The present disclosure is directed generally to pump-through standing valves, to wells including pump-through standing valves, and/or to methods of utilizing a pump-through standing valve to deploy a downhole device.
Wells, such as hydrocarbon wells, include a wellbore that extends within a subterranean formation. Such wells also may include a wellbore tubular, such as a casing string and/or a tubing string, that extends within the wellbore and defines a tubular conduit. Under certain conditions, a downhole, or toe, end of the wellbore tubular includes, is associated with, and/or has attached thereto a standing valve. The standing valve is configured to permit a fluid inflow from the wellbore into the tubular conduit and also to resist a fluid outflow from the tubular conduit into the subterranean formation. Such a configuration may facilitate production of a reservoir fluid, such as a hydrocarbon, from the subterranean formation while, at the same time, retaining the reservoir fluid within the tubular conduit under conditions in which a pressure within the tubular conduit is greater than a pressure within the subterranean formation.
While the presence of the standing valve many be beneficial to the overall operation of the well, it may make it difficult to position, or at least to economically position, a downhole device within the tubular conduit and/or near a downhole end of the tubular conduit, especially when the tubular conduit extends within a horizontal and/or deviated well. Thus, there exists a need for pump-through standing valves, for wells including the pump-through standing valves, and/or for improved methods of utilizing pump-through standing valves to deploy downhole devices.
Pump-through standing valves, wells including the pump-through standing valves, and methods of utilizing pump-through standing valves to deploy downhole devices are disclosed herein. The pump-through standing valves include a valve body, a standing valve at least partially formed within the valve body, and a flow-through valve at least partially formed within the valve body. The standing valve includes a standing valve fluid conduit and a standing valve flow control device. The standing valve fluid conduit extends between a wellbore-exposed region of the valve body and a tubular conduit-exposed region of the valve body. The standing valve flow control device is configured to permit a fluid inflow via the standing valve fluid conduit and to resist a fluid outflow via the standing valve fluid conduit. The flow-through valve includes a flow-through valve fluid conduit and a flow-through valve flow control device. The flow-through valve fluid conduit extends between the wellbore-exposed region of the valve body and the tubular conduit-exposed region of the valve body. The flow-through valve flow control device is configured to selectively permit the fluid outflow via the flow-through valve fluid conduit when an outflow pressure differential exceeds a threshold outflow pressure differential. The flow-through valve flow control device further is configured to selectively restrict the fluid outflow when the outflow pressure differential is less than the threshold outflow pressure differential.
The wells include a wellbore, which extends within a subterranean formation, and a wellbore tubular, which extends within the wellbore. The wells also include the pump-through standing valve, and the pump-through standing valve is operatively attached to the wellbore tubular.
The methods include methods of utilizing the pump-through standing valve and/or the well to deploy a downhole device. These methods include positioning a downhole device within an uphole region of a tubular conduit, which is defined by a wellbore tubular that extends within a wellbore that extends within a subterranean formation. The methods also include providing a conveyance fluid to an uphole region of the tubular conduit to pressurize the tubular conduit such that an outflow pressure differential is at least a threshold outflow pressure differential. The methods further include initiating flow of the conveyance fluid from the tubular conduit via a flow-through valve fluid conduit of the pump-through standing valve responsive to the outflow pressure differential exceeding the threshold outflow pressure differential. The methods also include conveying the downhole device within the tubular conduit and in a downhole direction within the conveyance fluid to position the downhole device within a target region of the tubular conduit. The methods then include ceasing the providing the conveyance fluid such that the outflow pressure differential decreases to less than the threshold outflow pressure differential and restricting flow of the conveyance fluid through the flow-through valve fluid conduit responsive to the outflow pressure differential decreasing to less than the threshold outflow pressure differential. The methods further include decreasing an internal pressure within the tubular conduit such that an inflow pressure differential is at least a threshold inflow pressure differential and subsequently receiving a wellbore fluid into the tubular conduit via a standing valve fluid conduit of the pump-through standing valve.
Subterranean formation 42 may include a reservoir fluid 44, such as a hydrocarbon fluid, and well 10 may be utilized to facilitate production of the reservoir fluid from the subterranean formation. When the reservoir fluid includes the hydrocarbon fluid, well 10 also may be referred to herein as a hydrocarbon well 10.
Well 10 also includes a wellbore tubular 50, such as a casing string and/or a tubing string, that extends within wellbore 20 and defines a tubular conduit 52. Pump-through standing valve 100 also may be referred to herein as a valve assembly 100, a standing valve assembly 100, and/or a pump-through standing valve assembly 100. Pump-through standing valve 100 is operatively attached to a downhole portion, region, and/or end, 56 of wellbore tubular 50. This operative attachment may be such that a wellbore-exposed region 102 of pump-through standing valve 100 is exposed to, faces toward, and/or is in fluid contact with wellbore 20. In addition, the operative attachment also may be such that a tubular conduit-exposed region 104 of pump-through standing valve 100 is exposed to, faces toward, and/or is in fluid contact with tubular conduit 52. Stated another way, tubular conduit-exposed region 104 may at least partially define tubular conduit 52 and/or wellbore tubular 50 may separate tubular conduit-exposed region 104 from wellbore 20, from subsurface region 40, and/or from subterranean formation 42.
As also illustrated in
As further illustrated in
During operation of wells 10 that include wellbores 20, wellbore tubulars 50, and pump-through standing valves 100, it may be desirable to position a downhole device 90 within tubular conduit 52 and/or within a portion of the tubular conduit that extends within deviated portion 29 of wellbore 20. Examples of downhole device 90 include any suitable pump, well control device, barrier, and/or sensor.
Under these conditions, and as discussed in more detail herein with reference to methods 200 of
When the outflow pressure differential is at least, or exceeds, a threshold outflow pressure differential, pump-through standing valve 100 permits a fluid outflow of the conveyance fluid to flow from the tubular conduit and into the subterranean formation, as illustrated in dash-dot lines in
Flow of the conveyance fluid conveys downhole device 90 in downhole direction 24 and may permit the downhole device to be conveyed in vertical portion 28 and/or in deviated portion 29 of wellbore 20. Thus, the downhole device may be conveyed, flowed, and/or positioned within any suitable, or target, portion, or region, of the tubular conduit, as illustrated in dash-dot-dot lines in
Subsequent to the downhole device being positioned within the target region of the tubular conduit, flow of the conveyance fluid into the wellbore tubular may be ceased, thereby permitting the outflow pressure differential to decrease to less than the threshold outflow pressure differential and causing pump-through standing valve 100 to restrict flow of the conveyance fluid therethrough. The internal pressure then may be decreased such that an inflow pressure differential is at least, or exceeds, a threshold inflow pressure differential. The inflow pressure differential is defined when the external pressure exceeds the internal pressure. When the inflow pressure differential is at least the threshold inflow pressure differential, a fluid inflow of wellbore fluid 26 may flow into tubular conduit 52 from subterranean formation 42 via pump-through standing valve 100, thereby permitting production of the wellbore fluid.
It is within the scope of the present disclosure that pump-through standing valve 100 may be positioned within wellbore 20 and/or operatively attached to wellbore tubular 50 in any suitable manner and/or with any suitable timing. As an example, pump-through standing valve 100 may be operatively attached to wellbore tubular 50 prior to the wellbore tubular being positioned within the subterranean formation. Under these conditions, the pump-through standing valve may function as a pressure relief valve that prevents over-pressurization of the wellbore tubular during pressure testing thereof. As another example, the pump-through standing valve may be flowed into the subterranean formation, via tubular conduit 52, subsequent to the wellbore tubular being positioned within the subterranean formation.
Pump-through standing valves 100 include a valve body 110 including a wellbore-exposed region 102 and a tubular conduit-exposed region 104, which are discussed in more detail herein with reference to
As also discussed herein with reference to
Standing valve 120 may include, or be, any suitable structure that may selectively permit the fluid inflow and also resist the fluid outflow, at least when the outflow pressure differential is less than the threshold outflow pressure differential. As an example, standing valve 120 may include, or be, a check valve 124, which also may be referred to herein as a standing check valve 124.
Standing valve 120 includes a standing valve fluid conduit 122, which extends between wellbore-exposed region 102 and tubular conduit-exposed region 104 of valve body 110. Standing valve 120 also includes a standing valve flow control device 130. Standing valve flow control device 130 is configured to permit the fluid inflow via standing valve fluid conduit 122 and also to resist the fluid outflow via the standing valve fluid conduit. Examples of the standing valve flow control device include a ball 134 and seat 136 and/or a flapper 138.
As another example, and as illustrated in
Standing valve biasing mechanism 132 may have any suitable structure and/or structures. As examples, the standing valve biasing mechanism may include one or more of a spring, a resilient material, a gravitational force, and/or an elastomeric material.
The threshold inflow pressure differential may have any suitable value. As examples, a magnitude of the threshold inflow pressure differential may be at most 25%, at most 10%, at most 5%, at most 1%, or at most 0.1% of the threshold outflow pressure differential, or of a magnitude of the threshold outflow pressure differential. As additional examples, the threshold inflow pressure differential may be at most 100 kilopascals (kPa), at most 50 kPa, at most 25 kPa, at most 10 kPa, or at most 1 kPa.
Flow-through valve 140 may include, or be, any suitable structure that may selectively permit the fluid outflow when the outflow pressure differential exceeds the threshold outflow pressure differential and that also may selectively restrict the fluid outflow when the outflow pressure differential is less than the threshold outflow pressure differential. As an example, flow-through valve 140 may include, or be, a check valve 144, or a flow-through check valve 144.
Flow-through valve 140 includes a flow-through valve fluid conduit 142, which extends between wellbore-exposed region 102 and tubular conduit-exposed region 104. Flow-through valve 140 also includes a flow-through valve flow control device 150. Flow-through valve flow control device 150 is configured to selectively permit the fluid outflow via the flow-through valve fluid conduit when the outflow pressure differential is at least the threshold outflow pressure differential. In addition, the flow-through valve flow control device also is configured to selectively restrict the fluid outflow via the flow-through valve fluid conduit when the outflow pressure differential is less than the threshold outflow pressure differential.
The threshold outflow pressure differential may have and/or define any suitable value, or magnitude. As examples, the threshold outflow pressure differential may be at least 0.5 megapascals (MPa), at least 1 MPa, at least 10 MPa, at least 20 MPa, or at least 100 MPa. As additional examples, the threshold outflow pressure differential may be at most 70 MPa, at most 60 MPa, at most 50 MPa, at most 40 MPa, or at most 30 MPa.
It is within the scope of the present disclosure that standing valve fluid conduit 122 may be at least partially, or even completely, separate, distinct, and/or spaced-apart from flow-through valve fluid conduit 142. Additionally or alternatively, it is also within the scope of the present disclosure that standing valve fluid conduit 122 may be at least partially, or even completely, coextensive with flow-through valve fluid conduit 142 and/or that the standing valve fluid conduit and the flow-through valve fluid conduit may be the same fluid conduit. Similarly, standing valve flow control device 130 may be at least partially, or even completely, distinct from the flow-through valve flow control device and/or may include, or be, the flow-through valve flow control device.
When the flow-through valve fluid conduit is at least partially distinct from the standing valve fluid conduit, each fluid conduit may be sized for a desired fluid flow rate therethrough. As an example, the fluid conduits may be sized such that the fluid inflow, via the standing valve fluid conduit, is greater than the fluid outflow, via the flow-through valve fluid conduit. With this in mind, a ratio of an average, or minimum, transverse cross-sectional area of the standing valve fluid conduit to an average, or minimum, transverse cross-sectional area of the flow-through valve fluid conduit may be at least 1, at least 2.5, at least 5, at least 10, or at least 20.
Flow-through valve flow control device 150 may include any suitable structure and/or structures. As an example, the flow-through valve flow control device may include a flow-through valve biasing mechanism 152 configured to resist the fluid outflow until the outflow pressure differential is at least the threshold outflow pressure differential. The flow-through valve flow control device also may be configured to resist the fluid inflow via the flow-through valve fluid conduit; however, this is not required of all embodiments, including those embodiments in which the flow-through valve fluid conduit includes, or is, the standing valve fluid conduit. Examples of the flow-through valve flow control device may include one or more of a bellows 153, a diaphragm 154, a bearing 155, a ball 156, a seat 157, and/or a flapper 158.
Flow-through valve 140 may have and/or define a flow-through valve open state, or an open state, in which the flow-through valve permits the fluid outflow, and a flow-through valve closed state, or a closed state, in which the flow-through valve resists the fluid outflow. In addition, the flow-through valve may be configured to transition, or to selectively transition, between the flow-through valve open state and the flow-through valve closed state based upon, based solely upon, and/or based entirely upon the outflow pressure differential. Stated another way, the flow-through valve flow control device may be pressure-actuated. Stated yet another way, the flow-through valve flow control device may not be electrically actuated. Stated another way, the flow-through valve may be free of an electronic controller and/or may not be electrically controlled.
As illustrated in dashed lines in
As also illustrated in dashed lines in
It is within the scope of the present disclosure that pump-through standing valve 100, including valve body 110, standing valve 120, flow-through valve 140, and/or any suitable valve member 111 thereof, may be formed and/or defined from any suitable material and/or materials. Examples of such materials include one or more of a metallic material, an elastomeric material, a resilient material, and/or a polymeric material.
In the example of
Conduit-exposed valve plate 160 extends across a first transverse cross-section of body opening 114 and defines a first conduit-exposed plate side 161 and an opposed second conduit-exposed plate side 162. Conduit-exposed valve plate 160 is exposed to fluid conduit 52 in that the conduit-exposed valve plate includes a region, or face, (i.e., first conduit-exposed plate side 161) that faces toward, is in fluid contact with, and/or at least partially defines tubular conduit 52 when pump-through standing valve 100 is operatively attached to the tubular conduit, as illustrated in
Returning to
Conduit-exposed valve plate 160 further defines a seat, or a ball seat, 136. Ball seat 136 defines at least a portion, such as an entrance, of first conduit-exposed plate aperture 163 and is defined on first conduit-exposed plate side 161. In addition, ball seat 136 is shaped to form a fluid seal with sealing ball 134 and defines at least a portion of sealing ball retention region 182.
Wellbore-exposed valve plate 170 extends across a second transverse cross-section of body opening 114 and defines a first wellbore-exposed plate side 171 and an opposed second wellbore-exposed plate side 172. Wellbore-exposed valve plate 170 is exposed to wellbore 20 in that the wellbore-exposed valve plate includes a region, or face, (i.e., first wellbore-exposed plate side 171) that faces toward and/or is in fluid contact with wellbore 20 when pump-through standing valve 100 is positioned within subterranean formation 42 (illustrated in
Wellbore-exposed valve plate 170 also defines a first wellbore-exposed plate aperture 173 and at least one second wellbore-exposed plate aperture 174. First wellbore-exposed plate aperture 173 is defined within a central region of the wellbore-exposed valve plate and extends between the first wellbore-exposed plate side and the second wellbore-exposed plate side. Second wellbore-exposed plate aperture is defined within a peripheral region of the wellbore-exposed valve plate and also extends between the first wellbore-exposed plate side and the second wellbore-exposed plate side. In addition, second wellbore-exposed plate side 172 faces toward, contacts, and/or mechanically contacts second conduit-exposed plate side 162.
As illustrated in
Second conduit-exposed plate aperture 164 and second wellbore-exposed plate aperture 174 together define flow-through valve fluid conduit 142 of flow-through valve 140.
In addition, conduit-exposed valve plate 160 and wellbore-exposed valve plate 170 are configured for rotation relative to one another and/or to rotate within body opening 114 such that the conduit-exposed valve plate and the wellbore-exposed valve plate together define flow-through valve flow control device 150.
This rotation may include rotation to closed state 146, which is illustrated in
This rotation also may include rotation to open state 148, which is illustrated in
As an example, and when the inflow pressure differential is at least a threshold inflow pressure differential sufficient to unseat sealing ball 134 from ball seat 136, sealing ball 134 may move to the configuration that is illustrated in solid lines in
In contrast, when the outflow pressure differential is at least the threshold outflow pressure differential, the outflow pressure differential urges sealing ball 134 into sealing contact with ball seat 136, thereby resisting fluid outflow via standing valve fluid conduit 122. This is illustrated in
Methods 200 include positioning the downhole device at 210 and may include permitting a gravitational force to convey the downhole device at 220. Methods 200 further include providing a conveyance fluid to a tubular conduit at 230, initiating flow of the conveyance fluid from the tubular conduit at 240, and conveying the downhole device at 250. Methods 200 also include ceasing the providing the conveyance fluid at 260, restricting flow of the conveyance fluid from the tubular conduit at 270, decreasing an internal pressure within the tubular conduit at 280, and receiving a wellbore fluid into the tubular conduit at 290.
Positioning the downhole device at 210 may include positioning the downhole device within an uphole region, or portion, of the tubular conduit, such as uphole portion 54 of
Permitting the gravitational force to convey the downhole device at 220 may include permitting any suitable gravitational force, which acts on the downhole device, to provide a motive force for conveyance of, or to accelerate, the downhole device in the downhole direction within the tubular conduit. The permitting at 220 may include waiting at least a threshold permitting time and/or waiting until the downhole device has been conveyed, via the gravitational force, at least a threshold fraction of a length of a vertical, or at least substantially vertical, portion of the tubular conduit. Examples of the threshold fraction of the length of the vertical portion of the tubular conduit include at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 99%, or at least substantially 100% of the length of the vertical portion of the tubular conduit. The permitting at 220 may be performed subsequent to the positioning at 210, prior to the providing at 230, and/or prior to the initiating at 240.
Providing the conveyance fluid to the tubular conduit at 230 may include providing the conveyance fluid to the uphole region of the tubular conduit and/or providing the conveyance fluid from a surface region. The providing at 230 also may include providing to pressurize the tubular conduit and/or providing to establish an outflow pressure differential within the tubular conduit. As discussed herein, the outflow pressure differential may be defined when an internal pressure exerted on a tubular conduit-exposed region of the pump-through standing valve exceeds an external pressure exerted on a wellbore-exposed region of the pump-through standing valve, and the providing at 230 may include providing such that the outflow pressure differential exceeds a threshold outflow pressure differential. Stated another way, the outflow pressure differential may be a pressure differential in which a pressure within the tubular conduit exceeds a pressure external to the tubular conduit and/or a pressure differential that provides a motive force for flow of the conveyance fluid out of the tubular conduit and/or into the subterranean formation. Examples of the threshold outflow pressure differential are disclosed herein.
Initiating flow of the conveyance fluid from the tubular conduit at 240 may include initiating the flow of the conveyance fluid from the tubular conduit via a flow-through valve fluid conduit of the pump-through standing valve. Examples of the flow-through valve fluid conduit are discussed herein with reference to flow-through valve fluid conduit 142 of
The initiating at 240 may be responsive to the outflow pressure differential exceeding the threshold outflow pressure differential. Stated another way, and as discussed herein, the flow-through valve may transition from a closed state, such as closed state 146 of
Conveying the downhole device at 250 may include conveying the downhole device within the tubular conduit and/or in a downhole direction. This may include conveying, or flowing, the downhole device with and/or within the conveyance fluid, such as within a flow of the conveyance fluid that flows from the uphole portion of the tubular conduit and to, or through, the pump-through standing valve. The conveying at 250 further may include conveying to position the downhole device within a target, desired, or specified region of the tubular conduit and may be responsive to the initiating at 240.
As discussed in more detail herein, the well may include a deviated portion, such as deviated portion 29 of
Ceasing the providing the conveyance fluid at 260 may include ceasing, or stopping, flow of the conveyance fluid into the tubular conduit and/or into the uphole portion of the tubular conduit. The ceasing at 260 may be subsequent, or responsive, to the downhole device being positioned within, or reaching, the target region of the tubular conduit.
Additionally or alternatively, the ceasing at 260 may include ceasing such that the outflow pressure differential decreases to less than the threshold outflow pressure differential. Stated another way, the providing at 230 may include continuously, or at least substantially continuously, providing the conveyance fluid to the tubular conduit and/or providing to maintain the outflow pressure differential at, or above, the threshold outflow pressure differential, at least during the initiating at 240 and the conveying at 250. However, and subsequent to the ceasing at 260, the outflow pressure differential may no longer be maintained above the threshold outflow pressure differential.
Restricting flow of the conveyance fluid from the tubular conduit at 270 may include restricting flow of the conveyance fluid through the flow-through valve fluid conduit. This may include transitioning the flow-through valve from the open state to the closed state and may be responsive to the outflow pressure differential decreasing to less than the threshold outflow pressure differential.
Decreasing the internal pressure within the tubular conduit at 280 may include decreasing such that an inflow pressure differential is at least a threshold inflow pressure differential. The inflow pressure differential may be a pressure differential in which the external pressure exerted on the wellbore-exposed region of the pump-through standing valve exceeds the internal pressure exerted on the tubular conduit-exposed region of the pump-through standing valve. Stated another way, the inflow pressure differential may be a pressure differential that provides a motive force for flow of a wellbore fluid into the tubular conduit from the subterranean formation. Stated yet another way, the inflow pressure differential may be opposed to, have an opposite sign from, and/or have an opposite polarity from the outflow pressure differential.
When the downhole device includes the pump, the decreasing at 280 may include decreasing with, via, and/or utilizing the pump, such as by pumping the wellbore fluid to the surface region with the pump. The decreasing at 280 may be performed subsequent to the positioning at 210, subsequent to the permitting at 220, subsequent to the providing at 230, subsequent to the initiating at 240, subsequent to the conveying at 250, subsequent to the ceasing at 260, and/or subsequent to the restricting at 270.
Receiving the wellbore fluid into the tubular conduit at 290 may include receiving the wellbore fluid, which may include a reservoir fluid, from the subterranean formation via a standing valve fluid conduit of the pump-through standing valve. An example of the standing valve fluid conduit includes standing valve fluid conduit 122 that forms a portion of standing valve 120 of
The receiving at 290 may be subsequent, or responsive, to the decreasing at 280. In addition, and as discussed herein with reference to
In the present disclosure, several of the illustrative, non-exclusive examples have been discussed and/or presented in the context of flow diagrams, or flow charts, in which the methods are shown and described as a series of blocks, or steps. Unless specifically set forth in the accompanying description, it is within the scope of the present disclosure that the order of the blocks may vary from the illustrated order in the flow diagram, including with two or more of the blocks (or steps) occurring in a different order and/or concurrently.
As used herein, the term “and/or” placed between a first entity and a second entity means one of (1) the first entity, (2) the second entity, and (3) the first entity and the second entity. Multiple entities listed with “and/or” should be construed in the same manner, i.e., “one or more” of the entities so conjoined. Other entities may optionally be present other than the entities specifically identified by the “and/or” clause, whether related or unrelated to those entities specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to “A and/or B,” when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as “comprising” may refer, in one embodiment, to A only (optionally including entities other than B); in another embodiment, to B only (optionally including entities other than A); in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionally including other entities). These entities may refer to elements, actions, structures, steps, operations, values, and the like.
As used herein, the phrase “at least one,” in reference to a list of one or more entities should be understood to mean at least one entity selected from any one or more of the entity in the list of entities, but not necessarily including at least one of each and every entity specifically listed within the list of entities and not excluding any combinations of entities in the list of entities. This definition also allows that entities may optionally be present other than the entities specifically identified within the list of entities to which the phrase “at least one” refers, whether related or unrelated to those entities specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, “at least one of A and B” (or, equivalently, “at least one of A or B,” or, equivalently “at least one of A and/or B”) may refer, in one embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, with no B present (and optionally including entities other than B); in another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, B, with no A present (and optionally including entities other than A); in yet another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including more than one, B (and optionally including other entities). In other words, the phrases “at least one,” “one or more,” and “and/or” are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, B and C,” “at least one of A, B, or C,” “one or more of A, B, and C,” “one or more of A, B, or C” and “A, B, and/or C” may mean A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, A, B and C together, and optionally any of the above in combination with at least one other entity.
In the event that any patents, patent applications, or other references are incorporated by reference herein and (1) define a term in a manner that is inconsistent with and/or (2) are otherwise inconsistent with, either the non-incorporated portion of the present disclosure or any of the other incorporated references, the non-incorporated portion of the present disclosure shall control, and the term or incorporated disclosure therein shall only control with respect to the reference in which the term is defined and/or the incorporated disclosure was present originally.
As used herein the terms “adapted” and “configured” mean that the element, component, or other subject matter is designed and/or intended to perform a given function. Thus, the use of the terms “adapted” and “configured” should not be construed to mean that a given element, component, or other subject matter is simply “capable of” performing a given function but that the element, component, and/or other subject matter is specifically selected, created, implemented, utilized, programmed, and/or designed for the purpose of performing the function. It is also within the scope of the present disclosure that elements, components, and/or other recited subject matter that is recited as being adapted to perform a particular function may additionally or alternatively be described as being configured to perform that function, and vice versa.
As used herein, the phrase, “for example,” the phrase, “as an example,” and/or simply the term “example,” when used with reference to one or more components, features, details, structures, embodiments, and/or methods according to the present disclosure, are intended to convey that the described component, feature, detail, structure, embodiment, and/or method is an illustrative, non-exclusive example of components, features, details, structures, embodiments, and/or methods according to the present disclosure. Thus, the described component, feature, detail, structure, embodiment, and/or method is not intended to be limiting, required, or exclusive/exhaustive; and other components, features, details, structures, embodiments, and/or methods, including structurally and/or functionally similar and/or equivalent components, features, details, structures, embodiments, and/or methods, are also within the scope of the present disclosure.
The pump-through standing valves, wells, and methods disclosed herein are applicable to the oil and gas industries.
It is believed that the disclosure set forth above encompasses multiple distinct inventions with independent utility. While each of these inventions has been disclosed in its preferred form, the specific embodiments thereof as disclosed and illustrated herein are not to be considered in a limiting sense as numerous variations are possible. The subject matter of the inventions includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed herein. Similarly, where the claims recite “a” or “a first” element or the equivalent thereof, such claims should be understood to include incorporation of one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements.
It is believed that the following claims particularly point out certain combinations and subcombinations that are directed to one of the disclosed inventions and are novel and non-obvious. Inventions embodied in other combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements and/or properties may be claimed through amendment of the present claims or presentation of new claims in this or a related application. Such amended or new claims, whether they are directed to a different invention or directed to the same invention, whether different, broader, narrower, or equal in scope to the original claims, are also regarded as included within the subject matter of the inventions of the present disclosure.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/422,303, filed Nov. 15, 2016, entitled “Pump-Through Standing Valves, Wells Including the Pump-Through Standing Valves, and Methods of Deploying a Downhole Device,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62422303 | Nov 2016 | US |