Formation isolation valve

• US 6,662,877 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2001
• Issued: 12/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Patel, Dinesh R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bagnell, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): HALFORD, BRIAN D
• Application Number:
  US09/996,146
• Publication Number:
  US 20020066573A1
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 166/374, 166/386, 166/321, 166/323, 166/331, 166/240, 166/334.2, 166/332.3
• US Class Current: 166/386
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/10 operated by control fluid supplied from outside the borehole
• 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

An assembly that is usable in a subterranean well includes a valve, a sleeve and an index mechanism. The valve is adapted to selectively isolate a region of the well, and the sleeve is adapted to be moved by a downhole tool to cause the valve to transition from a first state to a second state. The index mechanism prevents the valve from transitioning from the first state to the second state until after a position of the sleeve follows a predefined pattern.

Claims

1. An assembly usable in a subterranean well, comprising:

a valve adapted to selectively isolate a region of the well;

a sleeve adapted to be moved by a downhole tool to cause the valve to transition from a first state to a second state, the downhole tool being part of a string that is separate from the valve; and

an index mechanism to prevent the valve from transitioning from the first state to the second state until after a position of the sleeve follows a predefined pattern.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the sleeve is further adapted to be moved in response to a pressure.

3. The assembly of claim 2, further comprising:

another index mechanism to prevent the valve from transitioning from the second state to the first state until the pressure follows another predefined pattern.

4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the first state comprises an open state and the second state comprises a closed state.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first state comprises an open state and the second state comprises a closed state.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the string is capable of extending through the valve when the valve is open.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the index mechanism prevents the valve from unintentionally transitioning from the first state to the second state.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the assembly comprises a formation isolation valve assembly.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the index mechanism comprises:

an index sleeve to limit travel of the mandrel until the index sleeve is rotated to a predefined position;

a pin connected to the index sleeve; and

a groove formed in the first sleeve to rotate the index sleeve to the predefined position in response to the position of the first sleeve following the predefined pattern.

10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the predefined pattern comprises a predefined number of cycles of the sleeve, each cycle including one upstroke of the mandrel and one downstroke of the sleeve.

11. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the index mechanism prevents the valve from unintentionally transitioning from the first state to the second state due to movement of a string attached to the tool.

12. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the valve comprises a ball valve.

13. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a mandrel adapted to be operated by pressure to move the sleeve.

14. The assembly of claim 13, further comprising:

another index mechanism to prevent the mandrel from moving the sleeve until the pressure conforms to a predetermined pressure pattern.

15. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the movement of the sleeve by the mandrel transitions the valve from the second state to the first state.

16. A method comprising:

using a valve to isolate a region of a subterranean well;

moving a sleeve with a downhole tool to cause the valve to transition from a first state to a second state, the downhole tool being part of a string that is separate from the valve; and

preventing the valve from transitioning from the first state to the second state until after a position of the sleeve follows a predefined pattern.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

applying pressure downhole;

preventing the sleeve from moving from the second state to the first state until the pressure follows another predefined pattern.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first state comprises an open and the second state comprises a closed state.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the first state comprises an open state and the second state comprises a closed state.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the string is capable of extending through the valve when the valve is open.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the preventing comprises preventing the valve from unintentionally transitioning from the first state to the second state.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the assembly comprises a formation isolation valve assembly.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein the predefined pattern comprises a predefined number of cycles of the sleeve, each cycle including one upstroke of the sleeve and one downstroke of the sleeve.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the preventing comprises preventing the valve from unintentionally transitioning from the first state to the second state due to movement of a string attached to the tool.

25. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

using pressure to operate a mandrel to move the sleeve.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

preventing the mandrel from moving the sleeve until the pressure conforms to a predetermined pressure pattern.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the movement of the sleeve by said mandrel transitions the valve from the second state to the first state.

28. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

positioning the valve between a port closure sleeve and the surface of the well.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the positioning the valve comprises:

positioning the valve uphole from the port closure sleeve.

30. An assembly comprising:

a valve adapted to transition between first and second states;

a first index mechanism functionally connected to the valve to prevent the valve from transitioning from the first state to the second state; and

a second index mechanism separate from the first index mechanism and functionally connected to the valve to prevent the valve from transitioning from the second state to the first state.

31. The assembly of claim 30, wherein the first index mechanism comprises a movement responsive index mechanism.

32. The assembly of claim 31, wherein the second index mechanism comprises a pressure responsive index mechanism.

33. The assembly of claim 30, wherein the second index mechanism comprises a pressure responsive index mechanism.

34. A method comprising:

running a valve open into a wellbore;

shifting a tool that is part of a string that is separate from the valve a predetermined number of times to close the valve; and

increasing a pressure inside a tubing bore a predetermined number of times to open the valve.

35. A system usable with a subterranean well, comprising:

a tubular string;

a port closure sleeve being part of the tubular string to selectively control fluid between an inner passageway of the string and a region outside of the string;

a valve being part of the string and adapted to selectively isolate a region of the well, the valve being located between the port closure sleeve and the surface of the well;

a second sleeve adapted to be moved by a downhole tool to cause the valve to transition from a first state to a second state, the downhole tool being part of a string that is separate from the valve; and

an index mechanism to prevent the valve from transitioning from the first state to the second state until after a position of the second sleeve follows a predefined pattern.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the port closure sleeve is located uphole from the valve.

37. The system of claim 35, wherein the sleeve is further adapted to be moved in response to a pressure.

38. The system of claim 37, further comprising:

another index mechanism to prevent the valve from transitioning from the second state to the first state until the pressure follows another predefined pattern.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the first state comprises an open state and the second state comprises a closed state.

40. The system of claim 35, wherein the first state comprises an open state and the second state comprises a closed state.

41. The system of claim 35, wherein the string is capable of extending through the valve when the valve is open.

42. The system of claim 35, wherein the index mechanism prevents the valve from unintentionally transitioning from the first state to the second state.

43. The system of claim 35, wherein the system comprises a formation isolation valve system.

44. The system of claim 35, wherein the index mechanism comprises:

an index sleeve to limit travel of the mandrel until the index sleeve is rotated to a predefined position;

a pin connected to the index sleeve; and

a groove formed in the first sleeve to rotate the index sleeve to the predefined position in response to the position of the first sleeve following the predefined pattern.

45. The system of claim 35, wherein the predefined pattern comprises a predefined number of cycles of the sleeve, each cycle including one upstroke of the mandrel and one downstroke of the sleeve.

46. The system of claim 35, wherein the index mechanism prevents the valve from unintentionally transitioning from the first state to the second state due to movement of a string attached to the tool.

47. The system of claim 35, wherein the valve comprises a ball valve.

48. The system of claim 35 further comprising:

a mandrel adapted to be operated by pressure to move the sleeve.

49. The system of claim 48, further comprising:

another index mechanism to prevent the mandrel from moving the sleeve until the pressure conforms to a predetermined pressure pattern.