SYSTEM FOR TEMPORARY ISOLATION AND OPENING BY AUTOMATIC PRESSURE BREAK IN A PRODUCTION PIPE

Abstract

The present invention discloses a system for temporary isolation and opening by automatic pressure break in a production pipe that, besides allowing the breakage of a sealing element in order to clear out its residues from where it is housed, allows to prevent any obstruction along the system due to the residues of a sealing element; the system comprises: a) a pipe section comprised of an inner wall, a break off profile, a shoulder, at least one shear bolt housing, and a lower sealing element; and b) an break off opening device comprised of: an upper sealing element, a mandrel, at least one shear bolt, and an isolated chamber.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to systems for temporary isolation of a production pipe in a wellbore, and more particularly, it is related to a system for temporary isolation and opening by automatic pressure break in a production pipe.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A wellbore is the product of drilling the subsoil using different drill-bit diameters, where the wellbore is configured to extract different fluids from the subsoil, such as, inter aka, natural gas or oil. The wellbore can be covered at its inner walls with a cement layer in order to provide higher structural integrity, where this cement layer is also known as casing pipe. Once the wellbore has been isolated with the casing pipe, it is possible to introduce a production pipe into the wellbore which allows to divide the wellbore inside in two sections, a production pipe outer section and a production pipe inner section; where the production pipe can be comprised of different types of systems that allow the extraction of the different fluids to occur in a secure manner.

Sometimes, the production pipe inner section needs to be isolated in order to perform different processes such as, inter alia, pressure tests or to stimulate a part of the pipe inner section. This is possible by means of temporary isolation systems, also known as, inter alia, packaging, plugs or gaskets.

There are some examples of temporary isolation systems, such as the one disclosed in U.S. Ser. No. 10/113,394, which describes a multistage flow device providing the fluid flow from several tools to a wellbore annular space, and it can include a housing having an axial hole and at least one flow passage; a sleeve within the casing having an axial hole; a shoulder acting as a ball seat; a first and second axially offset flow passages; a first rupture disc that can be in fluid communication with the first flow passage; and a second rupture disc that can be in fluid communication with the second flow passage, the second rupture disc has a breakage pressure greater than the first rupture disc. However, the patent does not describe a way to break each rupture disc in order to clear out its residues from where they are housed, and thus to prevent any obstruction in each flow passage.

Additionally, the international application WO2020165880 discloses a wellbore tubular floating device comprising a housing having a locking element thereon; the housing is formed to move through an interior of a wellbore tubular segment; the locking element is formed to engage the wellbore tubular segment inner side, the locking element comprises a locking mechanism configured to urge the locking element into contact with the wellbore tube inner side; a rupture disc coupled to the casing and having the shape to close the fluid flow of the tubular segment; a releasing mechanism being configured to revert the urging of the locking mechanism when a releasing tool moves through the casing. However, the application does not disclose a way to break the rupture disc in order to clear out its residues from where it is housed, and thus to prevent any obstruction.

Moreover, patent application US20200217173 discloses wellbore bottom assemblies and methods of isolating a wellbore, where a wellbore bottom tool can include a body having a hole or flow travel formed therethrough; and one or more sealing elements located therein; the one or more sealing elements can include an annular base and a curved surface having a top face and an bottom face, where one or more first radius define the top face, and one or more second radius define the bottom face, and where, in any point of the curved surface, the first radius is larger than the second radius; the sealing elements can be located within the tool hole using one or more annular sealing devices located around one or more sealing elements. However, the application does not disclose a way to break each sealing element in order to clear out its residues from where they are housed, and thus to prevent any obstruction in the wellbore bottom tool.

Accordingly, it has been sought to overcome the drawbacks of the currently used systems for temporary isolation of a production pipe in a wellbore by developing, in a production pipe, a system for temporary isolation and opening by automatic pressure break that, besides allowing the breakage of a sealing element in order to clear out its residues from where it is housed, also allows preventing any obstruction along the system due to the residues of a sealing element.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

Taking into account the drawbacks of the prior art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system for temporary isolation and opening by automatic pressure break in a production pipe, which allows the breakage of a sealing element in order to clear out its residues from where it is housed.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a system for temporary isolation and opening by automatic pressure break in a production pipe, which allows to prevent any obstruction along the device due to the residues of a sealing element.

These and other objects are achieved by means of a system for temporary isolation and opening by automatic pressure break in a production pipe in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

For this purpose, a system for temporary isolation and opening by automatic pressure break in a production pipe has been invented comprising: a) a pipe section comprised of an inner wall, a break off profile located at the inner wall and configured to break a flat base of an upper sealing element, a shoulder located at the inner wall and configured to restrict the movement of a mandrel when it travels, at least one shear bolt housing crossing throughout the inner wall and configured to house at least one shear bolt, and a lower sealing element comprised of a concave face facing in an opposite direction to the concave face of an upper sealing element, and a flat base located perpendicularly to the pipe section inner wall, and the lower sealing element is configured to: be attached to the flat base with the pipe section inner wall, in order to prevent a working fluid to pass when it flows to an isolated chamber, and to be broken when contacting the working fluid when it flows from the isolated chamber; and b) a break off opening device comprising: an upper sealing element comprising a concave face and a flat base located perpendicularly to the pipe section inner wall, where the upper sealing element is configured to be attached to the flat base with a mandrel and to prevent the passing of a working fluid when it flows to the isolated chamber, a mandrel concentric with respect to the pipe section and having an outer wall adjacent to the pipe section inner wall, the mandrel is attached to the flat base of an upper sealing element and it is configured to travel along the pipe section from an starting position to an ending position where it collides with the shoulder of the pipe section, at least one shear bolt located at the at least one shear bolt housing, each shear bolt connects the mandrel to the pipe section maintaining it fixed in an starting position, and each shear bolt is configured to be broken at a predetermined pressure, and an isolated chamber located between the upper and lower sealing elements and within the mandrel, the isolated chamber is configured to allow the working fluid to enter therein when the upper sealing element is broken; such that when the working fluid generates a pressure in the upper sealing element reaching and overcoming the predetermined pressure, it causes each shear bolt to be broken, then the mandrel and the upper sealing element are offset due the pressure difference generated between the working fluid and the isolated chamber, where the upper sealing element contacts a break off profile that breaks the upper sealing element from its base, removing all the residues from the upper sealing element from where it is attached to the mandrel, then the working fluid enters into the isolated chamber and the mandrel contacts the shoulder which is reaching the ending position, and the working fluid contacts the lower sealing element and breaks the lower sealing element.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The novel aspects considered characteristic of the present invention, will be set forth particularly in the accompanying claims. However, some embodiments, characteristics and some objects and advantages thereof, will be better understood in the detailed description, when read along the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a front perspective view of a system for temporary isolation and opening by automatic pressure break in a production pipe, with a cross-section along its longitudinal axis, in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 2a and 2b show a longitudinal cut front perspective view of the system for temporary isolation and opening by automatic pressure break in a production pipe, in an initial state and in a triggering state.

FIG. 3 shows an enlargement of a break off profile of the device for temporary isolation and opening by automatic pressure break in a production pipe.

FIG. 4a shows a right front top view of a sealing element.

FIG. 4b shows a cross-section front perspective view of the sealing element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

It has been found that using a break off profile in a system for temporary isolation and opening by automatic pressure break allows preventing any obstruction along the system since an upper sealing element is broken from its base, which allows that a mandrel be free from residues.

Thus in an aspect of the invention, a system for temporary isolation and opening by automatic pressure break in a production pipe is disclosed, comprising: a) a pipe section comprised of an inner wall, a break off profile located at the inner wall and configured to break a flat base of an upper sealing element, a shoulder located at the inner wall and configured to restrict the movement of a mandrel when it travels, at least one shear bolt housing crossing throughout the inner wall and configured to house at least one shear bolt, and a lower sealing element comprised of a concave face facing in an opposite direction to the concave face of an upper sealing element, and a flat base which is located perpendicularly to the pipe section inner wall, and the lower sealing element is configured to be attached to the flat base with the pipe section inner wall, to prevent the passing of a working fluid when it flows to an isolated chamber, and to be broken when contacting the working fluid when it flows from the isolated chamber; and b) a break off opening device comprising: an upper sealing element comprising a concave face and a flat base located perpendicularly to the pipe section inner wall, where the upper sealing element is configured to be attached to the flat base with a mandrel and to prevent the passing of a working fluid when it flows to the isolated chamber, a mandrel concentric with respect to the pipe section and having an outer wall adjacent to the pipe section inner wall, the mandrel is attached to the flat base of an upper sealing element and it is configured to travel along the pipe section from an starting position to an ending position where it collides with the shoulder of the pipe section, at least one shear bolt located at the at least one shear bolt housing, each shear bolt connects the mandrel to the pipe section maintaining it fixed in an starting position, and each shear bolt is configured to be broken at a predetermined pressure, and an isolated chamber located between the upper and lower sealing elements and within the mandrel, the isolated chamber is configured to allow the working fluid to enter therein when the upper sealing element is broken; such that when the working fluid generates a pressure in the upper sealing element reaching and overcoming the predetermined pressure, it causes each shear bolt to be broken, then the mandrel and the upper sealing element are offset due the pressure difference generated between the working fluid and the isolated chamber, where the upper sealing element contacts a break off profile which breaks the upper sealing element from its base, removing all the residues from the upper sealing element from where it is attached to the mandrel, then the working fluid enters into the isolated chamber and the mandrel contacts the shoulder which is reaching the ending position, and the working fluid contacts the lower sealing element and breaks the lower sealing element.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the break off profile shows a slope with respect to the inner wall in a range from 1 to 90 degrees. Preferably, the break off profile has a 15 degrees slope.

In other embodiment of the present invention, the system comprises from 1 to 50 shear bolts. In addition, the predetermined pressure each shear bolt supports is in the range from 10 to 138 MPa.

Additionally, in an embodiment of the present invention, the isolated chamber can be at a vacuum pressure, atmospheric pressure, or any other pressure lower than the predetermined pressure. Preferably, the isolated chamber is at atmospheric pressure.

Further, in an embodiment of the present invention, the working fluid may be, inter alia, a fragmentation fluid, drilling sludge or hydrocarbons.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the upper sealing element and the lower sealing element may be made of ceramic material, plastic, or a mixture thereof. Preferably, the upper sealing element and the lower sealing element are made of ceramic material.

In an embodiment of the present invention, each attachment of the system elements may include at least one joint configured to create a seal preventing any fluid to pass through the attachment where it is located. For example, at least one joint is located at the space between the mandrel and the pipe section inner wall to prevent any fluid leakage.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the pipe section can be assembled at its ends with different devices belonging to a production pipe, this assembly may be, inter alia, by threading or pressure.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pipe section can be formed by an upper coupling part, a lower coupling part, and an intermediate part. In this preferred embodiment, the pipe section pieces are attached such that they form the inner wall; the upper coupling part can be assembled with the intermediate part and being in contact with the upper sealing element outer its concave face; the lower coupling part can be assembled with the intermediate part and being in contact with the lower sealing element outer its concave face; and the intermediate part where the following are located: the break off profile, the shoulder in turn is configured to be in contact with the lower sealing element in its base, the at least one shear bolt housing, and the break off opening device. The pieces in the pipe section can be uncoupled form each other such that they allow to monitor and/or replace any component; for example, in the case of cracking, which guarantees the reuse of the device and/or system. The coupling between the pieces of the pipe section can be by threading or pressure.

Referring now to FIG. 1, which shows the specific embodiment of a system for temporary isolation and opening by automatic pressure break in a production pipe 1000 comprising: a) a pipe section 1100 which may be formed of: an upper coupling part 1160, a lower coupling part 1170 and an intermediate part 1180; the pipe section 1100 is comprised of an inner wall 1110 formed by the pieces 1160, 1170 and 1180 of the pipe section 1100, a break off profile 1120 located at the inner wall 1110 and configured to break a flat base 1212 of an upper sealing element 1210, a shoulder 1130 located at the inner wall 1110 and configured to restrict the movement of a mandrel 1220 when it travels, at least one shear bolt housing 1140 crossing throughout the inner wall 1110 and being configured to house at least one shear bolt 1230, and a lower sealing element 1150 comprised of a concave face 1151 facing in the opposite direction to the concave face 1211 of an upper sealing element 1210, and a flat base 1152 located perpendicularly to the inner wall 1110 of the pipe section 1100, and the lower sealing element 1150 is configured to be attached to the flat base 1152 with the inner wall 1110 of the pipe section 1100, to prevent the passing of a working fluid (not shown) when it flows to an isolated chamber 1240, and to be broken when contacting the working fluid when it flows from the isolated chamber 1240; and b) a break off opening device 1200 comprising: an upper sealing element 1210 comprising a concave face 1211 and a flat base 1212 located perpendicularly to the inner wall 1110 of the pipe section 1100, where the upper sealing element 1210 is configured to be attached to the flat base 1212 with a mandrel 1220 and to prevent the passing of a working fluid when it flows to the isolated chamber 1240, a mandrel 1220 concentric with respect to the pipe section 1100 and having an outer wall 1221 adjacent to the inner wall 1110 of the pipe section 1100, the mandrel 1220 is attached to the flat base 1212 of an upper sealing element 1210 and it is configured to travel along the pipe section 1100 from a starting position to an ending position where it collides with the shoulder 1130 of the pipe section 1100, at least one shear bolt 1230 located at the at least one shear bolt housing 1140, each shear bolt 1230 connects the mandrel 1220 with the pipe section 1100 by maintaining it fixed in an starting position, and each shear bolt 1230 is configured to be broken at a predetermined pressure, and an isolated chamber 1240 located between the upper and lower sealing elements 1210, 1150 and within the mandrel 1220, the isolated chamber 1240 is configured to allow the working fluid to enter therein when the upper sealing element 1210 is broken; wherein the upper coupling part 1160 can be assembled with the intermediate part 1180 and in contact with the upper sealing element 1210 outside its concave face 1211; the lower coupling part 1170 can be assembled with the intermediate part 1180 and be in contact with the lower sealing element 1150 outside its concave face 1151; and the intermediate part 1180 where they are located: the break off profile 1120, the shoulder 1130 configured in turn to be in contact with the lower sealing element 1150 in its base 1152, the at least one shear bolt housing 1140, and the break off opening device 1200.

FIG. 2a, shows the working fluid generating a pressure in the upper sealing element 1210, which when reaches and overcomes the predetermined pressure, causes each shear bolt 1230 to be broken.

FIG. 2b, shows the mandrel 1220 and the upper sealing element 1210 being offset due a pressure difference generated between the working fluid and the isolated chamber 1240. FIG. 2b illustrates the moment before the upper sealing element 1210 makes contact with the break off profile 1120 which breaks the upper sealing element 1210 from its base 1212, removing all the residues of the upper sealing element 1210 from where it is attached to the mandrel 1220.

FIG. 3 shows the break off profile 1120 having a slope 1121 with respect to the inner wall 1110 in a range from 1 to 90 degrees. Preferably, the break off profile 1120 has a 15 degrees slope 1121

FIGS. 4a and 4b shows the upper and lower sealing elements 1210, 1150 which may have the following dimension ratios: a ratio between an inner diameter 12122 and an outer diameter 12123 in a range from 0.6 to 0.9; a ratio between a first height 12121 to the base 1212 and the outer diameter 12123 in a range from 0.05 a 0.25, where the first height 12121 also determines the center of the outer radius 12112 of the concave face 1211; a ratio between the total height 1213 and the outer diameter 12123 in a range from 0.4 to 0.8; a ratio between the inner radius 12111 of the concave face 1211 and the inner diameter 12122 in a range from 0.3 to 0.7; a ratio between a second height 12113 to the center of the inner radius 12111 of the concave face 1211 and the inner diameter 12122 in a range from 0.3 to 0.5, where the second height of the center of the inner radius 12111 is measured with respect to the base start 1212; and a ratio between the outer radius 12112 of the concave face 1211 and the outer diameter 12123 in a range from 0.3 to 0.7. Additionally, a variable thickness 1214 with the thickness being higher at the base 1212 compared to the thickness of the concave face 1211.

In accordance with the above described, it may be seen that in a production pipe, a system for temporal isolation and opening with pressure automatic-breaking has been devised to allow the breakage of a sealing element in order to clear out its residues from where it is housed, and to prevent any obstruction along the system due to the residues of a sealing element, and it will be evident to any skilled in the art that the embodiments of the system for temporary isolation and opening by automatic pressure break in a production pipe, as described and illustrated above in the accompanying drawings, are only illustrative and no limiting of the present invention, since many considerable changes in its details are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

Therefore, the present invention should not be considered as restricted except by the prior art demands and the scope of the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. A system for temporary isolation and opening by automatic pressure break in a production pipe, characterized by comprising: a) a pipe section comprised of an inner wall, a break off profile located at the inner wall and configured to break a flat base of an upper sealing element, a shoulder located at the inner wall and configured to restrict the movement of a mandrel when it travels, at least one shear bolt housing crossing throughout the inner wall and which is configured to house at least one shear bolt, and a lower sealing element comprised of a concave face facing in an opposite direction to the concave face of an upper sealing element, and a flat base located perpendicularly to the pipe section inner wall, and the lower sealing element is configured to be attached to the flat base with the pipe section inner wall, to prevent the passing of a working fluid when it flows to an isolated chamber, and to be broken when contacting the working fluid when it flows from the isolated chamber; and b) a break off opening device comprised of: an upper sealing element comprising a concave face and a flat base located perpendicularly to the pipe section inner wall, where the upper sealing element is configured to be attached to the flat base with a mandrel and to prevent the passing of a working fluid when it flows to the isolated chamber, a mandrel concentric with respect to the pipe section and having an outer wall adjacent to the pipe section inner wall, the mandrel is attached to the flat base of an upper sealing element and is configured to travel along the pipe section from an starting position to an ending position where it collides with the shoulder of the pipe section, at least one shear bolt located at the at least one shear bolt housing, each shear bolt connects the mandrel to the pipe section maintaining it fixed in an starting position, and each shear bolt is configured to be broken at a predetermined pressure, and an isolated chamber located between the upper and lower sealing elements and within the mandrel, the isolated chamber is configured to allow the working fluid to enter therein when the upper sealing element is broken; such that when the working fluid generates a pressure in the upper sealing element reaching and overcoming the predetermined pressure, it causes each shear bolt to be broken, then the mandrel and the upper sealing element are offset due the pressure difference generated between the working fluid and the isolated chamber, where the upper sealing element contacts a break off profile which breaks the upper sealing element from its base, removing all the residues from the upper sealing element from where it is attached to the mandrel, then the working fluid enters into the isolated chamber and the mandrel contacts the shoulder which is reaching the ending position, and the working fluid contacts the lower sealing element and breaks the lower sealing element.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the break off profile has a slope with respect to the inner wall in a range from 1 to 90 degrees.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the break off profile has a 15 degrees slope.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises from 1 to 50 shear bolts.

5. The system according to 1, wherein the predetermined pressure each shear bolt supports is in the range from 10 to 138 MPa.

6. The system according to 1, wherein the isolated chamber is at a vacuum pressure, atmospheric pressure, or a pressure lower than the predetermined pressure.

7. The system according to 6, wherein the isolated chamber is at atmospheric pressure.

8. The system according to 1, wherein the working fluid is a fragmentation fluid, drilling sludge, or hydrocarbons.

9. The system according to 1, wherein the upper sealing element and the lower sealing element are made of ceramic material, plastic, or a mixture thereof.

10. The system according to 9, wherein the upper sealing element and the lower sealing element are made of ceramic material.

11. The system according to 1, wherein the pipe section is assembled at its ends with different devices belonging to a production pipe, this assembly is by threading or pressure.

12. The system according to 1, wherein the pipe section is formed by an upper coupling part, a lower coupling part, and an intermediate part.

13. The system according to 12, wherein the pieces of the pipe section are attached such that they form the inner wall; the upper coupling part is assembled with the intermediate part and is in contact with the upper sealing element outside its concave face; the lower coupling part is assembled with the intermediate part and is in contact with the lower sealing element outside its concave face; and the intermediate part where the following are located: the break off profile, the shoulder in turn is configured to be in contact with the lower sealing element in its base, the at least one shear bolt housing, and the break off opening device.

14. The system according to 13, wherein the pieces in the pipe section are uncoupled to each other such that they allow to monitor and/or replace any component.

15. The system according to 14, wherein the coupling between the pipe section pieces is by threading or pressure.