Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B17/00—Drilling rods or pipes; Flexible drill strings; Kellies; Drill collars; Sucker rods; Cables; Casings; Tubings
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B34/00—Valve arrangements for boreholes or wells
  • E21B34/06—Valve arrangements for boreholes or wells in wells
  • E21B34/14—Valve arrangements for boreholes or wells in wells operated by movement of tools, e.g. sleeve valves operated by pistons or wire line tools
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B23/00—Apparatus for displacing, setting, locking, releasing or removing tools, packers or the like in boreholes or wells
  • E21B23/004—Indexing systems for guiding relative movement between telescoping parts of downhole tools
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B33/00—Sealing or packing boreholes or wells
  • E21B33/10—Sealing or packing boreholes or wells in the borehole
  • E21B33/12—Packers; Plugs
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B34/00—Valve arrangements for boreholes or wells
  • E21B34/06—Valve arrangements for boreholes or wells in wells
  • E21B34/063—Valve or closure with destructible element, e.g. frangible disc
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B34/00—Valve arrangements for boreholes or wells
  • E21B34/06—Valve arrangements for boreholes or wells in wells
  • E21B34/08—Valve arrangements for boreholes or wells in wells responsive to flow or pressure of the fluid obtained
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B41/00—Equipment or details not covered by groups E21B15/00 - E21B40/00

Definitions

• subterranean wellbores such as oil wells
• Packers, valves, and perforating guns are some of the downhole tool types that can be controlled by changes in pressure in the fluid contained in the hydraulic control lines or contained in production or drill pipes.
• multiple control lines are deployed in the wellbore to control multiple downhole tools.
• each control line extends to the surface (land or sea floor) and is connected to a hydraulic pump that can control the pressure of the fluid inside the line.
• a control line must be passed through a feedthrough of a packer in order to extend the control line from the top to the bottom of the packer (or across the packer).
• a function of a packer is to seal the wellbore annulus across the packer.
• a potential leak path is created in the packer potentially allowing the seal created by the packer to fail. Therefore, the prior art would benefit from a system that decreases the number of control lines necessary to control multiple downhole tools.
• FIG. 1 shows schematic view of a well system including pressure operating devices in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure
• FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a downhole tool for use within a system or wellbore in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure
• FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of a downhole tool for use within a system or wellbore in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.
• FIG. 1 shows a well system 5 that can embody principles of the present disclosure.
• the system 5 of the present disclosure will be specifically described below such that the system 5 is used to control a pressure operating device, such as an indexing sleeve. However, it should be understood that the system 5 can control the operation of any
• hydraulically actuated downhole tool 6 including but not limited to flow control devices, packers, perforating guns, safety valves, pumps, gas lift valves, anchors, bridge plugs, and sliding sleeves.
• flow control devices including but not limited to flow control devices, packers, perforating guns, safety valves, pumps, gas lift valves, anchors, bridge plugs, and sliding sleeves.
• any combination of downhole tools may be connected and controlled in accordance with the discussion below.
• a wellbore 10 extends from the surface 12 into the earth and intersects at least one formation 14.
• the wellbore 10 can be a land well or a subsea well, in which the surface 12 may correspond to the bottom of the ocean or sea, or a platform well.
• the wellbore 10 may be cased, but the present disclosure is not so limited.
• tubing 16 is deployed within wellbore 10, in which the tubing 16 may include production tubing, coiled tubing, drill pipe, or any other tubular member or apparatus for conveyance used in subterranean wells.
• valve systems 17 may be deployed on the tubing 16, in which each valve system 17 may include a flow control device 18 disposable downhole, such as a sleeve valve, a ball valve, a disc valve, a choke, a variable orifice valve, an in-line valve, or any other type of valve known in the art.
• Each valve system 17 may also include an indexing sleeve 20 that is associated with its corresponding flow control device 18. The indexing sleeve 20 may be coupled and hydraulically connected to the tubing 16 such that pressure in the tubing 16 is received by the indexing sleeve 20.
• a change in pressure or a pressure cycle in the tubing 16, such as induced by a pressure source, may be used to control or actuate each indexing sleeve 20.
• An actuation in each indexing sleeve 20 may activate, deactivate, or change the setting of the corresponding flow control device 18, depending on the construction and configuration of the relevant indexing sleeve 20 and flow control device 18.
• the indexing sleeves 20 are constructed and configured so as to function in concert or together so as to provide a different permutation of settings of the plurality of the flow control devices 18 for each pressure change or cycle induced in the tubing 16.
• a user can thereby control the valve systems 17 as a system to select his/her desired permutation of settings for each of the flow control devices 18.
• FIG. 2 a cross-sectional view of a downhole tool 100 for use within a system or wellbore (e.g., shown in FIG. 1) in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.
• the tool 100 includes a tool body 102 that has an axis 104 extending therethrough.
• the tool body 102 further includes an inner housing 106 and an outer housing 108, with the inner housing 106 positioned within the outer housing 108.
• a bore of the inner housing 106 may also be defined as a bore 110 for the tool 100, and the inner housing 106 and the outer housing 108 may form an annulus 112 therebetween.
• the annulus 112 is in fluid communication with the bore 110 of the tool 100, such as by having one or more ports 132 or flow channels formed within the inner housing 106 to enable fluid flow between the bore 110 and the annulus 112.
• the tool 100 also includes a pressure operating device 114, such as an indexing sleeve discussed above.
• the pressure operating device 114 may be in fluid communication with the annulus 112 and/or the bore 1 10 of the tool 100.
• the pressure operating device 1 14 is positioned within the annulus 112 of the tool 100.
• pressure e.g., fluid pressure
• a change in pressure or a pressure cycle in the bore 1 10 of the tool 100 may therefore be used to control or actuate the pressure operating device 114.
• the pressure operating device 114 is used to operate in response to a pressure above an operating pressure (e.g., 3,000 psi, 20,700 kPa). Therefore, when pressure is introduced into the bore 1 10 above the operating pressure, the pressure may be used to operate and activate the pressure operating device 114. When pressure is below the operating pressure, the pressure operating device 114 may remain inactive. For example, a pressure above the operating pressure, such as above about 3,000 psi, will cause an indexing sleeve to move a flow control device, such as to open or close the flow control device, to control fluid flow through the bore 110 of the tool 100.
• a pressure above the operating pressure such as above about 3,000 psi, will cause an indexing sleeve to move a flow control device, such as to open or close the flow control device, to control fluid flow through the bore 110 of the tool 100.
• the tool 100 may include two or more pistons positioned therein.
• a primary piston 116 e.g., upper piston, first piston
• the primary piston 116 includes one or more seals 120 to sealingly engage an outer surface of the inner housing 106 and/or an inner surface of the outer housing 108.
• the primary piston 1 16 may be used to separate well fluids introduced into the bore 110 of the tool 100 from fluids (e.g., control fluid, silicone oil) included within the primary cavity 118.
• a backup piston 122 (e.g., lower piston, second piston) may be positioned within the annulus 112 between the inner housing 106 and the outer housing 108, thereby forming a backup cavity 124 within the annulus 112.
• the backup piston 122 may be positioned between the primary piston 116 and the pressure operating device 1 14.
• the backup piston 122 may then be positioned between and separate the primary cavity 1 18 from the second cavity 124, and the pressure operating device 114 may then be in fluid communication with the second cavity 124.
• the backup piston 122 includes one or more seals 126 to sealingly engage an outer surface of the inner housing 106 and/or an inner surface of the outer housing 108.
• the backup piston 122 may include a pressure inhibiting device 128, such as to prevent pressure that is below a predetermined amount from communicating across the backup piston 122.
• the backup piston 122 may include a flow path 130 extending therethrough to enable pressure and/or fluid to flow along the flow path 130 and through the backup piston 122.
• the pressure inhibiting device 128, however, may prevent pressure that is below a predetermined amount from flowing along the flow path 130 and through the backup piston 122.
• An example of a pressure inhibiting device 128 may include a frangible element (e.g., burst disc) and/or a relief valve.
• the predetermined amount of pressure for the pressure inhibiting device 128 is lower than the operating pressure for the pressure operating device 1 14.
• the predetermined amount of pressure for the pressure inhibiting device may be at or lower than about 2,000 psi (13,800 kPa). This may enable fluid flow through the pressure inhibiting device 128 and the backup piston 122 such that the pressure may still be able to operate and activate the pressure operating device 114.
• a tool or system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure may be able to operate, even in the occurrence of one or more leaks within the tool.
• a leak may occur such that fluid can escape the cavity of the tool 100.
• the leak may cause the piston to bottom out within the fluid cavity and against the pressure operating device, thereby preventing pressure from communicating across the piston to operate and activate the pressure operating device.
• a tool in accordance with the present disclosure may include two or more pistons positioned therein. Accordingly, in another embodiment, such as shown in FIG.
• the tool 100 may include another backup piston 140 (e.g., middle piston, third piston), such as positioned within the annulus 112 between the inner housing 106 and the outer housing 108 to form another back cavity 142 within the annulus 112.
• the additional backup piston 140 may be positioned between the primary piston 116 and the backup piston 122 such that the additional backup piston 140 is positioned between and separates the primary cavity 118 from the additional backup cavity 142.
• the additional backup piston 140 may be similar to the backup piston 122 in that the additional backup piston 140 may also include a (e.g., backup) pressure inhibiting device 144.
• the backup pressure inhibiting device 144 may be used to prevent pressure below a
• the predetermined amount of pressure for the backup pressure inhibiting device 144 may be higher than the predetermined amount of pressure for the primary pressure inhibiting device 128.
• Example 1 A downhole tool, comprising:
• a tool body comprising an inner housing and an outer housing to form an annulus between the inner housing and the outer housing;
• a primary piston positioned within the annulus to form a primary cavity within the annulus
• a backup piston positioned within the annulus to form a second cavity within the annulus
• Example 2 The downhole tool of Example 1, wherein the pressure operating device is configured to operate in response to the pressure in the annulus being above an operating pressure.
• Example 3 The downhole tool of Example 2, wherein the operating pressure is at or above about 3,000 psi (20,700 kPa).
• Example 4 The downhole tool of Example 2, wherein the backup piston is positioned between the primary cavity and the second cavity and comprises a pressure inhibiting device configured to prevent pressure below a predetermined amount from communicating across the backup piston.
• Example 5 The downhole tool of Example 4, wherein the predetermined amount of pressure for the pressure inhibiting device is lower than the operating pressure for the pressure operating device.
• Example 6 The downhole tool of Example 4, wherein the predetermined amount for the pressure inhibiting device is at or lower than about 2,000 psi (13,800 kPa).
• Example 7 The downhole tool of Example 4, wherein the pressure inhibiting device comprises at least one of a frangible element and a relief valve, and wherein the frangible element comprises a burst disc.
• Example 8 The downhole tool of Example 4, further comprising another backup piston positioned within the annulus to form another backup cavity within the annulus positioned between the primary cavity and the other backup cavity.
• Example 9 The downhole tool of Example 8, wherein:
• the other backup piston comprises a backup pressure inhibiting device configured to prevent pressure below a second predetermined amount from communicating across the other backup piston; and the second predetermined amount for the backup pressure inhibiting device is higher than the first predetermined amount for the primary pressure inhibiting device.
• Example 10 The downhole tool of Example 1, wherein the pressure operating device is positioned within the annulus and is in fluid communication with the second cavity.
• Example 11 The downhole tool of Example 1, wherein the pressure operating device comprises an indexing sleeve.
• Example 12 The downhole tool of Example 1, wherein a port is formed within inner housing to enable fluid communication between a bore of the inner housing and the annulus.
• Example 13 The downhole tool of Example 1, wherein at least one of the primary piston and the backup piston comprises a seal to sealingly engage the tool body.
• Example 14 A method to operate a pressure operating device in a downhole tool, the method comprising:
• the tool body comprising an inner housing and an outer housing to form an annulus between the inner housing and the outer housing;
• Example 15 The method of Example 14, wherein the communicating the pressure across the backup piston comprises communicating the pressure through a pressure inhibiting device of the backup piston if a pressure differential develops across the backup piston above a predetermined amount.
• Example 16 The method of Example 15, wherein the pressure operating device operates in response to a pressure above an operating pressure, wherein the predetermined amount of pressure for the pressure inhibiting device is lower than the operating pressure for the pressure operating device.
• Example 17 The method of Example 15, wherein the pressure inhibiting device comprises at least one of a frangible element and a relief valve, and wherein the frangible element comprises a burst disc.
• Example 18 The method of Example 15, further comprising communicating the pressure across another backup piston positioned within the annulus, wherein the communicating the pressure across the other backup piston comprises
• Example 19 The method of Example 14, wherein the pressure operating device comprises an indexing sleeve.
• Example 20 A downhole tool, comprising:
• a tool body comprising an inner housing and an outer housing to form an annulus between the inner housing and the outer housing with the annulus in fluid communication with a bore of the inner housing;
• a primary piston positioned within the annulus to form a primary cavity within the annulus
• a backup piston positioned within the annulus to form a second cavity within the annulus with the backup piston positioned between the primary cavity and the second cavity
• a pressure inhibiting device configured to prevent pressure below a predetermined amount from communicating across the backup piston
• a pressure operating device in fluid communication with the annulus and configured to operate in response to a pressure in the annulus above an operating pressure
• the predetermined amount of pressure for the pressure inhibiting device is lower than the operating pressure for the pressure operating device.
• axial and axially generally mean along or parallel to a central axis (e.g., central axis of a body or a port), while the terms “radial” and “radially” generally mean perpendicular to the central axis.
• a central axis e.g., central axis of a body or a port
• radial and radially generally mean perpendicular to the central axis.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Geology (AREA)
• Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
• General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Earth Drilling (AREA)
• Gripping On Spindles (AREA)

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Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

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Citations (5)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 2015
  • 2015-09-30 US US15/760,531 patent/US20180252061A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2015-09-30 EA EA201890353A patent/EA201890353A1/ru unknown
  • 2015-09-30 BR BR112018003767A patent/BR112018003767A2/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2015-09-30 MX MX2018002364A patent/MX2018002364A/es unknown
  • 2015-09-30 WO PCT/US2015/053115 patent/WO2017058190A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2015-09-30 AU AU2015410650A patent/AU2015410650A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2015-09-30 CA CA2995688A patent/CA2995688A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2015-09-30 GB GB1802430.7A patent/GB2556776A/en not_active Withdrawn
• 2018
  • 2018-02-13 NO NO20180227A patent/NO20180227A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation

Patent Citations (5)

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