WO2017065747A1

WO2017065747A1 - Fire-on-demand remote fluid valve

Info

Publication number: WO2017065747A1
Application number: PCT/US2015/055271
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ryan Zhe Cong FOONG; Vijay Kumar KEERTHIVASAN; Ewan Malcolm Hay MCCULLOCH
Original assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
Priority date: 2015-10-13
Filing date: 2015-10-13
Publication date: 2017-04-20

Abstract

An on-demand mechanism for activating a downhole tool or packer in a wellbore is described. The on-demand mechanism allows one to activate a downhole tool, which fails to activate as instructed. The on-demand mechanism as described minimizes the need for ameliorative actions upon the failure of a packer or downhole tool. A method to activate a downhole tool or packer on-demand is also disclosed.

Description

Fire-on-Demand Remote Fluid Valve

[0001] In the performance of one or more wellbore operations (e.g., a drilling operation, a completion operation, a fluid-loss control operation, a cementing operation, production, or combinations thereof), it may be necessary to selectively manipulate one or more downhole tools which will be utilized in such operations.

[0002] Typically, to protect against collapse and to facilitate various downhole processes, a well (e.g., an oil well, a gas well, an injection well, a water well, etc.) is usually cased. Typically, the casing is cemented in place and extends through one or more producing subterranean formations.

[0003] Subterranean formations penetrated by a wellbore are often fractured or otherwise stimulated in order to enhance hydrocarbon production. Fracturing and stimulation operations are typically carried out by strategically isolating various zones of interest (or intervals within a zone of interest) in the wellbore using downhole tools and the like, and then subjecting the isolated zones to a variety of treatment fluids at increased pressures. In a typical fracturing operation for a cased wellbore, the casing, cemented within the wellbore, is first perforated to allow hydrocarbons within the surrounding subterranean formation to flow into the wellbore. Prior to producing the hydrocarbons, however, treatment fluids are pumped into the wellbore and through the perforations into the formation, which has the effect of opening and/or enlarging drainage channels in the formation, and thereby enhancing the producing ability of the well.

[0004] A tubing string is generally installed in the casing to carry the hydrocarbon fluids to the surface of the well. The tubing string is assembled at the well head and lowered into the well.

[0005] Downhole tools are used to carry out the various production and isolation operations in the well. Temporary or permanent isolation in any of these completion or production operations may be carried out with one or more downhole tools including one or more packing elements. For example, downhole tools may be used to set packers in the tubing string to stop production. In addition to the setting of packers, production operations often involve the shifting of one or more internal sleeves to open or otherwise expose ports or passageways in the tubing string to allow hydrocarbons to flow into the interior of the tubing string. When a remote fluid valve does not open and a fracturing operation fails, costly time and effort may be required to complete the operation and correct any damage done by the failure of the valve.

[0006] Downhole tools and packers are designed to be set using a variety of methods, including electronics, pressure-setting, mechanical shifting, and the like. Although the specific reasons can vary, these downhole tools can be subject to failure or malfunction. The time and effort required to deal with such failures can be extremely costly.

[0007] Accordingly, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate the need for an on-demand mechanism that can activate a downhole tool, which fails to activate as programmed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008] FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of an oil well rig and a wellbore including a downhole tool;

[0009] FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of a downhole tool including an on-demand mechanism;

[00010] FIG. 3 illustrates the downhole tool of FIG. 3 after the on-demand mechanism has been deployed;

[00011] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the on-demand mechanism shown in FIG. 3;

[00012] FIG. 5 is an alternative embodiment of an on-demand mechanism for a downhole tool; and

[00013] FIG. 6 is yet another alternative embodiment of an on-demand mechanism for a downhole tool.

Detailed Description of the Embodiments

[00014] In the drawings and description that follow, like parts are typically marked throughout the specification and drawings with the same reference numerals, respectively. In addition, similar reference numerals may refer to similar components in different embodiments disclosed herein. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale. Certain features of the invention may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form and some details of conventional elements may not be shown in the interest of clarity and conciseness. The present invention is susceptible to embodiments of different form. Specific embodiments are described in detail and are shown in the drawings, with the understanding that the present disclosure is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments illustrated and described herein. It is to be fully recognized that the different teachings of the embodiments discussed herein may be employed separately or in any suitable combination to produce desired results.

[00015] Unless otherwise specified, use of the terms "connect," "engage," "couple," "attach," or any other like term describing an interaction between elements is not meant to limit the interaction to direct interaction between the elements and may also include indirect interaction between the elements described. Unless otherwise specified, use of the terms "up," "upper," "upward," "up-hole," or other like terms shall be construed as generally from the formation toward the surface or toward the surface of a body of water; likewise, use of "down," "lower," "downward," "down-hole," or other like terms shall be construed as generally into the formation away from the surface or away from the surface of a body of water, regardless of the wellbore orientation. Use of any one or more of the foregoing terms shall not be construed as denoting positions along a perfectly vertical axis. Unless otherwise specified, use of the term "subterranean formation" shall be construed as encompassing both areas below exposed earth and areas below earth covered by water such as ocean or fresh water. [00016] As used herein the term "conditional operator," refers to an element or combination of elements that are configured to prevent a mechanical device from operating before the criteria for operation are met. According to one embodiment as described, the on-demand mechanism is a conditional operator that allows operation of a downhole tool, either when a predetermined index is achieved or when an appropriate demand pressure is applied.

[00017] FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a well 100 with a rig 50. The embodiment in FIG. 1 depicts a wellbore 100 having a casing string 110, including a production tubing string 118 and a downhole tool 130 within the production tubing 118. The downhole tool 130 comprises an on-demand mechanism as described herein. According to this embodiment, the downhole tool 130 may comprise a valve to allow hydrocarbons to flow into the tubing string 118 during production. According to one embodiment, the downhole tool 130 can include a valve that can be opened to create a fluid path between the hydraulic fluid and the well surface. The on-demand mechanism as described herein is a conditional operator that allows the valve to be opened should the firing mechanism fail, i.e., as a fail-safe. The fail-safe may be pre-programmed into the downhole tool or it may be manually initiated. Likewise, the on-demand mechanism would allow the valve to be opened at a time chosen by an operator, regardless of failure, if it were desired to open the value outside of the firing sequence. According to another embodiment, the downhole tool 130 can be used with a packing element to isolate two areas of the tubing string from one another. According to this embodiment, the downhole tool is fired to cause the packing element to deploy.

[00018] FIG. 2 shows a partial cut away cross section of the production tubing 118 and a downhole tool, (an alternative embodiment to the downhole tool 130, shown in FIG. 1). Although the configuration of downhole tools that can be used in the context of the instant invention is vast, for continuity, all downhole tool embodiments in the figures have been designated 130. The piston housing 4 comprises a bore which houses the elements included in the firing mechanism of the downhole tool 130. FIG. 2 represents an embodiment of a downhole tool according to the description before it has been fired. The firing mechanism includes an indexing piston 1 that shuttles against the retainer assembly 3 during cycling. FIG. 3 represents the downhole tool as shown in FIG. 2 after it has been fired.

[00019] Conventional cycling can be understood with reference to FIG. 2. Conventional cycling refers to the cycling of pressure through tubing (not shown) operatively connected to the downhole tool. The pressure is cycled a

predetermined number of times - this is referred to as indexing. During

conventional indexing, the tool is operated by repeatedly cycling the pressure up to a predetermined pressure, p(cycle), and then releasing that pressure.

Conventional downhole tools have a predetermined specific sequence of pressure and release that will cause the tool to fire.

[00020] During conventional firing the indexing piston is released after a predetermined index is reached. Each cycle of pressuring up to p(cycle) and then back down is considered one index. When the correct number index is reached, the indexing piston 1 shuttles, exerting load against a front shoulder 310 (Fig 4) of the snap ring 2. During conventional cycling, the retainer assembly 3 would be stationery relative to the piston housing 4. The front shoulder angle 310 (Fig 4) of the snap ring 2 would be sufficiently steep (measured from the horizontal) to bear the indexing load during normal cycling without collapsing during this conventional cycling process. When the predetermined indexing sequence was reached, the indexing mandrel 5 would have incrementally moved up such that the latch 6 is no longer supported by the indexing mandrel 5 beneath it. When the latch is no longer supported, it initiates the actuation of mechanism to shift the ball valve open.

[00021] The retainer assembly 3 and the snap ring 2 are configured to disengage upon the application of a second pressure p(demand). As used herein, p(demand) refers to a pressure that can be applied on-demand to the firing mechanism without cycling to cause the downhole tool 130 to fire. P(demand) is a pressure in excess of p(cycle) and which generates sufficient force against retainer assembly 3 to cause the snap ring 2 to collapse into retainer assembly 3. The indexing piston 1 pushes the retainer assembly 3 and snap ring 2 toward the end of the bore in the piston housing 4. Concurrently, the indexing piston 1 pulls the indexing mandrel 5 by means of the ring system 7 through the complete stroke to remove the indexing mandrel 5 from under the latch 6 thus actuating the ball valve to open. The retainer assembly 3 and the snap ring 2 are pushed as far along the bore in the piston housing 4 as the indexing piston 1 can move. According to one embodiment, the retainer assembly 3 and the snap ring 2 are pushed to the end of the bore in the piston housing 4 (FIG 3).

[00022] Referring to FIG. 3, the downhole tool has been fired and the indexing piston 1 is seen to be pressed against retainer assembly 3 which carries snap ring 2 and which is now located at the end of the bore in the piston housing 4. Indexing mandrel 5 is shown released from ring system 7 and pulled forward until it no longer blocks latch 6. When latch 6 opens, the ball valve is opened to create a fluid passageway.

[00023] Although FIG. 1 depicts the downhole tool 130 in a horizontal wellbore 100, it is also to be understood that downhole tools are equally suited for use in wellbores having other directional configurations including vertical wellbores, deviated wellbores, slanted wellbores, multilateral wellbores and the like. The downhole tool illustrated is merely exemplary.

[00024] The downhole tools 130 may include a variety of tools, devices, or machines known to those skilled in the art that may be used in the preparation, e.g., cementing, stimulation, and production of the subterranean formation 135. In at least one embodiment, one or more of the downhole tools 130 may be a fluid collection device, such as a fluid sampler, or a fluid restriction device, such as a valve, inflow control device, autonomous inflow control device, adjustable inflow control device, or the like. In yet other embodiments, one or more of the downhole tools 130 may include packers and other wellbore isolation devices, drilling tools, and devices configured to initiate and/or stop data acquisition/transmission. In yet further embodiments, one or more of the downhole tools 130 may encompass two or more of the above-identified devices, without departing from the scope of the disclosure.

[00025] According to one embodiment, the on-demand firing mechanism is applied to an inflow control device ("ICD") controller installed in a production well that operates valves to shut-off, open or bypass the ICDs. More specific examples of where the on-demand firing mechanism can be used, include the operation of sliding sleeves, valves, annular isolation devices, rupture discs, sand face monitoring tools, fluid analysis devices, actuators, electric motors, charges, and the like.

[00026] FIG. 4 is an expanded view of one embodiment of an on-demand mechanism. The snap ring 2 includes a forward edge 310 and a trailing edge 320. The forward edge 310 and trailing edge 320 are what keep the snap ring 2 seated in the groove in the piston housing 4. When p(demand) is applied and the pressure starts to bleed off, the indexing piston 330 will generate sufficient force to collapse the front shoulder 310 of the snap ring 2 by shuttling the front tip of the indexing piston 330 against the front edge 340 of the retainer assembly 3. Thereafter, the indexing piston 330 will exert sufficient force to release snap ring 2 into the groove in the retaining assembly 3 which causes the snap ring 2 and retaining assembly 3 to travel along the bore in the piston housing 4.

[00027] FIG. 4 depicts snap ring 2 with a trapezoidal cross section used to bear the axial load of the front end of the indexing piston 330. Other shapes or profiles of the snap ring can be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Suitable alternative designs of the snap ring are within the skill of the artisan in this field.

[00028] The on-demand mechanism as embodied in FIG. 4 can be configured using alternative securing elements to the snap ring 2 that couple the retainer assembly 3 and the piston housing 450. . FIG. 5 illustrates an on-demand firing mechanism that uses a shearing pin. The piston housing 450 includes an indexing piston 440 having a leading edge 460. When pressured up to p(demand) and upon bleed off of this pressure, the leading edge 460 of the indexing piston 440 contacts the front edge of the retaining assembly 470 with sufficient force to causes the shear pin 410 to be sheared thus allowing movement of the retainer assembly 3 relative of the piston housing 450. This causes the retaining assembly 3 to travel along the bore in the piston housing 4 and actuate the ball valve open as described previously.

[00029] According to another embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 6, the snap ring 2 can be replaced by balls 520. In this on-demand mechanism, decoupling is accomplished by applying sufficient force generated at either the desired index or by the application of p(demand), causing the indexing piston 550 to contact the retaining assembly 540 resulting in the ball bearing moving out of the groove 510. The holder 560 which provides a seat for the ball bearing in the retainer assembly 540 is not stationary and moves downward until it contacts the bottom of the retaining assembly 540. When the front edge of the indexing piston 550 contacts the retaining assembly 540, the retaining assembly 540 and the ball 520 move along the bore allowing the firing mechanism as described above to fire the valve open. According to this embodiment, the ball bearing 520 rolls along the piston bore with the retaining assembly 540 resulting in an on-demand mechanism having a lower friction than, for example, the snap ring 2 as described in FIG. 4. According to one embodiment, the force needed to release the ball may be lower than the force needed to move, for example, the trapaziodal snap ring.

[00030] As an alternative to the exemplified snap ring, shear pin, or ball, the conditional operator may be any suitable mechanical design which will prevent the tool from firing until the index is reached or p(demand) is applied. According to one mechanical embodiment, the conditional operator may be a latch and collet. The conditional operator may also be chosen from any number of designs that do not reply on mechanical force and release. According to one embodiment, the conditional operator may be one or more permanent magnetics. According to yet another embodiment, the conditional operator may be one or more electromagnets.

[00031] While the on-demand mechanism has been described as a way to fire a downhole tool that may have cycled and failed, the mechanism as described, can be chosen as an alternative to a cycled pressure. The downhole tool may be configured to only fire using the described on-demand mechanism. When the downhole tool is in a closed position, on-demand firing can be accomplished by applying the p(demand) through the tubing.

[00032] A method for firing a downhole tool that has failed to fire as programed is described herein. The method includes indexing a downhole tool up to p(cycle) until the desired index is reached; if the tool fails to fire, applying a pressure p(demand) to the tool. Also described is a method for firing a downhole tool on-demand, including applying a pressure p(demand) to a downhole tool to generate sufficient force to cause the tool to fire without the need for prior pressure cycles.

[00033] As used herein, "about" is meant to account for variations due to experimental error. All numerical measurements are understood to be modified by the word "about", whether or not "about" is explicitly recited, unless specifically stated otherwise. Thus, for example, the statement "a distance of 10 meters," is understood to mean "a distance of about 10 meters."

[00034] Although the invention has been described in detail in the foregoing embodiments for the purpose of illustration, it is to be understood that such detail is solely for that purpose and that variations can be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Other embodiments of the present invention can include alternative variations. These and other variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art once the above disclosure is fully appreciated. It is intended that the following claims be interpreted to embrace all such variations and modifications.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A well system including a wellbore, comprising a downhole tool locatable in the wellbore, the downhole tool comprising a firing mechanism comprising:

a conditional operator for restricting an action of the downhole tool comprising:

an indexing mandrel configured to prevent the tool from firing; an indexing piston operatively associated with the indexing mandrel and configured to remove the indexing mandrel allowing the tool to fire and take the desired action; and

a securing mechanism configured to hold the indexing piston in place until a firing condition is met, the securing mechanism comprising: a securing element configured to disengage when a firing condition is met; and

a retaining assembly configured to exert a force against the securing element and to carry the securing element when the firing condition is met.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the securing element is chosen from one or more of a snap ring, a pin, a latch and collet, and a ball.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the indexing piston is operatively connected to the indexing mandrel by a ring.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the firing condition to be met is a specific index representing a number of pressure cycles.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the firing condition to be met is the application of p(demand).

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the downhole tool is chosen from a fluid sampler, a fluid restriction device, an inflow control device, a wellbore isolation device, a drilling tool, and a device configured to initiate or stop data transmission.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the action of the downhole tool is one or more of the operation of sliding sleeves, valves, annular isolation devices, rupture discs, sand face monitoring tools, fluid analysis devices, actuators, electric motors, and charges.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the firing condition to be met is either a desired index or the application of p(demand).

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the wellbore comprises a tubing string and the downhole tool is located inside the tubing string.

10. A downhole tool comprising a firing mechanism comprising:

a conditional operator restricting an action of the downhole tool

comprising;

an indexing mandrel configured to prevent the tool from firing;

an indexing piston operatively associated with the indexing mandrel and configured to remove the indexing mandrel allowing the tool to fire and the action to be taken by the downhole tool; and

a securing mechanism configured to hold the indexing piston in place, the securing mechanism comprising:

a securing element; and

a retaining assembly configured to exert a force against the securing element and to carry the securing element when the downhole tool is fired.

11. The tool of claim 10, wherein the securing element is chosen from one or more of a snap ring, a pin, a latch and collet, and a ball.

12. The tool of claim 10, wherein the indexing piston is operatively connected to the indexing mandrel by a ring.

13. The tool of claim 10, wherein the downhole tool is chosen from a fluid sampler, a fluid restriction device, an inflow control device, a wellbore isolation device, a drilling tool, and a device configured to initiate or stop data transmission.

14. The tool of claim 10, wherein the action of the downhole tool is one or more of the operation of sliding sleeves, valves, annular isolation devices, rupture discs, sand face monitoring tools, fluid analysis devices, actuators, electric motors, and charges.

15. The tool of claim 10, wherein the securing mechanism is configured to disengage when a specific pressure p(demand) is applied.

16. The tool of claim 10, wherein the securing mechanism is configured to fire at either a specific index representing a number of pressure cycles, or at p(demand) thereby acting as a fail-safe.

17. A conditional operator on a downhole tool for used in oil recovery comprising:

a securing mechanism, the securing mechanism comprising:

a securing element configured to disengage when a preset number of pressure cycles is reached or when a demand pressure is applied; and

a retaining assembly configured to exert a force against the securing element and to carry the securing element when the securing element disengages.

18. The method of firing a downhole tool comprising:

applying a pressure p(cycle) to the downhole tool;

releasing the pressure p(cycle) from the downhole tool wherein each application and release of pressure is an index;

repeating the application and release of pressure until a firing index is reached and

when the downhole tool fails to fire at the firing index a pressure p(demand) is applied to cause the downhole tool to fire.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the pressure p(demand) is applied by an operator.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the downhole tool is programmed to apply a p(demand) pressure if the tool fails to fire at the firing index.