Valving Device and Method of Valving

Abstract

A valving device includes a tubular having a wall including a passageway therethrough fluidically connecting an outside of the tubular with an inside of the tubular, a plug movable relative to the wall between a first position wherein the plug substantially prevents fluid flow through the passageway and a second position wherein the plug permits fluid flow through the passageway. At least one force failing member configured to maintain the plug in the first position until attainment of a selected force acts upon the plug, and movement of the plug is in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tubular yet non-coaxial with the tubular.

Description

BACKGROUND

Tubular systems, such as the type employed in the downhole drilling and completion industry, often include valves to control fluid flow between an inside and an outside of the tubulars positioned with a wellbore. Remote operation of such valves provides savings in both time and cost. The ability to easily set parameters that effect control of remote operation can provide still further benefits. Operators, therefore, are always interested in new valving devices and methods.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Disclosed herein is a valving device. The valving device includes a tubular having a wall including a passageway therethrough fluidically connecting an outside of the tubular with an inside of the tubular, a plug movable relative to the wall between a first position wherein the plug substantially prevents fluid flow through the passageway and a second position wherein the plug permits fluid flow through the passageway. At least one force failing member configured to maintain the plug in the first position until attainment of a selected force acts upon the plug, and movement of the plug is in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tubular yet non-coaxial with the tubular.

Further disclosed is a method of valving a tubular. The method of valving a tubular includes sealing a passageway through a wall of a tubular with a plug, maintaining the plug in a sealed position with at least one force failing member, failing the at least one force failing member by exceeding a selected pressure differential across the plug moving the plug a direction non-coaxially yet substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of the tubular, and opening the passageway to fluid flow in at least one direction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike:

FIG. 1 depicts a cross sectioned view of a valving device disclosed herein;

FIG. 2 depicts a magnified partial cross sectioned view of the valving device of FIG. 1 shown in a closed position;

FIG. 3 depicts a magnified partial cross sectioned view of the valving device of FIG. 2 shown in an open position; and

FIG. 4 depicts a cross sectioned view of an alternate valving device disclosed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, an embodiment of a valving device disclosed herein is illustrated generally at 10. The valving device 10 includes, a tubular 14 having a wall 18 that defines a flow passageway 22 between an outside 26 of the tubular 14 and an inside 30 of the tubular 14. The valving device 10 further includes a plug 34, illustrated in this embodiment as a piston, that sealingly slidably engages with the wall 18, via a seal 38, shown herein as an o-ring, such that the plug 34 substantially prevents flow through the flow passageway 22 when in a first position, as shown in FIG. 2, and permits flow through the flow passageway 22 when the plug 34 is in a second position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. At least one release member that in one embodiment is in the form of a force failing member 42, illustrated in this embodiment as a plurality of shear screws, maintains the plug 34 in the first position until force acting thereupon fails the force failing member 42 thereby allowing the plug 34 to move from the first position to the second position. The plug 34 being in the second position opens the flow passageway 22 thereby allowing fluid to flow therethrough from the outside 26 to the inside 30.

The force needed to fail the force failing member 42 can be generated by a pressure differential across the wall 18, from the outside 26 to the inside 30 of the tubular 14, that acts on the plug 34. The pressure differential can be communicated from the outside 26 through ports 46 and bore 50, defined by an inner housing 54 of the wall 18. The inner housing 54 can be a separate component located within a cavity 56 in the wall 18. The cavity 56 oriented substantially parallel to an axis of the tubular 14 is commonly referred to as a side pocket mandrel in some industries. A poppet 58, movably located within the inner housing 54, has channels 60 therein that allow fluid to flow therethrough when the poppet 58 is not seated against a seat 62 in the housing 54. Biasing members, such as springs, (not shown) can bias the poppet 58 toward the seat 62 to prevent flow through the bore 50 in the reverse direction after the force failing member 42 has, failed. Once the plug 34 has moved to the second position (as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3) fluid is free to flow through ports 66 in the housing 54 and into the inside 30 of the tubular 14.

An operator, by selectively altering a number of the force failing members 42 employed, can alter forces and consequently pressure needed to fail the force failing members 42 and open the valving device 10. Additionally, changes in material, hardness and size of the force failing members 42 can also be used to alter the forces needed to open the valving device 10.

Optionally, the plug 34, when in the second and open position, can be retained in the housing 54 if desired. An optional shoulder 70 that has a larger dimension than an opening 74 in an end of the housing 54 prevents the plug 34 from exiting the end of the housing 54 after failure of the force failing members 42. In an alternate embodiment of a valving device 110 disclosed herein, and illustrated in FIG. 4, a plug 112 can be allowed to separate from a housing 116, after failure of the force failing members 42. Such an embodiment can open a flow passageway 120 to the inside 30 without having another change in directional flow as occurs with the ports 66 of the valving device 10.

Both of the valving devices 10, 110 disclosed herein include a head 124 on the plug 112, 34 that prevents the plug 112, 34 from moving in a direction opposite to the opening direction. The head 124 is dimensioned larger than the opening 74 in the housing 54, 116 to absorb any load in a direction opposite to the opening direction to prevent failing of the force failing members 42 in this reverse orientation.

When the valving devices 10, 110 are applied to applications, such as, in the downhole hydrocarbon recovery industry, for example, the valving devices 10, 110 can be used to assist bringing liquids, including oil and water to surface. In this example, gas is pumped down an annulus 128 defined between the tubular 14, employed herein as part of a drill string, and a casing 132 that lines a wellbore 138 (FIG. 1). A packer 142 seals the tubular 14 to the casing 132 allowing the pumping of gas to build pressure in the annulus 128 until pressure exceeds a pressure needed to fail the force failing members 42. Once the force failing members 42 have failed and the plug 112, 34 has moved allowing fluid to flow through the valving device 10, 110, gas from the annulus 128 is pumped into the oil and water on the inside 30 thereby assisting lifting of the liquids. In this application the valving device 10, 110 may be referred to as a gas lift valve.

While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. Also, in the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. do not denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item.

Claims

1. A valving device comprising:

a tubular having a wall including a passageway therethrough fluidically connecting an outside of the tubular with an inside of the tubular;

a plug movable relative to the wall between a first position wherein the plug substantially prevents fluid flow through the passageway and a second position wherein the plug permits fluid flow through the passageway, movement of the plug being in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tubular yet non-coaxial with the tubular; and

at least one force failing member configured to maintain the plug in the first position until attainment of a selected force acts upon the plug.

2. The valving device of claim 1, wherein a pressure differential between the outside and the inside acts on the plug to generate a force thereon.

3. The valving device of claim 1, wherein the tubular is part of a drillstring positionable in a wellbore.

4. The valving device of claim 1, wherein the valving device is a gas lift valve.

5. The valving device of claim 1, wherein the valving device is housed within a side pocket mandrel.

6. The valving device of claim 1, wherein the at least one force failing member is configured to fail when a pressure at the outside is greater than a pressure at the inside by a selected value.

7. The valving device of claim 1, wherein the valving device is configured such that the at least one force failing member is not loaded when pressure at the inside is greater than pressure at the outside.

8. The valving device of claim 1, wherein the at least one force failing member is a shear screw.

9. The valving device of claim 1, wherein the selected force is defined by a number of the at least one force failing member employed in the valving device.

10. The valving device of claim 1, wherein the plug is retained in the second position after the selected force is attained.

11. The valving device of claim 1, further comprising a housing disposed at the tubular and the plug is movable relative to the housing.

12. The valving device of claim 11, wherein the housing includes a bore sealingly slidably engaged by the plug and at least two ports wherein at least two of the at least two ports are positioned on opposing sides of the sealing point of the plug when the plug is in the first position and the at least two of the at least two ports are positioned on a same side of the sealing point of the plug when the plug is in the second position.

13. The valving device of claim 1, further comprising a poppet configured to prevent reverse flow through the passageway after the valving device is open.

14. A method of valving a tubular comprising:

sealing a passageway through a wall of a tubular with a plug;

maintaining the plug in a sealed position with at least one force failing member;

failing the at least one force failing member by exceeding a selected pressure differential across the plug;

moving the plug a direction non-coaxially yet substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of the tubular; and

opening the passageway to fluid flow in at least one direction.

15. The method of valving a tubular of claim 14, further comprising preventing fluid flow through the passageway in one direction while the plug is in an open position.

16. The method of valving a tubular of claim 14, further comprising retaining the plug while the passageway is in an open position.

17. The method of valving a tubular of claim 14, further comprising altering a pressure needed to open the passageway by altering a number of the at least one force failing member employed.