Completion valve assembly

• US 6,352,119 B1
• Filed: 05/12/2000
• Issued: 03/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Inventors: Patel, Dinesh R.
• Primary Examiner(s): NEUDER, WILLIAM P
• Application Number:
  US09/569,792
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 166/386, 166/240, 166/331, 166/332.2, 166/332.3, 166/334.1, 166/334.2, 166/334.4
• US Class Current: 166/386
• 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 23/06 for setting packers
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/10 operated by control fluid supplied from outside the borehole
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/103 with a shear pin

Abstract

In an embodiment of the invention, an apparatus for use in a subterranean well includes a tubular member, a hydraulically set packer, a control line and a valve. The tubular member has an internal passageway, and the hydraulically set packer circumscribes the tubular member and is adapted to be set in response to a difference between first pressure that is exerted by a first fluid in a passageway of the tubular member and a second pressure that is exerted by a second fluid in an annular region that surrounds the packer. The control line is adapted to communicate an indication of the first pressure to the packer, and the valve is adapted to selectively block the communication of the indication to prevent unintentional setting of the packer.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in a subterranean well, comprising:

a tubular member having an internal passageway;

a hydraulically set packer circumscribing the tubular member and adapted to be set in response to a difference between a first pressure exerted by a first fluid in a passageway of the tubular member and a second pressure exerted by a second fluid in an annular region that surrounds the tubular member;

a control line adapted to communicate an indication of the first pressure to the packer; and

a valve adapted to selectively block the communication of the indication to prevent unintentional setting of the packer.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the valve is adapted to permit the communication of the indication after the first pressure transitions pursuant to a predetermined pattern.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the predetermined pattern comprises:

a predetermined number of cycles, the first pressure increasing above a pressure threshold and then decreasing below the pressure threshold in each cycle.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the valve comprises:

an index mechanism adapted to sequence through the predetermined pattern before opening the valve.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the valve comprises:

a sleeve;

a mandrel adapted to move the sleeve to open communication of the indication to the control line in response to the first pressure increasing above a pressure threshold; and

an index mechanism adapted to limit travel of the mandrel to prevent the mandrel from moving the sleeve to open the communication of the indication until the first pressure transitions through a predetermined pattern.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the predetermined pattern comprises:

a predetermined number of cycles, the first pressure increasing above the pressure threshold and then decreasing below the pressure threshold in each cycle.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein a J-slot is formed in the mandrel, the index mechanism comprising:

an index pin having a first end inserted into the J-slot and a second end;

an index sleeve being connected to the second end of the pin and being adapted to rotate in response to traversal of the pin through the J-slot from a first position in which the index sleeve limits the travel of the mandrel to a second position in which the index sleeve does not limit the travel of the mandrel in response to the first pressure transitioning through the predetermined pattern.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

another valve adapted to control communication through the passageway,

wherein,

the mandrel is further adapted to actuate said another valve to open communication through the passageway in response to the first pressure increasing above the pressure threshold, and

the index mechanism is further adapted to limit the travel of the mandrel to prevent the mandrel from actuating the valve to open the communication until the first pressure transitions through the predetermined pattern.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said another valve comprises a ball valve.

10. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the packer is located between the sleeve and a surface of the well.

11. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

another valve adapted to control communication through the passageway,

wherein,

the mandrel is further adapted to actuate said another valve to open communication through the passageway in response to the first pressure increasing above the pressure threshold, and

the index mechanism is further adapted to limit the travel of the mandrel to prevent the mandrel from actuating the valve to open the communication until the first pressure transitions through the predetermined pattern.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said another valve comprises a ball valve.

13. An apparatus for use with a subterranean well comprising:

a tubular member having a longitudinal passageway and at least one port for establishing communication between the passageway and an annular region that surrounds the tubular member; and

a valve adapted to open and close the port and lock the valve closed in response to the valve closing more than a predetermined number of times.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the valve comprises a tubing fill valve.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the valve comprises:

a mandrel adapted to move in the tubular member to open and close communication through said at least one port; and

a ratchet mechanism to lock a position of the mandrel to keep the valve closed after the valve closes more than the predetermined number of times.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein a first surface of the tubular member has first teeth, the ratchet mechanism comprising:

a ratchet key having second teeth and being fixed to the mandrel;

a ratchet lug located between the first and second teeth; and

a spring to bias the ratchet key to permit the ratchet lug to move with respect to the first teeth in a first direction when the mandrel moves in the first direction to close the valve and not move in a second direction with respect to the first teeth when the mandrel moves in the second direction to open the valve.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the mandrel comprises a shoulder and the ratchet lug contacts the shoulder to prevent the mandrel from moving to open the valve when the valve closes more than the predetermined number of times.

18. A method usable in a subterranean well comprising:

setting a hydraulically set packer in response to a pressure differential between a first tubing pressure and a second annulus pressure; and

selectively isolating the packer from the tubing pressure to prevent unintentionally setting the packer.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

permitting communication of the tubing pressure to the packer after the tubing pressure transitions pursuant to a predetermined pattern.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the predetermined pattern comprises:

a predetermined number of cycles, the tubing pressure increasing above a pressure threshold and then decreasing below the pressure threshold in each cycle.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

actuating an index mechanism in response to the tubular pressure sequencing through the predetermined pattern.

22. A method usable with a subterranean well comprising:

using a tubing fill valve to selectively control communication between a passageway of a tubing and an annular region that surrounds the tubing; and

locking the tubing fill valve closed after the valve closes more than a predetermined number of times.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the locking comprises:

advancing a ratchet mechanism to lock the valve closed after the valve closes more than a predetermined number of times.

24. An apparatus for use in a subterranean well, comprising:

a tubular member having an internal passageway;

a hydraulically set packer circumscribing the tubular member and adapted to be set in response to a difference between a first pressure exerted by a first fluid in a passageway of the tubular member and a second pressure exerted by a second fluid in an annular region that surrounds the tubular member;

a control line separate from the tubular member and extending from a surface of the subterranean well, the control line adapted to communicate an indication of the first pressure to the packer; and

a valve adapted to selectively block the communication of the indication to prevent unintentional setting of the packer.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the valve is adapted to permit the communication of the indication after the first pressure transitions pursuant to a predetermined pattern.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the predetermined pattern comprises:

a predetermined number of cycles, the first pressure increasing above a pressure threshold and then decreasing below the pressure threshold in each cycle.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the valve comprises:

an index mechanism adapted to sequence through the predetermined pattern before opening the valve.

28. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the valve comprises:

a sleeve;

a mandrel adapted to move the sleeve to open communication of the indication to the control line in response to the first pressure increasing above a pressure threshold; and

an index mechanism adapted to limit travel of the mandrel to prevent the mandrel from moving the sleeve to open the communication of the indication until the first pressure transitions through a predetermined pattern.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the predetermined pattern comprises:

a predetermined number of cycles, the first pressure increasing above the pressure threshold and then decreasing below the pressure threshold in each cycle.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein a J-slot is formed in the mandrel, the index mechanism comprising:

an index pin having a first end inserted into the J-slot and a second end;

an index sleeve being connected to the second end of the pin and being adapted to rotate in response to traversal of the pin through the J-slot from a first position in which the index sleeve limits the travel of the mandrel to a second position in which the index sleeve does not limit the travel of the mandrel in response to the first pressure transitioning through the predetermined pattern.