Patent Application
20110155396
1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to actuating components used for downhole well system tools, and more particularly to hydraulically actuated downhole tools and devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
The following descriptions and examples are not admitted to be prior art by virtue of their inclusion in this section.
Well systems generally comprise wellbores drilled into the surface of the earth at a terrestrial or subsea level in order to extract desirable fluids such as hydrocarbons. Completion equipment comprising downhole tools such as valves, screens, sensors, etc., are then run in-hole to control the rate of fluid production. The downhole tools are typically designed with regard to reliability while operating under long term exposure to hazardous and/or corrosive environments. Unfortunately, in order to manufacture a tool out of the high strength, corrosive resistant material required for a wellbore environment, the completed tool may become prohibitively expensive.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, an actuating component for a downhole tool may comprise a main actuating bore and an actuating liner configured to be accommodated within the main actuating bore. In addition, the actuating component may further include a piston configured to sealingly and translatably fit within the actuating liner and coupled to the downhole tool, in which movement of the piston relative to the actuating liner actuates the downhole tool.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a method of actuating a downhole tool may comprise installing an actuating liner within a main actuating bore and providing a piston configured to be translatably and sealably accommodated within the actuating liner. In addition, the method may further comprise coupling the piston to an operative component of the downhole tool and applying pressure to a surface of the piston, thereby moving the piston relative to the actuating liner. The movement of the piston relative to the actuating liner may actuate the downhole tool via corresponding movement of the operative component.
Other or alternative features will become apparent from the following description, from the drawings, and from the claims.
Certain embodiments of the invention 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 drawings illustrate only the various implementations described herein and are not meant to limit the scope of various technologies described herein. The drawings are as follows:
In the following description, numerous details are set forth to provide an understanding of the present invention. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention 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”; and the term “set” is used to mean “one element” or “more than one element”. As used herein, the terms “up” and “down”, “upper” and “lower”, “upwardly” and downwardly”, “upstream” and “downstream”; “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 invention.
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, an actuating component such as an actuating liner may be configured as a metallic sleeve that provides a corrosion resistant and preventative sealing surface and the required applicable internal diameter (ID) surface finish for dynamic fluid (e.g., such as hydraulic) sealing systems for use with a variety of downhole tools. One example is a rod piston bore that is typically integral within the body material of the downhole components. The utilization of a high nickel type of inserted sleeve, for example, would allow the material of the related housing to be of a reduced cost (such as 4140), which may be more corrosion tolerant than the dynamic sealing surface finish. Therefore, the combined assembly may be provided at a reduced overall cost as compared to manufacturing the entire component out of the higher grade of material.
Referring generally to
A completion system 30 may be installed within the well bore 20 in order to control the production of desirable fluids to the surface 15 of the well system 10. As an illustrative example, a completion system 30 may comprise tubulars and a variety of downhole components, such as downhole tools 35 and/or packers, such as the openhole packer 37 illustrated in the drawing. The openhole packer 37 may restrict or inhibit desirable fluid from flowing around the annulus of the tubular to the surface 15 of the well system 10.
The downhole tool 35 may be a valve (such as a formation isolation valve (FIV), inflow control device (ICD), or flow control valve (FCV), among others), sampling device, setting device (e.g., such as for packers), switch, sensor, motor, choke, nozzle control, or other operative components in single or multiple quantities as provided in a well system 10. As shown in this illustrative example, the downhole component 35 may be represented by an ICD configured to control the flow of desirable fluid into an interior bore of the completion 30. The ICD may be operated from the surface 15 via a hydraulic control line 70 provided with hydraulic pressure from a hydraulic pressure source 60. In some cases, the hydraulic pressure source 60 may be provided downhole and include an electric motor pumping fluid from a downhole reservoir in order to control the downhole tool 35. In these cases, the hydraulic control line 70 may be replaced by an electric line. In still other cases, the electric line may be replaced with some form of downhole power generation and/or storage, such as a turbine generator and/or batteries for example.
Turning now to
A piston 130 may be translatably accommodated within the actuating bore liner 120. Additionally, the piston 130 may be sealably accommodated within the actuating bore liner 120 via one or more seals 133 provided around the circumference of the piston 130. Movement of the piston 130 may be either directly coupled to an operative component 140 (e.g., such as a sliding sleeve of a variable choke for an ICD controlling access to the interior bore 33 of the downhole tool 35, among others) of a downhole tool 35 or via one or more linking members 135. A hydraulic or fluid pressure source may provide a motive force to a surface of the piston 130 via a hydraulic control line 70, for example. Although only one hydraulic pressure source is shown in this figure, other embodiments may have two or more hydraulic lines or pressure sources configured to move the piston 130 is more than one direction relative to the actuating bore liner 120.
The main actuating bore 110 of the downhole tool actuator 100 may be made from a lower level of material (e.g., with regard to costs, corrosion resistance, surface finish, etc.) than the actuating bore liner 120. Use of a limited amount of a high quality material, such as Inconel 718 for the actuating bore liner 120, may provide the downhole tool actuator 100 with a relatively reliable level of surface finish for sealing with a corresponding piston 130. The sealing between the piston 130 and the ID of the actuating bore liner 120 may exist even while the exterior and general housing material of the main actuating bore 110 and downhole tool actuator 100 suffer from the corrosive effects of being exposed to a corrosive environment. The ability to use lower cost material such as 4130 and 4140 for the housing instead of a high nickel type of material may help to lower the overall costs of downhole tool actuator 100 as well as the corresponding downhole tool 35.
Referring generally to
Turning now to
In the situation shown in
Referring generally to
Elements of the embodiments have been introduced with either the articles “a” or “an.” The articles are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive such that there may be additional elements other than the elements listed. The term “or” when used with a list of at least two elements is intended to mean any element or combination of elements.
While the invention has been disclosed with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having the benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate numerous modifications and variations there from. It is intended that the appended claims cover such modifications and variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
