Pressure activated down hole systems and methods

• US 9,238,954 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2013
• Issued: 01/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Acosta, Frank, Budler, Nicholas, Szarka, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Harcourt, Brad
• Application Number:
  US13/734,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20140048263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 166/373, 166/381, 166/383, 166/387
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 23/042 using a single piston or multiple mechanically interconnected pistons
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 23/06 for setting packers
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/1295 actuated by fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/063 Valve or closure with destructible element, e.g. frangible disc E21B34/103 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/14 operated by movement of tools, e.g. sleeve valves operated by pistons or wire line tools E21B34/066 takes precedence

Abstract

Systems and methods for activating a down hole tool in a wellbore. A piston is moveable from a first position to a second position for activating the down hole tool. The piston includes a first side exposed to an activation chamber, and a second side operatively coupled to the down hole tool. A rupture member has a first side exposed to the activation chamber and a second side exposed to the interior of a base pipe. The rupture member is configured to rupture when a pressure differential between the activation chamber and the interior reaches a predetermined threshold value, at which point the rupture member allows fluid communication between the interior and the activation chamber to pressurize the activation chamber and move the piston, thereby activating the down hole tool.

Claims

1. A system for activating a down hole tool in a wellbore, the system comprising:

a base pipe defining an interior, an exterior, and one or more ports;

an activation chamber defined by an external sleeve disposed about the base pipe, wherein the one or more ports facilitate fluid communication between the interior and the activation chamber;

a piston located on the exterior of the base pipe and including a first piston side exposed to the activation chamber and a second piston side biasing the down hole tool such that any movement of the piston causes the down hole tool to correspondingly move, wherein the piston is moveable within the activation chamber from a first position to a second position for activating the down hole tool; and

a rupture member separating the activation chamber from the interior and preventing fluid communication therebetween until a pressure differential between the activation chamber and the interior reaches a predetermined threshold value, at which point the rupture member ruptures and allows fluid communication between the activation chamber and the interior,

wherein when the rupture member is intact, the piston is in the first position, and when the rupture member ruptures, the piston moves to the second position and thereby activates the down hole tool.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the rupture member is ruptured by increasing pressure in the interior to the predetermined threshold value.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the rupture member is located in the one or more ports.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising a plug located below the one or more ports, and wherein the plug enables increasing of the pressure differential between the activation chamber and the interior by increasing pressure in the interior.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the piston is moveable in response to a pressure increase in the activation chamber that occurs in response to rupturing of the rupture member.

6. A method for activating a down hole tool in a wellbore, comprising:

advancing the down hole tool into the wellbore, the down hole tool being coupled to a base pipe defining an interior, an exterior, and one or more ports, wherein the down hole tool is located on the exterior, and wherein an activation chamber is defined by an external sleeve disposed about the base pipe and the one or more ports facilitate fluid communication between the interior and the activation chamber;

increasing pressure in the interior to a pressure above a threshold value;

rupturing a rupture member positioned between the interior and the activation chamber in fluid communication with a first side of a movable piston when the pressure in the interior exceeds the threshold value, thereby causing an increase of pressure in the activation chamber; and

moving the piston within the activation chamber to activate the down hole tool in response to the increase of pressure in the activation chamber, wherein the piston includes a second piston side that biases the down hole tool such that any movement of the piston causes the down hole tool to correspondingly move.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the rupture member is located in the one or more ports, and wherein increasing pressure in the interior further comprises:

landing a plug assembly in the interior below the one or more ports; and

preventing fluid flow in the interior past the plug assembly.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein rupturing the rupture member further comprises opening a fluid communication path between the interior and the activation chamber.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein moving the piston further comprises moving the piston axially along the exterior of the base pipe.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein increasing pressure in the interior further comprises operating equipment located up hole of the down hole tool.

11. A wellbore system, comprising:

a base pipe moveable along the wellbore, the base pipe defining an interior and including a sleeve assembly defining an activation chamber;

a moveable piston having a first end exposed to the activation chamber;

a down hole tool disposed about the base pipe and biasing a second end of the piston such that any axial movement of the piston causes the down hole tool to correspondingly move; and

a rupture member fluidly separating the activation chamber from the interior until a pressure differential between the activation chamber and the interior reaches a predetermined threshold value, at which point the rupture member ruptures and allows fluid communication between the activation chamber and the interior, thereby increasing pressure in the activation chamber and moving the piston within the activation chamber to operate the down hole tool.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a plug located in the interior below the down hole tool, wherein the plug restricts fluid flow past the plug in a down hole direction.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the down hole tool is an annular packer, the system further comprising a cam surface disposed about the base pipe and an expansion sleeve engaging the second end of the piston, and wherein movement of the piston urges the annular packer over the cam surface to set the annular packer.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the second end of the piston is exposed to an annulus of the wellbore.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the rupture member is a burst disc.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the base pipe defines a port extending between the interior and the activation chamber, and wherein the rupture member is located in the port.