Patent Application
20200072019
There are various methods by which openings are created in a production liner for injecting fluid into a formation. In a “plug and perf” frac job, the production liner is made up from standard lengths of casing. Initially, the liner does not have any openings through its sidewalls. The liner is installed in the wellbore, either in an open bore using packers or by cementing the liner in place, and the liner walls are then perforated. The perforations are typically created by perforation guns that discharge shaped charges through the liner and, if present, adjacent cement.
The production liner is typically perforated first in a zone near the bottom of the well. Fluids then are pumped into the well to fracture the formation in the vicinity of the perforations. After the initial zone is fractured, a plug is installed in the liner at a position above the fractured zone to isolate the lower portion of the liner. The liner is then perforated above the plug in a second zone, and the second zone is fractured. This process is repeated until all zones in the well are fractured.
The plug and perf method is widely practiced, but it has a number of drawbacks, including that it can be extremely time consuming. The perforation guns and plugs are generally run into the well and operated individually. After the frac job is complete, the plugs are removed (e.g., drilled out) to allow production of hydrocarbons through the liner.
Embodiments of the disclosure provide a downhole tool including an expandable sleeve having an outer surface. The expandable sleeve is configured to expand radially outwards without fracturing apart. The tool also includes a plurality of button inserts positioned at least partially in the expandable sleeve and extending outward past the outer surface by a first distance, so as to engage a surrounding tubular when the expandable sleeve is expanded, and a first band of grit material on the outer surface, adjacent to at least one row of the plurality of button inserts. The first band of grit material extends outward from the outer surface by at least the first distance, to shield the plurality of button inserts during run-in of the downhole tool.
Embodiments of the disclosure also provide a method for deploying a downhole tool into a wellbore. The method includes positioning the downhole tool in a run-in configuration in a surrounding tubular. The downhole tool includes an expandable sleeve having an outer surface, wherein the expandable sleeve is configured to expand radially outwards, a plurality of button inserts positioned at least partially in the expandable sleeve and extending outward past the outer surface by a first distance, so as to engage a surrounding tubular when the expandable sleeve is expanded, and a first band of grit material on the outer surface, adjacent to at least one row of the plurality of button inserts. The first band grit material extends outward from the outer surface by at least the first distance, to shield the plurality of button inserts during run-in of the downhole tool. The method also includes expanding a first portion of the expandable sleeve, such that the downhole tool is in a first set configuration, and expanding a second portion of the expandable sleeve, such that the downhole tool is in a second set configuration after expanding the second portion of the expandable sleeve.
Embodiments of the disclosure also provide a downhole tool including an expandable sleeve having an outer surface and a bore extending axially therethrough. The expandable sleeve is configured to expand radially outwards without breaking apart. The tool also includes a plurality of button inserts positioned at least partially in the expandable sleeve and extending outward past the outer surface by a first distance, so as to engage a surrounding tubular when the expandable sleeve is expanded. The plurality of button inserts include a first row of button inserts positioned on a first portion of the expandable sleeve, and a second row of button inserts positioned on a second portion of the expandable sleeve, the first and second rows being axially offset. The tool also includes a grit material on the outer surface. The grit material extends outward from the outer surface by at least the first distance, to shield the plurality of button inserts during run-in of the downhole tool. The tool also includes a first cone positioned at least partially in the bore of the expandable sleeve, and a second cone positioned at least partially in the bore of the expandable sleeve. In a run-in configuration of the downhole tool, the first cone is positioned proximal to an uphole end of the expandable sleeve, and the second cone is positioned proximal to a downhole end of the expandable sleeve. In a first set configuration of the downhole tool, the first cone and the second cone are moved closer together in comparison to the run-in configuration, such that at least the first portion of the expandable sleeve is pressed outward. In a second set configuration of the downhole tool, the first cone is moved closer to the second cone, and the second cone is not moved, such that a second portion of the expandable sleeve is pressed outward by the first cone moving from the first set configuration to the second set configuration.
The present disclosure may best be understood by referring to the following description and accompanying drawings that are used to illustrate embodiments of the invention. In the drawings:
The following disclosure describes several embodiments for implementing different features, structures, or functions of the invention. Embodiments of components, arrangements, and configurations are described below to simplify the present disclosure; however, these embodiments are provided merely as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Additionally, the present disclosure may repeat reference characters (e.g., numerals) and/or letters in the various embodiments and across the Figures provided herein. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed in the Figures. Moreover, the formation of a first feature over or on a second feature in the description that follows may include embodiments in which the first and second features are formed in direct contact, and may also include embodiments in which additional features may be formed interposing the first and second features, such that the first and second features may not be in direct contact. Finally, the embodiments presented below may be combined in any combination of ways, e.g., any element from one exemplary embodiment may be used in any other exemplary embodiment, without departing from the scope of the disclosure.
Additionally, certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, various entities may refer to the same component by different names, and as such, the naming convention for the elements described herein is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, unless otherwise specifically defined herein. Further, the naming convention used herein is not intended to distinguish between components that differ in name but not function. Additionally, in the following discussion and in the claims, the terms “including” and “comprising” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean “including, but not limited to.” All numerical values in this disclosure may be exact or approximate values unless otherwise specifically stated. Accordingly, various embodiments of the disclosure may deviate from the numbers, values, and ranges disclosed herein without departing from the intended scope. In addition, unless otherwise provided herein, “or” statements are intended to be non-exclusive; for example, the statement “A or B” should be considered to mean “A, B, or both A and B.”
The downhole tool 100 also includes a plurality of button inserts 110. The button inserts 110 may be received into holes 112 formed in the expandable sleeve 102. Further, the button inserts 110 may be arranged in one or more rows, with each row being positioned at generally a constant axial position and extending around the expandable sleeve 102. For example, the button inserts 110 may include a first row 120, a second row 122, and a third row 124, as shown. The rows 120, 122, 124 may be axially-offset from one another. In this embodiment, the first row 120 is positioned uphole of the second row 122, which is in turn positioned uphole of the third row 124. Further, the first and second rows 120, 122 may be closely proximal to one another, while the third row 124, by comparison, is spaced farther apart from the second row 122.
Referring to
Further, some of the bands 201-205 may extend farther outwards that others. For example, the band 202 may extend outward by a first distance, while the upper-most band 201, which is adjacent thereto, may extend to a second distance outward from the outer surface 108, with the second distance being greater than the first distance. The lower-most band 205 may also extend to the second distance, and the remaining bands 203 and 204 may extend to the first distance. As such, the upper and lower most bands 201, 205 may extend the farthest out. This arrangement may allow the upper and lower-most bands 201, 205 to protect the button inserts 110 and/or the other bands 202-204 from abrasion in the well. Upon expansion of the expandable sleeve 102, as will be explained below, one or more of the bands 201-205 may engage a surrounding tubular (e.g., casing), along with at least some of the button inserts 110, so as to anchor the downhole tool 100 to the surrounding tubular.
Referring again to
The bore 252 of the expandable sleeve 102 may form upper and lower tapered sections 260, 262. The tapered sections 260, 262 may decrease in diameter as proceeding from the respective axial ends 104, 106 toward the shoulder 150 positioned therebetween. The shoulder 250 may extend into the bore 252 at a non-zero (e.g. obtuse) angle to each of the tapered sections 260, 262.
The upper cone 109A may be positioned at least partially in the tapered section 260, and the lower cone 109B may be positioned at least partially in the tapered section 262. Specifically, the cones 109A, 109B may each include a tapered outer surface 264A, 264B. The tapered outer surface 264A, 264B may be configured to slide against the tapered upper and lower sections 260, 262 of the bore 252. The cones 109A, 109B may be dimensioned such that, as they are moved toward the shoulder 250, the cones 109A, 109B progressively deform the expandable sleeve 102 radially outwards.
The upper cone 109A may include a valve seat 265, which may be uphole-facing and configured to receive an obstructing member (such as a ball or dart) therein, so as to plug off the bore 252. The catching of the obstructing member may also be configured to move the upper cone 109A relative to the expandable sleeve 102, as will be described in greater detail below. Further, in at least one embodiment, the lower cone 109B may include one or more grooves (two shown: 270, 272). The grooves 270, 272 may be configured to engage shearable and/or deflectable teeth of a setting tool, allowing the setting tool to apply a predetermined amount of force so as to move the lower cone 109B upwards, toward the shoulder 250, while pushing downwards on the upper cone 109A.
Comparing the run-in configuration shown in
The button inserts 110 of the first row 120 (
In the first set configuration, the upper cone 109A is spaced axially apart from the shoulder 250, and thus is capable of being pushed farther into the bore 252 of the expandable sleeve 102 than in this first set configuration. The lower cone 109B may likewise be spaced from the shoulder 250, although in some embodiments, the lower cone 109B might be configured to engage the shoulder 250 at this stage.
Further, although the bands 201-205 are not shown in this view, referring additionally to
As noted above, the upper cone 109A includes a valve seat 265. The valve seat 265 may be a generally tapered, frustoconical (funnel) shape that is configured to receive an obstructing member 400 therein. The obstructing member 400 may be a ball, as shown, but in other embodiments, may be any other suitable shape (dart, etc.). In some embodiments, the obstructing member 400 may be at least partially dissolvable.
In an embodiment, the valve seat 265 may define an angle α, with respect to a central longitudinal axis 402. The angle α may be selected such that increased pressure uphole of the downhole tool 100 is converted to force both axially and radially in the upper cone 109A. This may cause the upper cone 109A to slide in the expandable sleeve 102, and may also provide an additional amount of radial-outward expansion of the expandable sleeve 102 via expansion of the cone 109A. Once the upper cone 109A engages the shoulder 250, the upper cone 109A is prevented from sliding farther downhole, and thus the tool 100 is effectively plugged. In some cases, the upper cone 109A may stop prior to engaging the shoulder 250, and may still plug the tool 100 in cooperation with the obstructing member 400.
The angle β may be selected to enhance the biting contact of the button insert 110 into the surrounding tubular 300 when the button insert 110 moves radially outward as the expandable sleeve 102 is expanded radially outwards. This contrasts with conventional (e.g., composite) slips with button inserts, which break apart and are wedged outwards by sliding axially towards one another, rather than straight radially outward. As such, the angle β may be different than in those slips, since the angle β may be constant across the tool 100, both upper and lower sections 126, 128 (see, e.g.,
In an embodiment, the downhole tool 100 includes an upper cone 109A and a lower cone 109B positioned at least partially within the expandable sleeve 102. In such an embodiment, expanding the first portion 310 of the expandable sleeve 102 includes moving the upper cone 109A toward the lower cone 109B (possibly while moving the lower cone 109B toward the upper cone 109A) and within the expandable sleeve 102, such that at least some of the grit material and at least the first row 120 of the button inserts 110 engage the surrounding tubular 300.
In some embodiments, the upper cone 109A includes the valve seat 265. As such, expanding the second portion 320 of the expandable sleeve 102 into the second set configuration at 806 may include catching the obstructing member 400 in the valve seat 265 and applying pressure to the obstructing member 400, such that the obstructing member 400 applies a force on the upper cone 109A, causing the upper cone 109A to move closer to the lower cone 109B. Further, expanding at 806 may cause the second row 122 of the button inserts 110 to be pressed into the surrounding tubular 300. The second row 122 may be axially offset from the first row 120 and may not be pressed into the surrounding tubular 300 (or pressed to a lesser degree in distance and/or force) prior to expanding the second portion 320 of the expandable sleeve 102.
As used herein, the terms “inner” and “outer”; “up” and “down”; “upper” and “lower”; “upward” and “downward”; “above” and “below”; “inward” and “outward”; “uphole” and “downhole”; and other like terms as used herein refer to relative positions to one another and are not intended to denote a particular direction or spatial orientation. The terms “couple,” “coupled,” “connect,” “connection,” “connected,” “in connection with,” and “connecting” refer to “in direct connection with” or “in connection with via one or more intermediate elements or members.”
The foregoing has outlined features of several embodiments so that those skilled in the art may better understand the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the present disclosure as a basis for designing or modifying other processes and structures for carrying out the same purposes and/or achieving the same advantages of the embodiments introduced herein. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and that they may make various changes, substitutions, and alterations herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
