Patent Application
20180209244
The present invention relates to a device for controlling and isolating a tool, in the form of an expanding liner for treating a well or a pipe, this tool being connected to a casing feeding a fluid under pressure and being interposed between said casing and the wall of said well or of the pipe.
Expressed differently, it relates to a downhole system allowing the isolation of the upstream space from the downstream space of an annular region comprised between a casing and the formation (in other words subsurface rocks) or between the same casing and the inner diameter of another casing already present in the well. This isolation must be accomplished while still preserving the integrity of the entire casing string, i.e. to say the steel column comprised between the formation and the well head.
It will be noted that it is necessary to distinguish the integrity of the annular space and the integrity of the casing, both being essential to the integrity of the well.
The annular space previously mentioned is generally sealed by using a cement which is pumped in liquid form into the casing from the surface, then injected into the annular space. After injection, the cement hardens and the annular space is sealed.
The quality of the cementation of this annular space assumes a very great importance for the integrity of the well.
In fact, this sealing protects the casing from the salt water zones contained underground, which can corrode and damage them and possibly bring about the loss of the well.
Moreover, this cementation protects the aquifers from pollution that could occur from nearby formations containing hydrocarbons.
This cementation constitutes a barrier protecting from the risks of eruption caused by gas at high pressure which can migrate into the annular space between the formation and the casing.
In practice, there are numerous reasons which can lead to an imperfect cementation method, such as the large size of a well, its horizontal zones, difficult circulation or loss zones. The result is poor sealing.
It will also be noted that wells are deeper and deeper, that a good number of them are drilled “offshore” above water depths which can reach more than 2000 m, and that the latest hydraulic fracturing technologies in which pressures can reach more than 15,000 psi (1000 bars) subject these sealed annular zones to very high forces.
From the preceding, it is clear that the cementation of the annular space(s) is particularly important and any weakness in its accomplishment, when the pressures in question are very high (several hundred bars), can cause damage which can lead to the loss of the well and/or cause considerable ecological damage.
The pressures in question can come from:
The casing (or casing string), the length whereof can attain several thousand meters, consist of casing tubes, with unit lengths comprised between 10 and 12 m, assembled to one another by sealed threads.
The nature and the thickness of the material constituting the casing are calculated to withstand very high inner bursting pressures or outer collapsing pressures.
Moreover, the casing must be sealed throughout the duration of the life of the well, i.e. during several decades. Any detection of a leak leads systematically to repair or abandonment of the well.
Technical solutions are currently available to accomplish sealing of said annular space.
Numerous isolation systems have already been proposed and are current used for this purpose.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 7,571,765 describes a system comprising a rubber ring compressed and expanded radially by hydraulic pressure via a piston, to come into contact with the wall of the well. In use, however, these systems do not allow sealing a well having a section that is not a cylinder of revolution and are very sensitive to variations in temperature.
Mechanical isolation systems have been proposed based on swellable elastomers made of a polymer of the rubber type activated into swelling by contact with a fluid (oil, water or other, depending on the formulations). To avoid blockage of the tube during insertion down the well, the swelling must be relatively slow and may sometimes require several weeks for the isolation of the zone to be effective.
Other types of isolation systems are made of an expandable metal liner deformed by the application of liquid under pressure (see article SPE 22 858 “Analytical and Experimental Evaluation of Expanded Metal Packers For Well Completion Services (D. S. Dreesen et al—1991), U.S. Pat. No. 6,640,893, U.S. Pat. No. 7,306,033, U.S. Pat. No. 7,591,321, EP 2 206 879, EP 2 435 656).
Shown schematically is the general structure of a known system of this type in the appended
As can be seen in
The membrane 10 is attached and sealed at its ends on the surface of the casing 20. A liner in the form of a ring between the outer surface of the casing 20 and the inner surface of the membrane 10 is thus defined. The inside of the casing 20 and the inner volume of the liner formed by the membrane 10 communicate with one another through a passage 22 passing through the wall of the casing 20.
The membrane 10 is then expanded radially outward until it is in contact with the wall P of the well, as can be seen in
The membrane 10 can be made of metal or out of elastomers, reinforced with fibers or not.
Although they have already led to much research, systems of the type illustrated in appended
If the membrane 10 is made of elastomers and the circulation of the inflating fluid is accomplished without a valve in the passage 22, the membrane resumes a shape near to its initial state if pressure is released inside the casing after having inflated it. The membrane 10 then no longer serves to isolate the annular space.
If the membrane 10 is metallic and the circulation of the inflating fluid between the inside of the membrane 10 and the inside of the casing 20 is accomplished directly, once permanently deformed, the membrane 10 retains in principle its shape, and its function as a barrier in the annular space is also retained when the pressure in the casing 20 is released. If, however, the pressure increases in the annular space, on the side EA1 for example, the pressure differential between EA1 and the inside of the membrane 10 can be sufficient to collapse the metallic membrane 10. This will then no longer retain its role of isolating the annular space.
To avoid this, in the case of a membrane 10 made of metal or elastomers, the opening 22 allowing the circulation of the inflating fluid between the inside of the casing 20 and the inside of the membrane 10 can be provided with a non-return valve. This valve traps the inflating volume under pressure inside the membrane 10 at the conclusion of inflation. Nevertheless, if the temperature and/or the pressure in the annular space change, the volume inside the membrane can also change. If the pressure decreases, the membrane 10 can collapse or lose its sealing contact with the wall P of the well. The function of isolation of the annular space is then no longer ensured. If, on the other hand, the pressure increases, the membrane 10 can deform to the breaking point. If the membrane 10 does not break, there is a risk that the pressure will increase enough inside the membrane 10 to collapse the wall of the casing 20.
To avoid this risk there has been proposed, for example in documents WO 2010/136806 and US20120125619, in addition to the first opening 22 provided with a non-return valve, a second opening provided between the membrane 10 and the high pressure zone EA1, which incorporates a breaking disc. The latter allows creation of an opening between the inside of the membrane 10 and the high pressure zone EA1 at the conclusion of inflation. In this manner, the changes in the temperature of the well or of the pressure on the side EA1 no longer have an effect on the pressure inside the membrane 10 because the membrane 10 is in communication with the annular space. But if the pressure subsequently increases in the casing 20, the non-return valve provided in the passage 22 lets fluid from the casing 20 pass through to the membrane 10 and from the membrane 10 directly into the annular space.
Document US 2003/0183398 describes a valve with breaking pins for keeping it in an open position for swelling and ensures a closed position, after breaking, on completion of swelling.
However, it can happen that the breaking pressure is never attained and communication between the annular volume and the liner can occur.
Document US 2011/094742 describes a system with a reactive material which keeps a rod in position for keeping a valve open. When the material degrades the rod comes out and frees the valve in rotation which can then close.
However, as soon as the system is inserted into the well degradation is triggered. Any disruptive element (leak, faulty equipment, installation difficulty, inclement weather conditions) . . . which can delay installation could cause loss in viable operation of the liner isolation mechanism.
It seems that use of a breaking pin or degradable pin such as described in the prior art shows up limitations to be overcome.
The aim of the invention is to propose a device which resolves the above problems.
The invention relates to a fluid control device for treating a well, comprising an expandable liner placed on a casing and an assembly adapted to control the feed of the inner volume of the liner by means of pressurized fluid coming from the casing, via a passage passing through the wall of the casing, to expand the liner radially outward, said assembly comprising a valve,
said valve comprising a body which defines a chamber in which terminate a first and a second communication pipe respectively associated inside the expandable liner and the annular space located outside the casing,
In fact, because of the device, even if the maximal swelling pressure is never attained (that which move the valves into the final position in the prior art), it is ensured by degradation of the degradable immobilization means that the device will be positioned so as to authorize communication between the annular volume and the inside of the liner. However, if ever such placing is longer than foreseen or must be interrupted, the problems connected to degradation of the degradable means are overcome since degradation commences only once swelling has commenced. The protection means avoid degradation as soon as immersed in the well.
The invention can comprise the following characteristics, taken singly or in combination:
an initial state in which a connection is established between the inner volume of the casing and the inner volume of the liner to expand said liner and
a final state in which the connection between the inner volume of the casing and the inner volume of the liner is interrupted and a connection is established between the inner volume of the liner and an annular volume of the well external to the liner and to the casing.
The invention also proposes an isolation system for treating a well, comprising a device such as described previously,
characterized in that the assembly of said device also comprises an non-return valve placed in a passage which connects the inner volume of the casing to the inner volume of the liner,
said valve and said non-return valve forming, after switching, two valves mounted in series and with opposite directions on the passage connecting the inner volumes of the casing and of the liner.
In fact, this device is inserted advantageously in a double non-return valve system back to back, which once the swelling has ended avoids any communication between the inside of the casing and the liner and which authorizes communication of the liner toward the annular space.
Finally, the invention proposes a method for isolating two annular zones of a well, implementing
a step of feeding an expandable liner placed on a casing using a fluid under pressure coming from the casing, to expand the liner radially outward, characterized by the fact that it comprises the steps of
feeding the inner volume of the expandable liner by means of a non-return valve placed in a passage which connects the inner volume of the casing to the inner volume of the liner, then
operating the switching of a device such as described previously between an initial state in which a connection is established between the inner volume of the casing and the inner volume of the liner to expand said liner and a final state in which the connection between the inner volume of the casing and the inner volume of the liner is interrupted and a connection is established between the inner volume of the liner and an annular volume of the well external to the liner and of the casing, said device and said non-return valve forming, after switching, two valves mounted in series and with opposite directions on the passage connecting the inner volumes of the casing and the liner.
Other characteristics, aims and advantages of the invention will emerge from the following description which is purely illustrative and non-limiting and which must be considered in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:
a, b, c to 13a, b, c show, according to a view in axial section passing through a second radial plane and a duct which houses the three-way valve, a first embodiment of an assembly according to the present invention showing a three-way valve held by a degradable pin in the initial connection state of the casing and of the liner,
a, b, c to 18a, b, c show, according to a view in axial section passing through a second radial plane and a duct which houses the three-way valve, a second embodiment of an assembly according to the present invention showing a three-way valve held by a degradable pin in the initial connection state of the casing and of the liner and comprising a breaking pin,
a, b, c to 23a, b, c show, according to a view in axial section passing through a second radial plane and a channel of the valve, a more general embodiment of a device according to the present invention showing a two-way valve held by a degradable pin in the initial state,
The device fluid control of the present invention will be described within the particular scope of a system forming two non-return valves with opposite directions.
To the extent where said device cannot be implemented exclusively on the embodiments cited previously but can be installed on any type of valve designed to connect an annular volume to a liner volume, such as a two-way valve.
It will be described more generally hereinbelow.
An isolation system conforming to the present invention is observed in the appended
The liner 100 is advantageously formed from a cylinder of revolution metal envelope engaged on the external to the casing 200 and of which the two axial ends 110, 112 are sealingly connected to the outer surface of the casing 200 at its two axial ends 110 and 112.
Once the isolation system thus formed is introduced into a well P so that the liner 100 is placed between two zones EA1 and EA2 to be isolated, the assembly 300 is adapted to initially ensure the feeding of the inner volume 102 of the liner 100 using a fluid under pressure coming from the casing 200, through the passage 222 passing through the wall of the casing 200, to radially expand the liner 100 outward as can be seen in
More precisely, according to the invention, said assembly 300 comprises a non-return valve 400 placed in the passage 222 which connects the inner volume 202 of the casing 200 to the inner volume 102 of the liner 100 and means 500 forming a three-way valve adapted to be switched only once between an initial state corresponding to
As indicated previously the valve 500 preferably defines a temporary intermediate state between the initial state and the final state, in which no connection is established between the inner volume 202 of the casing 200, the inner volume 102 of the liner 100 and the annular volume EA1.
An assembly 300 is noted in
The non-return valve 400 is placed in a pipe coming from the inner volume 202 of the casing 200 and leading to a first way 502 of the valve 500. It comprises a body which defines a conical seat 410 tapered moving away from the input coming from the inner volume 202 of the casing 200, a closure member 420 placed downstream of the seat 410 with respect to a fluid feed direction extending from the inner volume 202 of the casing 200 toward the inner volume 102 of the liner 100 and a spring 430 which drives the closure member 420 into sealing contact against the seat 410 and thereby which biases the valve 400 to closure.
The seat 410 and the closure member 420 are advantageously made of metal defining a metal/metal valve 400 with sealing means. These means will be described hereinbelow.
At rest the valve 400 is closed under the bias of the spring 430. When the pressure exerted from upstream to downstream by a fluid, applied from the inner volume 202 of the casing 200, exceeds the setting force exerted by the spring 430, this pressure presses back the closure member 420 and opens the valve 400. On the other hand, any pressure exerted from downstream to upstream, i.e. from the inner volume 102 of the liner 100, tends to reinforce the bias of the closure member 420 against its seat and therefore the valve 300 to closure.
The two other ways 504 and 506 of the valve 500 are connected respectively with the inner volume 102 of the liner 100 and the annular volume EA1 of the well P.
In the initial state shown in
In the final switched state shown in
As will be described in more detail hereinbelow, the final state shown in
The degradable immobilization means 590 typically take the form of a degradable pin. This term will be used for the rest of the description.
It will be evident that the pressure applied from the non-return valve 400 remains in the inner volume 102 of the liner 100 until degradation of the pin 590 or breaking of the breaking means 900.
As indicated previously, the valve 500 comprises a piston adapted to define in the final switched state a second valve 510 with a direction opposite that of the valve 400, on the passage running from the inner volume 202 of the casing 200 to the inner volume 102 of the liner 100. The equivalent schematic of the assembly 300 thus obtained in the final switched state is shown in
The seat 512 and the closure member 514 are advantageously made of metal, defining a metal/metal valve 500 with sealing means.
In the initial state of the valve 500, the valve 510 is open. During the switching of the valve 500 degradation of the pin 590 or breaking of the breaking pin 920, the valve 510 closes under the biasing from the spring 516. The assembly then comprises two valves 400 and 510 with opposite directions, back to back, which avoid any circulation of fluid in any direction between the inner volume 202 of the casing 200 and the inner volume 102 of the liner 100.
The three-way valve 500 can form the object of many embodiments. It preferably comprises a piston 550 equipped with and/or associated with a closure member 514 made of metal translatably mounted in a body 310 made of metal of the assembly and/or another body 315 integral with the first. More precisely the piston 550 is translatably mounted in a chamber 320 of this body 310, 315 in which pipes terminate which correspond to the ways 502, 504 and 506 and are connected respectively to the inner volume 202 of the casing 200, the inner volume 102 of the liner 100 and the inner volume EA1 of the well P.
The design with two bodies 310, 315 is connected to the manufacturing constraint and assembly but plays no particular role for the invention.
Also, in the remainder of the description of the concept, the term “body 310” must be understood without any limitation whatsoever, the body 310 comprising the whole of the housing which houses the functional elements of the three-way valve 500 and, if appropriate, of the input valve 400, and possibly composed of several parts.
The chamber 320 and the piston 550 are staged and the pipes 502, 504 and 506 lead into points distributed longitudinally in the inner chamber 320, such that as a function of the axial position of the piston 550 in the chamber 320 two of the pipes 502 and 504 or 504 and 506 are successively connected.
The valves 400 and 510 have been previously described, the seats 410, 512 whereof, and the closure member 420, 514 are advantageously made of metal, thus defining the valves 400, 510 as metal/metal with a seal.
The sealing means allow a reduction of any risk of loss of sealing between such a metal closure member and its associated metal seat. For example, these additional sealing means consist of an O-ring seal (or any equivalent means, for example an O-ring associated with a ring) adapted to rest on a complementary bearing when the valve is in its closing position or near its closing position. Thus the valve 400 and/or 510 is and remains sealed even if the closure member 420 or 514 is not resting perfectly against its associated seat 410 or 512, for example in the event that the fluid conveyed is not correctly filtered.
Such an additional seal is provided by the closure member and is adapted to come into contact against a complementary bearing formed on the body housing the valve and forming the seat, when the valve is in its closing position or near its closing position. The seal can, as a variant, be provided on the body housing the valve and forming the seat, and then be adapted to come into contact with a complementary bearing formed on the closure member, when the valve is in its closing position or near its closing position.
An embodiment in which an additional seal 570 is mounted in a throat formed on the closure member 514. This seal 570 is adapted to rest against a complementary bearing 511 formed at a step on the body 310 housing the valve 510, in the extension and upstream of the seat 512. The diameter of the section of the chamber 320 which receives the closure member 514 and which houses a seal 370 in initial position is preferably greater than the diameter of the seal 370. The diameter of the step which forms the bearing 511 is however at least slightly less than the external diameter at rest of the seal 570 to ensure the above sealing.
It will be noted that, preferably, the travel of the closure member 514 is such that in the initial position, the seal 570 is placed beyond the input pipe 316 so as not to perturb the flow of fluid providing for inflation of the liner 100. In other words, the pipe 316 is located, in the initial position, between the seal 570 and the bearing 511.
According to another advantageous feature of the present invention, the input valve 400 and the valve 500 are preferably formed in distinct parallel longitudinal channels formed in the body 310 of the assembly 300 parallel to the longitudinal axis of the casing 200, the aforementioned longitudinal channels being connected by transverse pipes.
Embodiments illustrated in
In the remainder of the description, the terms “upstream” and “downstream” will be used with reference to the direction of displacement of a fluid from the inner volume 202 of the casing 200 to the inner volume 102 of the liner 100.
According to
The longitudinal channel 330 communicates with the inner volume 202 of the casing 200, at a first axial end, through a radial channel 312 closed at its radially external end by a closure member 314.
Near its second axial end which receives the non-return valve 400, the longitudinal channel 330 communicates with the second longitudinal channel 340 via a transverse passage 316.
The longitudinal channel 340 has a second transverse passage 318 which communicates with the inner volume 102 of the liner and an opening 350 which leads radially outward in the annular volume EA1 of the well.
The passage 316, the passage 318 and the opening 350 form the three ways 502, 504 and 506 of the valve 500.
The first longitudinal channel 330 has a conical zone 410 which diverges going away from the first end connected to the input radial channel 312 and which forms the aforementioned seat of the valve 400. This conical zone 410 is located upstream of the channel 316.
As can be seen in
As described previously with respect to
The second longitudinal channel 340 has a conical zone 512 located axially between the two pipes 316 and 318. The zone 512 diverges when approaching the first pipe 316 and forms the aforementioned seat of the valve 510.
As is seen in
The closure member 514 is placed upstream of the piston 550 and rests on the upstream end 556 of the piston 550. It has, facing the seat 512, a conical zone complementing the seat 512. The closure member 514 is urged to press against the seat 512 by a spring 516.
But at rest in initial position, the conical closure member 514 is held away from the seat 512 by the piston 550 and the degradable pin 590 placed in the base of the channel 340 facing a piston tail 552 axially prolonging the piston 550 downstream of the closure member 514.
It is clear from
This spring 560 is positioned in between step formed in the channel 340 and a flared head 553 formed on the downstream end of the piston tail 552.
The degradable pin 590 is in contact with a cavity 700 configured to allow evacuation of the material constituting the pin 590 so as to allow free displacement of the head 553.
The volume of the cavity 700 is a function of the position of the degradable pin 590 which is movable by the effect of the translation of the piston 550, such that the pressure in the cavity 700 can change and is also a function of the position of the pin 590.
During insertion in a well, the fluid present in the cavity 700 will dilate. Yet, so that the pressure in the cavity 700 does not increase excessively the degradable pin 590 and the piston 550 are movable in translation in the direction of the closure member 514 to allow auto-regulation of the pressure in the cavity 700.
The cavity 700 is isolated fluidically from a discharge pipe 810 by protection means 800 configured to break when a threshold pressure gap ΔPs is attained. In this way, the cavity 700 can be in fluidic relation with the discharge pipe 810.
The pressure gap ΔPs is reached when the pressure in the cavity 700 exceeds the pressure present in the discharge pipe 810 which is connected fluidically to the annular space by a value of ΔPs.
In the embodiment of
In the initial state, the cavity 700 is filled with liquid not or minimally degrading the degradable pin 590. Such fluid will be called “inert” hereinbelow. It is understood that the degradation time of the pin 590 in this liquid is very much greater than the time interval between manufacture of the system and its insertion in a well. When remaining non-degraded the pin 590 retains the valve 500 in initial position until the preferred moment.
By way of example, the inert fluid is oil and the pin is made of polymer.
By way of example, the polymer is a polyglycolic acid (PGA), which is sold especially as “Kuredux®” by Kureha. PGA degrades by hydrolysis.
An injection pipe 710, located perpendicularly to the axis of translation of the piston 550 in
However, to the extent where the change in volume of the cavity 700 occurs by translation of the degradable pin 590, it is imperative that the cavity 700 or at the very least part of this cavity 700 is positioned in the longitudinal alignment of the degradable pin 590. In other words, translation of said pin 590 would have no effect on the volume of the cavity 700. Consequently, it is not only the radial extension due to the injection pipe 710 which forms said cavity 700 (cf.
The discharge pipe 810 introduces liquid coming from the annular space EA1 to enable replacement of the inert fluid. Under the action of the liquid coming from the annular space EA1, the degradable pin 590 starts to degrade. As a function of the material of said pin 590 degradation can occur by breakdown, by frangibility, by friability, or any other physical phenomenon which removes parts of the pin 590.
A sealing element 610 is advantageously disposed between the tail 552 of the piston and the degradable pin 590. The sealing element 610 comprises an annular seal 611 which ensures sealing between the fluid present around the piston 550 and the cavity 700 filled with inert fluid before breaking. In fact, the fluid present around the piston 550 could activate degradation of the degradable pin 590 inopportunely (for example at the time of insertion into the well).
Also, in the force chain the simple function of the sealing element 610 is to transmit the translation force of the piston 550 toward the degradable pin 590.
In an embodiment shown in
The valve 850 can comprise several sub-sections 851, 852, 853 juxtaposed in the form of a tubular barrel and welded to define an inner duct via which fluids can circulate. The diameter of the inner duct can be discontinuous during movement from one sub-section to another. For example, the sub-section 851 located to the side of the cavity 700 can have a bigger diameter than the juxtaposed sub-section 852 located in the direction of the discharge pipe 810 so as to create a stop. It is possible to house a breaking disc 860 against this stop.
In fact, the breaking disc 860 is configured to break under the effect of pressure in the cavity 700. Stopping against the sub-section 852 advantageously ensures that the breaking disc is kept in position under the effect of pressure.
The sub-sections 851, 852, 853 and the breaking disc 860 are preferably welded together.
As mentioned previously, the breaking disc 860 breaks when a certain pressure in the cavity 700 is attained. This pressure is between 50 and 90% of the nominal theoretical inflation pressure (for example 5,000 psi), preferably 70 and 85%, and more preferably 75 and 85%.
In fact, if the breaking disc 860 breaks too soon during swelling, the device fails to fulfil its degradation delay function of the degradation pin 590; inversely, if the breaking disc 860 never breaks during swelling, the device becomes useless.
The nominal theoretical inflation pressure is the maximal pressure preferred for swelling, which enables preferred placing of the liner on the wall P of the well.
As the cavity 700 must be able to reduce in volume under the effect of the translation of the degradable pin 590, it is necessary that volume located in the alignment is available. Though such volume risks enabling unwanted displacement of some items during handling. Consequently, a contact spring 620 can be arranged advantageously axially between the degradable pin 590 and the protection means 800 to allow contact between the parts during handling (to avoid shocks and damaging the different elements). This spring 620 is configured such that its stiffness may be overcome by the force transmitted by the degradable pin 590 during translation.
In terms of the device defined in
Once the system is pressurized allowing the breaking of protection means 800 the contact spring 620 compresses and behaves mechanically as a stop piece axially transmitting forces so as not to break the transmission chain.
The aim is that the start of the degradation occurs when the device is in the initial state, i.e., only communication between the inside of the casing and the inside of the liner is established. Consequently, the intermediate portion 554 forming sealing with the seal 370 toward the pipe 350 in communication with the annular volume EA1 must have a length greater than the distance traveled during translation made by the piston 550 to trigger the breaking of the protection means 800.
The different steps will be described hereinbelow.
In
This step is verified when the expansion pressure is typically between 0 and 50-90%, preferably 0 and 70-85% and more preferably 0 and 75-85% of the nominal theoretical pressure (or end of expansion pressure).
The system can stay in the state long enough to overcome a hazard which might disrupt placing of the system in the well (bad time, damages, surface pump problem, defective connection between the casings, etc.). In fact, the degradable pin 590 is kept in the inert fluid by the protection means 800 which protect it from the fluid of the annular space EA1 and alleviates the operators of the countdown which started earlier during run in hole (RIH) started.
In
Under the effect of breaking, the inert fluid of the cavity 700 will start to pour out toward the discharge pipe 810. Via convection and diffusion, fluid from the annular space EA1 will enter the cavity 700 and cause the start of degradation of the pin 590.
In
This intermediate state of the valve 500 can occur a few days after completion of inflation. This state preferably occurs three days after completion of swelling.
In
a, b, c to 18a, b, c show a second embodiment of a valve 500 according to the present invention intended to form in the switched state, in combination with the input valve 400, two opposite valves back to back, which is distinguished essentially from the first embodiment illustrated in
The architecture of the system is substantially modified relative to the embodiment without breaking pin.
The function of the breaking means 900 is to have the valve 500 move to the final state if a force greater than a threshold breaking force Es is reached in the piston 550. Preferably, this threshold force Es is reached at the nominal maximal swelling pressure. It is possible that the threshold force Es is reached for slightly lower pressure, especially by the clearance which exists in manufacture of breaking means 900.
For this purpose, the breaking means 900 are positioned in the alignment of the piston 500, in place of the protection means 800 of the first example given in
The protection means 800 are as such deported, especially by way of the cavity 700 which can extend in part perpendicularly due to the injection pipe 710.
In conveniently positioning the plug 720 of this pipe 710, it becomes possible to position the discharge pipe 810 and the protection means 800 parallel to the valve 500. As the protection means 800 are configured to break under the effect of pressure from the inert fluid, it is not necessary for them to be aligned with the piston 550.
But, some of the volume of the cavity 700 stays positioned in the longitudinal alignment of the degradable pin 590 to allow a reduction in volume during translation toward the transitory state.
The breaking means 900 comprise a rod 910 held in position by means of a breaking pin 920. The breaking pin 920 extends transversally relative to the direction of translation of the piston 550 in the longitudinal channel 340. For this, the pin 920 is preferably attached to an annular base 930 which is housed in the end part of the channel 340.
Similarly to the embodiment without a breaking pin, a contact spring 620 is disposed between the rod 910 and the degradable pin 590 to avoid clearance between the parts during handling, which could damage the equipment.
Also, another sealing stop 612 is disposed between the spring 620 and the rod 910. This stop 612 comprises an annular seal 613 which ensures sealing between the cavity 700 and the breaking mechanism 800.
In fact, the breaking pin 920 is not a sealing element, which means that fluid present in the annular space EA1 can come around the rod 910. Pressures due to fluid on either side of the breaking pin 920 are compensated.
In this way, the volume of the cavity 700 does not risk enlarging suddenly by a leak toward the annular volume around the rod, which would cause a drop in pressure in the cavity 700 and would destroy any possibility of breaking the protection means 800.
The rod 910 is secured in translation with the degradable pin 590, via the sealing stop 612 especially such that when said pin 590 undergoes a force under the effect of swelling pressure, the rod 910 transits this force to the breaking pin 920.
As soon as the threshold force Es is reached, the pin 920 breaks and the rod 910 can pass through and no longer holds the piston 550 in initial position.
A wedge 621, having a longitudinal extension 622 around which the spring 620 is arranged axially, is disposed between the degradable pin 590 and the spring 620 such that when the spring 620 is compressed there is direct contact between the longitudinal extension 622 and the rod 910.
The volume present between the casing 310 and the longitudinal extension 622 of the wedge 621 forms part of the cavity 700. Fluid communication is in fact provided between said volume and the part of the admission pipe 710 which contains the inert fluid. This fluid communication occurs via an annular clearance (almost invisible in the Figures) which is weak enough to limit the movements of fluid. It is recalled that during immersion in the well and/or swelling, pressures in the device increase. As a consequence, minimal clearance is enough to establish fluid communication.
In
In
As mentioned previously, the breaking disc 860 breaks when a specific pressure in the cavity is attained. This pressure is between 50 and 90% of the nominal theoretical inflation pressure (for example 5,000 psi), preferably 70 and 85%, and more preferably 75 and 85%.
But, displacement of the degradable pin does not as such activate the breaking means 900. As the swelling pressure increases (as from the intervals cited previously which are between 50 and 90% of the nominal theoretical inflation pressure), a continuous chain of solid-solid contact from the piston 550 to the breaking pin 920 forms.
Under the effect of the breaking of the disc 860, the inert fluid of the cavity 700 will start to pour out toward the discharge pipe 810. Via convection and diffusion, fluid from the annular space EA1 will enter the cavity 700 and cause the start of degradation of the pin.
When the protection means 800 break, the pressure drops rapidly in the cavity 700, causing sudden translation of the piston 550 and the degradable pin 590 in the direction of the rod 910. Now, the breaking pin 920 is not adapted to resist shocks (strong resistance to shearing, but low resistance to shock). The spring 620, which is not yet fully compressed at the time of breaking of the protection means 800, absorbs some of the shock by compressing so as to avoid breaking of the pin 920. The spring 620 plays a role of dampener and is configured to compress at a pressure value in the chamber slightly above the pressure at which the protection means 800 break.
In reference to
Once in the final state, degradation of the pin 590 no longer plays a role for the valve 500.
If the breaking pin 920 does not break (deficiency of the pin, drop in pressure, limitation in pressure, etc.), as shown in
As a reminder, the final state allows switching of the valve 500 in which the pipe 318 and the opening 350 communicate, but the input pipe 316 remains blocked by the valve 510.
The person skilled in the art will understand that according to all the embodiments conforming to the invention, the isolation system integrates a three-way valve 500 including a single switching piston 550 so that:
The valve 500 is constituted such that reverse movement of the piston 550 is impossible even if there is a pressure differential, positive or negative, between the annular space EA1 and the inside of the casing 200.
When a pressure differential is applied from EA1 to EA2 such that PEA1>PEA2, the fluid, and hence the pressure, communicates inside the expandable liner 100 through the pipes 318 and 350 of the valve 500. The inner pressure of the expandable membrane 100 is identical to the pressure in the annular zone EA1, which confers on it excellent zone isolation properties.
If the annular pressure varies over time and can be alternatively: pressure of EA1> pressure of EA2 or pressure of EA2> pressure of EA1, mounting two zone isolation systems head-to-tail can be mounted as illustrated in
As indicated at the start of the description, the invention advantageously apples in the different variants presented for the embodiment in the form of a three-way valve 500 which switches a single time from an initial state to a final state, with an intermediate state where the valve closes the three pipes.
In particular, the protection mechanism 800 can apply to any device for treating a well, comprising an expandable liner 100 placed on a casing 200 and valve comprising a degradable pin 590 where the aim is to control the start of degradation to avoid the imperatives of speed connected to swelling once the latter has started.
The valve 500 can be placed in the absence of the non-return valve 400.
a, b, c to 23a, b, c show the invention in more general terms, i.e., where the degradable pin 590 keeps a way 317 of a valve 500 closed when it is not degraded and where said pin 590 opens this way 317 when it is degrade. In this embodiment there is no closure member 514 and it is consequently unnecessary to distinguish the two ways 316, 318 which communicate respectively with the inside 202 of the casing 200 and the inside 102 of the expandable liner 100.
Such a system comprises the casing 310, 315, housing a piston 550 and a degradable pin 590 in contact directly or indirectly with the piston 550, the latter being capable of having a first position in an initial state blocking the way 317, and a second position in a second state opening said way 317.
Preferably, the way 317 communicates with the inside 102 of the expandable liner 100.
In particular, the second position cannot be a final state as it is not necessarily definitive: the piston 550 can switch later between the first and the second position.
In
In
In
In
The person skilled in the art can easily use the embodiments broadly describe above to design the present variant.
The principle of the cavity 700, the spring 620 and the others elements common to the embodiments are similar.
The measuring system 1000 measures the longitudinal displacement of the piston 550 inside the chamber 320.
For this purpose, said system comprises
In
In
The measuring system 1000 knows if the degradable pin 590 has degraded or if the breaking means 800 are broken, and therefore in the case presented in
By way of example, displacement of the piston 550 is of the order of ten millimeters between the two states.
The recovery of the sensor data is accomplished by means of a tool (called a “wireline”) held by a cable, which is lowered into the well (not shown in the Figures). If necessary, the tool is associated with a tractor which allows displacement of the tool in the horizontal portions.
The cable has a mechanical role (for dropping and raising the tool) and an electronic one (for transmitting the data and controlling the tool/the tractor).
Transmission of data from the measuring system is accomplished wirelessly.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1501487 | Jul 2015 | FR | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2016/066940 | 7/15/2016 | WO | 00 |
