# US 10,119,364 B2 · Sleeve apparatus, downhole system, and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,119,364 B2 - Document ID: US10119364B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/079,759 - Filed: 2016-03-24 - Published: 2017-09-28 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-24 - Assignees: Baker Hughes, A Ge Company, LLC - Applicants: Juan Carlos Flores - Inventors: Juan Carlos Flores - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10119364B2 ## CPC - E21B 34/103: {with a shear pin} - E21B 34/142: {unsupported or free-falling elements, e.g. balls, plugs, darts or pistons} - E21B 2200/06: Sleeve valves - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract A sleeve apparatus having a longitudinal axis and an interior further includes a tubular having a plurality of ports providing a length of fluidic access between the interior and an exterior of the tubular, the length measured with respect to the longitudinal axis; and, a sleeve disposed within the tubular and configured to move longitudinally with respect to the longitudinal axis. The sleeve further has a plurality of apertures misaligned with the plurality of ports in a closed condition of the sleeve apparatus and at least substantially aligned with the plurality of ports in a fully open condition of the sleeve apparatus, and a plurality of non-apertured sections aligned with the plurality of ports in the closed condition. A longitudinal shifting distance of the sleeve to move the sleeve apparatus from the closed condition to the fully open condition is less than the length of fluidic access. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sleeve apparatus having a longitudinal axis and an interior, the sleeve apparatus further comprising: a tubular having a plurality of ports providing a length of fluidic access between the interior of the sleeve apparatus and an exterior of the tubular, the length measured with respect to the longitudinal axis; and, a sleeve disposed within the tubular and configured to move longitudinally with respect to the longitudinal axis, the sleeve having a plurality of apertures misaligned with the plurality of ports in a closed condition of the sleeve apparatus and at least substantially aligned with the plurality of ports in a fully open condition of the sleeve apparatus, the sleeve further having a plurality of non-apertured sections aligned with the plurality of ports in the closed condition; wherein a longitudinal shifting distance of the sleeve to move the sleeve apparatus from the closed condition to the fully open condition of the sleeve apparatus exposing the plurality of ports to the interior of the sleeve apparatus is less than the length of fluidic access provided by the plurality of ports in the fully open condition. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sleeve apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plug seat configured to receive a plug, the sleeve movable with the plug seat. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The sleeve apparatus of claim 2, wherein the plug seat is shear pinned to the tubular in the closed condition of the sleeve apparatus, and sheared from the tubular in the open condition of the sleeve apparatus. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The sleeve apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of ports in the tubular includes at least two banks of ports longitudinally separated, respectively, by a non-ported section of the tubular. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The sleeve apparatus of claim 4, wherein the tubular includes n banks of ports and the sleeve includes n−1 banks of apertures. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The sleeve apparatus of claim 4, wherein the tubular includes n banks of ports, the plurality of ports each have a substantially same length, and the length of fluidic access provided by the plurality of ports is the length of the ports times n. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The sleeve apparatus of claim 4, wherein the ports in each bank of ports have a length approximately equal to the longitudinal shifting distance of the sleeve. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The sleeve apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a seal uphole and downhole each bank of ports. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The sleeve apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of apertures are rotationally misaligned with the plurality of ports in the closed condition of the sleeve apparatus. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The sleeve apparatus of claim 9, wherein motion of the sleeve in the longitudinal shifting distance additionally rotates the sleeve about the longitudinal axis to rotationally and longitudinally align the plurality of apertures with the plurality of ports in the fully opened condition of the sleeve apparatus. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The sleeve apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a curved groove in one of the tubular and the sleeve, wherein movement of the sleeve in the longitudinal shifting distance follows the curve to rotate the sleeve. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The sleeve apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a protrusion protruding from one of the tubular and the sleeve to follow in the groove during movement of the sleeve in the longitudinal shifting distance. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The sleeve apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tubular further includes a J-slot, wherein the sleeve is configured to rotate with respect to the tubular during movement of the sleeve in the longitudinal shifting distance. ### Claim 14 A downhole system comprising an assembly configured to extend through a borehole, the assembly having an interior defining a flowbore, the downhole system further comprising: a sleeve apparatus connected along the assembly, the sleeve apparatus having a longitudinal axis and an interior, the sleeve apparatus further including: a tubular having a plurality of ports providing a length of fluidic access between the interior of the sleeve apparatus and an exterior of the tubular, the length measured with respect to the longitudinal axis; and, a sleeve disposed within the tubular and configured to move longitudinally with respect to the longitudinal axis, the sleeve having a plurality of apertures misaligned with the plurality of ports in a closed condition of the sleeve apparatus and at least substantially aligned with the plurality of ports in a fully open condition of the sleeve apparatus, the sleeve further having a plurality of non-apertured sections aligned with the plurality of ports in the closed condition; wherein a longitudinal shifting distance of the sleeve to move the sleeve apparatus from the closed condition to the fully open condition of the sleeve apparatus exposing the plurality of ports to the interior of the sleeve apparatus is less than the length of fluidic access provided by the plurality of ports in the fully open condition. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The downhole system of claim 14, further comprising a plug seat attached to the sleeve, and a plug receivable within the plug seat to shift the sleeve in the longitudinal shifting distance. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The downhole system of claim 14, wherein the longitudinal shifting distance is x and the length of fluidic access provided by the plurality of ports is at least 2x. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The downhole system of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of the sleeve apparatuses connected along the assembly, and a plurality of packer devices disposed uphole and downhole of each sleeve apparatus to isolate a plurality of zones within the borehole. ### Claim 18 A method of accessing an annulus in a borehole, the method comprising: running a downhole assembly into a borehole, the downhole assembly having an interior defining a flowbore, and further comprising a sleeve apparatus connected along the assembly, the sleeve apparatus having a longitudinal axis and an interior, the sleeve apparatus further including a tubular having a plurality of ports providing a length of fluidic access between the interior of the sleeve apparatus and an exterior of the tubular, the length measured with respect to the longitudinal axis; and, a sleeve disposed within the tubular and configured to move longitudinally with respect to the longitudinal axis, the sleeve having a plurality of apertures misaligned with the plurality of ports in a closed condition of the sleeve apparatus and at least substantially aligned with the plurality of ports in a fully open condition of the sleeve apparatus, the sleeve further having a plurality of non-apertured sections aligned with the plurality of ports in the closed condition; and, shifting the sleeve within the tubular to expose the plurality of ports to the interior of the sleeve apparatus in the fully opened condition of the sleeve apparatus; wherein a longitudinal shifting distance of the sleeve to move the sleeve apparatus from the closed condition to the fully open condition of the sleeve apparatus is less than the length of fluidic access provided by the plurality of ports in the fully open condition. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the plurality of ports in the tubular includes at least two banks of ports longitudinally separated, respectively, by a non-ported section of the tubular, and shifting the sleeve includes shifting the sleeve longitudinally to unblock each bank of ports substantially simultaneously. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the plurality of apertures are rotationally misaligned with the plurality of ports in the closed condition of the sleeve apparatus, and shifting the sleeve includes converting longitudinal motion of the sleeve into rotational motion of the sleeve to rotationally and longitudinally align the plurality of apertures with the plurality of ports in the fully opened condition of the sleeve apparatus.