Downhole Tools, System and Method of Using

• US 20140251636A1
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peak Completion Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Peak Completion Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Hofman, Raymond, Muscroft, William Sloane
• Granted Patent: US 9,567,832 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/373
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 2200/06 Sleeve valves
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/063 Valve or closure with destructible element, e.g. frangible disc E21B34/103 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/08 responsive to flow or pressure of the fluid obtained E21B34/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/103 with a shear pin

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to downhole tools, including downhole valves, which actuate via a pressure differential created across a shifting element having one or more pressure surfaces isolated from fluid, and fluid pressure, flowing through the interior flowpath. Embodiment downhole tools of the present disclosure may actuate in response to, among other signals, fluid pressure in the interior flowpath of the tool and fluid pressure communicated to a pressure surface of the shifting sleeve from the exterior of the tool. Certain embodiments may also have an outlet connector whereby fluid pressure from the downhole tool may be communicated to its exterior, including to additional tools in the tubing strings via flowlines connecting the two tools.

Claims

1. A downhole a tool having an interior flowpath and an exterior comprising:

an inner sleeve;

a housing positioned outwardly of said inner sleeve, said housing and said inner sleeve partially defining a first space therebetween;

said housing further comprising an input connector defining an opening to a passageway that enables fluid communication from the exterior of the housing to said space;

a shifting sleeve occupying a portion of said space; and

wherein said shifting sleeve is selectively moveable from a first position to a second position in response to a predetermined fluid pressure in said passageway.

2. The downhole tool of claim 1 wherein said housing further comprises an output connector defining an output opening for a second passageway that enables fluid communication from said space to the exterior of the housing.

3. The downhole tool of claim 2 wherein said space further comprises a lower pressure chamber at least partially defined by said shifting sleeve.

4. The downhole tool of claim 1 further comprising a top connection having a first surface partially defining said space.

5. The downhole tool of claim 1 further comprising a bottom connection having a second surface partially defining said space.

6. The downhole tool of claim 1 further comprising a lower pressure chamber adjacent to the shifting sleeve, said lower pressure chamber being in fluid isolation from the first space, and said second space at least partially defined by the shifting sleeve.

7. The downhole tool of claim 1 wherein said space further comprises an upper pressure chamber in fluid communication with the input connector.

8. The downhole tool of claim 1 further comprising a control device wherein said control device prevents actuation of the downhole tool until a pressure differential across the shifting sleeve exceeds a predetermined value.

9. A method for treating a well, said method comprising:

placing a valve along a tubing string to be installed in the well, the valve comprising;

an inner sleeve;

a housing positioned outwardly of said inner sleeve, said housing and said inner sleeve partially defining a first space therebetween;

an input connector in fluid communication with at least a portion of said space; and

a shifting sleeve occupying a portion of said space;

applying hydraulic pressure to the input connector,

causing the shifting sleeve to move from a first position to a second position.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said valve further comprises at least one port through said housing;

and

further wherein flow through said at least one port is prevented when the shifting sleeve is in the first position, and flow through said at least one port is permitted when said shifting sleeve is in the second position,

the method further comprising the step of flowing fluid from the interior flowpath through the at least one port.

11. The method of claim 9, said valve further comprising an output connector defining an output opening for a second passageway that enables fluid communication from said space to the exterior of said housing, the method further comprising establishing fluid communication between the interior flowpath of the valve and the output connector.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said space further comprises a lower pressure chamber and said lower pressure

13. A method for treating a well, said well containing a valve having an interior flowpath and an exterior, the valve comprising

an outer housing, said housing having an input connector and at least one port therethrough and;

a shifting sleeve mounted within the tubing, said shifting sleeve having a first position and a second position;

a pressure chamber in fluid communication with said at least one shifting sleeve.

wherein, the interior flowpath is not in fluid communication with the exterior when the shifting sleeve is in the first position, and the interior flowpath is in fluid communication with the exterior when the shifting sleeve is in the second position; and

the shifting sleeve is moveable from the first position to the second position in response to a predetermined fluid pressure of the input connector that is greater than the pressure chamber pressure; and

the method comprising;

applying hydraulic pressure to the shifting sleeve via the input connector;

moving the shifting sleeve from a first position to a second position in response to fluid pressure received from the input connector;

flowing fluid from an interior flowpath of the valve to the exterior through the at least one port.

14. The method of claim 13, said method further comprising a first pressure cycle having a

first maximum pressure, and a second pressure cycle having a second maximum pressure;

wherein said first maximum pressure is below the pressure necessary to move the shifting sleeve from the first position to the second position, and the second maximum pressure is above the pressure necessary to move the shifting sleeve from the first position to the second position.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the valve further comprises a control device to prevent the sleeve from moving to the second position until a desired pressure is communicated to the shifting sleeve from the input connector.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the control device comprises a shear pin.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the valve further comprises an output connector, the method further comprising the step of establishing fluid communication between an interior flowpath of the valve and output connector when the shifting sleeve is moved to the second position.

The method of claim 17 wherein the step of establishing fluid communication comprises disengaging the shifting sleeve from at least one seal lying between at least port in the inner sleeve and the outlet connector.