U.S. patent application number 14/552146 was filed with the patent office on 2015-03-26 for mandrel-less launch toe initiation sleeve (tis).
The applicant listed for this patent is Target Completions, LLC. Invention is credited to Michael Sommers.
Application Number | 20150083421 14/552146 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52689945 |
Filed Date | 2015-03-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150083421 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sommers; Michael |
March 26, 2015 |
Mandrel-less Launch Toe Initiation Sleeve (TIS)
Abstract
The present invention is a valve tool utilized for hydraulically
fracturing multiple zones in an oil and gas well without
perforating the cement casing. An oil/gas well completion method
involves the use of a valve that is installed as part of the casing
string of the well. A mandrel-less casing provides for cement flow
within the casing when the valve element is in a closed position
and allows for axial flow of fracturing fluid through the cement
casing to fracture the formation near the valve when the sleeve is
open. The invention disclosed herein is an improved valve used in
this process.
Inventors: |
Sommers; Michael; (Broken
Arrow, OK) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Target Completions, LLC |
Broken Arrow |
OK |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
52689945 |
Appl. No.: |
14/552146 |
Filed: |
November 24, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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14487772 |
Sep 16, 2014 |
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14552146 |
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61878115 |
Sep 16, 2013 |
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61907452 |
Nov 22, 2013 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
166/281 ;
166/317; 166/373 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B 34/14 20130101;
E21B 43/261 20130101; E21B 2200/06 20200501; E21B 34/063 20130101;
E21B 43/26 20130101; E21B 33/12 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
166/281 ;
166/317; 166/373 |
International
Class: |
E21B 43/26 20060101
E21B043/26; E21B 34/06 20060101 E21B034/06; E21B 33/12 20060101
E21B033/12; E21B 34/14 20060101 E21B034/14 |
Claims
1. A well valve tool for providing a window to the environment
around the valve tool, the tool comprising: a top sub and a bottom
sub, wherein said top sub is not connected directly to said bottom
sub; an outer sleeve connected between said top sub and said bottom
sub having at least one window port; sealing said window port with
a burst disc; an inner sleeve connected between said top sub and
said bottom sub within said outer sleeve to define an inner passage
way selectively preventing fluid communication between an area
within said top sub, bottom sub and inner sleeve with said outer
sleeve at least one window port.
2. The well valve tool of claim 1, wherein said sleeve is
selectively slidable along one of the group of said top sub and
said bottom sub to selectively provide fluid communication between
said inner passage way and said outer sleeve at least one window
port when said burst disc is burst by pressure within said
sleeve.
3. The well valve tool of claim 1, wherein said sleeve is connected
to one of the group of said top sub and said bottom sub by at least
one shear pin or a shear disc.
4. The well valve tool of claim 1, wherein said sleeve includes a
pressure burst valve for pressurizing said sleeve to cause said
sleeve to slide along one of the group of said top sub and said
bottom sub to selectively provide fluid communication between said
inner passage way and said outer sleeve at least one window
port.
5. A method of operating a well valve tool comprising: providing a
top sub and a bottom sub; connecting an outer sleeve between said
top sub and said bottom sub, wherein said outer sleeve includes at
least one window port, said window port being sealed against fluid
flow therethrough by a burst disc; connecting an inner sleeve
between said top sub and said bottom sub and within said outer
sleeve to selective seal said outer sleeve from an area defined
within said top sub, said bottom sub and said inner sleeve.
6. The method of operating a well valve tool of claim 5, further
comprising: running said valve tool within a well; pouring cement
within said valve tool; removing said cement from said valve tool
by moving a plug through said valve tool.
7. The method of operating a well valve tool of claim 5, further
comprising: running said valve tool within a well; pouring cement
within said valve tool; removing said cement from said valve tool
by moving a plug through said valve tool; pressurizing the inner
passage of said valve tool; said pressure operating to move the
inner sleeve relative to said outer sleeve to allow fluid
communication between the inner passage and said outer sleeve; said
pressure further operating to burst the burst disc to open said
window port to allow fluid flow through said window port; pumping
fracking fluid through said at least one window port of said outer
sleeve.
8. The method of operating a well valve tool of claim 5, further
comprising: running said valve tool within a well; pouring cement
within said valve tool; removing said cement from said valve tool
by moving a plug through said valve tool; providing a pressure
burst valve between said inner passage and an inner sleeve
actuation chamber; pressurizing the inner passage of said valve
tool; raising said pressure until said pressure burst valve bursts
allowing pressurization of said inner sleeve actuation chamber;
said pressure in said inner sleeve actuation chamber operating to
move the inner sleeve relative to said outer sleeve to allow fluid
communication between the inner passage and said outer sleeve.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in part of application
Ser. No. 14/487,772, filed Sep. 16, 2014, entitled Mandrel-less
Launch Toe Initiation Sleeve (TIS), which claims the benefit of
U.S. Provisional Application 61/878,115, filed Sep. 16, 2013, each
application of which is incorporated herein by reference. This
application also claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application
61/907,452, filed Nov. 22, 2013, entitled Launch Toe Sleeve, which
is also incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention is directed to a valve utilized for
hydraulically fracturing multiple zones in an oil and gas well
without pre-perforating the cement casing. An oil/gas well
completion method involves the use of a valve that is installed as
part of the casing string of the well. A mandrel-less casing
provides for cement flow within the casing when the valve element
is in a closed position and allows for axial flow of fracturing
fluid through the cement casing to fracture the formation near the
valve when the sleeve is open. The invention disclosed herein is an
improved valve used in this process.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0003] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a valve tool according
to at least one aspect of the current invention with the sleeve
closed.
[0004] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a valve tool according
to at least one aspect of the current invention with the sleeve
opened.
[0005] FIG. 3 is an exploded, cross-sectional view of a valve tool
according to at least one aspect of the current invention.
[0006] FIGS. 4-8 are cross-sectional views of the various parts of
the tool.
[0007] FIGS. 9-11 are cross-sectional views of the top and bottom
subs and the sleeve.
[0008] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the valve tool
according to at least one embodiment of the invention.
[0009] FIGS. 13-14 show an additional embodiment of the invention
having port plugs through the mandrel wall.
[0010] Similar reference characters denote corresponding features
consistently throughout the attached drawings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The present invention is directed to a valve utilized for
hydraulically fracturing multiple zones in an oil and gas well
without perforating the cement casing. A mandrel-less casing
provides for cement flow within the casing when the valve element
is in a closed position and allows for axial flow of fracturing
fluid through the cement casing to fracture the formation near the
valve when the sleeve is open. The invention disclosed herein is an
improved valve used in this process.
[0012] It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a
mandrel-less casing for providing cement flow within the
casing.
[0013] It is an object of the invention to provide a casing having
a sleeve within the casing that protects openings in the casing
from being in communication with cement during the cementing in
process.
[0014] It is an object of the invention to provide the casing with
a moveable sleeve that can be moved by pressure or other devices to
expose the windows/opening/ports in the casing to prepare for the
fracking process.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)
[0015] The present invention is to a mandrel-less valve tool 10
having an upper and lower sub 12, 14. Each sub preferably has an
extended cylindrical portion which acts as a cement barrier in
conjunction with sleeve 16 to present a smooth, nearly continuous
wall from one end of the tool 10 to the other.
[0016] An upper body 18 and lower body 20 are provided about the
upper and lower subs. The upper and lower body thread together or
may be pinned together by a pin or a screw 19 and then to the subs
to locate the subs relative to each other by set screws 21 or the
like. Alternatively, upper body 18 and lower body 20 could be
formed as a single unit. A gap 22 between the subs of a
predetermined size provides a window or opening that aligns with an
opening 24 in the upper body so that fluid may selectively be
passed between the interior of the tool 10 and the environment
about the tool during fracking.
[0017] An upper end 30 of sleeve 20 abuts a collar 32 (FIG. 3) to
form a sleeve chamber between the upper end 30, the collar 32 and
upper body 16. An opening through the upper sub is selectively
blocked by a burst disk 34. An optional access port 36 may be
blocked by a pipe plug or the like for replacing or repairing the
burst disk 34 or to allow equalization of the pressure within the
sleeve chamber while the tool is being assembled. The sleeve
chamber is originally at atmospheric pressure, i.e., is
unpressurized. During operation, as will be discussed further
hereunder, a high pressure within the upper sub will burst the
burst disk 34 causing an increase in pressure on the upper end 30
of the sleeve biasing the sleeve to move downwardly. The sleeve is
preferably prevented from moving unintentionally by shear pins, a
shear ring or the like, which may be provided between the lower
body and the sleeve at 37 or at other locations (FIG. 3). O-rings
or other seals at the same locations 38,40,42 may also be provided
to seal the sleeve chamber. Once the pressure in the sleeve chamber
is sufficient to overcome the force of the shear pins, the sleeve
will slide downwardly (into chamber 13) exposing window 24 to the
interior of the valve tool 10. Movement of the sleeve will be
stopped as the lower end 44 of the sleeve strikes the collar 46 of
the lower sub 14. Ratchets, lock rings or other devices may be used
to ensure that the sleeve cannot travel in the reverse direction
and cannot close the opening once opened. The chamber 13 may be
bounded at one end by piston 15 for known purposes.
[0018] In operation, the valve tool is attached onto a casing
string at the desired location. The string is then lowered into a
well bore. When the string is set to a desired depth, cement is
pumped through the casing and out into the well bore using
appropriate tools or openings. A plug or other device is then
lowered through the casing to wipe the casing to remove residual
cement. Because the walls of the interior are smooth (i.e., do not
include exposed windows or apertures in a mandrel, etc.), the plug
can readily remove any cement. When the sleeve 20 is closed, the
upper and lower subs present extended cylindrical walls to the
plug, and the sleeve 20 provides a cylindrical cover bridging
across the gap 22 between the upper and lower sub. This is in
distinction to prior art devices, such as the mandrel openings 23
of U.S. Pat. No. 8,267,178, issued Sep. 18, 2012 to Sommers et al.,
which is incorporated herein by reference. Since the openings are
exposed to the interior of the tool when the cement is being pumped
through the casing, it is possible for cement to creep into the
openings in the mandrel of the prior art device, and for a plug to
be unable to remove the cement from these openings, reducing the
effective area of the openings.
[0019] When it is desired to open the window of the valve tool 10,
the pressure is increased in the casing. The increased pressure
causes burst disk 34 to breach allowing pressure into the sleeve
chamber. The pressure in sleeve chamber acts downwardly on sleeve
20. The downward pressure at a desired force level shears shear pin
or shear ring 37 allowing the sleeve to move out of alignment with
gap 22. As the sleeve retreats, the gap 22 is exposed to window 24
of the upper body 16. With the openings aligned and the sleeve
withdrawn, the interior of the valve tool 10 and the exterior
foundation adjacent the valve tool are brought into fluid
communication. Fracing fluid can then be applied from within to
area outside the valve tool 10 to fracture the foundation adjacent
the valve or to perform other such operations as necessary.
Alternate Embodiment(s)
[0020] FIGS. 13-14 show an alternate embodiment of the invention. A
valve tool 110 is shown having a number of ports plugged by burst
discs 124. The discs are threaded, interference fit or otherwise
attached to the valve tool to selectively provide openings in the
mandrel wall when fracking occurs. The disc protect the interior of
the tool prior to fracking. The discs may be removed from the
mandrel by being exposed to sufficient interior pressure.
[0021] In operation, the pressure is increased in the upper sub by
for example pumping additional fluid pressure into the interior of
the tool from an upstream source (not shown). The pressure causes
the burst disc 134 to burst allowing the pressure within the
mandrel to increase the pressure in the chamber 117 above the
sleeve 122. The additional pressure causes the sleeve 122 to slide
down shearing shear ring 132 and sliding into chamber 114. This
movement of the sleeve exposes the burst disc covered ports 124 to
the interior pressure in the mandrel 116. Once the sleeve is open
fracking or other process may be performed to allow fluid inside
the casing and on areas outside the casing ("open hole").
[0022] While this invention has been described as having a
preferred design, it is understood that it is capable of further
modifications, uses and/or adaptations of the invention following
in general the principle of the invention and including such
departures from the present disclosure as come within the known or
customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains and
as maybe applied to the central features hereinbefore set forth,
and fall within the scope of the invention and the limits of the
appended claims. It is therefore to be understood that the present
invention is not limited to the sole embodiment described above,
but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the
following claims.
* * * * *