U.S. patent number RE31,313 [Application Number 06/311,638] was granted by the patent office on 1983-07-19 for method and system for well testing.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Otis Engineering Corporation. Invention is credited to John V. Fredd, Phillip S. Sizer.
United States Patent |
RE31,313 |
Fredd , et al. |
July 19, 1983 |
Method and system for well testing
Abstract
A well testing system and method in which a by-pass valve is
positioned in the tubing and a probe run on a line from the surface
opens and closes the valve with vertical movement of the probe. The
probe when landed in the valve is exposed to formation fluids and
may transmit back to the surface, or may record information about
the formation. The probe may also collect a sample of fluid to
return to the surface with the probe.
Inventors: |
Fredd; John V. (Dallas, TX),
Sizer; Phillip S. (Dallas, TX) |
Assignee: |
Otis Engineering Corporation
(Dallas, TX)
|
Family
ID: |
26760853 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/311,638 |
Filed: |
October 15, 1981 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
Reissue of: |
78712 |
Sep 25, 1979 |
04274485 |
Jun 23, 1981 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
166/250.07;
166/264; 166/332.5; 166/373; 166/386; 251/291; 251/321 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B
49/08 (20130101); E21B 34/14 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E21B
34/00 (20060101); E21B 49/08 (20060101); E21B
49/00 (20060101); E21B 34/14 (20060101); E21B
034/14 (); E21B 043/12 (); E21B 047/00 (); F16K
031/44 () |
Field of
Search: |
;166/332,72,333,334,250,264,325,373,386 ;73/155 ;251/241,321 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Novosad; Stephen J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Vinson & Elkins
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A valve comprising,
a valve body having a seat therein,
a valve member cooperable with said seat and controlling flow
through the valve body,
first resilient means urging said valve member to one of open and
closed positions,
a plunger connected to said valve member and moving with the valve
member between open and closed positions,
said connection between the plunger and valve member providing for
movement of said plunger relative to the valve member after the
valve member reaches the other of said open and closed
positions,
second resilient means opposing relative movement between the
plunger and valve member,
pulling means releasably latching onto said plunger, and
latch release means releasing said pulling means from said plunger
upon movement of said plunger a selected distance in a direction
toward said other position after said valve member has moved to
said other position.
2. The valve of claim 1 wherein said plunger has a flowway
therethrough by-passing said valve seat.
3. The valve of claim 1 wherein said plunger has a flowway
therethrough by-passing said valve seat and opening into the side
wall of said plunger at its upper end,
seal means straddling said flowway opening, and
said pulling means carries a shutter protecting said seal
means.
4. The valve of claim 1 wherein said plunger has a flowway
therethrough by-passing said valve seat and opening into the side
wall of said plunger at its upper end,
seal means straddling said flowway opening,
said pulling means carries a shutter protecting said seal means,
and
inwardly facing dogs on said pulling means which latch on to a
probe when the probe pushes said pulling means downwardly.
5. A valve comprising,
a valve body having a seat therein,
a valve member cooperable with said seat and controlling flow
through the valve body,
first resilient means urging said valve member to one of open and
closed positions,
a plunger connected to said valve member and moving with the valve
member between open and closed positions,
an annular groove in the external wall of the plunger providing an
upwardly facing inclined surface and a downwardly facing stop
shoulder,
release collet means in said groove and attached to said valve
member, and
second resilient means urging said release collet toward said stop
shoulder and yielding upon continued movement of said plunger a
selected distance in a direction toward the other of open and
closed positions after said valve member has moved to said other
position to permit said release collet means to expand as it moves
over said inclined surface.
6. The valve of claim 5 in combination with a pulling collet
adapted to engage said stop shoulder and overlie said release
collet and to be disengaged from said stop shoulder upon expansion
of said release collet.
7. The valve of claims 5 or 6 wherein said plunger has a flowway
therethrough by-passing said valve seat.
8. The valve of claim 6 wherein said plunger has a flowway
therethrough by-passing said valve seat and opening into the side
wall of said plunger at its upper end,
seal means straddling said flowway opening, and
said pulling collet carries a shutter protecting said seal
means.
9. The valve of claim 6 wherein said plunger has a flowway
therethrough by-passing said valve seat and opening into the side
wall of said plunger at its upper end,
seal means straddles said flowway opening,
said pulling collet carries a shutter protecting said seal means,
and
said pulling collet has inwardly facing dogs which latch onto a
probe when the probe pushes said pulling collet downwardly.
10. The valve of claims 2, 3, 4, 8 or 9 in combination with a probe
releasably landed in said by-pass valve,
said probe in fluid communication with said plunger flowway,
said valve member reciprocated by raising and lowering said probe,
and
said probe released from said valve upon upward movement a selected
distance beyond that movement required to reach said other
position.
11. The valve of claim 5 wherein said plunger has a flowway
therethrough by-passing said valve seat,
a probe is releasably landed in said by-pass valve,
said probe is in fluid communication with said plunger flowway,
said valve member reciprocated by raising and lowering said probe,
and
said probe released from said valve upon upward movement a selected
distance beyond that movement required to reach said other
position.
12. A well system comprising,
a landing nipple,
a locking mandrel landed in said nipple,
a by-pass valve carried by said locking mandrel,
a valve member in said valve,
resilient means urging said valve member to one of open or closed
positions,
a probe,
means for releasably latching said probe to said valve member,
said valve member moved to the other of open or closed positions by
raising of said probe and to said one position by said resilient
means upon lowering of said probe,
said probe released from said valve upon upward movement a selected
distance beyond that movement required to move said valve member to
said other position.
13. The method of testing a well having a tubing with a landing
nipple and a by-pass valve in said landing nipple comprising,
running a transducer probe into the tubing and landing the probe in
the by-pass valve,
alternately flowing the well and shutting in the well by raising
and lowering said probe after it is landed in the valve,
determining well conditions while said well is shut-in .Iadd.and
flowing.Iaddend., and
raising said probe a distance beyond that required to move the
valve between open and closed positions to release the probe from
the valve.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein prior to releasing the probe
from the valve the well is shut-in at the surface and the by-pass
valve is opened to equalize pressure across the probe. .Iadd. 15.
The method of testing a well having a tubing with a landing nipple
and a by-pass valve in said landing nipple comprising,
running a transducer probe into the tubing and landing the probe in
the by-pass valve,
alternately flowing the well and shutting in the well by raising
and lowering said probe after it is landed in the valve,
determining well conditions while said well is shut-in and flowing.
.Iaddend..Iadd. 16. The method of claim 15 wherein said conditions
are monitored continuously while said probe is engaged in the
by-pass valve. .Iaddend..Iadd. 17. The method of claim 15 wherein
prior to releasing said probe from the by-pass valve, the well is
shut-in at the surface and the by-pass valve is opened to equalize
pressure across the probe. .Iaddend.
Description
This invention relates to method and apparatus for testing wells.
It is desirable to be able to test a petroleum formation under both
static and flowing conditions. Equipment has been proposed for
testing under static conditions. See Kingelin U.S. Pat. Nos.
4,051,897 and 4,134,452.
It has also been proposed to be able to open and close a valve
controlling flow from the formation in such a test program. See Nix
U.S. Pat. No. 4,047,564.
So far as is known the prior art does not teach a simple wireline
retrievable by-pass valve which can be landed in a well tubing
together with an operating probe which can be manipulated to open
and close a by-pass valve and which can either collect data or
samples or can transmit data to the surface over a conventional
electric line.
It is an object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus
in which a by-pass valve in a well string may be opened and closed
by reciprocating a probe landed in the by-pass valve, which probe
is exposed to formation pressure at all times, and in which
unseating of the probe returns the by-pass valve to its original
condition.
Another object is to provide a method and system as in the
preceding object in which the by-pass valve can be run in the well
and seated in a landing nipple using conventional locking mandrel
techniques.
Another object is to provide a method of operation and a by-pass
valve which is preferably normally open in which a probe can be
landed and the valve opened and closed by reciprocation of the
probe and in which the probe is released from the by-pass valve by
an upward pull on the probe.
Another object is to provide a method of operation as in the
preceding object in which pressure across the probe can be
equalized prior to releasing the probe.
Another object is to provide a by-pass valve which is reciprocal
between open and closed positions by a shifting means and in which
the shifting means can be released by pulling on the shifting means
with more force than necessary to move the valve between its open
and closed positions.
Another object is to provide a by-pass valve in which the valve is
shifted between open and closed positions by a plunger and in which
a shifting means is releasably attached to the plunger and can be
released by pulling the plunger beyond the point at which the valve
is moved between its open and closed positions.
Another object is to provide a valve as in the preceding object
with a shutter which protects the seals sealing between the flowway
through the valve and an operating plunger, which shutter controls
flow through the plunger flowway.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be
apparent from the specification, the drawings and the claims.
In the drawings wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts
and wherein an illustrative embodiment of this invention is
shown:
FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration partially in cross-section and
partially in elevation of a well with the transducer fitting or
by-pass valve in place and showing the operating plunger being
moved through the tubing on an electric line;
FIG. 2 is a view in cross-section of the by-pass valve of this
invention with the lower end of the operating plunger in engagement
with the valve but not attached thereto;
FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the plunger to be in
engagement with the by-pass valve and the by-pass valve to be in
open position; and
FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIGS. 2 and 3 with the plunger in
engagement with the by-pass valve and raised to position the
by-pass valve in its closed position.
Referring first to FIG. 1, the well has a casing 10 which is in
communication with the formation 11 through perforations 12 in the
casing.
A conventional packer 13 which is preferably of the wireline type
has been run in and landed and set in the casing above the
formation 11. If desired, the packer could be run on the tubing in
the conventional manner. Using the wireline run packer 13 the
tubing 14 is stabbed into the packer 13 and seals therewith through
suitable annular seals (not shown) between the lower end or
tailpipe of the tubing and the packer.
The tubing 14 has a conventional hanger nipple 15 therein. A
conventional locking mandrel 16 is landed in the nipple 15 and
conventional packing 17 seals between the locking mandrel 16 and
the landing nipple 15.
Depending from the locking mandrel is the transducer fitting or
by-pass valve 18.
Shown above the locking mandrel is the probe 19 having a fitting 21
at its lower extremity for engaging and latching to the by-pass
valve 18. The probe 19 is suspended in the well on a suitable
electric line 22 which is controlled from the surface. If the probe
is not sufficiently heavy to carry out the operations to be
disclosed hereinafter, sufficient weights can be attached to the
probe to provide the desired downward force.
In accordance with the method of this invention the transducer 18
is either landed in the well by wireline or run in with the tubing,
it being understood that instead of using the landing nipple and
locking mandrel the transducer could be provided in a joint in the
tubing and run in with the tubing.
In either event, the probe 19 is run into the well and manipulated
vertically to land in the by-pass valve 18 and open and close this
valve with vertical movement of the probe 19. While the valve is
open the well is produced through the by-pass valve to obtain
information about the formation. While the probe may also be
transmitting information about the formation during this time, it
is desirable that information be obtained during shut-in conditions
and for this purpose the valve is closed with the probe in place
and the probe is exposed to formation fluids with the well shut-in
to either record or transmit to the surface information such as the
build-up pressure curve for the formation. The probe is then
released from the by-pass valve and retrieved from the wall.
Preferably, when the by-pass valve is to be run into the well, the
valve is normally in the open position and when the probe 19
releases from the valve it results in the valve automatically
returning to the open position. With the valve in the open
position, the transducer valve can readily be run into and removed
from the well by wireline procedures as there will be little or no
differential across the packing 17 while the locking mandrel is
being landed or retrieved. Further, there is no hydraulic lock or
resistance to landing and retrieving the probe 19.
Reference is now made to FIG. 2 which shows the preferred form of
by-pass valve 18.
The valve includes a body made up of upper and lower body sections
23 and 24, respectively. The upper body 23 is slotted at 25 and a
valve seat 26 is provided in the body 23 above the slot 25.
A valve member 27 is provided which cooperates with the seat and
controls flow through the bore 28 in the upper valve body section
23.
The valve member 27 is preferably urged to one of its open or
closed positions, and more preferably to its open position so that
the valve may be readily run into and landed in the well by
wireline procedures. This resilient means is provided by spring 29,
which is held in compression and constantly urges the valve member
27 toward its open position.
A plunger 31 is provided in the valve and reciprocates and moves
with the valve member between valve open and valve closed position.
As will appear hereinbelow, force is transmitted from the spring 29
through the plunger 31 to the valve member 27 and the spring 29
constantly urges the plunger 31 downwardly to maintain the valve in
open position. When the plunger is raised the spring 29 is
compressed and the valve moves to its closed position, as shown in
FIG. 4. A suitable cap 32 is provided on the lower end of the
plunger 31 and the spring 29 is held between the cap and a spring
guide 33 on the lower end of the lower body portion 24.
To provide for fluid tight integrity when the valve is closed a
suitable seal indicated at 34 is provided between the lower body
section 24 and the plunger 31.
The plunger 31 is connected to the valve member 27 by a connecting
means which provides for movement of the plunger and valve together
as the valve moves between open and closed positions. It also
provides for a movement of the plunger after the valve member has
reached one of its open and closed positions, preferably the closed
position. This additional movement provides an automatic release
for a shifting means such as a shifting collet as will appear
hereinafter. This connecting means includes a collet 35 which has a
plurality of collet fingers 36 surrounding the plunger 31. The
collet fingers also include flange portions 36a which extend
outwardly from the collet and engage within an inwardly facing
circumferential groove 27a within the valve member 27. The collet
35 connects the valve member 27 to the plunger 31 so that the
plunger and the valve member reciprocate with each other. Thus, the
spring 29 acts through this connecting means to urge the valve to
open position and raising of the plunger moves the valve 27 to
closed position in which it is in engagement with seat 26.
To provide for fluid integrity of the system when the valve 27 is
closed, a suitable seal indicated generally at 37 is provided on
the exterior of the valve member to slidably seal with the body
section 23 below the seat 26. Thus, when the valve 27 is seated the
seals 34 and 37 provide for fluid tight integrity through the bore
28 of the upper body section 23.
The release collet 35 has the upper ends of the collet fingers 36
residing in an external groove 31a on the plunger 31. This groove
provides a downwardly facing shoulder 31b and an upwardly facing
inclined surface 31c. The collet fingers 36 are contoured on their
inner surfaces to be a mirror image of the groove 31a and as shown
in FIG. 2 fit snugly within the groove in their unstressed
condition.
The connecting means between the valve 27 and the plunger 31 is
such that the plunger can continue to move after the valve has
moved to one of its fully open or closed positions, preferably
fully closed position. To provide for such continued motion a
second resilient means is provided by the spring 38 which bears
against the lower end of valve member 27 and against an upwardly
facing shoulder 39 in the lower body section 24 through a spring
guide 41. The spring guide 41 has an out-turned lip that bears on
shoulder 39 in the housing. The spring guide 41 also bears on an
upwardly facing shoulder 42 on the plunger 31. The spring 38 is in
compression but the engagement of the upper ends of the release
collet fingers 36 with the downwardly facing shoulder 31b on the
plunger 31 prevent the spring from urging the valve upwardly. In
other words, the spring is essentially held in compression between
the downwardly facing shoulder 31b on the plunger and the upwardly
facing shoulder 42 on the plunger.
This release collet assembly just explained provides for release of
a pulling collet bearing against the downwardly facing shoulder
31b. Thus, if a collet be attached to the plunger and engages the
downwardly facing shoulder 31b and an upward pull be placed on the
pulling collet to carry the plunger upwardly beyond the point at
which the valve 27 seats on seat 26, the pulling collect will be
released. As the plunger 31 continues to move up, the inclined
shoulder 31c on the plunger rides under the collet fingers 36
forcing them outwardly to disengage the pulling collet from the
shoulder 31b. The spring 38 permits this upward movement of the
plunger relative to the valve member after the valve member is
seated and as soon as the upward pressure is removed from the
plunger 31 the spring 38 returns the plunger and valve member and
collet 35 to the relationship shown in the drawings.
A pulling collet is provided either on the probe 19 or as a part of
the valve 18. Preferably, it is a part of the valve 18 and is
provided by the double collet 43. The collet 43 has the downwardly
extending collet fingers 43a, each of which carries an upwardly
facing shoulder 43b for engaging the downwardly looking shoulder
31b on the plunger 31. The engaged position is shown in FIG. 3 with
the valve in the open position. The same relationship is shown in
FIG. 4 with the valve closed. The collet 43 has an internal annular
flange 43c which engages in a groove in the shutter-valve member 44
so that as the pulling collet 43 reciprocates within the valve the
shutter 44 reciprocates with the pulling collet.
To engage and latch the probe 19 to the by-pass valve the pulling
collet 43 is provided with upwardly extending collet fingers 43d.
These fingers reside within the groove 45 within the upper body 23
when the pulling collet is in its upper position. The bore 28
provides a land below the groove 45 and thus when the pulling
collet moves downwardly, the upwardly extending collet fingers 43d
are cammed inwardly. These fingers then engage within the groove
21a of the latch fitting 21 and latch the probe to the pulling
collet and thus to the valve 18.
In accordance with this invention means are provided for
establishing fluid communication between the probe 19 and the
formation, particularly when the valve 18 is closed; although in
accordance with the disclosure of the preferred form, this
communication is present with the valve in open or closed
position.
The plunger 31 has extending therethrough a flowway 46 which
extends to the bottom extremity of the plunger. The flowway
communicates with a side port 47 in the upper end of the plunger
31. Suitable seals 48 and 49 are carried on the probe and straddle
the port 47. The shutter valve member 44, which is carried by the
pulling collet 43, reciprocates on the upper end of the plunger and
when in the upper position shown is in contact with both seals 48
and 49 to close the passageway 46 through the plunger and prevent
flow therethrough. When the pulling collet is moved to its down
position, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the shutter-valve member 44
uncovers the upper seals 48 and 49 to permit flow through the
flowway 46.
The latch fitting 21 is provided at its lower end with a bore 51
which receives the upper end of the plunger 31, as shown in FIGS. 3
and 4. This bore 51 communicates with the exterior of the connector
to avoid a fluid lock. The latch fitting 21 is provided with a
flowway 52 to conduct fluid upwardly to the transducer within the
probe 19. The flowway 52 connects with a small passageway 53, which
terminates at the inwardly facing port 54. The port 54 overlies the
port 47 in the plunger 31 when the probe is in engagement and
attached to the by-pass valve.
In operation the wireline packer 13 will be run and set in the
hole. The tubing 14 will then be run and landed in the packer 13.
The locking mandrel 16 with its associated transducer
fitting-by-pass valve 18 may be run in place in the tubing or it
may be run after the tubing has been landed, utilizing conventional
wireline techniques.
In any event with the by-pass valve 18 in place the probe 19 is run
on an electric line 22 and the latch fitting 21 of the probe will
move into engagement with the upper end of the plunger 31, as
illustrated in FIG. 2. The line is slacked off and the weight of
the probe is exerted against the upper end of the shutter 44. This
weight slides the shutter downwardly and cams the upper collets 43
inwardly to engage within the groove 21a on the latch fitting 21.
As the lower end of the latch fitting 21 is in abutting engagement
with the upper end of the shutter 44, the upper O-rings 48 and 49
will be protected by the shutter as the transition is made in
engagement of the seals 48 and 49 from the shutter to the latch
fitting 21. Further downward movement of the shutter uncovers the
port 47 and places the transducers (not shown) within the probe 19
in communication with the formation through the flowway 52, 53, 46
and 47.
As the pulling collet 43 moves downwardly the lower collect fingers
43 ride over the upwardly facing cam surface 60 on the plunger 31
and snap in behind the downwardly facing shoulder 31b, as shown in
FIG. 3. At this time the probe is attached to the by-pass valve and
the valve is in position for flowing of the well through the
by-pass valve to obtain information about the flowing
characteristics of the well.
Flow from the well is through the bore 28 of the upper body and
upwardly through the bore in the lower end 50 of the locking
mandrel 16. The lower end 50 of the locking mandrel may be a short
sub, as illustrated. In any event, the locking mandrel has a bore
therethrough which is a continuation of the bore 55 through the sub
50 to convey well fluids through the by-pass valve and to the
surface.
When it is desired to shut-in the well and obtain well information,
such as a pressure build-up curve, the electric line is raised to
place sufficient upward force on the line to raise the probe 19 and
the pulling collet 43 upwardly to the position shown in FIG. 4 in
which the valve member 27 is seated in seat 26 to prevent flow
through the by-pass valve and thus shut-in the formation.
The well may be maintained in shut-in condition with the by-pass
valve closed for as long as desired to obtain bottom hole
information through the flowway through the probe by the media of
the transducers within the probe 19.
Upon completion of testing it is desirable to equalize across the
valve to prevent blowing the probe up the hole when the by-pass
opens. The well is shut-in at the surface and tension on the line
22 is slacked off to open the valve and equalize pressure across
the probe. Then the probe is released from the by-pass valve by an
upward pull on the wireline. As an upward pull is exerted the
spring 38 is compressed permitting the plunger 31 to move upwardly
relative to the release collet 35 to spread the upper collet
fingers 36. As these collet fingers spread they force the lower
collect fingers 43a of the pulling collet 43 to expand until they
release the probe 31. Upon release of the probe the resilient
spring 29 returns the valve 27 to open position and as spring 38
expands to its limited length the plunger is returned to the
relationship shown in FIG. 2 in which the collet fingers 36 are in
engagement with the downwardly facing shoulder 31b on the probe
31.
Upward movement of the release collet 43 moves the upwardly facing
collet fingers 43d on collet 43 into the groove 45 where they
expand and disengage the latch fitting 21 on the probe 19. As the
collet 43 moves upwardly with the latch fitting 21 the shutter
valve member 44 moves up to cover O-ring 48 and protect the O-ring
as the latch fitting 21 is disengaged.
After the probe is removed from the well the locking mandrel 16 may
be removed with conventional wireline techniques and thereafter
further operations of conventional nature may be carried out in the
well.
The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention are
illustrative and explanatory thereof and various changes in the
size, shape and materials, as well as in the details of the
illustrated construction, and various changes in the process may be
made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from
the spirit of the invention.
* * * * *