BACKGROUND
Typically, in the drilling of a well, a borehole is drilled from the earth's surface to a selected depth, and a string of casing is suspended and then cemented in place within the borehole. Thereafter, a liner may be hung either adjacent the lower end of a previously suspended and cemented casing, or from a previously suspended and cemented liner. A liner hanger is used to suspend the liner within the lower end of the previously set casing or liner. A setting tool disposed on the lower end of a work string is releasably connected to the liner hanger that is coupled with the top of the liner. The liner hanger, liner, setting tool, and other components are generally part of a liner hanger system. As the state of the relevant art transitions more and more into the digital space, there is a continuing need for remote setting and release of hydraulic actuated equipment, including liner hanger systems.
SUMMARY
A system according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure includes a housing; a rotational ball seat section disposed within the housing, the rotational ball seat section including: a spring; a first internal sleeve; and an upper rotational ball seat including: a restricted position; and an open through bore position; a remote operated section disposed within the housing adjacent to the rotational ball seat section, the remote operated section including: a lower rotational ball valve disposed between second and third internal sleeves, wherein the lower rotational ball valve includes: an open through bore position; and a closed position; a setting sleeve operatively connected to the lower rotational ball valve; and a plurality of shear pins that hold the first, second, and third internal sleeves in place until a shear even occurs, wherein, in a run-in-hole position, the upper rotational ball seat is in the restricted position, and the lower rotational ball valve is in the open through bore position, wherein a downhole force of the spring compresses the first internal sleeve, the second internal sleeve, and the third internal sleeve such that the first, second, and third internal sleeves sandwich the upper rotational ball seat and the lower rotational ball valve in compression until the shear event occurs; and an electrical/hydraulic section that facilitates remote actuation of the remote operated section, wherein an inner diameter of the system is closed prior to the shear event to facilitate setting of hydraulic equipment, and wherein the shear event releases the downhole force of the spring, thereby pushing the first internal sleeve, the second internal sleeve, the third internal sleeve, the upper rotational ball seat, and the lower rotational ball valve downhole, which rotates the upper rotational ball seat and the lower rotational ball valve into the open through bore positions, thereby opening the inner diameter of the system.
A system according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure includes an upper rotational ball seat; a lower rotational ball valve; a plurality of internal components; a setting sleeve; a spring; an electronic actuation device; and an atmospheric chamber, wherein firing of the electronic actuation device triggers movement of hydraulic fluid into the atmospheric chamber, thereby shifting the setting sleeve downhole, and rotating the lower rotational ball valve into a closed position to close an inner diameter of the system, wherein the upper rotational ball seat includes a restriction for receiving a contingency ball for closing the inner diameter of the system in case the lower rotational ball valve is unable to rotate into the closed position, and wherein the spring keeps the plurality of internal components in compression until a shear event, which shifts the plurality of internal components, the upper rotational ball seat, and the lower rotational ball valve downhole, thereby rotating each of the upper rotational ball seat and the lower rotational ball valve into an open position, thereby opening the inner diameter of the system.
A method of setting hydraulic equipment, including: running in hole a system including: a housing; a rotational ball seat section disposed within the housing, the rotational ball seat section comprising: a spring; a first internal sleeve; and an upper rotational ball seat including: a restricted position; and an open through bore position; a remote operated section disposed with the housing adjacent to the rotational ball seat section, the remote operated section including: a lower rotational ball valve disposed between second and third internal sleeves, wherein the lower rotational ball valve includes: an open through bore position; and a closed position; a setting sleeve operatively connected to the lower rotational ball valve; and a plurality of shear pins that hold the first, second, and third internal sleeves in place; and an electrical/hydraulic section including: an electronic actuation device; at least one power source; at least one electronic component; and an atmospheric chamber, wherein, during the running in hole stop, the upper rotational ball seat in the restricted position, and the lower rotational ball valve is in the open through bore position; compressing the first, second, and third internal sleeves with a downhole force of the spring until a shear event occurs, wherein the compressing step includes the first, second, and third internal sleeves sandwiching the upper rotational ball seat and the lower rotational ball valve; sending a signal from surface to trigger rotation of the lower rotational ball valve from the open through bore position to the closed position via the electrical/hydraulic section; if triggering rotation of the lower rotational ball valve from the open through bore position to the closed position is unsuccessful, dropping a contingency ball from the surface to land in a restriction of the upper rotational ball seat; pressuring up the system to set the hydraulic equipment; increasing pressure within the system until the shear event occurs; releasing the downhole force of the spring as a result of the shear event; shifting the first, second, and third internal sleeves in a downhole direction; and rotating the upper rotational ball seat and the lower rotational ball valve into the open through bore positions.
However, many modifications are possible without materially departing from the teachings of this disclosure. Accordingly, such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure as defined in the claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Certain embodiments of the disclosure will hereafter be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements. It should be understood, however, that the accompanying figures illustrate the various implementations described herein and are not meant to limit the scope of various described technologies. The drawings are as follows:
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a dual ball seat system according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;
FIG. 2 is a zoomed-in partial view of FIG. 1, showing greater detail of the dual ball seat system according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;
FIG. 3 shows greater detail of the rotational balls of the dual ball seat system according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;
FIGS. 4A-4C provides a sequence of the functionality of the dual ball seat system via remote actuation according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;
FIGS. 5A-5C provides a sequence of the functionality of the dual ball seat system via a contingency feature according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure; and
FIG. 6 provides sequences of the functionality of the dual ball seat system according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In the following description, numerous details are set forth to provide an understanding of some embodiments of the present disclosure. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that that embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced without these details and that numerous variations or modifications from the described embodiments may be possible.
In the specification and appended claims: the terms “connect,” “connection,” “connected,” “in connection with,” “connecting,” “couple,” “coupled,” “coupled with,” and “coupling” are used to mean “in direct connection with” or “in connection with via another element.” As used herein, the terms “up” and “down,” “upper” and “lower,” “upwardly” and “downwardly,” “upstream” and “downstream,” “uphole” and “downhole,” “above” and “below,” and other like terms indicating relative positions above or below a given point or element are used in this description to more clearly describe some embodiments of the disclosure.
One or more embodiments of the present disclosure include a system and method for facilitating remote setting and release of hydraulic actuated equipment. More specifically, one or more embodiments of the present disclosure include a dual ball seat system and associated method for the remote setting and release of a hydraulic liner hanger system. Current hydraulic liner hanger systems may require a setting ball to be dropped into the wellbore and pumped to a ball seat to build the required hydraulic pressure in the system for actuation and release of the tools. Alternatively, the dual ball seat system according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure may remotely create the pack-off needed to set and release the hydraulic liner hanger system by closing off the inner diameter (ID) of the running string. Advantageously, the dual ball seat system according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure includes a built in contingency for setting and releasing the hydraulic liner hanger system in case the ID of the running string cannot be remotely closed.
Referring generally to FIG. 1, a cross-sectional view of a dual ball seat system 10 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. As shown in FIG. 1, the dual ball seat system 10 includes, inter alia, a housing 12, a rotation ball seat section 14 disposed within the housing 12, and a remote operated section 16 disposed within the housing 12, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a zoomed-in partial view of FIG. 1, showing greater detail of the rotational ball seat section 14 and the remote operated section 16, as further described below.
Still referring to FIG. 2, the rotational ball seat section 14 of the dual ball seat system 10 includes a spring 20, a first internal sleeve 22a, and an upper rotational ball seat 24, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. In this way, the upper rotational ball seat 24 of the rotational ball seat section 14 is one of the ball seats of the dual ball seat system 10 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Still referring to FIG. 2, the remote operated section 16 of the dual ball seat system 10 may be disposed within the housing 12 adjacent to the rotational ball seat section 14 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Further, the remoted operated section 16 of the dual ball seat system 10 may include a lower rotational ball valve 26 disposed between a second internal sleeve 22b and a third internal sleeve 22c. As further shown in FIG. 2, the remote operated section 16 may also include a setting sleeve 28 operatively connected to the lower rotational ball valve 26 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. As further shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of shear pins 30 may hold, at least, the first internal sleeve 22a, the second internal sleeve 22b, and the third internal sleeve 22c in place until a shear event occurs, as further described below, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The remote operated section 16 may also include a bottom sub 32 downhole of the third internal sleeve 22c in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, at least one of the setting sleeve 28 and the first, second, and third internal sleeves 22a, 22b, and 22c may be pinned to the bottom sub 32 via the shear pins 30. Advantageously, pinning the setting sleeve 28 to the bottom sub 32 prevents movement of the setting sleeve 28 during run-in-hole and prior to actuation, as further described below. Further, pinning one or more of the first, second, and third internal sleeves 22a, 22b, and 22c to the bottom sub 32 prevents premature movement of the respective pinned internal sleeve, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. In this way, the pinning one or more of the first, second, and third internal sleeves 22a, 22b, and 22c to the bottom sub 32 prevents premature opening of the lower rotational ball valve 26 and/or the upper rotational ball seat 24, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.
Still referring to FIG. 2, the remote operated section 16 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure further comprises a plurality of internal seals 34 that seals between the second and third internal sleeves 22b, 22c and the housing 12 of the dual ball seat system 10. According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, the plurality of internal seals 34 allows pressure to be applied to either the upper rotational ball seat 24 of the rotational ball seat section 14 or the lower rotational ball valve 26 of the remote operation section 16.
Referring now to FIG. 3, greater detail of the upper rotational ball seat 24 and the lower rotational ball valve 26 of the dual ball seat system 10 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The upper rotational ball seat 24 may include a restricted position and an open through bore position according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Indeed, FIG. 3 shows the upper rotational ball seat 24 having a through bore in one direction and a restriction in the other direction. Further, the lower rotational ball valve 26 may include an open through bore position and a closed position according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Indeed, FIG. 3 shows the lower rotational ball valve 26 having a through bore in one direction and being completely solid in the other direction to block off flow.
When the dual ball seat system 10 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is in the run-in-hole position, the upper rotational ball seat 24 is in the restricted position, and the lower rotational ball valve 26 is in the open through bore position. Further, during running-in-hole, the spring 20 of the rotational ball seat section 14 is compressed. As such, the spring 20 provides a constant force downhole on all internal components of the dual ball seat system 10 to keep these internal components in compression. According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, the downhole force of the spring 20 compresses the first internal sleeve 22a, the second internal sleeve 22b, and the third internal sleeve 22c such that the first, second, and third internal sleeves 22a, 22b, and 22c sandwich the upper rotational ball seat 24 and the lower rotational ball valve 26 in compression during running-in-hole and until a shear event occurs, as further described below.
Referring back to FIG. 3, the rotational ball seat section 14 also includes two control arms 36 each including a slot 38, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 3, the slot 38 may be a two position longitudinal slot according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. As also shown in FIG. 3, the upper rotational ball seat 24 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure may include two pins 40, and the slots 38 of the two control arms 36 each accommodate a pin 40 of the two pins 40. According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, the two pins 40 facilitate rotation of the upper rotational ball seat 24 from the restricted position to the open through bore position by translating down the slots 38 of the two control arms 36 of the rotational ball seat section 14.
Still referring to FIG. 3, the remote operated section 16 also includes two control arms 42 each including a slot 44, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 3, the slot 44 may be a three position slot according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. As also show in FIG. 3, the lower rotational ball valve 26 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure may include two features 46, and the three position slots 44 of the two control arms 42 each accommodate a feature 46 of the two features 42. According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, the two features 42 may be milled features 42 disposed on a flat side of the lower rotational ball valve 26, for example. According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure the two features 42 of the lower rotational ball valve 26 in cooperation with the three position slots 44 of the two control arms 42 facilitate the remote and contingency operations of the remote operated section 16 of the dual ball seat system 10. In view of FIGS. 2 and 3, the setting sleeve 28 of the remote operated section 16 is linked to the two control arms 42 of the lower rotational ball valve 26, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.
Referring back to FIG. 1, the dual ball seat system 10 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure also includes an electrical/hydraulic section 18 that facilitates remote actuation of the remote operated section 16. According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, the electronic/hydraulic section 18 may include an electronic actuation device, at least one power source such as a battery, at least one electronic component, and an atmospheric chamber, for example.
Referring back to FIG. 2, the dual ball seat system 10 may include a prefill area 48 between the housing 12, the setting sleeve 28, and the bottom sub 32, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. In one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, the prefill area 48, i.e., an empty volume, may be filled with hydraulic fluid, such as hydraulic oil, for example. A signal may be sent from the surface to the electrical/hydraulic section 18 of the dual ball seat system 10 to trigger actuation. According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, the signal may be a pump pressure pulse signal, for example. If the electrical/hydraulic section 18 of the dual ball seat system 10 successfully receives the signal sent from the surface to trigger actuation, the electronic actuation device of the electrical/hydraulic section 18 will fire. According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, the electronic actuation device may include an electronic rupture disc, a motor, or a solenoid, for example. Firing of the electronic actuation device will cause the hydraulic fluid to vacate the prefill area 48 and move into the atmospheric chamber of the electrical/hydraulic section 18. The pressure differential created will be high enough to shear the setting sleeve 28 of the remote operated section 16, pulling the setting sleeve 28 downhole. Because the setting sleeve 28 is linked to the two control arms 42 of the lower rotational ball valve 26 as previously described, pulling the setting sleeve 28 downhole rotates the lower rotational ball valve 26 from the (run-in-hole) open through bore position to the closed position via the two control arms 42. Once the lower rotational ball valve 26 is in the closed position, the ID of the dual ball seat system 10 is effectively closed. Applied pressure may then be increased above the closed ID of the dual ball seat system 10 to set hydraulic equipment. According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, the hydraulic equipment may be a liner hanger, for example. After the hydraulic equipment is set, applied pressure above the closed ID may be further increased until a shear event occurs. According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, the shear event releases the downhole force of the spring 20, and pushes the first internal sleeve 22a, the second internal sleeve 22b, the third internal sleeve 22c, the upper rotational ball seat 24, and the lower rotational ball valve 26 downhole, which rotates the upper rotational ball seat 24 from the (run-in-hole) restricted position to the open through bore position, and the lower rotational ball valve 26 from the closed position to the open through bore position. In other embodiments of the present disclosure, the upper rotational ball seat 24 may rotate from the (run-in-hole) restricted position to the open through bore position during the closure of the lower rotational ball valve, as previously described. FIGS. 4A-4C provide a sequence of the functionality of the dual ball seat system 10 via remote actuation according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.
Advantageously, the dual ball seat system 10 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure includes a built-in contingency feature in case the signal sent from the surface to trigger actuation is not received by the electrical/hydraulic section 18, or if actuation, i.e., rotating the lower rotational ball valve 26 from the (run-in-hole) open through bore position to the closed position, fails to occur. As previously described, the upper rotational ball seat 24 is in the restricted position when the dual ball seat system 10 is run-in-hole. In this restricted position, the upper rotational ball seat 24 is able to receive a contingency ball 50 from the surface, such as shown in FIG. 2, for example, into a restriction of the upper rotational ball seat 24. Advantageously, landing the contingency ball 50 into the restriction of the upper rotational ball seat 24 effectively closes the ID of the dual ball seat system 10 such that applied pressure may be increased above the closed ID to set hydraulic equipment, as previously described. Thereafter, the method of operation proceeds as previously described, whereby after setting the hydraulic equipment, the applied pressure is increased until the shear event occurs, shifting the internal components of the dual ball seat system 10 downhole, and causing the upper rotational ball seat 24 and the lower rotational ball valve 26 to rotate into the open through bore positions, thereby fully opening the ID of the dual ball seat system 10 for subsequent downhole operations. According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, rotating the upper rotational ball seat 24 from the restricted position to the open through bore position in response to the shear event causes the contingency ball 50 to release from the restriction in the upper rotational ball seat 24 and fall into the ID of the system when the contingency ball 50 may be displaced downhole. FIGS. 5A-5C provide a sequence of the functionality of the dual ball seat system 10 via the contingency feature according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. In other embodiments of the present disclosure, the upper rotational ball seat 24 may include remote opening capabilities, for example.
Referring now to FIG. 6, sequences of the functionality of the dual ball seat system according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure are shown. Specifically, FIG. 6 shows a sequence of functionality of the dual ball seat system in the event of a standard, successful actuation, and a sequence of functionality that utilizes the contingency feature of the dual ball seat system in the event of an unsuccessful actuation, as previously described.
Although a few embodiments of the disclosure have been described in detail above, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible without materially departing from the teachings of this disclosure. Accordingly, such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure as defined in the claims.
Patent Application
20240102357
