Apparatus and method for launching plugs in cementing operations
First Claim
1. An apparatus for use in launching at least two cement plugs during a well cementing operation, comprising:
- a cylinder having ports defined in a portion of the wall thereof;
a piston slideably received in the bore of the cylinder below the ports; and
an actuator extending from the piston through the cylinder and operable by the piston for launching the cement plugs from the apparatus into the well;
wherein the apparatus further comprises an elongate sleeve valve member located in the cylinder above the piston, the sleeve valve member comprising at least two ball seats for receiving balls to block the interior of the cylinder, sleeve ports formed in the sleeve valve member above the ball seats, and a spacer extending between the ball seats and the piston, wherein the sleeve ports are spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the amount of movement required for the piston to launch a plug from the apparatus.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for use in launching cement plugs in a well cementing operation, comprising: —a cylinder (104) having ports (106) defined in a portion of the wall thereof; —a piston (108) slideably received in the bore of the cylinder below the ports; and —an actuator (110) extending from the piston through the cylinder and operable by the piston for launching a plug from the apparatus into the well; wherein the apparatus further comprises an elongate sleeve valve member located in the cylinder above the piston, the sleeve valve member (112) comprising at least one ball seat (114a-114c) for receiving a ball to block the interior of the cylinder, sleeve ports formed in the sleeve above the ball seat, and a spacer (118) extending between the ball seat and the piston.
32 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An apparatus for use in launching at least two cement plugs during a well cementing operation, comprising:
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a cylinder having ports defined in a portion of the wall thereof; a piston slideably received in the bore of the cylinder below the ports; and an actuator extending from the piston through the cylinder and operable by the piston for launching the cement plugs from the apparatus into the well; wherein the apparatus further comprises an elongate sleeve valve member located in the cylinder above the piston, the sleeve valve member comprising at least two ball seats for receiving balls to block the interior of the cylinder, sleeve ports formed in the sleeve valve member above the ball seats, and a spacer extending between the ball seats and the piston, wherein the sleeve ports are spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the amount of movement required for the piston to launch a plug from the apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of launching a cement plugs in a well cementing operation utilizing an apparatus comprising a cylinder having ports defined in a portion of the wall thereof, a piston slideably received in the bore of the cylinder below the ports, an actuator extending from the piston through the cylinder and operable by the piston for launching a plug from the apparatus into the well;
- the apparatus further comprising an elongate sleeve valve member located in the cylinder above the piston, the sleeve valve member comprising a series of ball seats spaced one above the other and having apertures for receiving a ball to block the interior of the cylinder, said apertures become progressively larger from bottom to top, sleeve ports formed in the sleeve above each ball seat, and a spacer extending between the ball seat and the piston, wherein the sleeve ports are above the cylinder ports, the method comprising;
pumping a first ball through the sleeve valve member so as to pass through an upper ball seat and seat in the lowest ball seat and block fluid flow through the sleeve member; applying fluid pressure above the first ball so as to urge the sleeve valve member downwards in the cylinder from a starting position to a second position in which the sleeve ports above the lowest ball seat are in alignment with the cylinder ports; pumping a second ball through the sleeve valve member so as to seat in the upper ball seat and bock fluid flow through the sleeve valve member; and applying fluid pressure above the second ball so as to urge the sleeve valve member downwards in the cylinder to a third position in which the sleeve ports above the upper ball seat are in alignment with the cylinder ports; wherein the motion of the sleeve valve member when moving between the starting position and the second position, and between the second position and the third position is transmitted via the spacer, piston and actuator to launch cement plugs from the apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
- the apparatus further comprising an elongate sleeve valve member located in the cylinder above the piston, the sleeve valve member comprising a series of ball seats spaced one above the other and having apertures for receiving a ball to block the interior of the cylinder, said apertures become progressively larger from bottom to top, sleeve ports formed in the sleeve above each ball seat, and a spacer extending between the ball seat and the piston, wherein the sleeve ports are above the cylinder ports, the method comprising;
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18. A method of using an apparatus for launching cement plugs in a well cementing operation, said apparatus comprising:
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a cylinder having ports defined in a portion of the wall thereof; a piston slideably received in the bore of the cylinder below the ports; and an actuator extending from the piston through the cylinder and operable by the piston for launching a plug from the apparatus into the well; wherein the apparatus further comprises an elongate sleeve valve member located in the cylinder above the piston, the sleeve valve member comprising at least one ball seat for receiving a ball to block the interior of the cylinder, sleeve ports formed in the sleeve above the ball seat, and a spacer extending between the ball seat and the piston, the method comprising; pumping a first ball through the sleeve valve member so as to pass through an upper ball seat and seat in the lowest ball seat and block fluid flow through the sleeve member; applying fluid pressure above the first ball so as to urge the sleeve valve member downwards in the cylinder from a starting position to a second position in which the sleeve ports above the lowest ball seat are in alignment with the cylinder ports; pumping a second ball through the sleeve valve member so as to seat in the upper ball seat and bock fluid flow through the sleeve valve member; and applying fluid pressure above the second ball so as to urge the sleeve valve member downwards in the cylinder to a third position in which the sleeve ports above the upper ball seat are in alignment with the cylinder ports; wherein the motion of the sleeve valve member when moving between the starting position and the second position, and between the second position and the third position is transmitted via the spacer, piston and actuator to launch cement plugs from the apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification