. This provides a true representative sample, and allows the well to be flowed any time ir.terval, and elimirates afterflow. The well is ther. shut-in by increasing the upper arrulus pressure, which moves the valve to the closed position. The valve car. thereafter be opened and ~losed a number of times by pressuring the upper anr.ulus. '-The valve device of this irvertior ireludes a mair housing havir.g ar axial bore formed therethrough. An elongated arnular mandrel is slidably or reciprocatirgly received axially within the housir,g. The lower marginal end of the mandrel, when moved, actuates a valve mear.s between ope~ and closed positions.

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Ore embodiment of the valve means is ir the form of a slidirg sleeve.
Ports formed in the sleeve and housing are misaligred to positior the valve in the closed corfiguration. The mandrel wher moved uphole, brirgs the ports into alignmert and thereby positions the valve in the open positior..

Arother valve mears is ir. the form of a ball elemert which is rotated in response to relative movement effected between the housing ard the mar.drel. Ea~h 90 degrees of ball rotation moves the valve from the open to the closed position, or vice versa.

Flow from the formation fluid ir.let proceeds through the valve means, up through the mandrel, and to the surface, while the bottom hole pressure, temperature, quartity, ard quality of the produced fluid can be recorded and subsequer.tly studied by the reservoir engireer.

The valve device of this invention ir,~ludes a valve actuator which moves in resporse to the rate at which the upper annular hydrostatic pressure is increased. Increase ir. the hydrostatic pressure effected or.
the upper ~alve housing causes the actuator to move the valve to the alterr.ate positior. The actuator ir.cludes a hydraulically actuated pistor. connected to move upon a predetermined arnular pressure in~rease, and thereafter to reset irto the stardby corfiguratior~ wher the rate of 206286~
pressure increase is reduced. The piston is of arnular construction and is reciprocatingly received within a~ a~ular chamber formed between the housing and the mardrel. The piston moves an unlatching mechanism associated with a lateh means.

The latch means releasably anchors the mar.drel to the housing, thereby preventing longitudir.al movement between the mandrel and the housing. The latch means is in the form of a collet, having dogs at a free end thereof and ar. anchored end fixed to the housing. The mandrel has spaced grooves formed in the outer surface thereof which are engagable by the dogs. When the dogs are lifted by the unlatching mechanism, the mandrel is free to move.

The mandrel has an annular power pistor. af~ixed thereto and circumferentially exte~ding thereabout. Ihe mandrel piston is slidably received within a complimentary po~er chamber. The upper annular pressure, when increased at a predetermined rate ard value, forces the mandrel to move uphole.

Flow restrictors placed in the flow passageways leadi~g to the power piston chamber and to the piston chamber for the unlatching mechanism enable the piston movement to be sequenced, whereby the latching mechanism is unlatched; the mandrel is then moved uphole, and then the mandrel is again latched to the housing after havirg traveled a predetermined distance which is related to the proper 20628~5 sequential oper.ing/closing of the valve mears.

Accordingly a primary object of this i~vention is to provide a dowrhole valve device havir,g an inlet in commuriicatior, with a forma-tior, located below a packer wherein the valve is opened ard closed a plurality of times in response to increased hydraulic pressure effected above the packer.

Arother object of this invertion is the provision of a method of controlling flow from a fluid producirg formation located downhole in a borehole by isolatin~ the formatior, with a packer, increasirg the hydrostatic head above the packer, and usi~g the increased pressure to oper. ar,d thereafter close a valve a plurality of times.

A further object of the inventior. is to provide a method of testing a payzore of a borehole by runr.ir.g a packer and valve device downhole ir,to a borehole, elevating pressu!e in the upper annulus to oper. the valve, and thereafter again elevating pressure in order to close the valve, and repeating the opering and closing of the valve a r.umber of additional times.

A still further object of the inventior is the provision of a fluid actuated device used in a tool string and placed downhole in a borehole which reciprocates a driving member a plurality of reciprocations by applying pressure in the borehole anr.ulus.

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Still arother obje~t of this inventior i5 to provide a system which ineludes ar. improved fluid actuated valve device for use in testing a formation located downhole ir. a borehole by the provisior of a tubing cor.veyed valve device having an inlet pla~ed adja~ent a payzone wherein inereased hydrostatic pressure at the valve devi~e moves the valve to the opened position, and thereafter further ircrease in the hydrostatic pressure moves the valve to the ~losed position, with the opering and closing of the valve being selectively repeated a number of times.

Another objeot of this invention is the provision of novel appa-ratus for pra~ti~ing a method of controllirg flow from the payzone ~f a well whi~h erables the formation fluid to flow dire~tly into a valve means and uphole to the surface of the ground, for the flow to be dis cortinued for any time interval, and thereafter be resumed for any time interval; and wherein the upper annular hydrostatic pressure ~or.trols the valve position, thereby erabling the ~eservoir Er.gineer to study the behavior of the drawdown and the subsequent build-up of the re-servoir pressure.

These and various other objects ar,d advartages of the inventior, will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the followirg detailed deseription ard ~laims and by referring to the accompanying drawings.

The above objects are attair,ed ir accordarce with the preser.t invention by the provision of a method ror use with apparatus fabri-cated in a mariner substartially as described in the above abstract ar,d summary.

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a part diagrammatical, part schematical, part cross-sectioral view of a borehole formed irto the ground and having apparatus made in accordarce with the presert ir,vertion illustrated therewith;

Figure 2 is an enlarged, diagrammatical, lorgitudiral, part cross_sectional representatior, of part of the apparatus disclosed ir.
Figure 1;

Figures 3 - 12 are a series of broken, longitudinal, part cross_sectior,al views of one embodiment of the present invention;

Figures 13 _ 15 are a series of broker, longitudinal, part cross-sectional views of another embodimer.t of the present invention;

Figure 16 i5 a cross-sectioral view taker along line 16-16 of Figure 5;

Figures 17 and 18 respectfully, are cross-sectional views, taken along lines 17-17 ard 18-18, respectively, of Figure 14;

Figures 19 ar.d 20 each illustrate a diagrammatical, longitudiral, cross_sectional view of another form of the invention;

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Figure 21 is a ~ross-se~tional view taken alo~g line'21-2i of Figure 11; and;

Figure 22 is~L__~ross-se~tional view taken along line 22-22 of Figure ~
.

DETAlL DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Throughout this disclosure, like or similar numerals will refer to like or similar elements whenever it is logical to do so.

Figure 1 diagrammatically sets forth a method for testing a well which car be carried out in accordance with the presert invertion.
Apparatus 10 represents a valve device made in accordan~e with the present invention. The valve devi~e is supported dow~hole in a bore-hole 11. The borehole termirates at a drilling rig floor or wellhead 12 located at grourd level 13. A fluid conductor 14, preferably a tubing string, extends from the valve device 10 uphole into supported relationship with respect to a derrick 15. The derrick includes mears 16 associated therewith for manipulatirg the tubirg strirg 14.

The valve device 10 has a packer mears 17 by which a medial portion thereof is re~eived in sealed relationship respective to the interior sidewall of the borehole. The borehole wall below the packer 17 can be open hole, or it car. be perforated as indicated by the numerial 18. The borehole 11 extends through various geological oil bearing stratas or formatiors 20, from which formatior fluid flows into the bottom of the bore. The pa~ker 17 belorgs to the prior art and can take or any number of different forms.

The valve device 10 includes ar. upper end 21 having a convertior.al

2 0 ~ h 8 6S

threaded sub by which the valve device ca~ be threadedly attached to various configuratior.s of tubing 14. The tool 10 in Figure 1 i5 referred to as a multiplicity of sections for purposes of discussion.
Section 22 contains a reciprocating piston ard oil reservoir for effecting the upper b~rehole pressure measured at port 19 onto a power section of the apparatus, as will be more fully disclosed later or..

Section 23 contains latch release and spring return chamber which ur,derlies a port 19. Section 24 is ar oil reservoir which is located uphole of seetion 25 which contains a metering piston for an unlatchir.g mechanism found ir. sectior, 27. A mandrel latch sub is housed in section 28 and may be located above a po~er piston assembly section 29. Ar. annular oil reservoir in sectior. 30 includes a meterinB jet assembly. Sectior. 31 is located adjacent to the before mentioned packer ~7 and provides an optional circulation port by which the for-mation commodity can be reverse circulated out of the tubing. Packer 17 is connected to sub 32 of the tool, while valve sub 33 forms the lower end of the tool.

The lower end of the tool can be blocked off by a bull plug or the like, or alternatively, guns, recorders, sensors, logging devices, and the like, car be attached to the lower termiral end of the tool and extended further downhole in the borehole, for purposes which will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

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The packer 17 divides the borehole 11 into lower annular area 35 ar.d upper annular area 36. Power pisto~ hydrostatic port 37 ~ommunicates with the upper annulus 36.

In the preferred embodiment Or the inventio~ set forth in figures

3-10 of the drawings, a mandrel 38 of annular cor.struction forms the innermost wall surface of the valYe device. The mandrel 38 has an upper terminal end 39, and forms an axial passageway along the lor.gitudinal axial centerline of the valve device. A housing 41 forms the outermost surfa~e of the valve device. Annular fluid chamber 42 is formed between the mandrel and the housing and reciprocatingly receives a free piston 43 therewithin. The free piston ir.cludes opposed ~aces, one of whi~h is subjected to the hydrostatic pressure effected at port 199 and the other of which is subjected to the hydrostatic pressure of a ~ompressible liquid contained within oil reservoir 42, Sprirg return 44 drives this piston 43 uphole.

The term "compressible liquid'l is interded to mea~ a liquid, such as silicon oil, which is more compressible than another liquid, such as water. In any event any liquid can be used in the isolated oil reservoirs. The use of the silicon oil is preferred because the reservoir volume can be advantageously red~ced.

In figures 3 and 4, the oil reservoi. continues through passage-way 42' into a released piston chamber 45~ A release piston 46 isreciprocatingly received in sealed relatior.ship within chamber 45, and includes metered passageways 47 havirg a Lee Check Valve (TM) therein which communicate the opposed anrular piston faces by means of the illustrated small anrular flow passageway 47~. The Check valve permits uphole fluid flow and restricts downhole flow therethrough. Accordingly, pistor. 46 includes a metered passageway 47 and 47~ formed therethrough.
A spring extention sleeve 48 trarsfers the force of a ~prirg 49 onto shoulder 50 of piston 46, thereby resiliertly biasirg pistor. 46 uphole.
A release arm 51, which can be ir. the form of a sleeve, or alternativel a plurality of arms is radially spaced from the axis of the tool.

As illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, the before mentioned urlatching mechar.ism 27 and mandrel latch mechanism 28 are located withir. latch chamber 52. Chamber 52 is isolated from chamber 45 by the illustrated seal mears. Latch release arm 51 is directly connected to latch release piston 46 and reciprocates therewith. The lower margiral end 51~ of the latch release arm is provided with the illustrated dog-leg, and the lower terminal end ~hereof is beveled ard wedgedly received ur.der a complimer.tary upper margiral end of a latch means 53. A plurality ~f spaced grooves or detents 54 are formed in the outer wall surface of mardrel 38. The upper marginal erd of the latch 53 is in the form of a dog 55 made into a corfiguratior. to be received withir. any ore of the grooves or detents 54 and thereby rigidly lock the mandrel to latch means 53 ard to the main housing at anchored erd 56. The latch mears 53 is comprised of a plurallty of elongated metallic resiliert members which can be sprung from the illustrated normal latched positior., radially away from the mandrel detent, thereby releasing dogs 55 ~rom the detent 54 when the arm 51' is wedgedly forced below dog 55, ar.d lifts the dogs into the retracted positior. Apparatus such as illustrated at 51', 55, 53 is often referred to as a ~collet". The deterts 54 are anrular grooves formed within the annular mardrel 38, while the dogs 55 are spa~ed, resiliert, metallic members that normally are biased irto the illustrated latched position as set forth ir. Figures 4 and 5, and which car. be urged into a retracted corfiguration ir Grder to release the dogs from the detents. The deterts 54 are aligned concentrically respective to the lor.gitudinal certral axis of the tool ard can be ary number considered desirable by those skilled in the art. The deterts 54 are placed on centers which correspond to or.e half the spacirg of the adjacent inlet ports associated with the sleeve of the valve sub 33, as will be more fully explaired later or. in this disclosure.

Shoulder 57, formed on the release arm 51', abuttingly engages shoulder 58 formed or. the mardrel wher the mandrel has beer cycled to its uppermost position respective to the main outer housing. Shoulder ~9, formed or. the mardrel, abuttirgly engages shoulder 60 formed or. the housing when the mandrel has been cycled to its lowermost positior.
respective to the housirg. Fill plug 61 provides a means by which a compressible liquid car be introduced irto the annular workirg space 28 1~ ~

form~d between the mandrel and the main housing, so that all of the compressible fluid can be evacuated therefrom by utilizing prior art expedierts.

In Fîgures 5 and 6, a power chamber 62 of annular construction reciprocatingly receives a power pistor. 63 ir. sealed relationship therewithin. The power piston is suitablely sealed to the sidewalls of the annular power chamber 62 by the illustrated seal means. The power piston 63 divides the power chamber into a compressible fluid chamber 64, as ~or example air at atmospheric pressure, and a clean liquid chamber 65, as for example oil. The power pistor. 63 is affixed to the mandrel 38, and a pressure differential effected across the opposed faces of pistor. 63 moves the mandrel respective to the mair. housing.

At least one drilled passageway 66 extends ~rom chamber 65, through a metering orifice 67, ard ir.to ar. oil reserYoir 68. Piston 69 is reciprocatingly recei~ed within the annular oil reservoir 68 and has opposed faces, one of whi~h is subjected to the oil contained within reser~oir 68, and the other is sub jected to downhole hydrostatic pressure effected at port 37. The piston 69 abuttingly engages a annular shoulder 70 ~ormed on the main housing.

Where deemed desireable, the mandrel can be made into different lengths to facilitate handling and assembly thereof, as noted by the threaded eonneetion at numeral 71. Moreo~er a sealed circulation port can be formed at 71' which extends through the sidewalls of the housing and mardrel, with the ports being sealed ir. a manner similar to the ports of the ~lid~ng valve assembly, as will be more tully appreciated later on in this disclosure.

In Figure 8, the packer sub 32 is provided with a prior art packer device which can take on any r.umber of differert forms so long as the outer surface of the housing is sealed respective to the inside wall of the borehole so that formatior fluid flow must occur only through the central flow passageway of the valve device 10.

In Figures 4 and 5 numeral 73 broadly indicates a cor.r.ector and stabilizer by which the slidir.g sleeve of the valve section 33 car.
be separated to facilitate handling and assembly.

Guide 74' forms a connector betweer. the mandrel 38' and a slidirg valve element 74. The sliding valve element 74 is an extention of and forms part of the mandrel. The sliding valve element 74 ir,cludes a plurality of ports 75 aligred in spaced relationship respective to ore anothen and alor.g a line arranged in spaced parallel relationship respective to the lorgitudiral central axis of the valve device. The ports 75 can be of any number and are spaced apart on cer.ters a distance which enables misalignment of the ports to preclude flow of fluid therethrough and which can be brought into registry with an inlet port 76 formed through the sidewall of housirg. Arnular seal mears 77 are affixed to the slid$ng sleeve valve element 74, and disposed withir, the annulus formed between the mandrel and the housing, and direct the flow of fluid only through ports 75, 76 when the ports are brought into registry with one arother. The spacirg betweer ports 75 is exactly twice the spacing between the detents formed in the mandrel.

Guide pir. 78 i5 received withir open slot 78~ and maintains the mandrel aligned with the housing prior to actuation. Where deemed desireable, slot 78~ can be elongated so t~at the pin always remains slidably captured within the slot, thereby preventing relative rotation between the mar.drel and housing, should the valve device be subjected to unusual vibratory motion. The lower terminal end 7g of the valve device can terminate in a bull plug or other clo5ure member.
Alternatively, additional apparatus can be suspended at the illustrated pir. located at lower terminal end 79; as for example logging devices, perforatirg guns, iars, and the like.

Ar important feature of the preser~t irventio~ is the unobstructed central passageway that extends longitudirally down through the valve device ar.d thereby erables wireline equipmert to be passed therethrough.

It is oonsidered novel to fabricate ar actuator comprised of the upper marginal end of the valve device by substitutirg other valve devices for the lower valve section commereirg at the packer sectior 32.

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~ n Figures 11 - 12, there is disolosed a secord embodiment comprised of the upper marginal end of the valve device. As seen illustrated in Figure 11, pistor. 43' is free to reciprocate withir, chamber 42 ard thereby divides the chamber into an upper hydrostatic pressure chamber and a lower oil filled chamber. The oil is referred to herein as a compressible liquid. Oil from chamber 42 is free to flow into chamber 45~, ar.d alorg the annular passageway 42~. In the alternate embodiment of Figure 11, the novel meterirg release pistor 46' is sealingly received in a reciprocatir.g marr.er withir. chamber 45~, ar.d provides the force by which the latchir.g mecharism is unlatched when piston 46'is forced to move dowr.hole.

A marginal length of the piston includes an upper member 80 and another marginal ler,gth includes a lower member 81 which cooperate with one another, and which have adjacent marginal ends slideably received ir. overlapping relationship respe~tive to one another. The slideable coating surfaces of the piston are illustrated by the numeral 82, with the illustrated seal mears being irterposed between the slidirg surfaces. A metal to metal lip seal of arrular construction is formed-as indicated by r.umeral 83, with the resultart coactir.g structure functioning as a valve element and valve seat. Accordingly, when piston member 80 and pistor. member 81 are moved apart, the metal to metal seal at 83 is parted, and fluid is free to flow from chamber 45' at piston er.d 84 of member 81, about the pistor at 85, through the lip seal-at 83, through the passageway 86 formed in the upper marginal er.d o~ the Iq.

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annular piston member 81, and into the chamber 45~ at the upper erd of the member 80.

The piston member 81 ircludes passageway 486 within which a Lee Valve is mounted for allowing flow from the uphole side, through the member 81, and into the downside chamber at a location downhole of the lip seal 83. The upper terminal en~ of the-piston assembly 46' is abuttingly engaged by a shoulder at 87 formed on structure affixed to the outer housing.

Compress~on sprin~ 49 ~ is caged withir chamber 45 and urges soap ring 88 uphole. The snap ring 88 is received within a circumferentially exterding groove of the release sleeve 51, and thereby urges the piston assembly 46~ to move into abutting engagemert with shoulder 87 of the housing.

The release mechanism 27, 28 and the latch means associated therewith are similar to the first embodiment of the invention.

Figure 11 also discloses a lost motio- coupling, or slidable sealed coupling 387 which enables the tool to telescope together unt$1 the confronting faces A and B abut one another. This provides a means for runnir,g in the tool, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

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Figures 13 - 18 set forth an alternate embodiment of the valve section of the present invention. In Figure 13, downhole movement of the piston 246' in response to pressure differential across the opposed piston faces thereof moves the actuator sleeve or release arm 251 which upsets the collet and thereby retracts the dog from the detent. Equal-ization of the pressure differential across piston 46' moves the piston uphole, causing separation of members 80, 81 or.e from the other, and thereby allows fluid flow from chamber 45 on bottom side 84 of the piston, alor,g passageway 85, through lip seal 83~, through passageway 86, and into the upper part of chamber 45'.

In the embodimert of the invention disclosed in Figures 13 - 18, and in particular Figure 13, the upper marginal end of the valve device is provided with the before mer.tiored inlet port 19 which is arranged to receive fluid at the upper borehole pressure found immediately above packer 17. Free piston 243 is reciprocatingly received within chamber 242, ar.d divides the chamber irto a well fluid part separated from an oil containirg part. The chamber 242 ~ontains the illustrated compressed sprirg 244 which is abuttingly receiYed between the confrontir,g faces of piston 243 ar.d She illustrated shoulder of housing 241. The chamber 242 continues downhole and provides an annular portion within which release pistor. 246 is reciprocatingly received.
Release piston 246 has a passageway 247 formed therethrough and connects chamber part 245 with the chamber part 242.

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~ ompression spring 249 is compressed between the illustrated confronting faces of piston 246 and the anrular sh~ulder formed within the main housing. Actuator sleeve 251 is affixed to piston 246 and extends dowrhole in fixed relatiorship respective to release mechanism 251'. The sleeve 251 includes a wedge shaped annular face made com-plimentary respective to the coacting cor.frorting face of dog 255. The dog 255 includes the illustrated inwardly directed protrusion which is received within one of the spaced deterts or grooves 254. The detents 254 are spaced from one ar.other ir. accordance with the vertical spacir.g of pins 104, 104' seer illustrated downhole of the release mechar.ism. The collet assembly 253, 255 has a fixed end 256 suitably connected to the housing at the anchored er.d thereof. Inter-face 89 formed between mandrel 38 and the housing is suitablely sealed as seen illustrated in Figure 14. Interface 90 formed between between fixed members is threaded at 256 and receives the illustrated seal.

Isolated annular chamber 91 is sealed at 89 and 92 and therefore isolates the valve seat 101 ar.d valve element 95 from the remainer of the annulus. The arrows indicated by r.umerals 93 and 94 irdicate the relative movement effected between the mardrel and the main housing wher.
the mandrel is forced uphole by the actior. of the power piston.

The ball valve element 95 is pivotively mounted at 9S to a mounting frame 97. The mounting frame ir.cludes two spaced mount members havir.g a streamlined free leading erd 98 opposed to a fixed end 99. The fixed ~1 ~

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er.d 99 is ridigly affixed to the mandrel 238~. Seal faces 100, 101 are formed between members 238 and 238' of the mandrel. Hence the mandrel parts 238, 238' are separable ard include the ball valve 95 interposed between the confronting seats or faces 100, 101.

~ Cavities 102 and 1~æ' are formed 180 degrees apart and along a meridian of the ball Yalve element 95. The cavities have an entrance 103 within which there is received in a sequential manner one of the pins 104, 104. The pins 104 are located in aligned relationship along a first rowj while the pins 104' are likewise located in a rsw with the rows defining spaced, parallel lines ~hich are parallel to the central axis of the mandrel.

The ball check valve 95 has a passageway 105 formed therethrough.
The lower mandrel part 238' is conr.ected to piston 106 and moves there-with. Pistor. 106 is reciprocatingly received within chamber 107.
Piston 106 and chamber 107 are therefore a power chamber and piston, with the piston 106 dividing the ch~mber into an atmospheric gas chamber 108 and a liquid chamber t08'. Oil reservoir 109 is connected~-by means of passageway 110 to the working chamber 108. Floating piston 411 compresses the liquid in chamber 109 in accordance with the magnitude of the upper borehole pressure effected at port 237.*

A packer device can be mounted to the outer surface of the main housing, or alternatively, the apparatus car. be provided with a stinger 2~w~6~

at the lower end thereof for telescopically extending in sealed relationship centrally through a permanent type packer.

OPERATION

The first embodiment 10 of the present inventior. comprises a novel actuator mechanism located at the upper end thereof; and, as a sub combination of the invention, a novel valve mea~s located at the lower end thereof. The actuator means at the upper end of the valve device can be utilized for actuating either of the novel valve mear.s disclosed herein, as well as other downhole tools.

The apparatus 10 is run downhole on the end of the tubing string, the packer is set, thereby isolatirg the dowrhole production zone from the upper borehole annulus and providing a controlled flow path from the payzone to the surface. This can be achieved while drilling the borehole, wherein the valve device 10 is attached to the erd of the drill string, or alternatively by incorporating the apparatus in a tool string attached to the erd of productior tubing or the like.

The valve device is run downhole in the closed configuration. The mar.drel is located at its lowest position respective to the main housing. The packer is set, the tool string is tested for leaks, and thereafter a temporary wellhead is employed for achieving a first pressure increase. The magnitude of the first pressure increase must 206~6~

be of a rate and mag~itude which exceeds the value required to provide a pressure differential across the release arm actuator piston 46 for driving the piston downhole. This action lifts the firgers of the collet from the detents so that the mandrel is free to move uphole. At the same time the same upper borehole pressure is effected at port 37, thereby driving piston 69 uphole, and compressing the fluid contained within chamber 68, so that the fluid i5 metered through the jet 67, passageway 66, and ir.to the liquid chamber at the lower end 65 of the power chamber 62. Low pressure gas, such as atmospheric air, resides within chamber 62 while the hydrosta~ic pressure of the well fluid effected in the upper borehole is indirectly effected at 65.
Accordingly piston 63 is urged uphole carrying the mandrel 38 therewith.
If the magnitude of this pressure and rate of increase exceeds the designed actuating pressure of the valve device, the power piston 63 will move uphole as soon as the collet fingers have been removed from the detents.

The jets 67 and 47 must be selected to cause the collet fingers to be lifted and then relaxed during ar. interval of time less than the time interval required for the mandrel to move uphole more than the distance measured between adjacent deterts. Accordingly the dog is lifted from the detent, the mardrel commences moving, the dog is relaxed, the face of the dog slides or the outer surface of the mandrel until the next detent arrives urder the dog, whereupor. the release mechanism becomes reset in the next adjacent detent and the 8 6 ~

mardrel is firmly fixed to the housing. This action moves the upper-most port 75 into registry with the radial inlet port 76 formed through the housing. Flow can now occur from the payzone, through the aligned ports 75, 76 into the interior of the mandrel, and uphole to the surface of the earth. Flow can cc-tinue as long as it is deemed desireable to do so, and when the time arrives for shutting in the well, the sliding valve assembly is moved to the closed position by repeating the previous sequence of operation, hereirafter sometime referred to as one cycle of the tool.

After the well has been shut-ir. a sufficient length of time to determine the shut-in bottom hole pressure, or whenever it is deemed desireable to do so, the tool car be cycled a second time, whereupon the next adjacent valve port 75 is brought into aligned relationship respective to the housing port 76 by repeating the above pressure increase of the hydrostatic head effected at the area immediatelY
above the packer device. This can be achieved by reducing the pressure at the wellhead for a sufficient length of time for the tool to reach equilibrium, and then again ir.creasing the pressure to the before same magnitude. Alternatively, since the tool is at equilibrium, and the tool strives to always reach equilibrium over a specific time interval, the pressure can be increased another magnitude and at a rate equal to the first increase, whereupon the before des~ribed cycle of events will again transpire.

~ ~,i The tool is therefore cycled, causirg the mardrel to move respective to the housing a distance equal to the distance measured between the centers of the detents. This distance is equal to one half the distance measured between adjacent ports of the sliding valve so that each mandrel movement alternately moves the valve from a flow to a no-flow configuration and vise versa.

It is essential that the tool of the first embodiment of the inver.tion be run dowr.hole at a slow rate, otherwise the hydrostatic pressure will be effected on the tool at a rate of ir.crease which will actuate or cycle the tool. This is sometime undesirable, ard is overcome by the second embodiment of the invention set forth in Figures 11 - 12 of the drawings.

The second embodiment of the irvention is similar in operation to the first embodiment of the invention. As seen in Figure 11, when the liquid contained within chamber 42 is indirectly subjected to increased hydrostatic pressure, flow occurs dowr. the small annulus 42' formed betweer. the lost motion coupling 387 and the mandrel, and into the chamber 45', forcing the release piston 46' in a dowrhole direction.
At the same time, fluid is free to flow through passageway 86, small annulus 85, and into the downhole upper end of the workirg chamber 45'.
A pressure of sufficient magnitude and rate of increase will provide the r.ecessary forces on the opposed sides of the piston for a differential to exist which overcomes frictior, and the force of spring 49', thereby ~1 206286~

moving the actuator sleeve 67 downhole, and effe~ting dowrhole movement of the collet retra~tion member, whereupon the ends of the collet fingers are lifted from the detents in the same above described manner, This actior frees the mandrel from the housing, and permits relative movement therebetween.

The upper borehole pressure is ~or.currertly effected at the inlet port associated with both the release and the power chamber, as in the before described embodiment. The power chamber causes the power piston to move uphole, carrying the sliding sleeve of the valve means therewith, and thereby aligning or misaligning the coacting flow ports formed in the housing ar.d the mandrel. The operation of the valve device is contirued in the above described cyclic manner so that the well can selectively be flowed, shut-in t again flowed and again shut-in for as many times as may be permitted by the number of detents and valve ports provided during the fabrication of the tool.

In the third embodiment of the inventior set forth in Figures 13 - 18, the inlet port 19, when subjected to increased hydrostatic pressure within the upper annulus moves piston 243 downhole thereby tending to compress the liquid cortained ~ithin chamber 242. This creates a pressure in chamber 242 which is substantially equal to the hydrostatic pressure, ar,d thereby moves piston 246 do~nhole while at the same time a small flow of the liquid ~ommences from chamber 242 ir.to chamber 245.

~ 2062865 Movement of piston 246 a small distarce dowrhole actuates the release mechanism at 251~ by means of the sleeve 251. The coacting confronting faces found betweer. the collet fingers at 255 and the conical face at 251~ lifts the dogs from the groove 254 for a time interval required for the mandrel 38 to commence movemer.t uphole so that when the dog is released, the face of the dog wil~ be riding on the exterior face of the mandrel. As the mar.drel continues to move uphole, the dog 255 slides along the mandrel face until it drops into the rext adjacert groove, thereby agai~ latchin~ the tool ir. the r.ext position of operation; i.e. mandrel is fixed respective to housing.

At the same time upper borehole pressure is effected on the liquid contained within chamber 109. This is achieved by means of flow port 237 which is located above the packer and in the upper annulus, which drives the piston 411 uphole so that the liquid contained ir.
chamber 109 is forced through passageway 410 and into the power chamber 106.

Chamber 108 is filled with compressible fluid, as for example atmospheric air. Accordingly the pressure differential across the opposed annular faces of piston 106 drives the piston up hole carryirg the mandrel at 238 therewith. The mandrel car.not move unless dog 255 has been released from its associate detent. If the dog has been lifted from the detent, the mandrel 238', ball valve assembly 105, and mar.drel part 38 will be moved uphole a dista~ce equivale~t to the spaced adjacent centers of the detents.

As the ball valve is moved uphole respective to the housing, the ball is rotated 90 degrees. This action aligr.s the passageway 105 of the ball with the longitudinal axial ~enterline of the mardrel. The vertical distar.ce measured between adjacer.t pins 104, 104~ is equal to the distance between adjacent grooves. The pins 104, 104' are received within the entrance 103 of cavity tO2 of the ball and thereby impart a rotational force into the ball of a magnitude equal to the force developed by the up-thrust of the mardrel, together with the measured distarce from the ~enters of the pirs and the pivot point 96 of the ball. The spaced mount means 98 are guideably received betweer the opposed rows of pins, and maintains aligrment between the coacting parts.

It should be noted that when dog 255 is lifted from detent 254, the frictional forces between seat 100 and the ball are reduced, thereby relieving some of the drag between the rotatir.g surface of the ball and the seats.

After the well has flowed a sufficiert length of time to determine the reservoir capacity, the well is shut-ir. by again elevating the pressure within the upper annulus, whereupor the above described events aBain occur so that the ball is rotated another 90 degrees, and 206286~
assun,~s the closed positior,. After each cycle of operation the valve device will reach equilbrium, regardless of the hydrostatic head, until the hydrostatic head is again changed. The present invention provides a novel means for testing a dowr.hole productior, zone. The novel apparatus also provides a valve means which can be opened and closed a number of times by utilizing upper annular pressure. The mechanism employed for actuatirg the valve means can be used for actuating dowrhole tools other than valves.

While a sliding sleeve valve and a rotating ball valve have been disclosed herein, those skilled in art, havirg read the foregoing disclosure material, will be able to apply various different novel sub combinations of this invention to other downhole tools, and such a new combination is comprehended by the present claims.

The present invention provides a method by which a downhole tool can be actuated by the employment of linear motion, ard also provides a method by which a formation located dowr,hole in a borehole can be tested by utilizing above the packer hydrostatic pressure for controlling the flow from below the packer.

The schematical representation of Figure Z sets forth some of the important operational features of the present invention. In Figure 2 the valve device 10 is sealingly received through the axial bore of a packer 17. The packer 17 can be positioned most anywhere along the length of the valve device so long as the chamber of metering piston 2~ and power piston 62 is flow co~ected through an orif$ce means 36 that senses the pressure of the upper annulus. It is desirable that the formation fluid inlet 35, formed through the housing 41 of the tool, be located near the payzor.e to thereby establish a direct flow path from the formation, into the inlet of the valve device, and to the surface of the ground.

A latch mear.s 28 is mounted to the housing 41. The latch means engages spaced detents or grooves 54 formed in the mandrel. The mandrel is normally latched to the housing and canr.ot be reciprocated respective to the housing so long as the latch mear.s 28 engages one of the grooves 54. The mandrel is moved uphole in response to movement of a power piston 63. The power piston moves in response to metered pressure effected within chamber 62 along a metered flow path 36.

A hydraulically actuated ur.latching mechanism 22, 27 retracts the latch means and permits the mandrel 38 to move uphole a distar,ce equal to the interval measured between adjacent grooves 54. Movement of piston 22 actuates the unlatching device. The valve means is moved between alternant positions tflow,no_flo~) each movement uphole of the mandrel. It is therefore necessary that the latch means be retracted to enable the power piston 63 to move the mandrel uphole a sufficient distance to move the valve means to the alternant flow position. This enables the valve means to be moved from the closed to the opened position, or vice versa, so that flow can occur from the formation into the tool, and uphole for any length of time desired; thereafter the latch mears is again retracted and the valve mears $s moved to the closed position where it remains closed for any desired time $nterval, and thereafter the valve may again be moved to the opened position, with this sequence of events contir.uing as many times as may be deemed desirable subject to the number of cycles which has previously been built into the tool.

2~62865 In the alternate ~orm of the in~ention set forth in the diagram-matical representation of Figure 19, the power chamber 62 and power piston 63 are located below packer 17. Upper annulus fluld i5 effected on the upper ports at metering device 36, and provides a force for moving unlatching piston 22 downhole where the latch 28 is retracted from the mandrel. At the same time, fluid flows from the port at 36, thereby foroing power piston 63 downhole, carrying mandrel 38 there-with. The mandrel in Figure 19 has been moved to the lowermost posi-tion respeotive to the main outer housing.

In the alternate form of the invention set forth in the diagram-matical representation of Figure 20, the chamber 62 communicates with passageway 40 of mandrel 38 by means of flow ports 462. Chamber 62 is isolated from the latch chamber by the illustrated seals and fluid contained within the chamber 62 is free to be exchanged with the pass-ageway 40 by means of ports 462. The other embodiments of the in-vention can be modified by the provision of ports 462 in the manner of Figure 20.

c 206286~
In Figure 11, a plurality of free flow reverse Lee Check Valve , r~ ro~
(TM) are circumferentially arranged about member 81 of actuator valve 46' for permitting flow downhole through the entire valve asse~bly and thereby permits flow from the lower chamber 45~ through passage-ways 486, and into upper chamber 45', while the alternate passageway 86 permits flow therethrough only when members 80 and 81 are parted, which moves lip seal valve 83 into the flow position. Hence, member 81 of the complex two piece piston 46' is provided with a circle of passageways 86 which are closed by lip seal 83, and a circle of pass-ageways 486 having Lee Check Valves therein which lead to annulus 85 and ~ypass or circumvent the lip seal. Further, shoulder 87, when the tool is running into the hole, is telescoped into the alternate position wherein confronting shoulaers A-B of Figure 11 abuttingly engage one another. The displacement of shoulder 87 uphole into the running in configuration enables piston 46' to follow shoulder 87 into the enlarged chamber, and thereby eualizes the pressure across the entire piston.

In the alternate e~bodiments of the invention, other than the valve actuator of Figure 11, it is necessary that the rate at which the pressure is applied to the actuating piston occur within a time interval wherein the pressure differer.tial across the piston is established prior to equalization through the Lee Chec~ Valve or metering orifice in the piston. That is, the piston, when the appro-priate pressure differential is applied thereto, will commence to ~g 206~86~

move, but, at the same time, the metering passageway through the piston commences to equalize the pressure across the piston, and ac- -cordingly the former action must be completed prior to the later.

2~6~6~

The packer sub of Figure 8 is of a desigr dependent upor the manu-facture thereof and accordingly lt is advantageous to be able to compensate for packers of various lengths. This is accomplished by the coacting threaded connection formed between the lower marginal end 38' of the mandrel and the sliding guide 74' seen illustrated in Figure 9.

In Figure 9, the mandrel 38 ofter. has a very thin wall section which cannot be properly threaded. This disadvartage is surmour,ted by the provisior. of a collet arrargement seen at 73 of Figure 9. The col-let fingers along with the lower er,d of the mandrel is telescoped through the packer and is stabbed into the female part of the collet 73. Then the lower marginal end 38' is rotated respective to the upper marginal end of the mandrel until the apparatus assumes the corfiguration seen in Figure 9. This arrangement enables the actuator to be ~onnected in proper indexed relationship respective to the valve mear,s.

Claims (25)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

CLAIM 1. Well testing apparatus including a tubing conveyed valve device and packer means run downhole to a fluid producing forma-tion which is isolated by the packer means in a manner to position a valve inlet adjacent the formation; the improvement comprising:
said valve device includes a main housing having a valve ac-tuator at one end thereof and a valve means at the other end thereof;
a passageway formed through said housing, a mandrel slidably received within said passageway, means forming spaced axially aligned chambers between said housing and mandrel;
an annular power piston connected to move said mandrel, means connected to one of said chambers by which the upper annular borehole pressure is effected therein, said power piston being slidably received within said one of said chambers;
said valve means being moved between alternate positions of flow and no-flow in response to the mandrel being moved a predetermined distance;
latch means by which said mandrel is releasably fixed with respect to said housing; hydraulically actuated unlatching means by which said latch means releases the mandrel from attached relationship respective to the housing in response to pressure increas in the upper annulus;
means by which fluid flow to said hydraulically actuated un-latching means and said power piston is controlled to cause the latch
1. Claim 1 continued:
   means to release the mandrel and then again engage the mandrel after the mandrel has moved said predetermined distance respective to the housing; and means for moving the valve means to the alternate flow position when the mandrel has moved said predetermined distance.
2. CLAIM 2. The valve device of Claim 1 wherein said latch means is a collet having a plurality of resilient fingers spaced cir-cumferentially about the mandrel, one end of the fingers being affixed to the housing, a dog at the other end of the fingers, said dogs are biased towards the mandrel and received within one of said grooves;
   said unlatching means lifts said dog from a groove, to re-lease the mandrel, and actuate the valve means.
3. CLAIM 3. The vavle device of Claim 2 wherein said unlatching means includes a releasing piston slidably received within another one of said spaced chambers, a sleeve having one end affixed to said releas-ing piston with the other end thereof being provided with a conical face;
   said dogs jointly describe an annular body having a conical face which confronts the sleeve conical face; whereby, the sleeve conical face wedgedly engages and lifts the dogs radially outwards from the mandrel and thereby releases the dogs from the groove.
4. CLAIM 4. The valve device of Claim 3 wherein one of said chambers is a release chamber, said hydraulically actuated unlatching means includes:
   a release piston reciprocatingly received within said release chamber, an actuator arm attached to said release piston and extending towards said latch means, means attached to said actuator arm for causing said latch means to release the mandrel;
   said release piston includes a first and second cylindrical member slidably received in sealed relationship within the release cylin-der, each cylinderical member having confronting adjacent separable faces, said piston includes valve means including a flow passageway by which fluid flows from one to opposed faces of the piston when the first and second members are separated.
   CLAIM 5. The valve device of Claim 1 wherein one of said chambers is a release chamber, said hydraulically actuated unlatching means includes:
   a release piston reciprocatingly received within said release chamber, an actuator arm attached to said release piston and extending towards said latch means, means attached to said actuator arm for caus-ing said latch means to release the mandrel;
   said release piston includes a first and second cylindrical member slidably received in sealed relationship within the cylinder, each cylindrical member having confronting adjacent separable faces,
5. Claim 5 continued:
   said piston includes valve means including a flow passageway by which fluid flows from one to opposed faces of the piston when thefirst and second members are separated.
6. CLAIM 6. The valve device of Claim 5 wherein said valve means is located on the confronting faces of the piston members with the face of one member providing a seat and the face of the othermember providing a valve element so that flow occurs when the members are forced together and flow is precluded when the members are forced apart.
   CLAIM 7. An elongated pressure actuated valve device for con-trolling the flow of well fluid from a location downhole in a borehole, comprising:
   an annular housing of a diameter to be telescopingly received within a borehole, an annular mandrel slidably received in sealed rela-tionship within said annular housing, said annular housing and mandrel each having an upper end opposed to a lower end;
   a first working chamber formed between said annular housing and said mandrel, a power piston attached to said mandrel and slidably received in close tolerance relationship within said first working chamber; passageway means connecting said working chamber to an upper borehole annulus when the tool is placed in a borehole;
   a latch means by which said mandrel is latched into successive
7. Claim 7 continued:
   ones of a series of spaced locations, hydraulically actuated unlatching means responsive to increased upper borehole annular pressure by which said latch means is unlatched from said mandrel;
   means controlling the flow rate from the annulus to the un-latching means and to the working chamber for actuating the unlatching means and thereafter moving the power piston;
   and valve means operable between a closed and opened position in response to movement of the mandrel.
8. CLAIM 8. The valve device of Claim 7 wherein a plurality of flow ports are formed through said mandrel and main body, means by which one of said ports is sequentially brought into alignment with another of said ports in response to upward movement of the mandrel, and thereby causes the valve to assume the open position and thereby communicates the mandrel passageway with the lower borehole annulus, so that forma-tion fluid can flow through an open pair of ports, through the mandrel, and uphole to the surface.
   CLAIM 9. The valve device of Claim 7 wherein said valve means includes one port formed in either one of said housing and mandrel while a plurality of ports are formed in the other one of said housing and mandrel, said ports being aligned respective to one another whereby movement of the mandrel uphole respective to the main body causes said one port to
9. Claim 9 continued:
   be brought sequentially into registry with each of the other ports, so that fluid flow from without to within the valve device occurs only when said one port is aligned with another of said ports.
   CLAIM 10. In a tool string for use downhole in a borehole, said tool string includes a valve device connected to the lower end of a tubing string, and a packer means for dividing the borehole into an upper and lower annulus, said valve device having an upper end in com-munication with the upper annulus and a lower end in communication with the lower annulus, in combination:
   said valve device having an annular outer housing, a mandrel slidably received within said housing and having a longitudinal flow passageway formed therethorugh;
   a working chamber formed between said mandrel and said hous-ing, a power piston connected to said mandrel and slidably received within said working chamber, passageway means by which the upper annulus pressure is effected in said working chamber and thereby moves said pis-ton in response to increased upper borehole pressure within the upper an-nulus;
   flow passageway means communicating the lower annulus with the mandrel passageway;
   latch means by which said mandrel is releasably latched into fixed position respective to said housing at a plurality of vertically
10. Claim 10 continued:
    spaced locations respective to said housing; a valve means, means by which the positioning of the mandrel at a first of said latched loca-tions renders the valve means in a closed configuration, and positioning of themandrel at a second location of said latched locations places the valve means in the opened position, while the positioning of the mandrel at another of said latched locations places the valve means in the closed position;
    means responsive to the hydrostatic pressure of the upper an-nulus for unlatching said latch means, and means for latching said man-drel to said housing when the mandrel has moved uphole a distance measur-ed between adjacent locations.
    CLAIM 11. Well control apparatus including a valve device connected to an elongated tubing means and positioned downhole in a bore-hole for conducting fluid flow from a lower part of theborehole to the surface of the ground, a packer device associated with the valve device which divides the borehole into an upper and a lower annulus, means placing the upper marginal end of the valve device in communication with the upper borehole annulus and the lower marginal end of the valve device is in communication with the lower borehole annulus;
    said valve device includes an outer annular housing, an an-ular mandrel slidably received within said housing, at least one man-drel port formed through the sidewall of the lower marginal end of the Claim 11 continued:
    
    mandrel, at least one port formed through the sidewall of the lower marginal end of the housing, seal means by which the lower marginal end of the mandrel sealingly and slidably cooperate with the lower marginal end of the housing such that when a mandrel port is brought into registry with a housing port, a flow path is established from the lower annulus and through the aligned ports; and, when the mandrel port is slidably moved and positioned with the ports being misaligned respective to one another, flow from the lower annulus into the valve device ? is precluded;
    a power chamber formed between the mandrel and the housing, a power piston attached to said mandrel and slidably received within said power chamber, said piston divides said power chamber into upper and lower variable chambers;
    means for effecting the upper annular pressure within said upper variable chamber;
    latch means by which said mandrel is latched into a plurality of different vertically spaced latch positions as the mandrel is moved respective to the housing, pressure responsive means by which said latch means is released when the upper annulus pressure is increased to a first magnitude of pressure;
11. Claim 11 continued:
    
    said latch positions are spaced apart an amount whereby when the mandrel is forced uphole a first distance in response to a first pressure increase, the sliding valve assembly moves to an opened posi-tion, and when said mandrel is moved uphole a second distance in re-sponse to a second pressure increase, the sliding valve assembly moves to a closed position.
12. CLAIM 12. In a borehole having a fluid producing formation, the method of flowing fluid from the formation to the surface of the ground by opening and closing a valve device located downhole in the borehole by utilizing pressure elevation in the upper borehole for shifting the valve device between the opened and closed positions a number of times, comprising the steps of:
    positioning a valve device, a packer means, and tubing string downhole in a borehole;
    separating the formation from the upper borehole annulus and forming a fluid flow path from the formation, into the valve device, up the tubing string, and to the surface of the ground when the valve device is moved to the opened position, and precluding flow of fluid from the formation into the valve device when the valve device is moved to the closed position;
    actuating the valve device by placing a mandrel within a hous-ing, attaching a piston to the mandrel, slidably receiving the piston within a working chamber formed within the housing, and forcing the pis-ton to move increments of a distance vertically each time the pressure is elevated within the upper annulus;
    using the incremental vertical movement of the mandrel for moving a valve means between alternate positions of flow and no-flow, by changing the position of the valve means in response to each pressure ele-vation.
13. CLAIM 13. The method of Claim 12 and further including the steps of:
    
    forming a plurality of flow ports in either of said mandrel and housing, arranging said flow ports respective to one another whereby one increment of movement aligns said one flow port with one of said plurality of flow ports and the next increment of movement misaligns said one flow port with the plurality of flow ports, and an additional increment of movement aligns said one flow port with another of said plurality of flow ports.
14. CLAIM 14. The method of Claim 12 and further including the steps of:
    placing a ball type valve element in series with said mandrel and orienting said ball element for flow to occur therethrough when the ball is rotated a first amount and for no flow to occur when the ball is rotated a second amount;
    rotating the ball said first amount when the mandrel is moved a first increment and thereafter rotating the ball said second amount when the mandrel is moved a second increment.
15. CLAIM 15. An actuator having a main housing, a longitudinal passageway formed through said housing, a mandrel slidably received within said passageway, means forming spaced axially aligned chambers between said housing and mandrel;
    an annular power piston affixed to said mandrel, means connected to one of said chambers by which pressure is effected therein, said power piston being slidably received within said one of said chambers;
    
    ?atch means by which said mandrel is releasably fixed with respect to said housing; hydraulically actuated unlatching means by which said latch means releases the mandrel from attached relationship respective to the housing in response to pressure increase;
    means by which fluid flow to said hydraulically actuated unlatch-ing means and said power piston is controlled to cause the latch means to release the mandrel and then again engage the mandrel after the mandrel has moved said predetermined distance respective to the housing;
    and means for connecting the mandrel so that linear movement thereof can be utilized.
16. CLAIM 16. The actuator of Claim 1 wherein said latch means is collet having a plurality of resilient fingers spaced circumferentially about the mandrel, ore end of the fingers being affixed to the housing, a dog at the other end of the fingers, said dogs are biased towards the mandrel and received within one of said grooves;
    said unlatching means lifts said dog from a groove, to release the mandrel, and thereby permit linear movement thereof.
17. CLAIM 17. The actuator of Claim 16 wherein one of said chambers is a release chamber, said hydraulically actuated unlatching means includes:
    a release piston reciprocatingly received within said release chamber, an actuator arm attached to said release piston and extending towards said latch means, means attached to said actuator arm for causing said latch means to release the mandrel;
    said release piston includes a first and second cylindrical mem-ber slidably received in sealed relationship within the cylinder, each cylindrical member having confronting adjacent separable faces, said piston includes valve means including a flow passageway by which fluid flows from one to opposed faces of the piston when the first and second members are separated.
18. CLAIM 18. The actuator of Claim 15 wherein one of said chambers is a release chamber, said hydraulically actuated unlatching means includes:
    a release piston reciprocatingly received within said release chamber, an actuator arm attached to said release piston and extending towards said latch means, means attached to said actuator arm for causing said latch means to release the mandrel;
    said release piston includes a first and second cylindrical member slidably received in sealed relationship within the cylinder, each cylindrical member having confronting adjacent separable faces, said piston includes valve means including a flow passageway by which fluid flows from one to opposed faces of the piston when the first and second members are separated.
19. CLAIM 19. The actuator of Claim 18 wherein said valve means is located on the confronting faces of the piston members with the face of one member providing a seat and the face of the other member providing a valve element so that flow occurs when the members are forced together and flow is precluded when the members are forced apart.
20. CLAIM 20. An elongated pressure actuated apparatus for impart-ing linear movement into a downhole tool located downhole in a bore-hole, comprising:
    an annular housing of a diameter to be telescopically received within a borehole, an annular mandrel slidably received in sealed relationship within said annular housing, said annular housing and mandrel each having an upper end opposed to a lower end;
    a first working chamber formed between said annular housing and said mandrel, a power piston attached to said mandrel and slidably received in close tolerance relationship within said first working chamber; passageway means connecting said working chamber to an upper borehole annulus when the tool is placed in a borehole;
    a latch means by which said mandrel is latched into successive ones of a series of spaced locations, hydraulically actuated un-latching means responsive to increased upper borehole annular pressure by which said latch means is unlatched from said mandrel;
    means controlling the flow rate from the annulus to the working chamber for actuating the unlatching means and thereafter moving the power position; so that said mandrel can be connected to actuate a tool in increments in response to movement of the mandrel.
21. ?AIM 21. A valve device comprising a flow conduit, mount means movable parallel to the conduit axis, a ball valve element having a flow passageway formed therethrough;
    means by which said element is sealingly received rotatably against an inlet formed in the conduit for controlling the flow there-through as the ball is rotated respective to the conduit whereupon the valve device is moved between a flow and a no-flow position;
    lug means formed of either of said ball and mount means, socket means formed on the other of said ball and mount means; said lug means and said socket means being independent with one another such that the socket means is engaged by the lug means and thereby imparts ro-tational movement into the ball as the conduit is moved respective to the mount means.
22. Claim 22. The apparatus of Claim 20 wherein said latch means is a collet having a plurality of resilient fingers spaced circumferen-tially about the mandrel, one end of the fingers being affixed to the housing, a dog at the other end of the fingers, said dogs are biased towards the mandrel and received within one of said grooves;
    said unlatching means lifts said dog from a groove, to re-lease the mandrel, and actuate the valve means.
23. Claim 23. The valve device of Claim 22 wherein said unlatching means includes a releasing piston slidably received within another one Cl?m 23 continued:
    of said spaced chambers, a sleeve having one end affixed to said releas-ing piston with the other end thereof being provided with a conical face;
    said dogs jointly describe an annular body having a conical face which confronts the sleeve conical face; whereby, the sleeve conical face wedgedly engages and lifts the dogs radially outwards from the mandrel and thereby releases the dogs from the groove.
24. claim 24. The valve device of Claim 23 and further including a release chamber, said hydraulically actuated unlatching means in-cludes:
    a release piston reciprocatingly received within said release chamber, an actuator arm attached to said release piston and extending towards said latch means, means attached to said actuator arm for caus-ing said latch means to release the mandrel;
    said release piston includes a first and second cylindrical member slidably received in sealed relationship within the release cylinder, each cylinderical member having confronting adjacent separable faces, said piston includes valve means including a flow passageway by which fluid flows from one to opposed faces of the piston when the first and second members are separated.
25. CLAIM 25. The valve device of Claim 24 wherein said valve means is located on the confronting faces of the piston members with the face of one member providing a seat and the face of the other member providing a valve element so that flow occurs when the members are forced together and flow is precluded when the members are forced apart.