Patent Application
20160010431
In the downhole industry, control of flow is critical to a compliant operation. Many different valves and safeties have been and are employed to ensure well control. One such device is a Surface Controlled Subsurface Safety Valve (SCSSV). These are often installed during completion of the well and function to provide rapid valve closing under various preselected conditions or upon command from a command center, which may be at surface. Over time, the SCSSV may experience deterioration due to a number of factors and it may then become desirable to replace its function with a replacement valve such as a wireline insert SCSSV. In such case, the control line that had operated the original SCSSV would be accessed to provide controllable hydraulic fluid pressure to the insert SCSSV. Normally this is affected by using a puncture communication tool. It is to be understood that an SCSSV is only an example of the type of tool that might use a puncture communication tool. Any other tool where communication to a hydraulic fluid chamber is also contemplated. Such a tool is illustrated in prior art
While the Puncture communication tool of the prior art serves its purpose well, it requires that the penetrator 14 be retracted to ensure that the hydraulic fluid chamber has been successfully breached. This is verified by a pressure change registered remotely such as at the surface. Because the penetrator itself may effectively plug the opening the penetrator creates, there may be insufficient pressure change (drop or rise if tubing pressure is higher than hydraulic cylinder pressure at that time) to be measured at surface hence the requirement for retracting the penetrator to verify its action. In the event successful penetration was not achieved, the Puncture Communication Tool would have to be re-actuated and placement might not be exactly the same or the tool might be tripped out for redress simply to avoid damage. Moreover, it is possible that the penetrator will be broken during the retraction which will require a trip to surface to replace the penetrator at least.
As one of skill in the art is painfully aware, any additional actions required for any well function come at an exquisitely high price in terms of equipment to perform the action, loss of production, etc. Accordingly, the art is always receptive to improvements in processes and tools to improve efficiency
A penetrator for a Puncture Communication Tool includes a base; a body extending from the base and terminating at a tip; and a fluid bypass disposed in the body.
A method for communicating a hydraulic chamber includes urging a penetrator through a wall of a hydraulic chamber to penetrate into the hydraulic chamber; registering a pressure change in the hydraulic chamber without retracting the penetrator.
The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike:
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Importantly to the embodiment is the configuration of the section between the base and the tip, given the moniker herein of “body” 24. The body 24 is roughly hourglass shaped, with the thinnest portion denoted neck 26. Precisely how radically the hourglass shape is shaped relates to both fluid passage desired and strength of the penetrator 14. The two considerations are juxtaposed to one another. More particularly, the more extreme the hourglass shape (narrower the neck), the more fluid flow is achievable but the weaker the penetrator simply because the amount of material that makes up the smallest diameter along the hourglass shape will be the weak link. Fluid flow will be greater because an annulus formed between the puncture size in the hydraulic chamber (dictated by the tip dimensions) and the neck 26 of the hourglass will have a larger annular dimension as the neck diameter decreases.
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While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. Also, in the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. do not denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item.
