Casing valve

• US 9,611,718 B1
• Filed: 07/10/2014
• Issued: 04/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Superior Energy Services LLC (SESI Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Superior Energy Services LLC (SESI Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bond, Lesley O., Holder, Barry K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bomar, Shane
• Application Number:
  US14/328,335
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 2200/06 Sleeve valves
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/00 Valve arrangements for boreholes or wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/06 in wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/066 electrically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/108 with time delay systems, e.g. hydraulic impedance mechanisms

Abstract

A casing valve including a tool housing defining an internal channel from a wellbore annulus. A valve allows selective communication between the internal channel and the wellbore annulus, where the valve has a sliding sleeve positioned externally to the tool housing. A first piston surface for opening the valve and a second piston surface for closing the valve are attached to the sleeve and a fluid supply valve directs fluid to the first and second piston surface. An electronic controller operates the fluid control valve to direct the fluid to the first and second control valve.

Claims

1. A downhole completion tool comprising:

a. a main tool housing defining an internal channel from an external flow area;

b. a valve allowing selective communication between the internal channel and the external flow areas;

c. a valve actuation mechanism allowing opening of the valve without intervention of a tethered activation tool, the actuation mechanism including a hydraulic accumulator on the tool housing, the accumulator (i) including a reservoir of hydraulic fluid, and (ii) being in communication with a pressurized gas source transmitting pressure to the hydraulic fluid; and

d. a propellant-containing cartridge formed on the outside of the tool housing.

2. The downhole completion tool according to claim 1, wherein the external flow area is a wellbore annulus surrounding the main tool housing.

3. The downhole completion tool according to claim 1, wherein the main tool housing includes at least one casing section and the valve includes a sleeve positioned external to the casing section.

4. The downhole completion tool according to claim 3, wherein (i) the sleeve includes first and second piston surfaces, and (ii) a fluid supply valve selectively directs fluid to the first or second piston surfaces.

5. The downhole completion tool according to claim 1, further comprising a controller and a signal receiver, wherein the controller operates the valve actuation mechanism.

6. The downhole completion tool according to claim 1, wherein the propellant-containing cartridge includes sufficient propellant to, upon ignition, create a pressure wave acting to stimulate an oil/gas containing formation around the tool housing.

7. The downhole completion tool according to claim 1, wherein ignition of a propellant in the propellant containing cartridge supplies pressurized gas to the accumulator.

8. The downhole completion tool according to claim 7, wherein the valve actuation mechanism includes a controller and a signal receiver.

9. The downhole completion tool according to claim 8, wherein the signal receiver is capable of detecting at least one of fluid pressure pulses or acoustic signals.

10. The downhole completion tool according to claim 9, wherein the controller, upon receipt of distinct codes from the signal receiver, operates to ignite the propellant and/or activate the valve actuation mechanism.

11. A downhole completion tool comprising:

a. a tool housing defining an internal channel from a wellbore annulus;

b. a valve allowing selective communication between the internal channel and the wellbore annulus, the valve comprising a sliding sleeve positioned externally to the tool housing;

c. a hydraulic accumulator external to the tool housing, the accumulator (i) including a reservoir of hydraulic fluid, and (ii) being in communication with a pressurized gas source transmitting pressure to the hydraulic fluid, thereby providing a stored force for moving the sliding sleeve;

d. a valve actuation mechanism selectively releasing the stored force of the accumulator without intervention of a tethered activation tool; and

e. a propellant-containing cartridge formed on the outside of the tool housing.

12. The downhole completion tool according to claim 11, wherein the tool housing includes at least one casing section and the valve includes a sleeve positioned external to the casing section.

13. The downhole completion tool according to claim 11, wherein the valve actuation mechanism includes a controller and a signal receiver.

14. The downhole completion tool according to claim 13, wherein the signal receiver is capable of detecting at least one of fluid pressure pulses or acoustic signals.

15. The downhole completion tool according to claim 14, wherein the controller, upon receipt of distinct codes from the signal receiver, operates to ignite the propellant or activate the valve actuation mechanism.

16. The downhole completion tool according to claim 13, further comprising the sliding sleeve connected to a first piston surface for opening the valve and a second piston surface for closing the valve, wherein the controller activates a fluid inlet valve for delivering fluid to the piston surfaces.

17. The downhole completion tool according to claim 16, wherein the controller actuates a fluid relief valve for releasing hydraulic pressure on the piston surfaces.

18. The downhole completion tool according to claim 11, wherein the sliding sleeve is connected to a first piston surface for opening the valve and a second piston surface for closing the valve.

19. The downhole completion tool according to claim 11, wherein ignition of a propellant charge supplies pressurized gas to the accumulator.

20. The downhole completion tool according to claim 11, wherein the propellant-containing cartridge is formed of a polymer material.

21. The downhole completion tool according to claim 11, wherein a recharging chamber includes a plurality of propellant sections and a controller is capable of selectively activating each of the plurality of propellant sections.

22. A casing valve comprising:

a. a tool housing defining an internal channel from a wellbore annulus;

b. a sleeve valve allowing selective communication between the internal channel and the wellbore annulus, the sleeve valve comprising a sliding sleeve positioned externally to the tool housing;

c. a first piston surface for opening the sleeve valve and a second piston surface for closing the sleeve valve attached to the sleeve;

d. a fluid supply valve directing fluid to the first and second piston surface;

e. an accumulator providing pressurized fluid to the fluid supply valve;

f. an electronic controller operating the fluid supply valve to selectively direct the fluid to the first or second piston surface; and

g. a propellant re-charge cartridge containing propellant ignited by the controller and directing gas from the ignited propellant to the accumulator.