Setting Tool for Hydraulically Actuated Devices

• US 20050230122A1
• Filed: 02/09/2005
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Inventors: Basmajian, Arin, Hilsman, Youel G. III, Cho, Brian W., Gambier, Philippe, Whitsitt, John R., Garcia, Jose F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,562,712 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/381
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 23/042 using a single piston or multiple mechanically interconnected pistons

Abstract

The present invention provides for an apparatus and method to actuate a tool in a well based on one or more issued commands being interpreted and implemented by the apparatus.

Claims

1. A modular setting tool for use in a well comprising:

a sensing and actuation module receptive to at least one input source; and

a power generation module acting upon an output from the sensing and actuation module to supply sufficient energy to set a downhole tool in the well.

2. The setting tool of claim 1 in which the at least one input is a pressure pulse, an electromagnetic signal, an acoustic signal, or a pressure source.

3. The setting tool of claim 1 in which the sensing and actuation module comprises a command compartment and a trigger.

4. The setting tool of claim 3 in which the command compartment comprises a battery, a sensor, and a microprocessor.

5. The setting tool of claim 4 in which the sensor senses a pressure pulse, an electromagnetic signal, an acoustic signal, or a sustained pressure.

6. The setting tool of claim 1 in which the power generation module has a piston having different piston head areas on its ends to amplify the pressure applied by the piston.

7. The setting tool of claim 6 in which there is a plurality of pistons arranged in series to further amplify the pressure applied by the ultimate piston.

8. The setting tool of claim 6 in which the piston collapses an atmospheric chamber as the piston is displaced.

9. The setting tool of claim 1 further comprising one or more rupture disks disposed in the sensing and actuation module.

10. The setting tool of claim 1 in which the power generation module comprises:

a housing having an inlet port and an outlet port in fluid communication with a chamber disposed within the housing; and

a piston moveably disposed in the chamber, the piston having a first surface area on the end nearest the inlet port larger than a second surface area on the opposite end of the piston near the outlet port.

11. The setting tool of claim 10 in which the power generation module further comprises a rupture disk disposed in the inlet port.

12. The setting tool of claim 10 in which the power generation module further comprises a control line in fluid communication with the outlet port.

13. The setting tool of claim 10 in which the power generation module further comprises a back-up actuation device.

14. The setting tool of claim 13 in which the back-up actuation device comprises an auxiliary rupture disk.

15. The setting tool of claim 14 in which the back-up device further comprises a check valve.

16. The setting tool of claim 10 in which the power generation module further comprises a compensation feature.

17. The setting tool of claim 10 in which the compensation feature is a spring.

18. The setting tool of claim 10 in which the power generation module further comprises a full throttle feature.

19. The setting tool of claim 18 in which the full throttle feature comprises a full throttle piston disposed in the chamber and a full throttle port in the housing.

20. The setting tool of claim 10 in which the power generation module has an adjustable setting feature.

21. The setting tool of claim 20 in which the adjustable setting feature comprises at least two pistons in which a first piston operates alone or in conjunction with the other pistons to intensify the pressure applied by the first piston.

22. The setting tool of claim 21 in which the other pistons are selectively enjoined from moving with the first piston via a pin inserted through openings in the pistons.

23. The setting tool of claim 10 in which the power generation module further comprises:

a rupture disk disposed in the inlet port; and

a sleeve to protect the rupture disk from premature rupture.

24. The setting tool of claim 23 in which the power generation module further comprises an adjustment spring.

25. The setting tool of claim 10 in which the power generation module further comprises an open port to allow fluid communication between the exterior of the housing and the outlet port.

26. The setting tool of claim 25 in which the power generation module further comprises a filter disposed in the open port.

27. The setting tool of claim 25 in which the power generation module further comprises an equalization port to allow fluid communication between the exterior of the housing and a central region of the chamber.

28. The setting tool of claim 10 in which the power generation module further comprises a velocity valve.

29. The setting tool of claim 1 in which the downhole tool is a valve, a packer, a flow control device, or a sampler.

30. A modular setting tool for use in a well comprising:

a housing having at least one rupture disk in an inlet port; and

a power generation module acting in response to pressure passing through the inlet port upon rupture of the disk to supply sufficient energy to set a downhole tool in the well.

31. A method to set a downhole device comprising:

sending an input signal downhole;

sensing the signal downhole;

triggering an actuation command; and

intensifying the energy delivered to the downhole device in response to the actuation command.