U.S. patent application number 13/873868 was filed with the patent office on 2014-10-30 for actuator ball retriever and valve actuation tool.
This patent application is currently assigned to HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.. Invention is credited to Matthew James MERRON.
Application Number | 20140318815 13/873868 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51788284 |
Filed Date | 2014-10-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140318815 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
MERRON; Matthew James |
October 30, 2014 |
ACTUATOR BALL RETRIEVER AND VALVE ACTUATION TOOL
Abstract
Disclosed is a tool for changing a plurality of sleeve valves in
a well from a ball catching restricted bored state to an open bore
state and for retrieving sleeve valve actuator balls of
substantially the same diameter from the well.
Inventors: |
MERRON; Matthew James;
(Dallas, TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC. |
Houston |
TX |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES,
INC.
Houston
TX
|
Family ID: |
51788284 |
Appl. No.: |
13/873868 |
Filed: |
April 30, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
166/386 ;
166/242.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B 2200/06 20200501;
E21B 31/12 20130101; E21B 34/14 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
166/386 ;
166/242.1 |
International
Class: |
E21B 23/00 20060101
E21B023/00 |
Claims
1. A tool for use in a wellbore containing a plurality of
subterranean sleeve valves with substantially the same size
actuator elements contacting radially constricted annular baffles,
the tool comprising: an elongated tubular body, a chamber in the
body of a size to receive at least one of a plurality of actuator
elements of substantially the same outer diameter, an opening on
one end of the body extending from the chamber to the exterior of
the body, the opening being of a size for the actuator elements to
pass there through, means on the other end of the body for
supporting the tool in the wellbore at a subterranean location, and
surface structure on the exterior of the tubular body, the surface
structure being of a size and shape to contact and shift an element
of the sleeve valves.
2. The tool according to claim 1, wherein the chamber in the body
of a size to receive a plurality of spherical ball shaped actuator
elements of substantially the same outer diameter.
3. The tool according to claim 1, wherein the valve element shifted
changes the annular valve baffles to the unconstricted state when
the tool is moved.
4. The tool according to claim 1, additionally comprising a
resilient member at the body opening forming a second size opening
which is smaller in cross section area that the actuator
element.
5. The tool according to claim 4, wherein the resilient member at
the body opening comprises from elastomeric material.
6. The tool according to claim 1, wherein surface structure
comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced shoulders.
7. The tool according to claim 6, wherein the shoulders are formed
on an element of the body that is radially inwardly deformable.
8. The tool according to claim 1, wherein the surface structure
comprises a shoulder on a leaf spring.
9. The tool according to claim 7, wherein the body elements extend
longitudinally and are separated by longitudinally extending slots
in the body.
10. A method for retrieving from a wellbore a plurality of
spherical shaped actuator elements having substantially the same
cross section diameter and for shifting an element in the valve,
the method comprising: providing a tool with an elongated tubular
body, a chamber in the body of a size to receive therein a
plurality of the actuator elements, an opening on one end of the
body extending from the chamber to the exterior of the body, the
opening being of a size for the actuator elements to pass there
through, and surface structure on the exterior of the tubular body;
attaching the tool to a wireline and installing the tool into the
wellbore with the one end preceding into the well first; lowering
the tool into the wellbore until it comes into contact with an
actuator element on the first valve; moving the actuator element
into the chamber and retaining it in the chamber; next, engaging
the surface structure on the tool with valve to shift an element of
the valve; moving the tool through the first valve; lowering the
tool into contact with the actuator element of the next valve, and
repeating the actuator element moving and retaining step and the
valve shifting steps comprise changing the valve to a larger
internal diameter open bore state.
11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the step of valve
shifting step comprises engaging a surface on the exterior of the
tool with an interior surface in the valve sleeve and moving the
tool to shift the element.
12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the providing step
comprises proving a sleeve valve and wherein the valve element
shifting steps comprises shifting the valve sleeve valve
13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the tool in the
providing step comprise a chamber in the body of a size to receive
a plurality of spherical ball shaped actuator elements of
substantially the same outer diameter.
14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the tool in the
providing step comprises a chamber in the body of a size to receive
a plurality of circular cross section dart shaped actuator elements
of substantially the same outer diameter.
15. The method according to claim 10, wherein the tool in the
providing step comprises a resilient member at the body opening
forming a second size opening which is smaller in cross section
area than the actuator element.
16. The method according to claim 10, wherein the resilient member
at the body opening comprises from elastomeric material.
17. The method according to claim 10, wherein the surface structure
in the tool of the providing step comprises a plurality of
circumferentially spaced shoulders.
18. The tool according to claim 17, wherein the shoulders are
formed on an element of the body that is radially inwardly
deformable.
19. The method according to claim 10, wherein the surface structure
on the tool in the providing step comprises a shoulder on a leaf
spring.
20. The tool according to claim 18, wherein the body elements
extend longitudinally and are separated by longitudinally extending
slots in the body.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] None.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Technical Field
[0003] This invention relates to tools for recovering actuator
elements, such as, balls and darts, inserted into wells from the
surface to actuate subterranean well tools such as sliding sleeve
valves and tools for shifting the well tools. More particularly,
this invention relates to recovering actuator elements from sleeve
valves and for shifting elements of the valves.
[0004] 2. Background Art
[0005] It is common to assemble and install wellbores with a
plurality of sleeve valves spaced along the length of the wellbore
to provide access to selected formation areas along the wellbore.
These sleeve valves are operated by inserting and pumping actuator
elements down the wellbore. These balls engage a seat on the
valve's sleeve allowing pressure to build up to force the ball and
sleeve to shift to the open position. It is also common to use
circular cross section shaped actuator darts instead of spherical
balls. In the description herein, for simplicity the actuator
elements will be referred to as actuator balls, but it is to be
understood that the invention is applicable to recover actuator
darts.
[0006] Typically when multiple valves are present in a well, balls
and mating valve seats of different diameters were used. The valves
were arranges with the smallest seat at the bottom of the well and
with the largest valve seat nearest the well head. In these
configurations the number of valves in a well was limited by the
number of ball diameters that could be used. In addition, the
smaller valve seats presented undesirable flow restrictions in the
well during production. After theses balls are used to actuate the
valves, they were either flowed back to the surface or drilled
out.
[0007] New sleeve valve systems have been developed where multiple
valves are actuated by balls of the same diameter. The valve seats,
sometime called baffles, can be actuated by various means to change
from an open-bore ball pass-through state to a restricted bore
ball-catching state. The valves in these new valve systems are
assembled with the bottom valve (farthest from the wellhead first)
actuating to the ball-catching state first and then the valves
progressing up the wellbore toward the well head actuating to the
ball catching state in sequence. In these new systems, none of the
actuator balls below except the top ball can be flowed back to the
surface due to restricted wellbore in the valves above the actuator
balls. Removal of the actuator balls requires expensive drilling
procedures.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONS
[0008] The present invention provide a down hole wellbore tool and
method for attachment to wire line or tubing string to retrieve a
plurality of actuator balls of the same size and for engaging and
shifting elements of the valve.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The drawing is incorporated into and forms a part of the
specification to illustrate at least one embodiment and example of
the present invention. Together with the written description, the
drawing serves to explain the principles of the invention. The
drawing is only for the purpose of illustrating at least one
preferred example of at least one embodiment of the invention and
is not to be construed as limiting the invention to only the
illustrated and described example or examples. The various
advantages and features of the various embodiments of the present
invention will be apparent from a consideration of the drawing in
which:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a diagram of a side elevation view partially in
section of the tool of present invention; and
[0011] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section view of the tool on of the
present invention in a sleeve valve approaching an actuator
ball.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] The present invention provides an improved tool and method
for retrieving actuator balls and engaging and shifting elements of
the valves. The present invention's particular applicability is to
multiple sleeve wellbores that are actuated by balls of the same
diameter.
[0013] Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like
reference characters are used throughout the various figures to
refer to like or corresponding parts, there is shown in FIG. 1 one
embodiment of the tool 10 of the present invention which is adapted
to be lowered into a wellbore while connected to a wire line or
tubular string. It should be understood by those skilled in the art
that the use of directional terms, such as above, below, upper,
lower, upward, downward and the like are used in relation to the
illustrative embodiments as they are depicted in the figures, the
upward direction being toward the left side of the corresponding
figures and the down-hole direction being toward the right side of
the corresponding figure.
[0014] The tool 10 has an elongated tubular body 12 of relatively
rigid material with an actuator ball receiving cylindrical chamber
14 formed therein. The chamber is open at its down-hole end 16 to
accommodate the entry of actuator balls into the chamber. Only a
portion of the body 12 of tool 10 is illustrated, it being
understood that the tool 10 is assembled in sections (not
illustrated) extending from the up-hole end 18 such that the
chamber 14 is of a sufficient axial length to retrieve and hold
therein all of the plurality of actuator balls in a given wellbore.
The up-hole end includes a wire line connection or threads (not
illustrated) as is known in the art. In addition the internal
diameter of the chamber is set to be of a size to receive the
actuator balls therein.
[0015] An actuator section 20 of the body 14 is positioned adjacent
the actuator ball receiving down-hole end 16. As will be described
herein, section 20 is configured to engage a down-hole sleeve valve
and change it to the open-bore state. Section 20 comprises a
plurality of longitudinally extending sections 22 separated by
slots 24. Sections 22 are slightly bowed radially outward and act
as leaf springs which can be resiliently deflected radially
inwardly. When the profiles 26 are forced to deflected inwardly
sections 22 bend or deform inwardly and sections 22 will snap back
when the force is released. Tool engaging profiles 26 are formed on
the exterior surface of the sections 22. Each profile 26 includes a
slot 28 with and upwardly facing shoulder 30 at its lower end and a
ramp surface 32 at its upper end.
[0016] The down-hole end 16 comprises a rubber element 40 bonded or
otherwise attached to the body 12. The rubber element 40 has a hook
shaped reduced internal diameter portion 42. The rubber element 40
is of a size that when it is forced downward onto an actuator ball
it will stretch over the actuator ball and retain it in the chamber
14. The tool 10 is designed to be lowered into a wellbore and when
it encounters an actuator ball, it will swallow it into its belly
like chamber 14. Indeed, the chamber is large enough that it can
hold a plurality of actuator balls.
[0017] Turning now to FIG. 2, the operation of the tool 10 in a
typical sleeve valve 60 will be described in detail. In this
particular sleeve valve embodiment, the valve 60 has a tubular body
62 which is connected in the tubing string 64 of the wellbore. The
valve 60 can be shifted from an open bore state to a ball catching
state. In the ball catching state radially extending ports 66 in
the wall of the valve can be opened by landing a ball 90 in the
valve and increasing pressure in the well. These Radially extending
ports 66 provide a flow path through the wall of the well bore. A
downwardly directed annular shoulder 68 is formed on the internal
surface of the body 62 axially below the ports 66.
[0018] A sleeve valve 70 with seals 72 acts as a valve element and
is mounted in the valve body to axially slide from a position
blocking or closing off the ports 66 to a position axially spaced
from the ports 66, as is illustrated in FIG. 2. An annular profile
74 is formed on the interior surface of sleeve valve 70. Profile 26
is designed to mate with profile 74. Profile 74 has a downward
facing shoulder 76 of a size and shape to be engaged by upward
facing shoulder 30 on tool 10. Profile 74 has an upward facing ramp
78 and an annular shaped end forming a face 79 of a size and shape
to engage shoulder 68 on body 62. As will be explained, the
shoulder 30 on tool 10 will engage the shoulder 76 on sleeve valve
70 as the tool 10 is pulled upward from below the valve. As the
tool 10 moves up the well the engaged shoulders will shift the
sleeve upward until stopped by the engagement of shoulder 68 with
face 79.
[0019] A baffle 80 is located in the valve 60 axially below the
sleeve valve 70. Baffle 80 is sleeve shape and is made of spring
steel. One end of baffle 80 has slots 82 to form a collet that can
radially contract from an expanded shape to form an annular ball
catching seat 84. As illustrated in FIG. 2, when the valve sleeve
70 is moved axially under the upper end of the baffle 80, the
collet end contracts to form seat 84. When the valve sleeve 70 is
moved to a position spaced from baffle 80; the collet end expands
radially to create an open bore pathway through the valve 60.
[0020] The method of use of the tool 10 will be described with
regard to the valve illustrated in FIG. 2. Valve sleeve 70 is
installed in the well in a closed position blocking flow through
ports 66. Mechanisms know in the industry, are provided for
shifting the valve sleeve 70 axially downward to slide under the
collet end of baffle 80 contracting the internal diameter to form a
ball engaging seat 84. Examples of such mechanisms include
hydraulic lines actuating the valve seat and electronically
controlled explosive devices actuating the seat. Examples are
described in U.S. Patent Application Numbers: 2013219790 and
2013440727 and U.S. Patent Publications Numbers 20110203800;
20110240301; 20110067888 and 2011007332. Also, see examples in U.S.
Pat. Nos. 7,637,323; 7,322,417; 7,644,772; 7,322,417; and
7,628,210. Each of the applications, publications and patents
listed above are incorporated herein by reference for all
purposes.
[0021] Once the valve moves to the ball catching state, an actuator
ball can be dropped onto the seat and pressure in the well
increased to move the sleeve 70 valve to the open position
illustrated in FIG. 2. Formation treatment can then be conducted
through the open ports 66. Once, treatments are completed the
process can be repeated for the remaining valves located higher up
in the well.
[0022] When well treatments are completed the tool 10 of the
present invention can be used to retrieve the actuator balls and to
return the valve 60 to the open bore state. Tool 10 is lowered into
the well until the down-hole end 16 engages and captures the first
actuator ball 90 in the chamber 14. The tool 10 is lifted with the
hook shaped reduced internal diameter portion 42 of the rubber
element 40 retaining the ball 90 in the chamber 14.
[0023] As the tool moves through each valve 60, the valve is
changed to the open bore state with the valve sleeve 70 positioned
spaced away from baffle 80. In this position the collet end of
baffle 80 expands radially to create an open bore pathway through
the valve 60.
[0024] To move the valve sleeve 70 to a position axially spaced
away from the baffle, the tool is raised. The interior annular
profile 74 formed on the interior surface of sleeve valve 70
engages the corresponding exterior profile 26 on tool 10. As the
tool 10 raised the downward facing shoulder 76 on profile 74
contacts the upward facing shoulder 30 on tool 10 and axially
forces the valve sleeve 70 to shift upward. As the tool 10 moves up
the well the engaged shoulders will shift the sleeve upward until
stopped by the engagement of shoulder 68 with face 79. With the
sleeve shifted into contact with shoulder 68 the shape and/or size
of the profiles 26 and 74 are selected to cause the exterior
profile on the tool to deflect radially inward so that shoulders 76
and 30 to disengage. Thus, with the valve sleeve 70 contacting
shoulder 68 and in a position out from under the baffle 80, the
collet end of baffle 80 is released to expand radially to create
the open bore state.
[0025] With the baffle in the open bore position the tool 10 can be
lowered down into the well through the valve 60 to engage and
capture the remaining actuator balls 90 in the well. The downward
facing ramp surfaces on the tool 10 and upward facing ramp surfaces
on sleeve valve 60 prevent downward shifting of the sleeve valve as
the tool moves down through the valve. The tool 10 can be retrieved
from the well through each valve.
[0026] The present inventions have been described by way of example
by referring to a valve configuration wherein the sleeve is shifted
upward to retract the baffle. It should be understood, that the
present inventions are also applicable to valves wherein the sleeve
is shifted downward to change the valve to the open bore state. In
addition to changing the valve to the open bore state, the tool
could be used to shift the baffle and shipt the valve between the
open and closed positions.
[0027] While compositions and methods are described in terms of
"comprising," "containing," or "including" various components or
steps, the compositions and methods also can "consist essentially
of" or "consist of" the various components and steps. As used
herein, the words "comprise," "have," "include," and all
grammatical variations thereof are each intended to have an open,
non-limiting meaning that does not exclude additional elements or
steps.
[0028] Therefore, the present inventions are well adapted to carry
out the objects and attain the ends and advantages mentioned as
well as those which are inherent therein. While the invention has
been depicted, described, and is defined by reference to exemplary
embodiments of the inventions, such a reference does not imply a
limitation on the inventions, and no such limitation is to be
inferred. The inventions are capable of considerable modification,
alteration, and equivalents in form and function, as will occur to
those ordinarily skilled in the pertinent arts and having the
benefit of this disclosure.
[0029] The depicted and described embodiments of the inventions are
exemplary only, and are not exhaustive of the scope of the
inventions. Consequently, the inventions are intended to be limited
only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims, giving full
cognizance to equivalents in all respects.
[0030] Also, the terms in the claims have their plain, ordinary
meaning unless otherwise explicitly and clearly defined by the
patentee. Moreover, the indefinite articles "a" or "an", as used in
the claims, are defined herein to mean one or more than one of the
element that it introduces. If there is any conflict in the usages
of a word or term in this specification and one or more patent(s)
or other documents that may be incorporated herein by reference,
the definitions that are consistent with this specification should
be adopted.
* * * * *