Tubular valve system and method

• US 8,281,865 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2009
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Joseph, Paul, Abarca, John R., Mendez, Luis E.
• Primary Examiner(s): COY, NICOLE A
• Application Number:
  US12/497,076
• Publication Number:
  US 20110000679A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: 166/373, 166/334.1, 166/332.1, 166/319, 166/66.6, 137/601.13, 137/601.14, 137/601.15
• US Class Current: 166/373
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/066 electrically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 47/02 the driving mechanisms being situated at ground level F04B47/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87499 Fluid actuated or retarded

Abstract

A tubular valve system includes, a tubular, a primary valve actuatable to control occlusion of at least one port fluidically connecting an inner bore of the tubular with an outside of the tubular, and a contingency valve actuatable to control occlusion of at least one port fluidically connecting the inner bore with the outside of the tubular.

Claims

1. A tubular valve system, comprising:

a tubular;

a primary valve actuatable to control occlusion of at least one first port fluidically connecting a first volume at an inner bore of the tubular with a second volume at an outside of the tubular;

a contingency valve actuatable to control occlusion of at least one second port fluidically connecting the first volume at the inner bore with the second volume at the outside of the tubular; and

a member configured to allow or occlude fluidic communication between the first volume at the inner bore of the tubular and the second volume at the outside of the tubular independently of the primary valve.

2. The tubular valve system of claim 1, wherein the primary valve is actively controlled and the contingency valve is passively controlled.

3. The tubular valve system of claim 1, wherein the tubular valve system is deployable within a wellbore.

4. The tubular valve system of claim 1, wherein the primary valve is controlled by one of electrical power and hydraulic pressure.

5. The tubular valve system of claim 1, wherein the contingency valve is controlled by mechanical actuation.

6. The tubular valve system of claim 1, wherein the contingency valve includes a sleeve that is movable relative to the tubular.

7. The tubular valve system of claim 6, wherein the sleeve has at least one contingency opening that can be aligned with the at least one second port to open the at least one second port or misaligned with the at least one second port to occlude the at least one second port.

8. The tubular valve system of claim 6, wherein the sleeve is slidably sealingly engaged with the tubular.

9. The tubular valve system of claim 6, further comprising a collet in operable communication with the sleeve and the tubular to maintain the sleeve in a position relative to the tubular when the sleeve is not being moved.

10. The tubular valve system of claim 6, wherein the sleeve includes a profile engagable with a shifting tool.

11. The tubular valve system of claim 1, wherein the member is a collar.

12. The tubular valve system of claim 11, wherein the collar is movable from a position not occluding the at least one first port to a position occluding the at least one first port by actuation of the contingency valve.

13. The tubular valve system of claim 1, wherein the member is configured to defeat the primary valve upon actuation thereof.

14. The tubular valve system of claim 1, wherein the at least one first port is not the at least one second port.

15. The tubular valve system of claim 1, wherein the member is in operable communication with the contingency valve such that actuation of the contingency valve to uncover the second port also moves the member to occlude the first port.

16. A method of valving a tubular, comprising:

actively actuating a primary valve disposed at the tubular and configured to control fluidic communication between a first volume and a second volume through a first port;

maintaining a contingency valve configured to control fluidic communication between the first volume and the second volume through a second port disposed at the tubular in reserve; and

maintaining a member at the tubular configured to allow or occlude fluidic communication between the first volume and the second volume independently of the primary valve through the first port upon movement relative to the tubular in reserve.

17. The method of valving a tubular of claim 16, further comprising actuating the contingency valve upon loss of performance of the primary valve.

18. The method of valving a tubular of claim 17, wherein the actuating the contingency valve is via mechanical actuation.

19. The method of valving a tubular of claim 16, further comprising engaging the contingency valve with a shifting tool.

20. The method of valving a tubular of claim 16, further comprising moving a sleeve relative to the tubular.

21. The method of valving a tubular of claim 20, further comprising moving the member relative to the tubular.

22. The method of valving a tubular of claim 16, further comprising actuating the contingency valve to open the contingency valve.

23. The method of valving a tubular of claim 22, wherein the actuating the contingency valve includes closing the primary valve.

24. The method of valving a tubular of claim 22, further comprising defeating the primary valve with the actuating of the contingency valve.