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Inventors
McMahan, Michael E.
Newman, Daniel A.
Winslow, Donald W.
Zunkel, Gary D.
Application #
820289
Filed
Jan-17-1986
Published
Sep-8-1987
Current US Class
166/321
166/323
International Classes
E21B 034/08
Field of Search
166/321 166/317 166/319 166/323 166/332 166/334 166/386 166/373 166/374
Assignee
Halliburton Company (Duncan, OK)
Examiners
Novosad; Stephen J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm
Duzan; James R.
US Patent References
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Apparatus for testin... |
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| 3964544 |
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Pressure operated i... |
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| 3970147 |
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Method and appar... |
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| 3976136 |
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Pressure operated i... |
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| 4063593 |
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Full-opening annul... |
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| 4064937 |
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Annulus pressure o... |
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| 4083409 |
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Full flow bypass va... |
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| 4109725 |
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Self adjusting liqui... |
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| 4113012 |
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Reclosable circulat... |
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| 4258793 |
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Oil well testing strin... |
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| 4270610 |
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Annulus pressure o... |
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| 4281715 |
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Bypass valve |
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| 4311197 |
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Annulus pressure o... |
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| 4324293 |
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Circulation valve |
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| 4328866 |
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Check valve assem... |
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| 4341266 |
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Pressure operated t... |
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| 4355685 |
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Ball operated J-slot |
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| 4422506 |
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Low pressure respo... |
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| 4429748 |
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Low pressure respo... |
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| 4444268 |
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Tester valve with sil... |
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| 4445571 |
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Circulation valve |
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| 4448254 |
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Tester valve with sil... |
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| 4452313 |
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Circulation valve |
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| 4489786 |
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Low pressure respo... |
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| 4515219 |
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Low pressure respo... |
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| 4537258 |
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Low pressure respo... |
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| 4553598 |
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Full bore sampler v... |
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| 4557333 |
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Low pressure respo... |
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| 4573535 |
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Sleeve-type low pre... |
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| 4633952 |
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Multi-mode testing t... |
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Referenced by:
View Backward References
Citation
Cite This Patent
More From Subclass 321
More From Class 166
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Abstract
An annulus pressure responsive downhole tool includes a housing with an operating element disposed in the housing. The operating element is movable from a first element position to a second element position relative to the housing. A hydrostatic well annulus pressure referenced annulus pressure responsive first power piston is disposed in the housing and movable from a first to a second position thereof relative to the housing in response to an increase in well annulus pressure. A lower than hydrostatic well annulus pressure referenced annulus pressure responsive second power piston is disposed in the housing and is operatively associated with the operating element for permitting the operating element to move from its first element position to its second element position in response to movement of the second power piston from a first position to a second position thereof relative to the housing. A prevention device is operatively associated with the first and second power pistons for preventing the second power piston from moving to its second position until the first power piston has moved at least part way towards its second position.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An annulus pressure responsive downhole tool apparatus, comprising:
a housing;
an operation element means disposed in said housing and movable from a first element position to a second element position relative to said housing;
a hydrostatic pressure referenced, pressure balanced with respective to hydrostatic pressure, annulus pressure responsive first piston means disposed in said housing, said first piston means being movable from a first to a second position thereof relative to said housing in response to an increase in well annulus pressure;
a lower than hydrostatic referenced annulus pressure responsive second piston means, disposed in said housing and operatively associated with said operating element means, for permitting said operating element means to move from said first element position to said second element position in response to movement of said second piston means from a first position toward a second position thereof relative to said housing; and
a prevention means, operatively associated with said first and second piston means, for preventing said seconds piston means from moving to its said second position until said first piston means has moved at least part way toward its said second position.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
said second piston means is referenced to substantially atmospheric pressure.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
releasable retaining means, operably associated with said first piston means, for holding said first piston means in said first position thereof until a pressure differential across said first piston means reaches a predetermined value.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein:
said releasable retaining means includes a plurality of shear pins.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein:
said predetermined value is in a range from about 1500 psi to about 2500 psi.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:
said plurality of shear pins includes a maximum of five individual shear pins.
7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein:
said hydrostatic referenced annulus pressure responsive five piston means is further characterized as a means for balancing hydrostatic well annulus pressure across said first piston means and thereby preventing said plurality of shear pins from having any substantial force applied thereacross as a result of increasing hydrostatic well annulus pressure as said apparatus is lowered into a well.
8. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein:
said hydrostatic referenced annulus pressure responsive first piston means is further characterized as a means for balancing hydrostatic well annulus pressure across said first piston means and thereby preventing said releasable retaining means from having any substantial force applied thereacross as a result of increasing hydrostatic well annulus pressure as said apparatus is lowered into a well.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
said housing has first and second pressure conducting passage means disposed therein for communicating a well annulus exterior of said housing with first and second sides of said hydrostatic referenced annulus pressure responsive first piston means; and
said apparatus further comprises a retarding means, disposed in said second pressure conducting passage means, for delaying communication of a sufficient portion of a relatively rapid increase in well annulus pressure to said second side of said first piston means for a sufficient time to allow a pressure differential from said first side to said second side of said first piston means to move said first piston means from its said first position to its said second position.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:
said retarding means is further characterized as a means for communicating a relatively slow increase in well annulus pressure to said second side of said first piston means quickly enough that a pressure differential across said first piston means is too low to move said first piston means from said first position to said second position thereof, so that hydrostatic well annulus pressure may be substantially balanced across said first piston means as said apparatus is lowered into a well.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:
releasable retaining means, operably associated with said first piston means, for holding said first piston means in said first position thereof until a pressure differential across said first piston means reaches a predetermined value.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:
said retarding means is further characterized as a means for preventing said releasable retaining means from having any substantial force applied thereacross as a result of increasing hydrostatic well annulus pressure as said apparatus is lowered into a well.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein:
said releasable retaining means includes a plurality of shear pins.
14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:
said retarding means includes a metering cartridge dividing said second pressure conducting passage means into a first portion between said second side of said first piston means and said metering cartridge, and a second portion between said metering cartridge and said well annulus, said metering cartridge having a pressurizing passage disposed therethrough communicating said first and second portions of said second pressure conducting passage means, and said metering cartridge further including a fluid flow restrictor means disposed in said pressurizing passage for at least temporarily delaying transmission of relatively rapid increases in well annulus pressure to said second side of said first piston means.
15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
said operating element means includes a full opening ball valve;
said ball valve and said second piston means are directly connected together so that they move longitudinally together relative to said housing, said ball valve and said second piston means being so arranged and constructed that said ball valve is moved from an open position to a closed position as said second piston means moves from its first to its second position relative to said housing; and
said second piston means is referenced to substantially atmospheric pressure so that said ball valve is relatively rapidly closed by said second piston means.
16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
said operating element means includes both a safety valve means for closing a flow passage through said housing and a circulating valve means for communicating said flow passage above said safety valve means with a well annulus exterior of said housing.
17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:
said first element position is defined as an open position of said safety valve means and a closed position of said circulating valve means, and said second element position is defined as a closed position of said safety valve means and an open position of said circulating valve means.
18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:
said circulating valve means includes:
a circulating valve sleeve initially located in a closed position closing a circulating port disposed through said housing;
spring biasing means for biasing said circulating valve sleeve toward an open position thereof; and
releasable retaining means for initially releasably retaining said circulating valve sleeve in its said closed position; and
said apparatus further includes an actuating mandrel, connected to said second piston means for longitudinal movement therewith relative to said housing, said actuating mandrel and said circulating valve sleeve being so arranged and constructed that as said second piston means moves from its said first position to its said second position relative to said housing, said actuating mandrel impacts said circulating valve sleeve to release said releasable retaining means so that said circulating valve sleeve may be moved to its open position by said spring biasing means.
19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:
said circulating valve means includes:
a circulating valve sleeve initially located in a closed position closing a circulating port disposed through said housing;
spring biasing means for biasing said circulating valve sleeve toward an open position thereof; and
a spring collet including a plurality of spring fingers including enlarged lugs on free ends thereof;
said apparatus further includes an actuating mandrel, connected to said second piston means for longitudinal movement therewith relative to said housing, said actuating mandrel having a main cylindrical outer surface and a reduced diameter cylindrical outer surface; and
wherein said housing, said circulating valve sleeve, and said actuating mandrel are so arranged and constructed that when said second piston means is in its said first position said main cylindrical outer surface of said actuating mandrel holds said lugs of said spring collet in a radially outward position wherein said lugs are engaged with an inner shoulder of said housing to initially hold said circulating valve sleeve in its closed position, and when said second piston means moves to its said second position said reduced diameter cylindrical outer surface of said actuating mandrel is aligned with said lugs of said spring collet to allow said lugs to deflect radially inward so that said spring biasing means may move said circulating valve sleeve to its said open position.
20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:
said circulating valve means includes a circulating valve sleeve fixedly connected to said second piston means for longitudinal movement therewith relative to said housing, said circulating valve sleeve being in a closed position blocking a circulating port of said housing when said second piston means is in its said first position, and said circulating valve sleeve being in an open position when said second piston means is in its said second position.
21. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:
locking means, operably associated with said housing and said second piston means, for locking said second piston means in its said second position, and thereby locking said circulating valve sleeve in its said open position.
22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
said operating element means includes a circulating valve means for communicating a flow passage of said housing with a well annulus exterior of said housing, and said first and second element positions are defined as closed and open positions, respectively, of said circulating valve means.
23. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
locking means, operably associated with said housing and said second piston means, for locking said second piston means in its said second position.
24. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
said prevention means includes a releasable mechanical locking means for releasably locking said second piston means to said housing so that said second piston means is held in its said first position so long as said first piston means is in its said first position.
25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein:
said releasable mechanical locking means includes a spring collet connected to said second piston means, said spring collet having a plurality of spring fingers with enlarged lugs on free ends thereof; and
said housing, said first and second piston means, and said spring collet are so arranged and constructed that when said first piston means is in its said first position, said first piston means holds said lugs of said spring fingers in a radially outward position wherein said lugs engage a radially inner shoulder of said housing, and when said first piston means moves toward its said second position, said lugs are released so that they may deflect radially inward.
26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein:
said housing has a power passage disposed therethrough which always communicates a well annulus with a high pressure side of said second piston means.
27. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
said housing has a power passage disposed therethrough for communicating a well annulus exterior of said housing with a high pressure side of said second piston means; and
said prevention means includes seal means, operatively associated with said first piston means and said housing, for closing said power passage and isolating said high pressure side of said second piston means from said well annulus when said first piston means is in its said first position.
28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein:
said power passage is characterized as a second power passage associated with said second piston means; and
said housing has an unobstructed first power passage disposed therethrough for constantly communicating said well annulus with a high pressure side of said first piston means, said first and second power passages being isolated from each other within said housing.
29. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising an elongated power mandrel fixedly connected to said first piston means, said power mandrel having a bypass passage means defined thereon for allowing well annulus fluid to bypass said seal means so that said high pressure side of said second piston means is communicated with said well annulus when said first piston means moves to its said second position.
30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein:
said power mandrel has a main cylindrical outer surface which sealingly engages said seal means to block said power passage when said first piston means is in its said first position; and
said bypass passage means of said power mandrel is a reduced diameter cylindrical outer surface thereof adjacent said main cylindrical outer surface thereof.
31. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
an elongated power mandrel extending from said first piston means, said first piston means and said power mandrel being fixed relative to each other so that they move together longitudinally relative to said housing, said power mandrel being concentrically located within said housing and defining an annular space between a first cylindrical outer surface of said power mandrel and a cylindrical inner surface of said housing; and
wherein said second piston means is an annular second piston means slidably received in said annular space and said second piston means includes outer and inner annular seal means for providing a sliding seal between said second piston means and each of said cylindrical inner surface of said housing and said first cylindrical outer surface of said power mandrel, respectively.
32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein:
said first and second piston means are so arranged and constructed that when said first piston means moves from its said first position to its said second position, it moves in a first longitudinal direction, and when said second piston means moves from its said first position to its said second position, it moves in a second longitudinal direction opposite said first longitudinal direction.
33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein:
said housing has a power port disposed therethrough; and
said prevention means includes a seal means for sealing between said housing and said power mandrel when said first piston means is in its said first position and for thereby isolating said second piston means from said power port when said first piston means is in its said first position.
34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein:
said power mandrel includes a reduced diameter portion for communicating said power port with said second piston means when said first piston means is in its said second position.
35. An annulus pressure responsive downhole tool apparatus, comprising:
a housing having a circulating port disposed through a wall thereof and having a central flow passage disposed longitudinally therethrough;
a circulating valve sleeve disposed in said housing and irreversibly movable from a closed position wherein said circulating port is blocked to an open position wherein said circulating port is open;
a rotatable full opening ball valve disposed in said flow passage and irreversibly movable from an open position wherein said flow passage is open to a closed position wherein said flow passage is closed; and
a hydrostatic pressure referenced, pressure balanced with respect to hydrostatic pressure, annulus pressure responsive first piston means movable between first and second positions thereof relative to said housing in response to an increase in well annulus pressure, said first piston means being operatively associated with said circulating valve sleeve and said ball valve for retaining said circulating valve sleeve in its closed position and said ball valve in its open position so long as said first piston means is in its first position.
36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein:
said housing has first and second pressure conducting passage means disposed therein for communicating a well annulus exterior of said housing with first and second sides, respectively, of said first piston means; and
said apparatus further includes a selectively actuatable one-way check valve means associated with said second pressure conducting passage means for preventing flow of fluid from said well annulus to said second side of said first piston means so that after said check valve is actuated, an increase in well annulus pressure will create a pressure differential from said first side toward said second side of said first piston means.
37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said check valve means includes:
a sliding valve member disposed in said second fluid conducting passage means and movable from a first position wherein said second fluid conducting passage means is open, to a second position wherein said second fluid conducting passage means is closed;
spring biasing means for biasing said sliding valve member toward its said first position; and
a restricted area flow passage disposed through said sliding valve member for permitting relatively slow increases in well annulus pressure to be transmitted therethrough to said second side of said first piston means, and for delaying communication of a relatively rapid increase in well annulus pressure therethrough so as to create a pressure differential sufficient to overcome said spring biasing means and to move said sliding valve member to its second position to thereby prevent any further flow of fluid from said well annulus to said second side of said first piston means.
38. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein:
said housing includes first and second longitudinally telescoping portions, said check valve means being mounted on said first portion, and an open end of said second pressure conducting passage means being defined in said second portion; and
said housing and said check valve means are so arranged and constructed that when said first and second portions of said housing are in a telescopingly extending position, said open end of said second pressure conducting passage means is open to said well annulus, and when said first and second portions of said housing are in a telescopingly retracted position, said check valve means covers said open end of said second pressure conducting passage means.
39. The apparatus of claim 38, further comprising:
a metering cartridge means, fixed to one of said first and second portions of said housing and disposed in said second pressure conducting passage means, for providing a time delay in movement of said first and second portions from said telescopingly extended position to said telescopingly retracted position, so that said first and second portions of said housing will remain in said telescopingly extended position as said apparatus is run into a well.
40. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein:
said housing has first and second pressure conducting passage means disposed therein for communicating a well annulus exterior of said housing with first and second sides of said hydrostatic referenced annulus pressure responsive first piston means; and
said apparatus further comprises a retarding means, disposed in said second pressure conducting passage means, for delaying communication of a sufficient portion of a relatively rapid increase in well annulus pressure to said second side of said first piston means for a sufficient time to allow a pressure differential from said first side to said second side of said first piston means to move said first piston means from its said first piston position to its said second piston position.
41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein:
said retarding means is further characterized as a means for communicating a relatively slow increase in well annulus pressure to said second side of said first piston means quickly enough that a pressure differential across said first piston means is too low to move said first piston means from said first position to said second position thereof, so that hydrostatic well annulus pressure may be substantially balanced across said first piston means as said apparatus is lowered into a well.
42. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein:
said retarding means includes a metering cartridge dividing said second pressure conducting passage means into a first portion between said second side of said first piston means and said metering cartridge, and a second portion between said metering cartridge and said well annulus, said metering cartridge having a pressurizing passage disposed therethrough communicating said first and second portions of said second pressure conducting passage means, and said metering cartridge further including a fluid flow restrictor means disposed in said pressurizing passage for at least temporarily delaying transmission of increases in well annulus pressure to said second side of said first piston means.
43. The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising:
upper and lower floating pistons disposed in said second pressure conducting passage means above and below said metering cartridge;
wherein a portion of said second pressure conducting passage means between said first piston means and said upper floating piston is filled with a compressible gas; and
wherein a portion of said second pressure conducting passage means between said upper and lower floating pistons is filled with liquid.
44. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising:
an annulus pressure responsive second piston means, disposed in said housing and operatively associated with said first piston means and both said circulating valve sleeve and said ball valve for permitting said circulating valve sleeve to irreversibly move from said closed position to said open position thereof and for permitting said ball valve to move from said open position to said closed position thereof in response to movement of said second piston means from a first position thereof toward a second position thereof relative to said housing; and
a prevention means, operatively associated with said first and second piston means, for preventing said second piston means from moving to its said second position until said first piston means has moved at least part way toward its said second position.
45. The apparatus of claim 44, further comprising:
locking means, operably associated with said housing and said second piston means, for locking said second piston means in its said second position.
46. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein:
said prevention means includes a releasable mechanical locking means for releasably locking said second piston means to said housing so that said second piston means is held in its said first position so long as said first piston means is in its said first position.
47. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein:
said releasable mechanical locking means includes a spring collet connected to said second piston means, said spring collet having a plurality of spring fingers with enlarged lugs on free ends thereof; and
said housing, said first and second piston means, and said spring collet are so arranged and constructed that when said first piston means is in its said first position, said first piston means holds said lugs of said spring fingers in a radially outward position wherein said lugs engage a radially inner shoulder of said housing, and when said first piston means moves toward its said second position, said lugs are released so that they may deflect radially inward.
48. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein:
said housing has a power passage disposed therethrough which always communicates a well annulus with a high pressure side of said second piston means.
49. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein:
said housing has a power passage disposed therethrough for communicating a well annulus exterior of said housing with a high pressure side of said second piston means; and
said prevention means includes seal means, operatively associated with said first piston means and said housing, for closing said power passage and isolating said high pressure side of said second piston means from said well annulus when said first piston means is in its said first position.
50. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein:
said power passage is characterized as a second power passage associated with said second piston means; and
said housing has an unobstructed first power passage disposed therethrough for constantly communicating said well annulus with a high pressure side of said first piston means, said first and second power passages being isolated from each other within said housing.
51. The apparatus of claim 49, further comprising an elongated power mandrel fixedly connected to said first piston means, said power mandrel having a bypass passage means defined thereon for allowing well annulus fluid to bypass said seal means so that said high pressure side of said second piston means is communicated with said well annulus when said first piston means moves to its said second position.
52. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein:
said power mandrel has a main cylindrical outer surface which sealingly engages said seal means to block said power passage when said first piston means is in its said first position; and
said bypass passage means of said power mandrel is a reduced diameter cylindrical outer surface thereof adjacent said main cylindrical outer surface thereof.
53. An annulus pressure responsive downhole tool apparatus, comprising:
a housing;
an operating element means disposed in said housing and movable from a first element position to a second element position relative to said housing;
an annulus pressure responsive first piston means disposed in said housing, said first piston means being movable from a first to a second position thereof relative to said housing in response to an increase in well annulus pressure;
an elongated power mandrel extending from said first piston means, said first piston means and said power mandrel being fixed relative to each other so that they move together longitudinally relative to said housing, said power mandrel being concentrically located within said housing and defining an annular space between a first cylindrical outer surface of said power mandrel and a cylindrical inner surface of said housing; and
an annulus pressure responsive second piston means slidably received in said annular space, said second piston means includes outer and inner annular seal means for providing a sliding seal between said second piston means and each of said cylindrical inner surface of said housing and said first cylindrical outer surface of said power mandrel, respectively, said second piston means being movable from a first to a second position thereof in response to said increase in well annulus pressure;
a prevention means, operatively associated with said first and second piston means, for preventing said second piston means from moving to its said second position until said first piston means has moved at least part way toward its said second position; and
wherein said second piston means is operatively associated with said operating element means, so that said operating element means is permitted to move from its said first element position to its said second element position in response to movement of said second piston means from its said first position toward its said second position.
54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein:
said first and second piston means are so arranged and constructed that when said first piston means moves from its said first position to its said second position, it moves in a first longitudinal direction, and when said second piston means moves from its said first position to its said second position, it moves in a second longitudinal direction opposite said first longitudinal direction.
55. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein:
said housing has a power port disposed therethrough; and
said prevention means includes a seal means for sealing between said housing and said power mandrel when said first piston means is in its said first position and for thereby isolating said second piston means from said power port when said first piston means is in its said first position.
56. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein:
said power mandrel includes a reduced diameter portion for communicating said power port with said second piston means when said first piston means is in its said second position.
57. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein:
said first piston means is referenced to well annulus hydrostatic pressure.
58. The apparatus of claim 57, wherein:
said second piston means is referenced to substantially atmospheric pressure.
59. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein:
said operating element means is irreversibly movable from said first element position to said second element position.
60. The apparatus of claim 56, further comprising:
releasable retaining means, operably associated with said first piston means, for holding said first piston means in said first position thereof until a pressure differential across said first piston means reaches a predetermined value.
61. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein:
said releasable retaining means includes a plurality of shear pins.
62. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein:
said operating element means includes both a safety valve means for closing a flow passage through said housing and a circulating valve means for communicating said flow passage above said safety valve means with a well annulus exterior of said housing.
63. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein:
said circulating valve means includes:
a circulating valve sleeve initially located in a closed position closing a circulating port disposed through said housing;
spring biasing means for biasing said circulating valve sleeve toward an open position thereof;
a spring collet including a plurality of spring fingers including enlarged lugs on free ends thereof;
said apparatus further includes an actuating mandrel, connected to said second piston means for longitudinal movement therewith relative to said housing, said actuating mandrel having a main cylindrical outer surface and a reduced diameter cylindrical outer surface; and
wherein said housing, said circulating valve sleeve, and said actuating mandrel are so arranged and constructed that when said second piston means is in its said first position said main cylindrical outer surface of said actuating mandrel holds said lugs of said spring collet in a radially outward position wherein said lugs are engaged with an inner shoulder of said housing to initially hold said circulating valve sleeve in its closed position, and when said second piston means moves to its said second position said reduced diameter cylindrical outer surface of said actuating mandrel is aligned with said lugs of said spring collet to allow said lugs to deflect radially inward so that said spring biasing means may move said circulating valve sleeve to its said open position.
64. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein:
said circulating valve means includes a circulating valve sleeve fixedly connected to said second piston means for longitudinal movement therewith relative to said housing, said circulating valve sleeve being in a closed position blocking a circulating port of said housing when said second piston means is in its said first position, and said circulating valve sleeve being in an open position when said second piston means is in its said second position.
65. The apparatus of claim 64, further comprising:
locking means, operably associated with said housing and said second piston means, for locking said second piston means in its said second position, and thereby locking said circulating valve sleeve in its said open position.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to annulus pressure responsive downhole tools, and particularly to a combination safety-circulating valve operated by a differential area piston referenced to well annulus hydrostatic pressure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When an oil well is drilled, it is often desired to test the production capabilities of the subsurface formations intersected by the well by lowering a testing string into the borehole to the formation depth. The formation fluid is then allowed to flow into the test string in a controlled testing program.
It is now well known in the art to operate one or more of the tools in the test string in response to increases in well annulus pressure in a well annulus between the test string and the well borehole. This is often far superior to using pipe manipulation through rotation or reciprocation to operate the testing tools, particularly in deviated boreholes such as are drilled from offshore platforms.
One testing tool which is commonly included in the test string is a combination safety and circulating valve.
Such a combination safety and circulating valve which has been utilized by the assignee of the present invention is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,270,610 to Barrington, 4,311,197 to Hushbeck, and 4,445,571 to Hushbeck.
The device shown in the three patents just referenced is generally referred to as a combination sampler valve and circulation valve. The term sampler is utilized because the tool disclosed in these three patents utilizes two spaced ball valves which can trap a sample of the flowing fluid therebetween. The ball valves themselves, however, can also be referred to as safety valves since they operate to shut off the flow of well fluid through the test string.
Although the apparatus disclosed in the present application includes only a single ball type safety valve, it will be understood that it could be modified to add a second ball and thus be a sampler valve, and the prior art sampler valves disclosed in the three patents referenced above could have the lower ball thereof eliminated so that they would then provide only a safety valve and circulating valve.
The prior art combination sampler and circulation valve disclosed in the three patents cited above is referred to as an atmospheric referenced tool. That is, the differential area piston which operates that tool has a low pressure side exposed to substantially atmospheric pressure. Referring for example to U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,610 to Barrington, and particularly to FIG. 2B thereof, a sealed low pressure chamber 80 is thereshown which contained air at atmospheric pressure when the tool was first assembled before running into the well. Although that pressure may change due to heating or cooling after the tool is placed in a well, this is still generally referred to as an atmospheric referenced tool.
The tool shown in FIGS. 2A-2F of U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,610 is utilized in a test string as illustrated in FIG. 1 of that patent, and generally has an annulus pressure responsive tester valve located in the same string therebelow.
Generally, the test string is lowered into a well, and then after a packer of the test string is set, well annulus pressure may be repeatedly increased and then dropped back to hydrostatic pressure to operate the well tester valve located below the combination sampler-circulating valve. The sampler-circulating valve is designed to operate at a higher differential pressure between the well annulus and the interior of the test string than is the tester valve located therebelow.
After the testing program is completed, well annulus pressure is then increased to the higher level necessary to operate the sampler-circulating valve, and the two ball valves of the sampler section will then be closed to trap a flowing sample of well fluid and to close the bore of the test string against further flow of well fluid therethrough while at substantially the same time a circulating valve above the sample chamber is opened to communicate the interior of the test string with the well annulus.
The power mandrel of the combination sampler-circulating valve of U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,610 is retained in place against premature operation by a shear set 100 seen in FIG. 2B thereof which includes a large plurality of shear pins 112. The shear set is designed to shear when the difference between well annulus pressure and pressure interior of the test string reaches a predetermined level at which it is desired to operate the sampler-circulating valve.
The shear pins of the shear set must be designed to hold against the hydrostatic well annulus pressure plus the increase in well annulus pressure which is utilized to operate the tool. This increase in well annulus pressure is generally in the range of 1500 to 2500 psi.
As will be well understood by those skilled in the art, the hydrostatic well annulus pressure which is present due merely to the weight of the drilling mud contained in the well bore may itself be on the order of 10,000 psi. Thus, the shear pins of the shear set 100 of the U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,610 must be designed to hold the power mandrel in place against the difference between hydrostatic well annulus pressure of perhaps 10,000 psi and the substantially zero pressure in chamber 80 for long periods of time during the testing program, and must then reliably fail at an increased pressure differential of 1500 to 2500 psi.
Thus, the shear pins of the shear set must support 80% to 90% of the designed shearing load for long periods of time while being subjected to high temperatures, and often to corrosive environments in the well. It is common for brass shear pins to stress crack due to corrosion caused by ammonia present in the well.
This leads to substantial problems due to inconsistent operating pressures of tools such as those shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,610.
The problem is due in part to the variation in shear strength of the shear pins themselves which are generally constructed of brass. Quality control requirements governing the production of the pins is very stringent, but if a large number of pins is required to be used on a job, such as illustrated in FIG. 2B of the U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,610, the actual shear pressure may be significantly different than calcuated.
Additionally, the number of pins required for a specific job is determined by the depth at which the tool is run and the mud weight, that is the weight of the drilling fluid contained in the well. Many times the mud weight value may be incorrectly stated and therefore calculations can be off considerably.
The design of the U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,610 therefore depends heavily upon the shear pins for proper operation, where in fact many variables exist which can substantially alter the operating pressure of the tool at which the shear pins will shear.
The reason so many shear pins are required in tools such as those shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,610 is that the tools are referenced to substantially atmospheric conditions and thus the pins must resist the hydrostatic well annulus pressure plus approximately 2500 psi.
Additionally, although the design of U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,610 using a large number of pins most often has a problem with too low of an operating pressure due to deterioration of the pins as described, it can also have a problem with too high of an operating pressure due to a build-up of tolerances in construction of the pins.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes many of the problems just discussed which are present in tools such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,610 by referencing the operation of the tool to hydrostatic well annulus pressure instead of to atmospheric pressure. This greatly reduces the number of shear pins which must be utilized, and makes the predetermined operating pressure of the tool much more consistent.
The present invention provides an annulus pressure responsive downhole tool apparatus including a housing having an operating element means disposed in the housing and movable from a first element position to a second element position relative to the housing.
Although this operating element means is disclosed as a combination safety-circulating valve, it will be understood that the operating element means could be in any number of configurations, such as merely a circulating valve, or such as a combination sampler-circulating valve.
A hydrostatic well annulus pressure referenced annulus pressure responsive first piston means is disposed in the housing, and is movable from a first to a second position thereof relative to the housing in response to an increase in well annulus pressure.
A second annulus pressure responsive piston means is disposed in the housing and is generally referenced to a lower than hydrostatic pressure. This second piston is preferably referenced to substantially atmospheric pressure. The second piston is operatively associated with the operating element means for permitting the operating element means to move from its first element position to its second element position in response to movement of the second piston means from a first position toward a second position thereof relative to the housing.
A prevention means is operatively associated with the first and second piston means for preventing the second piston means from moving to its second position until the first piston means has moved at least part way toward its second position.
Numerous objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following disclosure when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1A-1F comprise an elevation right-side only section view of a first embodiment of the combination safety-circulating valve of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevation sectioned view of a metering check valve utilized in the apparatus of FIGS. 1A-1F.
FIGS. 3A-3H comprise an elevation right-side only sectioned view of a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 4A-4I comprise an elevation right-side only sectioned view of a third embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 5A-5D comprise an elevation right-side only sectioned view of the upper portion of a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The lower portion of the embodiment of FIGS. 5A-5D is identical to that shown in FIGS. 4E-4I. FIGS. 4E-4I can be considered to be a continuation of the structure shown in FIGS. 5A-5D.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1A-1F, a first embodiment of the combination safety-circulating valve apparatus of the present invention is thereshown and generally designated by the numeral 10.
The apparatus 10 can generally be referred to as an annulus pressure responsive downhole tool apparatus 10, and it includes a housing 12. The housing 12 is comprised of an upper adapter 14, a spring housing section 16, a circulating valve housing section 18, a ball valve housing section 20, an upper power housing section 22, a shear set housing section 24, a lower power housing section 26, a filler housing section 28, an equalizing chamber housing section 30 having inner and outer tubular members 32 and 34, and a lower adapter 36.
Upper adapter 14 and spring housing section 16 are threadedly connected at 36 with a seal being provided therebetween by O-ring means 38.
The lower end of spring housing section 16 is connected to circulating valve housing section 18 at threaded connection 40 with a seal being provided therebetween by O-ring means 42.
The circulating valve housing section 18 has its lower end connected to ball valve housing section 20 at threaded connection 44 with a seal being provided therebetween by O-ring 46.
A lower end of ball valve housing section 20 is connected to upper power housing section 22 at threaded connection 48 with a seal being provided therebetween by O-ring 50.
The lower end of upper power housing section 22 is connected to shear set housing section 24 at threaded connection 52 with a seal being provided therebetween by O-ring 54.
The shear set housing section 24 has its lower end connected to lower power housing section 26 at threaded connection 56 with a seal being provided therebetween by O-ring 58.
The lower end of lower power housing section 26 is connected to filler housing section 28 at threaded connection 60 with a seal being provided therebetween by O-ring 62.
Filler housing section 28 has its lower end connected to outer tubular member 34 of equalizing chamber housing section 30 at an outer threaded connection 64 with a seal being provided therebetween by O-ring 66.
Filler housing section 28 also has its lower end connected to inner tubular member 32 of equalizing chamber housing section 30 at inner thread 68 with a seal being provided therebetween by O-ring 70.
The lower end of outer tubular member 34 is connected to lower adapted 36 at threaded connection 72 with a seal being provided therebetween by O-ring 74.
Inner tubular member 32 has its lower end 76 closely received within a bore 78 of lower adapter 36 with a seal being provided therebetween by O-ring 80.
The apparatus 10 includes a full open ball type safety valve means generally designated by the numeral 82 and a sliding sleeve type circulating valve means generally designated by the numeral 84. The safety valve means 82 and circulating valve means 84 may be collectively referred to as an operating element means 86.
The operating element means 86 is shown in FIGS. 1A-1C in what may generally be referred to as a first element position of the operating element means 86. In this first element position of operating element means 86, the safety valve means 82 is in an open position and the circulating valve means 84 is in a closed position.
As is further described below, the operating element means 86 is movable to a second element position relative to the housing 12, wherein the safety valve means 82 is closed and the circulating valve means 84 is open.
The circulating valve means 84 includes a circulating valve sleeve 88 comprised of upper and lower portions 90 and 92 threadedly connected together at threaded connection 94.
The circulating valve sleeve 88 is initially located in a closed position as shown in FIG. 1B wherein the lower portion 92 thereof blocks or closes a circulating port 96 disposed through circulating valve housing section 18 of housing 12.
Lower portion 92 of circulating valve sleeve 88 has upper and lower longitudinally spaced annular seals 98 and 100 which are located on opposite sides of circulating port 96 when the circulating valve means 84 is in its closed position as shown in FIGS. 1A-1B.
Circulating valve means 84 also includes a coil compression spring biasing means 102 which is initially compressed between a radially outward extending annular flange 104 of upper portion 90 and an upper end surface 106 of circulating valve housing section 18.
A releasable retaining means 108 is provided for initially releasably retaining the circulating valve sleeve 88 in its closed position. Releasable retaining means 108 includes one or more shear pins 110 disposed through radial bores such as 112 in circulating valve housing section 18 and received within an annular groove 114 of lower portion 92 of circulating valve sleeve 88.
The safety valve means 82 includes a full opening ball valve 116 received between upper and lower annular seats 118 and 120. The ball valve 116 has a bore 122 which is initially aligned with and defines a portion of a longitudinally extending full opening flow passage 124 disposed through the apparatus 10.
The upper and lower seats 118 and 120 are received within bores of upper and lower seat holders 126 and 128, respectively. The upper and lower seat holders 126 and 128 are held in place relative to each other by a plurality of C-clamps such as the C-clamp 130 which has its upper and lower ends 132 and 134 shown in FIG. 1C.
An actuating mandrel 136 is connected to upper seat holder 126 at threaded connection 138 with a seal being provided therebetween by O-ring 140.
The safety valve means 82 includes a pair of actuating arms, only one of which is shown and designated by the numeral 146. The actuating arm 146 is held in place longitudinally relative to ball valve housing section 20 by upper and lower annular inserts 148 and 150 which are longitudinally trapped between a lower end 152 of circulating valve housing section 18 and an upper end 154 of upper power housing section 22.
A shock absorbing O-ring 156 and a spacer washer 158 are disposed between lower end 152 of circulating valve housing section 18 and the upper insert 148.
The actuating arm 146 includes a radially inward extending actuating lug 160 received in an eccentric bore 162 of ball valve 116.
There are in fact two such actuating arms 146 circumferentially spaced about the ball valve 116, each of which includes a lug like 160 engaging an eccentric bore like 162, so that when the ball valve member 116 is moved longitudinally upward from the position shown in FIG. 1C relative to housing 12, the ball valve 116 will be rotated to a closed position wherein its bore 122 is oriented at an angle of 90.degree. to the longitudinal flow passage 124 disposed through the apparatus 10.
As will be further described in detail below, the ball valve 116 will be rapidly pushed irreversibly upward relative to the housing 12 in response to an increase in well annulus pressure.
When that occurs, the actuating mandrel 136 will also move longitudinally upward relative to the housing 12 and an upper end 142 of actuating mandrel 136 will impact a lower end 164 of lower portion 92 of circulating valve sleeve 88 to shear the shear pin 110 and allow the circulating valve sleeve 88 to be irreversibly moved upward to an open position by expansion of the coil compression spring 102, thus moving the lower end 164 of lower portion 92 of circulating valve sleeve 88 upward to a position above the circulating port 96 thus opening the circulating port 96 to provide communication between the flow passage 124 and the well annulus exterior of the housing 12.
The apparatus 10 includes a lower first power piston means 166 seen in FIG. 1D, and an upper second power piston means 168 seen in FIG. 1C.
The first piston means 166 can generally be described as a hydrostatic referenced annulus pressure responsive first power piston means 166. By hydrostatic referenced, it is meant that the power piston 166 will operate in response to a pressure differential between a hydrostatic well annulus pressure at the depth at which the apparatus 10 is located in the well, and an artificially increased well annulus pressure which is applied to operate the tool. This is further described in detail below.
The second piston means 168 can generally be described as a lower than hydrostatic referenced annulus pressure responsive second piston means 168.
The second piston means 168 is preferably referenced to substantially atmospheric pressure contained in a sealed low pressure chamber 170 seen in FIG. 1C.
A prevention means generally designated by the numeral 172 is operatively associated with the first and second piston means 166 and 168 for preventing the second piston means 168 from moving from its first position as seen in FIGS. 1C-1D to an upper second position, until the first piston means 166 has moved at least part way from its upper first position seen in FIG. 1D to a lower second position relative to the housing 12. This too is described in substantially greater detail below.
The second power piston means 168 can generally be described as being operatively associated with both the safety valve means 82 and circulating valve means 84 of the operating element means 86 for permitting the operating element means 86 to move from a first element position wherein the safety valve means 82 is open and the circulating valve means 84 is closed to a second element position wherein the safety valve means 82 is closed and the circulating valve means 84 is open in response to movement of the second piston means 168 upward from its first position shown in FIG. 1C to an upper second position relative to the housing 12.
The first power piston means 166 includes an elongated first power mandrel 174 having an enlarged diameter piston 176 defined thereon which is closely slidably received within a bore 178 of lower power housing section 26. A sliding piston seal 180 is received in the enlarged piston 176 and sealingly engages the bore 178.
The housing 12 has first and second pressure conducting passage means 182 and 184, respectively, disposed therein for communicating a well annulus exterior of the housing 12 with a first upper side 186 and a second lower side 188 of the piston 176 of first piston means 166. The upper first side 186 can generally be referred to as a high pressure side, and the lower second side 188 can generally be referred to as a low pressure side of the piston 176.
The first pressure conducting passage means 182 includes a first power port 190 disposed radially through lower power housing section 26, and an annular space 192 defined between first power mandrel 174 and bore 178 above piston 176.
The first piston means 166 includes a plurality of integrally formed upward extending ridges 194 which abut a downward facing shoulder 196 of lower power housing section 26.
The second pressure conducting passage means 184 includes an annular space 198 defined between a lower portion 200 of first power mandrel 174 and the bore 178 of lower power housing section 26.
Second pressure conducting passage means 184 also includes a plurality of longitudinally extending bores 202 disposed through filler housing section 28.
An annular equalizing chamber 204 defined between the inner and outer tubular portions 32 and 34 of equalizing chamber housing section 30 is also included in second pressure conducting passage means 184.
The longitudinal bores 202 communicate annular space 198 with annular equalizing chamber 204. A lower end of equalizing chamber 204 is communicated with the well annulus by an equalizing port 206 of second pressure conducting passage means 184.
The lower portion 200 of first power mandrel 174 has a lower end 201 with a cylindrical outer surface 203 closely received within an upper bore 205 of filler housing section 28 with a seal being provided therebetween by O-ring 207.
The first power mandrel 174 has an upper portion 208 which has a cylindrical outer surface 210 thereof closely slidably received within a bore 212 of lower power housing section 26 with a seal being provided therebetween by O-ring 214.
A releasable retaining means 216 is operably associated with the upper power mandrel portion 208 of first piston means 166 for holding the first piston means 166 in its first position as seen in FIG. 1D until a pressure differential across the piston 176 thereof reaches a predetermined value.
The releasable retaining means 266 in the illustrated embodiment is a shear set consisting of inner and outer concentric sleeves 218 and 220, respectively, with a plurality of shear pins such as 222 received in aligned radial bores disposed through the sleeves 218 and 220. A retaining sleeve 224 is disposed about the outer sleeve 220 to hold the pins 222 in place.
A downward facing annular shoulder 226 of an enlarged diameter portion 228 of first power mandrel 174 engages the upper end of inner sleeve 218, while an upper end 230 of lower power housing section 26 engages a lower end 232 of outer sleeve 220 so that a downward load placed upon first piston means 166 will be placed in shear across the shear pins 222.
If shear pins are undesirable in a particular tool, other constructions of the releasable retaining means 216 can be utilized. For example, a ring spring type retaining device could be utilized. Additionally, individual shear pins like the shear pins 726 shown in FIG. 4D and discussed below could be utilized instead of the shear set 216. Other types of retaining means could also be utilized.
The prevention means 172 seen in the upper portion of FIG. 1D is, in the embodiment of FIGS. 1A-1F, a releasable mechanical locking means 172 for releasably locking the second piston means 168 in its lowermost first position as seen in FIGS. 1C-1D so long as the first piston means 166 is in its uppermost first position as seen in FIG. 1D.
The releasable mechanical locking means 172 includes a spring collet 234 connected to the second piston means 168 and including a plurality of downward extending spring fingers such as 236 each of which has an enlarged lug 238 on the lower end thereof. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1C-1D, the spring collet 234 is constructed as an integral part of a second power mandrel 239 of second piston means 168.
The housing 12, the first and second piston means 166 and 168, and the spring collet 234 are so arranged and constructed that when the first piston means 166 is in its uppermost first position as seen in FIG. 1D, an upper cylindrical outer surface 240 of first power mandrel 174 engages the spring fingers 236 and holds the lugs 238 thereof in a radially outward position wherein the lugs 238 engage a radially inner downward facing tapered shoulder 242 of shear set housing section 24. When the first piston means 166 moves downward relative to housing 12, the outer surface 240 thereof will move downward out of engagement with the spring fingers 234 thus releasing the spring fingers 234 and the lugs 238 thereof so that the spring fingers 234 may deflect radially inward to allow the second power mandrel 239 and the spring collet 234 to move upward through a central bore 244 of shear set housing section 24.
An O-ring 246 provides a sliding seal between an outer surface 248 of a lower portion 250 of second power mandrel 239 and the bore 244.
The second piston means 168 includes the second power mandrel 239 and an enlarged diameter second power piston 252 which is closely received within a bore 254 of upper power housing section 22. A piston seal 256 provides a sliding seal between enlarged diameter piston 252 and bore 254.
An upper portion 258 of second power mandrel 239 has a cylindrical outer surface 260 which is closely and slidably received within a reduced diameter bore 262 of upper power housing section 22 with a seal being provided therebetween by sliding O-ring 264.
The upper end of second power mandrel 239 is connected to lower seat holder 128 at threaded connection 266 with a seal being provided therebetween by O-ring 268.
Upper power housing section 22 has a second power port 270, which may also be generally described as a power passage 270, disposed therethrough which always communicates the well annulus exterior of the housing 12 with a lower high pressure side 272 of piston 252 of second piston means 168.
The second piston means 168 includes a plurality of ridges 274 extending downward from piston 252 to prevent the lower side 272 of piston 252 from abutting the upper end of shear set housing section 24.
The sealed low pressure chamber 170 previously mentioned is defined between outer surface 260 of upper portion 258 of second power mandrel 239 and the bore 254 of upper power housing section 22 between seals 264 and 256. As previously mentioned, the low pressure chamber 170 is generally filled with air at substantially atmospheric pressure when the tool 10 is assembled at the surface of the earth.
When a downward pressure differential across first piston means 166 is sufficiently large to shear the shear pins 222, the first piston means 166 moves downward thus releasing the prevention means 172 and allowing the second piston means 168 to be moved upward by the upward acting pressure differential between the well annulus and the low pressure chamber 170.
This pushes the entire safety valve assembly 82 upward relative to housing 12 thus rotating the ball valve 116 thereof to a closed position.
This upward motion also impacts the actuating mandrel 136 with the circulating valve sleeve 88 to shear the shear pins 110 and allow the circulating valve sleeve 88 to be moved upward by spring 102 to open the circulating port 96.
A locking means 276 is operably associated with the housing 12 and the upper portion 258 of second power mandrel 239 of second piston means 168 for locking the second piston means 168 in its uppermost second position. The locking means 276 includes a plurality of segmented locking dogs 278 biased radially inward by an annular resilient band 280.
When the second piston means 168 is in its uppermost second position, a radially outer annular groove 282 thereof receives the locking dogs 278 therein to lock the second piston |