Many operations within the resource exploration and recovery industry include actuating various tools such as plugs, valves, etc. Often these are actuated using a pressure threshold. Sometimes the tool is actuated as soon as the pressure threshold is exceeded and sometimes they are actuated after the pressure is reduced below the threshold once the threshold has been met. In either case and in other similar actuation cases, the actuation occurs substantially immediately upon the triggering threshold pressure event. While many operations are suitably managed using these actuation methods, other situations are not as well managed using these methods.
The art would welcome new methods and apparatus that allow for actuation to occur more slowly after threshold pressures are exceeded.
A slow response time tool including a biasing arrangement, a piston in operable communication with the biasing arrangement, a chamber receptive to the piston, a retardation arrangement defining a helical pathway in fluid communication with the chamber.
The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike:
A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures.
In general, embodiments of a slow response time tool such as a valve are illustrated. By slow response time, it is meant that an event that puts in motion one or more movements leading to opening of the valve to a fully open position or an intermediate position does not result in the immediate action of opening the valve fully or partially but rather starts a process that results in the opening of the valve sometime after the event or causes some other intended movement of a portion of a tool. By “sometime after the event”, it is meant a period of time ranging from about 1 minute to as long as is practicably useful such as hours or days after the event before the ultimate intended movement occurs. In some embodiments the originating event is a pressure exceeding a threshold. That pressure may be an applied pressure that is controlled from a remote location in embodiments or may be a pressure that is naturally occurring. The slow response time tool embodiments disclosed herein will register the threshold pressure by reacting in one or more ways to start a process of actuation of the tool that will happen over a selected period of time. Just how long that period of time will be depends upon a retardation arrangement that is specifically configured to provide for the time period. In embodiments, the retardation arrangement may be a fluid pressure drop arrangement, or a mechanical friction arrangement, for example.
Referring to
With some of the features of the valve 10 identified, a discussion of function and additional features will be clearer. As an overview, the valve 10 is first subjected to a threshold pressure whereupon the release member 40 releases allowing the lock piston 38 to move biased by the applied pressure. This movement unlocks the valve 10 so that the spring 18, which is compressed during manufacture will expand urging the helix piston 26 and the helix piston mandrel 28 to move against fluid within a ported housing 44. Egress of the fluid in chamber 50 is restricted. The time period required to expel the fluid in chamber 50 is dictated by the retardation arrangement and provides the slow response time for which the valve 10 is designed. In an embodiment, during the expelling of the fluid, the mandrel 42 is moved to uncover at least partially ports 52 in the ported housing 44 thereby completing the opening operation of the valve 10 (see
Two areas of the valve 10 will be better understood through the use of enlarged drawings. These are the areas addressed in
In the
The helix piston mandrel 28 includes a helical upset 76 thereon that in some embodiments will be an ACME thread, though it is to be understood that other types of threads may also be used and indeed even other constructions that are not threads but that provide a helical upset may also be used. As with any thread or similar geometry, a crest will define the major diameter of the upset 76 and that diameter is used to determine the inside diameter surface 78 of the helix piston 26 (or surface 78 could be selected first and then be used to define the upset diameter instead) such that the crest of the thread will have an interference contact with the inside surface 78. There is however no mating thread on the inside diameter surface 78 but rather there is merely a cylindrical surface there. Accordingly, there is a space formed between the root of the threadform, the flanks of the threadform and the surface 78 bridging between adjacent crests of the threadform. The result is the pathway 64 noted above. The cross sectional dimensions of this pathway are dictated by how the upset 76 is configured with embodiments being 0.003 square inches or greater and the length of the pathway 64 may be adjusted as desired during manufacture to achieve an appropriate pressure drop for the desired time period over which the fluid within the chamber 50 may be expelled through the pathway 64. It is also to be appreciated that although the upset 76 is described above as extending radially outwardly from the helix piston mandrel, it could easily be positioned on the ID of the helix piston and extend radially inwardly. More generically, the upset 76 should be considered to extend in a generally radial direction from one member to another member in order to form the pathway 64. Furthermore, it is to be understood that although the above described iterations of the configuration of the pathway 64 utilize two components (e.g. helix piston and helix piston mandrel) that work together to create the pathway, it is also contemplated to form the retardation arrangement in a single component such as a single piece piston, etc. using additive manufacture wherein the otherwise difficult to obtain by traditional machining pathway can be easily created.
As noted, the chamber 50 is filled with fluid during running through the opening 74. During this time, the spring 18 is maintained in place because the helix piston mandrel 28 is temporarily restrained by something that can be released through applied pressure or other remote event. In the case of the embodiment of
It is to be understood that the valve 10 also has the capability of being mechanically shifted by a shifting tool (not shown) if there be a need to do so, that need including without limitation that the hydraulic method described above fails for any reason. This is illustrated in
Referring to the original discussion above of the retardation arrangement 60 it was noted that other embodiments for facilitating expulsion of fluid from the chamber 50 are contemplated. One of these is illustrated in
Referring to
It will also be understood that the embodiments of
The above embodiments describe the initial triggering event to be pressure but it is to be understood that the original triggering event may be one or more of pressure, mechanical input, chemical activity, acoustic input, or temperature, or any other similar applicable event wherein the release member may be configured to respond to such triggering event. In other respects the slow response time tool will function equivalently.
Set forth below are some embodiments of the foregoing disclosure:
Embodiment 1: A slow response time tool including a biasing arrangement, a piston in operable communication with the biasing arrangement, a chamber receptive to the piston, a retardation arrangement defining a helical pathway in fluid communication with the chamber.
Embodiment 2: The tool as in any prior embodiment, wherein the biasing arrangement is a spring.
Embodiment 3: The tool as in any prior embodiment, wherein the piston comprises a helix piston and a helix piston mandrel that together form the retardation arrangement.
Embodiment 4: The tool as in any prior embodiment, wherein the helix piston mandrel includes a helical upset thereon.
Embodiment 5: The tool as in any prior embodiment, wherein the upset is a thread.
Embodiment 6: The tool as in any prior embodiment, wherein the helical upset defines a crest and the helix piston bridges the crests of the upset to form the helical pathway.
Embodiment 7: The tool as in any prior embodiment, wherein the retardation arrangement is a fluid pressure drop arrangement.
Embodiment 8: The tool as in any prior embodiment, wherein the fluid pathway has a hydraulic diameter of 0.030 inches or greater.
Embodiment 9: The tool as in any prior embodiment, wherein the fluid pathway has a cross sectional flow area of greater than or equal to 0.003 square inches.
Embodiment 10: The tool as in any prior embodiment, wherein the helical pathway is through a housing surrounding the chamber.
Embodiment 11: The tool as in any prior embodiment, wherein the housing is a spring housing.
Embodiment 12: The tool as in any prior embodiment, wherein the fluid pathway is through a connector to a housing surrounding the chamber.
Embodiment 13: The tool as in any prior embodiment, further including a release member preventing the biasing member from moving until released.
Embodiment 14: The tool as in any prior embodiment, wherein the release member is releasable by a threshold pressure.
Embodiment 15: The tool as in any prior embodiment, wherein the tool is a valve.
Embodiment 16: The tool as in any prior embodiment, wherein the valve includes a mandrel movable to uncover or cover ports in a ported housing connected to the tool.
Embodiment 17: The tool as in any prior embodiment, wherein the mandrel includes a profile configured for mechanical manipulation of the mandrel.
Embodiment 18: The tool as in any prior embodiment, wherein the release member is responsive to one or more of pressure, mechanical input, chemical activity, acoustic input, or temperature.
Embodiment 19: The tool as in any prior embodiment, wherein the retardation arrangement is a one piece component housing the helical pathway or path.
Embodiment 20: The tool as in any prior embodiment, wherein the retardation arrangement is additively manufactured.
The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. Further, it should further be noted that the terms “first,” “second,” and the like herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another. The modifier “about” used in connection with a quantity is inclusive of the stated value and has the meaning dictated by the context (e.g., it includes the degree of error associated with measurement of the particular quantity).
The teachings of the present disclosure may be used in a variety of well operations. These operations may involve using one or more treatment agents to treat a formation, the fluids resident in a formation, a wellbore, and/or equipment in the wellbore, such as production tubing. The treatment agents may be in the form of liquids, gases, solids, semi-solids, and mixtures thereof. Illustrative treatment agents include, but are not limited to, fracturing fluids, acids, steam, water, brine, anti-corrosion agents, cement, permeability modifiers, drilling muds, emulsifiers, demulsifiers, tracers, flow improvers etc. Illustrative well operations include, but are not limited to, hydraulic fracturing, stimulation, tracer injection, cleaning, acidizing, steam injection, water flooding, cementing, etc.
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.