Annulus fluid pressure operated testing valve

• US 4,979,568 A
• Filed: 01/16/1990
• Issued: 12/25/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Spencer, Harold A. III, Green, Robert R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kisliuk, Bruce M.
• Application Number:
  US07/465,509
• Time in Patent Office: 343 Days
• Field of Search: 166/374, 166/386, 166/321, 166/323, 166/331, 166/332, 166/324
• US Class Current: 166/374
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 2200/04 Ball valves
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 23/006 "J-slot" systems, i.e. lug and slot indexing mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/102 with means for locking the closing element in open or closed position E21B34/105 and E21B34/108 take precedence

Abstract

A method and apparatus for operating a ball valve in a test tool string for a subterranean well, including a tubular actuator for the ball valve which is movable from a closing position of the ball valve to an opening position and beyond the opening position to a lock setting position, preventing the return of the tubular actuator to the ball valve closing position until the cycle of additional movements of the tubular actuator is accomplished. A metal-to-metal seal is provided for the ball valve and a larger than normal biasing force derived from a spring and a trapped pressurized gas is applied to the tubular actuator in its valve position to insure the integrity of the metal-to-metal seal.

Claims

1. A fluid pressure controlled apparatus having tubular housing means adapted to be connected to a pipe string and having an axial flow passage extending therethrough from an isolated well formation;

a valve mounted in said tubular housing means and shiftable between open and closed positions relative to said axial flow passage;

internal valve actuator means in said housing means including a tubular assemblage defining a portion of said flow passage and movable with respect to said housing means between axially spaced positions respectively corresponding to a valve closed position, a valve open position, and a lock setting position;

said tubular assemblage cooperating with a portion of the bore of said tubular housing means to define an annular fluid pressure chamber;

an annular piston shoulder on said tubular assemblage slidable and sealably engaging the outer wall of said annular fluid pressure chamber and movable between said axially spaced positions in response to an increase in pressure of fluids in the well annulus externally of said housing means from the hydrostatic pressure level;

said tubular assemblage being movable from said valve closed position through said valve opening position to said lock setting position by said increase in pressure of fluids in the well annulus;

resilient means opposing movement of said tubular assemblage to said valve opening and lock setting position, whereby said tubular assemblage is biased toward said valve closed position by said resilient means upon reduction of said fluid pressure in the well annulus;

an internal sleeve disposed below said tubular sleeve and cooperating with the bore of said housing means to define a trap chamber for holding a pressurized gas;

floating piston means in the lower portion of said trap chamber for applying a predetermined well annulus pressure to the bottom end of said trap chamber, whereby a fluid pressure substantially in excess of the well hydrostatic pressure at the level of said isolated formation is trapped in said trap chamber;

conduit means for applying said pressurized gas to the lower face of said piston shoulder, thereby applying a substantial additional upward force to said tubular assemblage holding said valve in said closed position; and

lock means operable by movement of said tubular assemblage from said lock setting position toward said valve closed position for securing said tubular assemblage in a valve open-locked position,

said lock means being disposed between the exterior of said tubular assemblage and the bore of said housing means and comprising means for locking said tubular assemblage in said lock open position in response to movement of said tubular assemblage past said valve open position to said lock setting position, followed by a return of said tubular assemblage toward said valve closed position, and further comprising means for unlocking said tubular assemblage by subsequent movement of said tubular assemblage from said lock open position downwardly to a valve open fail safe position, said lock means further comprising

an abutment sleeve rotatably mounted in said housing means and defining a plurality of peripherally spaced internal projections;

a plurality of peripherally spaced external projections on said tubular assemblage;

said internal and external projections being aligned and abuttable in one angular position of said abutment sleeve to lock said tubular assemblage in said valve open position and being misaligned and non-abuttable in another angular position of said abutment sleeve; and

pin and slot means cooperable between said abutment sleeve and said tubular assemblage for controlling the angular position of said abutment sleeve as a function of the longitudinal movement of said tubular assemblage to and from said lock setting position and valve open-fail safe position.

2. A fluid pressure controlled apparattus having tubular housing means adapted to be connected to a pipe string and having an axial flow passage extending therethrough from an isolated well formation;

a valve mounted in said tubular housing means and shiftable between open and closed positions relative to said axial flow passage;

internal valve actuator means in said housing means including a tubular assemblage defining a portion of said flow passage and movable with respect to said housing means between axially spaced positions respectively corresponding to a valve closed position, and a valve open position;

said tubular assemblage cooperating with a portion of the bore of said tubular housing means to define an annular fluid pressure chamber;

an annular piston shoulder on said tubular assemblage slidable and sealably engaging the outer wall of said annular fluid pressure chamber and movable between said axially spaced positions in response to an increase in pressure of fluids in the well annulus externally of said housing means from the hydrostatic pressure level;

said tubular assemblage being movable axially from said valve closed position to said valve opening position by said increase in pressure of fluids in the well annulus;

resilient means opposing movement of said tubular assemblage to said valve opening position, whereby said tubular assemblage is biased toward said valve closed position by said resilient means upon reduction of said fluid pressure in the well annulus;

an internal sleeve disposed below said tubular sleeve and cooperating with the bore of said housing means to define a trap chamber for holding a pressurized gas;

floating piston means in the lower portion of said trap chamber;

trapping valve means for applying a predetermined well annulus pressure to the bottom end of said trap chamber, whereby a fluid pressure substantially in excess of the well hydrostatic pressure at the level of said isolated formation may be trapped in said trap chamber; and

conduit means for applying said pressurized gas to the lower face of said piston shoulder, thereby applying a substantial additional upward force to said tubular assemblage holding said valve in said closed position;

a ball valve pivotally mounted in said tubular housing for movement between said open and closed positions;

said ball valve having an annular metallic sealing surface which faces downwardly in said closed position of said valve;

a seal sleeve operatively connected to said tubular assemblage below said ball valve; and

said seal sleeve having an upwardly facing annular metallic seal surface sealingly engagable with said annular metallic seal surface on said ball valve in said valve closed position of said tubular assemblage, whereby elastomeric materials are eliminated from the dynamic ball seal, means defining a second annular fluid pressurechamber between the exterior of said tubular assemblage and the interior of said tubular housing means;

said second annular fluid pressure chamber being in communication with the fluid pressure existing above said ball valve when said ball valve is in its said closed position;

port means communicating between the bore of said tubular assemblage and said second annular fluid pressure chamber;

an annular floating piston sleeve slidably and sealably mounted in said second annular fluid pressure chamber in separating relationship to the fluid pressures respectively derived from above the closed ball valve and from below the closed ball valve;

said tubular assemblage having an external rib projecting into said second annular fluid pressure chamber and sealingly engaged with the inner surface of said annular floating piston sleeve, the downwardly facing area of said rib being exposed to said fluid pressure derived from above the closed ball valve and having a greater effective area acting on said tubular assemblage than the upwardly facing surfaces of said tubular assemblage exposed to said fluid pressure derived from above the closed ball valve resulting in a substantial force to maintain the sealing engagement of said annular metallic sealing surfaces.

3. Apparatus for opening and closing a well conduit extending to an isolated production formation comprising:

a ball valve;

means for pivotally mounting said ball valve within said conduit for movement between an open and a closed position relative to the conduit bore;

a tubular actuating assemblage slidably mounted within said conduit below said ball valve;

means secured to the top end of said actuating assemblage engagable with said ball valve to pivot said ball valve from a closed to an open position by downward movement of said actuating sleeve;

said ball having an external annular metallic sealing means disposed in downwardly facing relation when said ball valve is in said closed position;

an upwardly facing metallic seal ring formed on the top of said actuating sleeve and sealingly engagable with said annular metallic sealing means, whereby the fluid pressure above said ball may be higher or lower than the fluid pressure below said ball valve in its closed position;

means defining an annular fluid pressure chamber between the exterior of said actuating assemblage and the interior of said well conduit;

the top end of said annular fluid pressure chamber being in communication with the fluid pressure above said ball valve;

port means communicating between the bore of said actuating assemblage and said annular fluid pressure chamber, thereby supplying fluid pressure below said ball valve to said annular fluid pressure chamber;

an annular floating piston sleeve slidably and sealably mounted in said annular fluid pressure chamber in separating relationship to the fluid pressures respectively derived from above the closed ball valve and below the closed ball valve, said floating piston sleeve being abuttable with said actuating assemblage only when shifted upwardly by fluid pressure;

fluid pressure means for shifting said actuating assemblage downwardly to open said ball valve; and

separate resilient means and hydraulic means opposing said downward movement and biasing said actuating assemblage upwardly to its ball valve closing position.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said actuating assemblage has an external rib projecting into said second annular fluid pressure chamber and sealingly engaged with the inner surface of said annular floating piston sleeve, the downwardly facing areas of said rib being exposed to said fluid pressure derived from above the closed ball valve and having a greater effective area than the upwardly facing surfaces of said actuating assemblage exposed to said fluid pressure derived from above the closed ball valve.

5. The apparatus cf claim 3 wherein said ball valve has a cam track on its periphery, and said means secured to the top end of said actuating sleeve comprises an internally projecting pin engagable with said cam track.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein at least one end of said cam track is open, permitting said pin to move out of said cam slot by upward movement of said actuating assemblage beyond its valve closing position to engage said metallic seal ring with said annular metallic seal means subsequent to closing said ball valve, whereby downward movement of said actuating sleeve separates said metallic seal ring from said annular metallic seal means prior to any pivotal opening movement of said ball valve.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein both ends of said cam track are open, permitting said pin to move out of said slot by upward movement of said actuating sleeve beyond its ball valve closing position, and also permitting downward movement of said actuating sleeve beyond its ball valve opening position.

8. The method of effecting the locking of a downhole well valve in an open position wherein the valve is pivoted in a tubular housing for movement between said positions by axial movements of a tubular actuator slidably mounted in the tubular housing and movable between two positions corresponding to the open and closed positions of the valve and also to a lock setting position, said tubular actuator having external locking lugs thereon and being movable through a rotatable, axially fixed locking ring having internal locking lugs thereon comprising the steps of:

controlling the angular position of said locking ring by a cycle of axial movements of said tubular actuator including (1) moving the tubular actuator beyond its valve open position to said lock setting position with the internal locking lugs angularly indexed to pass between said external locking lugs, and (2) returning the tubular actuator from said lock setting position to said valve open position to angularly index the internal locking lugs to block the path of said external lugs and prevent movement of said tubular actuator to its valve closed position.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising repeating said cycle of axial movements of said tubular actuator to angularly index said locking ring to position said external lugs to pass through said internal lugs and permit movement of said tubular actuator to its valve closed position.

10. The method of claim 8 or 9 further comprising the step of producing the movements of said tubular actuator by changing the pressure of fluids external to said tubular housing.