DOWNHOLE TOOL ACTUATION DEVICES AND METHODS
According to one or more embodiments of the invention, a downhole tool includes one or more actuator apparatuses to facilitate actuation of the downhole tool. The actuation apparatus includes a piston that is dynamically coupled to a tool actuator by an actuator connector in a manner that the piston and the tool actuator necessarily move in unison in response to movement of the piston in a first direction and the piston and the tool actuator do not necessarily move in unison in response to movement of the piston in the second direction.
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This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional patent application No. 61/250,079 filed on Oct. 9, 2009.
BACKGROUNDThis section provides background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. It should be understood that the statements in this section of this document are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
The present disclosure relates generally to wellbore operations and equipment and more specifically to actuation devices for downhole tools (e.g., subsurface tools, wellbore tools) and methods of operation.
Hydrocarbon fluids such as oil and natural gas are produced from subterranean geologic formations, referred to as reservoirs, by drilling wells that penetrate the hydrocarbon-bearing formations. Once a wellbore is drilled, various forms of well completion components may be installed in order to control and enhance the efficiency of producing fluids from the reservoir and/or injecting fluid into the reservoir and/or other geological formations penetrated by the wellbore. In some wells, for example, valves are actuated between open and closed states to compensate or balance fluid flow across multiple zones in the wellbore. In other wells, an isolation valve may be actuated to a closed position to shut in or suspend a well for a period of time and then opened when desired. Often a well will include a subsurface safety valve to prevent or limit the flow of fluids in an undesired direction.
It is therefore a continuing desire to provide reliable and efficient downhole tools and methods and apparatus to efficiently and reliably operate the downhole tools.
SUMMARYAccording to one or more embodiments of the invention, an actuator apparatus for a downhole tool comprises a piston moveable in a first direction and a second direction, a tool actuator, and an actuator connector dynamically coupling the piston and the tool actuator, wherein the piston and the tool actuator necessarily move in unison in response to movement of the piston in the first direction and the piston and the tool actuator do not necessarily move in unison in response to movement of the piston in the second direction.
In some embodiments, the actuator connector can be permanently fixedly coupled to only one of the piston and the tool actuator. The actuator connector may comprise a first portion adapted to fixedly engage a portion of the piston and a second portion adapted to fixedly engage a portion of the tool actuator. In some embodiments the actuator connector is permanently fixedly connected to only one of the piston and the tool actuator and the actuator connector is temporarily fixedly connected to the other of the piston and the tool actuator in response to movement of the piston in the first direction.
The actuator connector may include a tubular member adapted to be positioned around the tool actuator. In some embodiments the actuator connector may include a yoke, a tubular member adapted to be positioned about the tool actuator, and an elongated member connected between the yoke and the tubular connector, wherein the yoke is axially separated from the tubular connector by the elongated member. According to one or more aspects the actuator connector may comprise a first yoke separated from a second yoke by an elongate member.
A subsurface valve according to one or more aspects of the invention comprises a piston movable in a first direction and a second direction, a flow tube, a valve closure member actuated to one of an open position and a closed position in response to movement of the flow tube in one of the first direction and the second direction, and an actuator connector connected between the piston and the flow tube, wherein the piston, the actuator connector and the flow tube necessarily move in unison in response to movement of the piston in a first direction and wherein the piston and the flow tube do not necessarily move in unison in response to movement of the piston in the second direction. According to one or more aspects of the invention the actuator connector may be permanently fixedly connected to only one of the piston and the flow tube and temporarily fixedly connected to the other of the piston and the flow tube in response to movement of the piston in the first direction.
A method of actuation a downhole tool according to one or more aspects of the invention comprises moving a piston in a first direction in response to an applied signal, moving a tool actuator in the first direction in unison with the first piston in response to the moving the piston in the first direction, moving the piston in a second direction, and releasing a fixed connection between the tool actuator and the piston in response to the moving the piston in the second direction.
The foregoing has outlined some of the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention.
The present disclosure is best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying figures. It is emphasized that, in accordance with standard practice in the industry, various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion.
It is to be understood that the following disclosure provides many different embodiments, or examples, for implementing different features of various embodiments. Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify the present disclosure. These are, of course, merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. In addition, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed. Moreover, the formation of a first feature over or on a second feature in the description that follows may include embodiments in which the first and second features are formed in direct contact, and may also include embodiments in which additional features may be formed interposing the first and second features, such that the first and second features may not be in direct contact.
As used herein, the terms “up” and “down”; “upper” and “lower”; “top” and “bottom”; and other like terms indicating relative positions to a given point or element are utilized to more clearly describe some elements. Commonly, these terms relate to a reference point as the surface from which drilling operations are initiated as being the top point and the total depth of the well being the lowest point, wherein the well (e.g., wellbore, borehole) is vertical, horizontal or slanted relative to the surface. The terms “pipe,” “tubular,” “tubular member,” “casing,” “liner,” “tubing,” “drill pipe,” “drill string” and other like terms can be used interchangeably. The terms may be used in combination with “joint” to mean a single unitary length; a “stand” to mean one or more, and typically two or three, interconnected joints; or a “string” meaning two or more interconnected joints.
In this disclosure, “fluidicly coupled” or “fluidicly connected” and similar terms (e.g., hydraulic, pneumatic), may be used to describe bodies that are connected in such a way that fluid pressure may be transmitted between and among the connected items. The term “in fluid communication” is used to describe bodies that are connected in such a way that fluid can flow between and among the connected items. It is noted that fluidicly coupled may include certain arrangements where fluid may not flow between the items, but the fluid pressure may nonetheless be transmitted.
According to one or more aspects of the present invention an actuator connector is configured to attach a piston type member to a tool actuator member such that movement of the piston in a first direction is transferred to the tool actuator by the actuator connector to operate the downhole tool. According to one or more aspects the invention, the actuator connector dynamically couples the piston and the tool actuator together such that a force applied in a first direction by the piston is transmitted to the actuator connector and the tool actuator urging the piston, actuator connector and the tool actuator (i.e., the actuator apparatus) to move in unison, and wherein a force applied by the piston in a second direction is not transferred to the tool actuator to necessarily move the actuator apparatus in the second direction in unison. According to at least one aspect of the invention the dynamic connection provided by the actuator connector fixedly couples the piston and the tool actuator relative to each other in response to movement of the piston in a first direction and the piston and the tool actuator are not fixedly coupled relative to one another in response to movement of the piston in a second direction. Fixedly coupled, fixedly connected and fixedly engaged are used herein to mean that the fixedly connected members necessarily move in unison as opposed to being free to move independent of one another.
In a non-limiting embodiment the downhole tool is a subsurface valve in which the tool actuator engages and opens a valve closure member (e.g., flapper, ball, sleeve, etc.). In another embodiment, the tool actuator can progressively operate a variable choke member. The tool actuator includes without limitation devices which are known in the art and commonly referred to as flow tubes and sleeves. The closure member may include various devices such as and without limitation to flappers, ball valves and sleeves. The term piston is utilized in the disclosure to refer to a device that is moved in response to a control signal to actuate a downhole tool. The signal may be, for example, an electric, mechanical, and/or fluidic signal urging the piston to move at least in a first direction. The piston and the control signal (e.g., driving force) may include without limitation a fluidic piston, an electric solenoid, a gear device, and combinations thereof.
For example, in one embodiment a fluidic signal (e.g., hydraulic pressure) can be applied to the piston urging the piston to move and apply a force in a first direction. Further, upon applying a fluidic signal, for example by reducing the fluidic pressure applied to the piston in the first direction a biasing force acting in the second direction can urge the piston to move in the second direction. According to one or more aspects of the invention, an energy source (e.g., pressurized chamber, electric motor, spring, etc.) may exert a force biasing the piston in the second direction.
Depicted valve 12 is operated in this example to an open position in response to a signal (e.g., electric signal, fluidic signal, electro-fluidic signal, mechanical signal) provided via control system 24. Depicted control system 24 includes a power source 26 operationally connected to actuator apparatus 14 to operate closure member 30 from the closed position, illustrated in
In an example of operation of tool 12a, a control signal such as hydraulic pressure is applied to piston 36 which applies a force in a first direction 50a to flow tube 38 through connection 5. Piston 36, flow tube 38 and connecting device 5 necessarily move in unison in when the force applied in the first direction 50a overcomes the biasing force of biasing source 35 acting in the second direction 50b causing flow tube 38 to engage and actuate closure member 30 to the open position as depicted in
Actuator apparatus 14 is illustrated disposed with body 32 (e.g., housing) of valve 12. Actuator apparatus 14 includes piston 36, flow tube 38 and one or more actuator connectors 40. Actuator connector 40 dynamically couples piston 36 and flow tube 38 together such that piston 36 and flow tube 38 are fixedly coupled relative to one another and move unison in response to movement of piston 36 in a first direction 50a, and wherein piston 36 and flow tube 38 are not fixedly coupled or engaged to one another in response to movement of piston 36 in a second direction 50b opposite from the first direction relative to flow tube 38. Piston 36 and flow tube 38 are not permanently fixedly connected to one another, but fixedly connected to one another in response to piston 36 being moved in only one of the first or the second direction.
In the embodiments of
In the embodiment depicted in
The dynamic coupling, e.g., releasable fixed connection between actuator connector 40, and therefore piston 36, and flow tube 38 in the embodiment of
As will be recognized by those skilled in the art with benefit of the present disclosure, actuator connector 40 may comprise various geometric shapes, engaging portions 42, 44 and the like. For example,
In the embodiment of
The present invention facilitates the utilization of a plurality of actuators in a downhole tool 12. An embodiment of a downhole tool 12 comprising two actuators is now described with reference to
Referring now to
Various benefits and advantages provided by the actuator apparatus of the present invention will be understood by those with benefit of the present disclosure. For example, according to one or more aspects of the invention, the dynamical coupling of the actuator apparatus eliminates angular constraints (e.g., the piston is not angularly fixed) of contemporary devices providing for rotational freedom. With reference to
The foregoing outlines features of several embodiments so that those skilled in the art may better understand the aspects of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the present disclosure as a basis for designing or modifying other processes and structures for carrying out the same purposes and/or achieving the same advantages of the embodiments introduced herein. For example, the terms piston, flow tube, yoke are utilized herein for purposes of concisely describing the invention with regard to particular, non-limiting embodiments so that the invention as a whole can be better understood and realized. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and that they may make various changes, substitutions and alterations herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. The scope of the invention should be determined only by the language of the claims that follow. The term “comprising” within the claims is intended to mean “including at least” such that the recited listing of elements in a claim are an open group. The terms “a,” “an” and other singular terms are intended to include the plural forms thereof unless specifically excluded.
Claims
1. An actuator apparatus for a downhole tool, the actuator apparatus comprising:
- a piston moveable in a first direction and a second direction;
- a tool actuator; and
- an actuator connector dynamically coupling the piston and the tool actuator, wherein the piston and the tool actuator necessarily move in unison in response to movement of the piston in the first direction and the piston and the tool actuator do not necessarily move in unison in response to movement of the piston in the second direction.
2. The actuator apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuator connector is permanently fixedly coupled to only one of the piston and the tool actuator.
3. The actuator apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuator connector comprises a first portion adapted to fixedly engage a portion of the piston and a second portion adapted to fixedly engage a portion of the tool actuator.
4. The actuator apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuator connector is permanently fixedly connected to only one of the piston and the tool actuator and the actuator connector is temporarily fixedly connected to the other of the piston and the tool actuator in response to movement of the piston in the first direction.
5. The actuator apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuator connector comprises a tubular member adapted to be positioned around the tool actuator.
6. The actuator apparatus of claim 5, wherein the actuator connector is permanently fixedly connected to only one of the piston and the tool actuator and the actuator connector is temporarily fixedly connected to the other of the piston and the tool actuator in response to movement of the piston in the first direction.
7. The actuator apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuator connector comprises:
- a yoke;
- a tubular member adapted to be positioned about the tool actuator; and
- an elongated member connected between the yoke and the tubular connector, wherein the yoke is axially separated from the tubular connector by the elongated member.
8. The actuator apparatus of claim 7, wherein the actuator connector is permanently fixedly connected to only one of the piston and tool actuator and the actuator connector is temporarily fixedly connected to the other of the piston and the tool actuator in response to movement of the piston in the first direction.
9. The actuator apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuator connector comprises a first yoke separated from a second yoke by an elongate member.
10. The tool actuator of claim 9, wherein the actuator connector is permanently fixedly connected to only one of the piston and tool actuator and the actuator connector is temporarily fixedly connected to the other of the piston and the tool actuator in response to movement of the piston in the first direction.
11. A subsurface valve, the valve comprising:
- a piston movable in a first direction and a second direction;
- a flow tube;
- a valve closure member actuated to one of an open position and a closed position in response to movement of the flow tube in one of the first direction and the second direction; and
- an actuator connector connected between the piston and the flow tube, wherein the piston, the actuator connector and the flow tube necessarily move in unison in response to movement of the piston in a first direction and wherein the piston and the flow tube do not necessarily move in unison in response to movement of the piston in the second direction.
12. The valve of claim 11, wherein the actuator connector is permanently fixedly connected to only one of the piston and the flow tube and temporarily fixedly connected to the other of the piston and the flow tube in response to movement of the piston in the first direction.
13. The valve of claim 11, wherein the actuator connector comprises a tubular member positioned around the flow tube.
14. The valve of claim 13, wherein the actuator connector is permanently fixedly connected to only one of the piston and the flow tube and the actuator connector is temporarily fixedly connected to the other of the piston and the flow tube in response to movement of the piston in the first direction.
15. The valve of claim 11, wherein the actuator connector comprises:
- a yoke;
- a tubular member positioned about the flow tube; and
- an elongated member connected between the yoke and the tubular connector, wherein the yoke is axially separated from the tubular connector by the elongated member.
16. The valve of claim 11, wherein the actuator connector comprises a first yoke separated from a second yoke by an elongate member.
17. The valve of claim 16, wherein the elongated member is positioned substantially parallel to the piston and laterally offset from the piston.
18. A method of actuation a downhole tool, comprising:
- moving a piston in a first direction in response to an applied signal;
- moving a tool actuator in the first direction in unison with the first piston in response to the moving the piston in the first direction;
- moving the piston in a second direction; and
- releasing a fixed connection between the tool actuator and the piston in response to the moving the piston in the second direction.
19. The method of claim 18, further comprising dynamically connecting the piston and the tool actuator with an actuator connector.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein the actuator coupler is permanently fixedly connected to only one of the piston and tool actuator and the actuator connector is temporarily fixedly connected to the other of the piston and the tool actuator in response to movement of the piston in the first direction.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 8, 2010
Publication Date: Apr 14, 2011
Applicant: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION (SUGAR LAND, TX)
Inventors: Russell A. Johnston (Alvin, TX), Paul G. Goughnour (Farmers Branch, TX), David J. Biddick (Houston, TX)
Application Number: 12/900,966
International Classification: E21B 34/06 (20060101); E21B 34/00 (20060101);