Patent Grant
8403063
This invention relates to a ball valve having an enhanced drift clearance and, particularly, to a downhole ball valve that maintains a full drift clearance over a pivotal range of ball.
Ball valves may be used in downhole applications, for example, as part of a downhole system, such as a tubular working string, for altering a fluid flow through the downhole system by pivoting a ball of a ball valve over a range of pivot. In some instances, downhole systems may be used to perform subsurface flow control operations, completion operations, or well intervention operations. Thus, some downhole systems may inject fluids into a wellbore or recover fluids from the wellbore. For example, some downhole systems may be used to inject a fluid into at least a portion of a wellbore, such as during a fracturing operation, a acidizing operation, or some other operation in which fluid may be introduced into a wellbore through a downhole system.
In some cases, the fluid introduced into or recovered from the wellbore may contain solid material. For example, a wellbore fluid to be removed by a downhole system may include wellbore cuttings and/or other debris. In still other instances, the downhole system may be used to pump a fracturing fluid containing a proppant (i.e., particles entrained in a fluid used to fracture a subterranean zone). Thus, downhole systems may be used to conduct fluids containing debris or other solid material into or out of a wellbore.
A downhole tool for performing an operation downhole according to one aspect includes a bore having a first bore portion and a second bore portion. A ball may be disposed between the first bore portion and the second bore portion and adapted to pivot between a first position and a second position. The ball may include an internal bore extending from a first opening of the internal bore to a second opening of the internal bore. The first opening may be larger than the second opening. Also, the first opening may be larger than the second opening, and the first opening may encompass the opening defined by the first bore portion over a range of pivot of the ball.
Another aspect includes a downhole tool for performing an operation within a wellbore. The downhole tool may include a fluid pathway and a ball disposed in the fluid pathway. The ball may be pivotable in the fluid pathway and include a bore having a first opening larger than a second opening. As such, the first opening may fully encompass an opening of the fluid pathway adjacent the first opening over a range of pivot of the ball.
A further aspect includes a method of introducing controlling fluid flow through a downhole tool disposed downhole. The method may include providing downhole a downhole tool having a ball disposed within a fluid pathway of the downhole tool. The ball may include a bore extending therethrough. The method may also include pivoting the ball within the fluid pathway to permit full communication down the fluid pathway. Further, full communication may be permitted over a range of pivot of the ball.
The various aspects may include one or more of the following features. The first opening of the internal bore may be elliptical and include a minor axis at least as large as a width of the opening defined by the first bore portion and a major axis greater than a height of the opening defined by the first bore portion. The first opening may encompass the opening defined by the first bore portion over a range of pivot of the ball. The range of pivot of the ball may be four degrees. A pivotal range of the ball between the first position and the second position may be 92 degrees. The internal bore may transition between the first opening and the second opening. At least a portion of the internal bore may transition parabolically, conically, or in a step-wise manner. The internal bore may transition over a length of the internal bore. An opening defined by the second bore portion adjacent the ball may be flared, and the flared opening may encompass the second opening over a range of pivot of the ball. The internal bore may include one of a smooth bore or a faceted bore. An opening defined by the second bore portion may be sized to encompass the second opening of the internal bore over a range of pivot of the ball.
The various aspects may also include one or more of the following features. The range of pivot of the ball may be four degrees. The ball may be pivotable over a full range of pivot, and the full range of pivot may be 92 degrees. The first opening of the bore may be elliptical. A minor axis of elliptical first opening may be at least as large as a width of the opening of the fluid pathway, and the major axis of the first opening may be greater than a height of the opening of the first bore portion so that the first opening fully encompasses the opening of the fluid pathway over the range of pivot of the ball. The second opening of the bore may be circular, and the bore may transition from the elliptical first opening to the circular second opening over a length of the bore. A transition of the bore from the first opening to the second opening may be at least partially parabolic, conical, or stepped. The bore may include one of a smooth bore or a faceted bore. An opening of the fluid pathway adjacent the second opening of the ball may be flared, and the flared opening of the fluid pathway may fully encompass the second opening of the ball over the range of pivot of the ball.
The various aspects may further include one or more of the following features. A fluid may be pumped through the fluid pathway, and the pumped fluid may include a proppant. The ball may be positioned in a closed position to prevent or substantially prevent communication through the fluid pathway. The bore of the ball may include a first opening larger than a second opening, and the first opening may be positioned upstream of the second opening when the ball is pivoted within the fluid pathway to permit full communication down the fluid pathway.
The details of one or more implementations are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
The present disclosure encompasses a ball valve that may be used as part of a downhole system for controlling a fluid flow through the downhole system. An example downhole system is illustrated in
Ball valves as described in the present disclosure may be applicable to any number of downhole operations. For example, the ball valves may be used in fluid loss situations to prevent loss of well fluid into a subterranean zone of a reservoir. Other applications include using the ball valve as a barrier valve to prevent fluid movement through the a downhole system and provide pressure isolation. Other application are also possible including other downhole operations involving introduction of fluids into or removal of fluids out of a wellbore.
An example ball valve 60 is shown in
The ball 100 is disposed in the fluid pathway between the first and second bore portions 80, 90. According to some implementations, either or both of the openings defined by the first or second bore portions 80, 90 may be circular, oval (e.g., elliptical), or have some other suitable shape. Further, the openings defined by the first and second bore portions 80, 90 may be the same size or different sizes. That is, in some implementations, the opening defined by the first bore portion 80 may be larger than the opening defined by the second bore portion 90. Alternatively, the opening of the second bore portion 90 may be larger than the opening defined by the first bore portion 80.
The first housing portion 82 may include a debris wiper housing 142 that cradles a portion of the ball 100. The debris wiper housing 142 is operable to remove debris from the ball 100 as the ball 100 is pivoted. The second housing portion 92 may also function to remove debris from the ball 100, particularly from the sealing surface 93 of the ball 100. Also, the second housing portion 92 may cooperate with a sealing surface of the ball 100 surrounding an opening of the internal bore 110, such as surface 93, to form a seal around the opening of the internal bore 110 of the ball 100. In some implementations, a biasing member, such as a spring, may bias the second housing portion 92 into contact with the surface 93 to form as seal.
In some implementations, a seal may be formed around only one of the openings of the internal bore 110 (e.g., first or second openings 120, 130, discussed below). In other implementations, a seal may be formed around both openings of the internal bore 110 (e.g., the first and second openings 120, 130). When a seal is desired around both the first and second openings 120, 130, the first housing portion 82 may be replaced by components similar to the second housing portion 92, the wiper member 99, and the cylindrical member 94 to cooperate with a sealing surface 95 of the ball 100 surrounding the first opening 120.
According to some implementations, the wiper member 99 may be formed from a polymeric material, and the ball 100 second housing portion 92, and the first housing portion 82, may be formed from metals, such as a steel containing 13% chromium by weight, Incoloy® 718, Inconel® 925, or 4140 alloy steel.
The mechanism 103 includes a pair of arms 104 and members 106. The members 106 include apertures 105 and a raised rim 107 extending from an inner surface 109. Each arm 104 is disposed in a plane that is parallel with respective planar surfaces 96. The cylindrical projections 98 extend through slots 108 formed through each of the arms 104 and are received into the apertures 105. The raised rims 107 also extend into the slots 108. Thus, the arms 104 are sandwiched between the members 106 and the ball 100. The raised rims 107 are retained in the slots 108 such that the arms 104 are permitted to slide in a direction parallel to the X-axis but are prevented from moving in a direction parallel to the Z-axis. Actuation pins 112 are provided on an inner surface 114 of each arm 104. The actuation pins 112 are received into the radial grooves 102 formed in the ball 100. A bearing may be positioned between each pin 112 and radial groove 102. A bearing may also be positioned between each cylindrical projection 98 and the raised rims 107.
In an open position, the radial grooves 102 are angularly positioned so that the internal bore 110 of the ball 100 at least partially aligns with the first and second bore portions 80, 90 so as to provide fluid communication through the ball valve 60. In a closed position, the ball 100 may be pivoted about the Y-axis until the internal bore 110 of the ball 100 does not provide fluid communication between the first and second bore portions 80, 90, thereby preventing fluid communication through the ball valve 60. The ball 100 may be rotated between the open and closed positions, thereby opening and closing the ball valve 60, by longitudinally displacing the mechanism 103 relative to the ball 100 in a direction parallel with the X-axis. As the mechanism 103 is moved relative to the ball 100, the actuation pins 112 slide within the radial grooves 102, causing the ball 100 to pivot.
The ball valve 60 may be opened or closed in any number of ways. For example, in some implementations, the ball valve 60 may be actuated by shifting a mandrel in a longitudinal direction of the valve, e.g., a direction aligned with an axial direction of the first or second bore portions 80, 90, to rotate the ball 100 into one of an open or closed position. In some instances, the mandrel may be shifted by application of a mechanical force transferred to the mandrel through a secondary tool. In other implementations, the ball valve 60 may be opened by application of fluid pressure. For example, fluid pressure may be applied to a ball 100 in a closed position. The fluid pressure may actuate a secondary mechanism that releases a biasing element, such as a spring, to pivot the ball 100 into an open position. The examples described above, through, are not intended to be limiting. Accordingly, other manners of actuating the ball valve 100 are within the scope of this disclosure.
Other implementations of the ball valve 60 may include additional or different elements than those illustrated in the figures. Further, in some implementations, some described elements may be omitted.
Referring to
The ball 100 is pivotal over a range between a first position and a second position. In some implementations, the pivotal range may be 92 degrees between the first and second positions. However, in other implementations, the pivotal range may be greater or less than 92 degrees. For example, in some instances, the pivotal range may be 90 degrees plus or minus one or two degrees. Thus, the pivotal range may be any pivotal range from 88 degrees (i.e., zero to 88 degrees) of pivot to 92 degrees (i.e., zero to 92 degrees) of pivot. In other implementations, the pivotal range may be 90 degrees plus or minus one half (0.5) of a degree. Still other implementations may have greater or lesser pivotal ranges. A first portion of the pivotal range (interchangeably referred to as “closed articulation range”) may correspond to a closed configuration in which fluid is prevented or substantially prevented from passing through the fluid pathway 70. A second portion of the pivotal range (interchangeably referred to as “open pivotal range”) corresponds to an open configuration in which the internal bore 110 of the ball 100 provides fluid communication between the first and second bore portions 80, 90. In some implementations, fluid is prevented from passing through the fluid pathway 70 in the closed configuration because no portion of the internal bore 110 is aligned with the first and second bore portions 80, 90, and fluid is permitted to flow through the fluid pathway 70 in the open configuration because at least a portion of the internal bore 110 is open to the first and second bore portions 80, 90.
The ball 100 permits full drift clearance over a portion of the open pivotal range (referred to hereinafter as the “drift clearance pivotal range”). According to some implementations the drift clearance pivotal range is four degrees, approximately four degrees, or some other pivotal range. According to still other implementations, the drift clearance pivotal range may be greater or less than four degrees. For example, in some implementations, the drift clearance pivotal range may be two degrees, three degrees, five degrees, or six degrees. In still other implementations, the drift clearance pivotal range may be greater or lesser. For example, in other implementations the drift clearance pivotal range may be 10 degrees. In still other implementations, the second position of the ball 100 may define an end of both the pivotal range and the drift clearance pivotal range. That is, an end of the pivotal range and the drift clearance pivotal range may coincide with each other, according to some implementations. This feature is described in more detail below with reference to
Drift clearance is defined as the largest object that may be passed through a valve. For a ball valve, drift clearance is maximized when the internal bore of the ball is aligned with the first and second bore portions, i.e., a lip of the ball bordering the first or second openings of the internal bore (such as lips 150, 160) is not protruding beyond the first or second bore portions and into the fluid pathway. Any portion of the ball protruding past the first or second bore portions reduces the size of the largest object that may be passed through the ball valve, as well as increasing a pressure drop through the valve. Thus, even the slightest misalignment of the ball within the fluid pathway may reduce the size of debris or other object disposed in the fluid passing through the ball valve.
Thus, to overcome these difficulties associated with downhole operations, the ball valve 60 provides full drift clearance over a range of pivot of the ball 100. Particularly, the size of the first opening 120 of the internal bore 110 may be larger than the opening defined by the first bore portion 80. Accordingly, the first opening 120 of the internal bore 110 fully encompasses the opening defined by the first bore portion 80 over the drift clearance pivotal range. Stated another way, the opening area defined by the first bore portion 80 is entirely overlaid by the area defined by the first opening 120 of the internal bore 110 over the drift clearance pivotal range. Therefore, over the drift clearance pivotal range, when the internal bore 110 of the ball 100 is misaligned in the fluid pathway 70 due to over or under rotation of the ball 100, the lip 150 of the ball 100 does not protrude past the opening defined by the first bore portion 80 and into the fluid pathway 70. Consequently, over a pivotal range of the ball 100, the ball valve 60 maintains full drift clearance through the fluid pathway 70.
According to some implementations, the first opening 120 may be circular, while in other implementations, the first opening 120 may be oval (e.g., elliptical), although the first opening 120 may have other shapes. Also, the second opening 130 may be circular, oval (e.g., elliptical), or have other shapes. In some instances when the first opening 120 has an elliptical shape, the ellipse may be oriented such that the minor axis may be equal to or larger than the opening formed by the first bore portion 80. For example, if the opening of the first bore portion 80 is circular, the minor axis of the elliptical first opening 120 may be at least as large as the diameter of the first bore portion 80. Further, the minor axis of the elliptical first opening 120 may be oriented perpendicularly to the direction of pivot of the ball 100. The major axis of the ellipse may be aligned with the direction of pivot of the ball 100 (see
In some implementations, the second opening 130 may be smaller than the opening defined by the second bore portion 90. Alternately, the opening defined by the second bore portion 90 may be equal to or less than the size of the second opening 130. In other instances, the second bore portion 90 may have a flared portion 170 adjacent the ball 100. Thus, the second opening 130 may be smaller than the opening formed by the flared portion 170 of the second bore portion 90. Consequently, an area defined by the opening of the second bore portion 90 may entirely overlay the area defined by the second opening 130 over the drift clearance pivotal range.
For the example ball valve 60 shown in
Referring to
In other implementations, the ball 100 may be oriented such that the larger opening of the internal bore 110 (e.g., the first opening 120) is downhole, i.e., farther from the terranean surface 20, than the smaller opening of the internal bore 110 (e.g., the second opening 130). In such a configuration, the second housing portion 92 may form a seal around the second opening 130 and/or the first housing portion 82 may form a seal around the first opening 120. Additionally, fluid may be introduced into the wellbore 10 from the terranean surface 20 or recovered from the wellbore 10 through the terranean surface 20 through the ball valve 60.
Although the first opening 120 is described as larger than the second opening 130 in these examples, in other implementations, as explained above, the opposite may be true and the second opening 130 may be larger than the first opening 120.
A number of implementations have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.
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