This application is the National Stage of, and therefore claims the benefit of, International Application No. PCT/US2016/065657 filed on Dec. 8, 2016, entitled “ACTIVATING A DOWNHOLE TOOL WITH SIMULTANEOUS PRESSURE FROM MULTIPLE CONROL LINES”. Both of the above applications are commonly assigned with this National Stage application and are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
In oil and gas wells, it is common to conduct well testing and stimulation operations to determine production potential and enhance that potential. For example, hydraulically operated downhole tools have been developed which operate responsive to pressure differentials in the wellbore that can sample formation fluids for testing or circulate fluids therethrough. These tools typically incorporate both a ball valve and lateral circulation ports. Both the ball valve and circulation ports are operable between open and closed positions. Commonly, these tools are capable of operating in different modes such as a drill pipe tester valve, a circulation valve and a formation tester valve, as well as providing its operator with the ability to displace fluids in the pipe string above the tool with nitrogen or another gas prior to testing or retesting. A popular method of employing the circulating valve is to dispose it within a wellbore and maintain it in a well test position during flow periods with the ball valve open and the circulation ports closed. At the conclusion of the flow periods, the tool is moved to a circulating position with the ports open and the ball valve closed.
To actuate such hydraulically actuated well tools, a hydraulic control system is typically used. In certain installations, the hydraulic control system has been positioned at the surface. It has been found, however, that it is uneconomical to run the required hydraulic control lines from the surface to each of the hydraulically actuated well tools for well testing.
Therefore, a need has arisen for an improved hydraulic control system for actuating downhole tools that minimizes the number of hydraulic control lines running from the surface to the hydraulically actuated well tools.
The following figures are included to illustrate certain aspects of the present invention, and should not be viewed as exclusive embodiments. The subject matter disclosed is capable of considerable modification, alteration, and equivalents in form and function, as will occur to one having ordinary skill in the art and having the benefit of this disclosure.
The disclosure is generally directed to methods for hydraulically activating downhole tools when a predetermined activation pressure is applied to multiple control lines simultaneously.
In an embodiment, a method of hydraulically actuating downhole equipment comprises: supplying pressure P(z) to a downhole network comprising tools T(n), tool T(x), control lines C(z), and control lines Y(z), wherein n and z are integers, and x=n+1, wherein a pressure P(z) is applied to tool T(n) using at least one control line C(z) in hydraulic communication with tool T(n), and each pressure P(z) is further applied to tool T(x) using control lines Y(z) in hydraulic communication with tool T(x); applying pressure P(z) to a hydraulically movable portion of tool T(n), wherein pressure P(z) to tool T(n) is not high enough to independently activate tool T(x); and applying each pressure P(z) to a hydraulically movable portion of tool T(x), wherein tool T(x) is only activated when all of pressures P(z) are simultaneously applied to the hydraulically movable portion of tool T(x), and wherein tool T(x) is only activated when each pressure P(z) is at least at a preset value PV(z).
In an embodiment, a method of hydraulically actuating downhole equipment comprises: applying pressure P(z) to locking device L(z) coupled to hydraulically movable portion H(n) of a tool T, wherein n and z are integers, pressure P(z) is applied to L(z) using at least one control line C(z) in hydraulic communication with L(z), hydraulically movable portion H(n) does not independently activate tool T, and locking device L(z) is only unlocked when pressure P(z) is at least preset value PV(z); and unlocking at least one locking device L(z), wherein tool T is only activated when each locking device L(z) is in an unlocked state, thereby activating tool T.
A method of hydraulically actuating downhole equipment comprises: supplying pressure P(z) to a downhole network comprising tool T(n), tool T(x), control lines C(z), and control lines Y(z), wherein n, x, and z are integers, and pressure P(z) is applied to tool T(n) using at least one control line C(z) in hydraulic communication with tool T(n), and pressure P(z) is applied to tool T(x) using at least one control line C(z) in hydraulic communication with tool T(x); applying pressure P(z) to tool T(n) and tool T(x), wherein pressure P(z) is monitored by tool T(x), and pressure P(z) is not high enough to independently activate tool T(n), and pressure P(z) is not high enough to independently activate tool T(x); and applying pressure P(z) to tool T(n) and to tool T(x), wherein tool T(x) activates tool T(n) when all pressures P(z) are simultaneously applied, and when each pressure P(z) is at least a preset value PV(z). At least one tool T(x) may be a transducer and at least one tool T(n) may be a valve.
The following illustrative examples are given to introduce the general subject matter discussed here and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosed concepts. The following sections describe various additional embodiments and examples with reference to the drawings in which like numerals indicate like elements, and directional descriptions are used to describe the illustrative embodiments but, like the illustrative embodiments, should not be used to limit the present disclosure.
Tools with Multi-Control Lines
A safety valve landing nipple 200, in a tubing retrievable safety valve position, may be configured as shown in
As shown in
One of skill in the art will also appreciate that there can be multiple tools T(n) controlled by multiple control lines C(z) may be used to ultimately control tool T(x), where n and z are integers and x=n+1. In an embodiment as illustrated in
In an exemplary embodiment, n=1, z=2, tool T(1) is a dual control line safety valve landing nipple, and tool T(2) is a dual line safety valve, wherein tool T(1) is uphole from tool T(2). The hydraulically movable portion is a sleeve. The sleeve may be mechanically shifted to isolate control lines Y(1) and Y(2) from tool T(2), and to provide control line communication to tool T(1). The mechanically sliding sleeve may be prevented from sliding by a shear pin. The method may further comprise shearing the shear pin, thereby allowing the sleeve to mechanically shift. Each pressure P(z) may be continuously applied to the corresponding tool T(n). Further, each pressure P(z) may be continuously applied to tool T(x). The hydraulically movable portion of at least one tool T(n) may be moved by an annular piston, a rod piston, and combinations thereof. The method may further comprise lowering at least one pressure P(z) below the preset value PV(z) after the tool T(x) has been activated.
Tools with Locking Mechanisms
In an embodiment, a method of hydraulically actuating a downhole tool with locking mechanisms using simultaneous activation pressure from two control lines is demonstrated in
One of skill in the art will also appreciate that there can be multiple locking devices L(z) controlling multiple rods H(n) where n and z are integers. In an embodiment, a method of hydraulically actuating downhole equipment includes applying pressure P(z) to locking device L(z) coupled to hydraulically movable portion H(n) of a tool T, wherein n and z are integers, pressure P(z) is applied to L(z) using at least one control line C(z) in hydraulic communication with L(z), hydraulically movable portion H(n) does not independently activate tool T, and locking device L(z) is only unlocked when pressure P(z) is at least preset value PV(z); and unlocking at least one locking device L(z), wherein tool T is only activated when each locking device L(z) is in an unlocked state, thereby activating tool T.
At least one of pressure P(z) may be continuously applied to corresponding locking device L(z). Each locking device L(z) may comprise at least one of a key, a notch, a dog, and combinations thereof. Each locking device L(z) may be further coupled to at least one additional hydraulically movable portion H(n) corresponding to locking L(n) of tool T, where n≠z, wherein H(n) will not move unless each locking device L(z) and L(n) is in an unlocked state. Each locking device L(z) may be returned from an unlocked state to a locked state by lowering the pressure P(z) below the preset value PV(z).
Tools with Transducers
In an embodiment shown in
Is illustrated in
In another embodiment, the activation of at least one tool T(n) redirects the flow of a control line fluid C(z) within the valve. The method may further include lowering at least one pressure P(z) below the preset value PV(z) after the tool T(n) has been activated.
One of skill in the art will realize that the methods and assemblies according to embodiments of this disclosure have many functions and advantages, including the ability to operate a downhole tool selectively by applying pressure to at least two control lines, yet still being able to operate each control lines independently without activating the tool.
Use in Wellbore
The disclosed methods and devices may directly or indirectly affect the various downhole equipment and tools that may come into contact with the devices during operation. Such equipment and tools may include, but are not limited to, wellbore casing, wellbore liner, completion string, insert strings, drill string, coiled tubing, slickline, wireline, drill pipe, drill collars, mud motors, downhole motors and/or pumps, surface-mounted motors and/or pumps, centralizers, turbolizers, scratchers, floats (e.g., shoes, collars, valves, etc.), logging tools and related telemetry equipment, actuators (e.g., electromechanical devices, hydromechanical devices, etc.), sliding sleeves, production sleeves, plugs, screens, filters, flow control devices (e.g., inflow control devices, autonomous inflow control devices, outflow control devices, etc.), couplings (e.g., electro-hydraulic wet connect, dry connect, inductive coupler, etc.), control lines (e.g., electrical, fiber optic, hydraulic, etc.), surveillance lines, drill bits and reamers, sensors or distributed sensors, downhole heat exchangers, valves and corresponding actuation devices, tool seals, packers, cement plugs, bridge plugs, and other wellbore isolation devices, or components, and the like. Any of these components may be included in the systems generally described above and depicted in the figures, such as
While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, modifications thereof can be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and teachings of the invention. The embodiments described herein are exemplary only, and are not intended to be limiting. Many variations and modifications of the invention disclosed herein are possible and are within the scope of the invention. Use of the term “optionally” with respect to any element of a claim is intended to mean that the subject element is required, or alternatively, is not required. Both alternatives are intended to be within the scope of the claim.
Embodiments disclosed herein include:
Each of embodiments A, B, and C may have one or more of the following additional elements in any combination: Element 1: wherein n=1, z=2, tool T(1) is a dual control line safety valve landing nipple, and tool T(2) is a dual line safety valve, wherein tool T(1) is uphole from tool T(2). Element 2: wherein tool T(1) comprises a mechanically sliding sleeve that is configured to isolate at least one control line Y(1) and Y(2) from tool T(1) to tool T(2). Element 3: wherein the sleeve is mechanically shifted to isolate control lines Y(1) and Y(2) from tool T(2), and to provide control line communication to tool T(1). Element 4: wherein the mechanically sliding sleeve is prevented from sliding by a shear pin. Element 5: further comprising shearing the shear pin, thereby allowing the sleeve to mechanically shift. Element 6: wherein each pressure P(z) is continuously applied to the corresponding tool T(n). Element 7: wherein each pressure P(z) is continuously applied to tool T(x). Element 8: wherein the hydraulically movable portion of at least one tool T(n) is moved by an annular piston. Element 9: wherein the hydraulically movable portion of at least one tool T(n) is moved by a rod piston. Element 10: further comprising lowering at least one pressure P(z) below the preset value PV(z) after the tool T(x) has been activated. Element 11: wherein at least one of pressure P(z) is continuously applied to corresponding locking device L(z). Element 12: wherein each locking device L(z) comprises at least one of a key, a notch, a dog, and combinations thereof. Element 13: wherein each locking device L(z) is further coupled to at least one additional hydraulically movable portion H(n) corresponding to locking L(n) of tool T, where n≠z, wherein H(n) will not move unless each locking device L(z) and L(n) is in an unlocked state. Element 14: wherein each locking device L(z) is returned from an unlocked state to a locked state by lowering the pressure P(z) below the preset value PV(z). Element 15: wherein at least one of tool T(n) is a valve. Element 16: wherein at least one of tool T(x) is a transducer. Element 17: wherein the activation of at least one tool T(n) redirects the flow of a control line fluid C(z) within the valve. Element 18: further comprising lowering at least one pressure P(z) below the preset value PV(z) after the tool T(n) has been activated.
Numerous other modifications, equivalents, and alternatives, 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 modifications, equivalents, and alternatives where applicable.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/US2016/065657 | 12/8/2016 | WO | 00 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2018/106246 | 6/14/2018 | WO | A |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20180371870 A1 | Dec 2018 | US |