Sensorless manifold assembly with pressure-based reversing fluid circuit

• US 10,260,293 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2017
• Issued: 04/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Dev, Bodhayan, Noakes, Aaron Christopher, Reeves, Brian Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazo, Thomas E
• Application Number:
  US15/409,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20180202241A1
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/18 Pipes provided with plural fluid passages E21B17/203 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/10 operated by control fluid supplied from outside the borehole
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/129 Adaptations of down-hole pump systems powered by fluid supplied from outside the borehole gas-lift E21B43/122; jet pumps E21B43/124

Abstract

A downhole manifold assembly includes a manifold body defining a longitudinal axis and having a first end face, a second end face, and an outer surface extending therebetween. A fluid circuit is defined in the manifold body and includes a plurality of axially extending fluid passages and a plurality of radially extending fluid passages. The radially extending fluid passages extend to the outer surface of the manifold body. Each radially extending fluid passage defines a respective aperture in the outer surface. The manifold assembly also includes a control valve coupled to the manifold body. The control valve is positionable between a first position in which a flow of pressurized fluid is channeled through the fluid circuit in a first direction, and a second position in which the flow is reversed and the pressurized fluid is channeled through the fluid circuit in a second direction.

Claims

1. A downhole manifold assembly comprising:

a manifold body defining a longitudinal axis and comprising;

a first end face, a second end face, and an outer surface extending therebetween; and

a fluid circuit defined therein, said fluid circuit comprising a plurality of axially extending fluid passages defined in said manifold body, and a plurality of radially extending fluid passages defined in said manifold body and extending to said outer surface, each radially extending fluid passage of said plurality of radially extending fluid passages defining a respective aperture in said outer surface; and

a control valve coupled to said manifold body, said control valve positionable between a first position in which a flow of pressurized fluid is channeled through said fluid circuit in a first direction, and a second position in which the flow is reversed and the pressurized fluid is channeled through said fluid circuit in a second direction.

2. The downhole hydraulic manifold assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said manifold body further comprises a plurality of circumferentially-extending grooves defined in said outer surface and spaced axially along said manifold body.

3. The downhole hydraulic manifold assembly in accordance with claim 2, wherein a single said respective aperture is positioned between adjacent grooves of said plurality of circumferentially-extending grooves.

4. The downhole hydraulic manifold assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said fluid circuit comprises a pressure-based position feedback system comprising a pressure actuated valve coupled to said manifold body and in fluid communication with said control valve and said plurality of axially extending fluid passages.

5. The downhole hydraulic manifold assembly in accordance with claim 4, wherein said pressure actuated valve receives the pressurized fluid from said fluid circuit and channels the pressurized fluid to said control valve to facilitate transitioning said control valve from one of said first position and said second position to the other of said first position and said second position, said pressure actuated valve configured open in response to a predetermined pressure.

6. The downhole hydraulic manifold assembly in accordance with claim 4, wherein said pressure-based position feedback system further comprises an inline needle valve coupled to said manifold body and in fluid communication with said control valve and said plurality of axially extending fluid passages.

7. The downhole hydraulic manifold assembly in accordance with claim 6, wherein said inline needle valve receives the pressurized fluid from said pressure actuated valve and channels the pressurized fluid to said control valve to facilitate transitioning said control valve from one of said first position and said second position to the other of said first position and said second position, said pressure actuated valve configured open in response to a predetermined pressure.

8. The downhole hydraulic manifold assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said plurality of axially extending fluid passages comprises a first hydraulic fluid passage extending to said first end face, and a second hydraulic fluid passage extending to said second end face.

9. The downhole hydraulic manifold assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein each radially extending fluid passage of said plurality of radially extending fluid passages is configured to connect at least one axially extending fluid passage to at least one other axially extending fluid passage.

10. The downhole hydraulic manifold assembly in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a pressure relief valve coupled to said manifold body, wherein said plurality of axially extending fluid passages comprises a fluid supply passage and a fluid return passage, said pressure relief valve configured to directly channel the pressurized fluid from said fluid supply passage to said fluid return passage based on a predetermined pressure.

11. A downhole pump system comprising:

downhole tubing; and

a pump assembly coupled to said downhole tubing, said pump assembly comprising;

a piston housing comprising a head end and a base end opposite said head end;

a drive piston disposed within said piston housing and movable between a first piston position proximate to said head end and a second piston position proximate to said base end; and

a manifold assembly disposed within said downhole tubing, said manifold assembly comprising;

a cylindrical manifold body defining a longitudinal axis and comprising;

a first end face, a second end face, and an outer surface extending therebetween;

a plurality of circumferentially-extending grooves defined in said outer surface and spaced axially along said cylindrical manifold body; and

a fluid circuit defined therein and coupled in flow communication with said head end and said base end, said fluid circuit comprising a plurality of radially extending fluid passages defined in said cylindrical manifold body and extending to said outer surface, each radially extending fluid passage of said plurality of radially extending fluid passages defining a respective aperture in said outer surface, wherein a single said respective aperture is positioned between adjacent grooves of said plurality of circumferentially-extending grooves.

12. The downhole pump system is accordance with claim 11, wherein said manifold assembly further comprises a plurality of sealing members, wherein a respective sealing member of said plurality of sealing members is disposed in a respective groove of said plurality of circumferentially-extending grooves.

13. The downhole pump system is accordance with claim 12, wherein each said respective sealing member is configured to seal against an inner surface of said downhole tubing and said respective groove of said manifold body to facilitate isolating said each radially extending fluid passage from each other and to facilitate maintaining the pressure of the pressurized fluid.

14. The downhole pump system is accordance with claim 11, wherein said cylindrical manifold body comprises an outer diameter in a range between and including about 8.888 cm (3.499 in.) and about 8.865 cm (3.490 in.).

15. The downhole pump system is accordance with claim 11, wherein said fluid circuit further comprises a plurality of axially extending fluid passages defined in said cylindrical manifold body.

16. The downhole pump system is accordance with claim 11, wherein said manifold assembly further comprises a control valve coupled to said cylindrical manifold body, said control valve positionable between a first position in which a flow of pressurized fluid is channeled through said fluid circuit in a first direction, and a second position in which the flow is reversed and the pressurized fluid is channeled through said fluid circuit in a second direction.

17. The downhole pump system is accordance with claim 16, wherein said fluid circuit comprises a pressure-based position feedback system comprising:

a first pressure actuated valve coupled to said cylindrical manifold body and in fluid communication with said control valve and said head end; and

a second pressure actuated valve coupled to said cylindrical manifold body and in fluid communication with said control valve and said base end.

18. The downhole pump system is accordance with claim 17, wherein said first pressure actuated valve is configured to facilitate transitioning said control valve from said first position to said second position in response to a predetermined head end pressure.

19. The downhole pump system is accordance with claim 17, wherein said second pressure actuated valve is configured to facilitate transitioning said control valve from said second position to said first position in response to a predetermined base end pressure.

20. A method for assembling a manifold assembly, said method comprising:

providing a cylindrical manifold body;

forming a plurality of axially extending fluid passages in the cylindrical manifold body;

forming a plurality of radially extending fluid passages in the cylindrical manifold body, each radially extending fluid passage of the radially extending fluid passages extending to an outer surface of the cylindrical manifold body; and

forming a plurality of circumferentially-extending grooves in the outer surface of the cylindrical manifold body, wherein the plurality of circumferentially-extending grooves are spaced axially along the cylindrical manifold body, and wherein a single radially extending fluid passage extends to the outer surface between adjacent grooves of the plurality of circumferentially-extending grooves.

21. The method in accordance with claim 20, wherein forming a plurality of axially extending fluid passages comprises performing drilling operations on the cylindrical manifold body.

22. The method in accordance with claim 20, wherein forming a plurality of radially extending fluid passages comprises performing drilling operations through the outer surface of the cylindrical manifold body.

23. The method in accordance with claim 20, wherein providing a cylindrical manifold body comprises providing the cylindrical manifold body with an outer diameter in a range between and including about 8.888 cm (3.499 in.) and about 8.865 cm (3.490 in.).