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US 10,590,737 B2Granted
Downhole sealing and actuation
AssigneeChurchill Drilling Tools Limited
InventorAndrew Philip Churchill
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A downhole tool comprises a hollow body having a wall and a port in the wall, and a closing sleeve movable relative to the body to open and close the port. A seal is provided between the body and the sleeve and is configured to hold differential pressure. An isolation member may be deployed in the tool to isolate the seal from differential pressure and close the port. The isolation member may be deployed following initiation of a tool activation process, a successful outcome of the process being translating the closing sleeve and closing the port, and positioning the seal to hold a differential pressure. If it is detected that the outcome has not been achieved, the isolation member is deployed to isolate the seal from differential pressure and close the port.
Claims50
A downhole tool comprising:
- a tubular tool body with at least one side port, the at least one side port having a closed configuration and an open configuration, with the at least one side port in the closed configuration, the tubular tool body isolating internal tool body fluid pressure from external fluid pressure;
- a piston sleeve movable within the body, the piston sleeve having an upper area and a lower area and being movable between an upper position and a lower position;
- and
- an isolation device deployable from a first position to a second position, with the isolation device in the first position and the piston sleeve in the lower position causing the upper area of the piston sleeve being exposed to internal tool body pressure, and with the isolation device in the second position causing the upper area of the sleeve being isolated from the internal tool body fluid pressure, whereby a higher internal tool body fluid pressure than an external fluid pressure urges the piston sleeve upstream towards the upper position.
1 more element
A downhole method comprising:
- providing a tool body with at least one side port in a string and a piston sleeve movable within the body;
- then flowing fluid through the tool body with an area of the piston sleeve exposed to internal fluid pressure, and then isolating the area of the piston sleeve from the internal fluid pressure whereby a higher internal fluid pressure than an external fluid pressure urges the piston sleeve upstream.
A downhole tool comprising:
- a tool body with at least one side port;
- and a piston sleeve movable within the body to open and close the port, in one tool configuration an area of the piston sleeve being exposed to internal fluid pressure and in another tool configuration the area of the piston sleeve being isolated from the internal fluid pressure whereby a higher internal fluid pressure than an external fluid pressure urges the sleeve upstream.
A downhole method comprising:
- providing a tool body with at least one side port in a string and a piston sleeve movable within the body to open and close the port;
- flowing fluid through the body with an area of the piston sleeve exposed to internal fluid pressure, and isolating the area of the piston sleeve from the internal fluid pressure whereby a higher internal fluid pressure than an external fluid pressure urges the sleeve upstream.
A downhole apparatus comprising:
- a hollow body including a port for providing fluid pressure communication between an interior of the body and an exterior of the body, the body comprising at least first and second body portions, in a first body configuration the second body portion being remote from the first body portion and in a second body configuration the second body portion being located internally of the first body portion;
- a sleeve movable in the body;
- at least first and second seals between the body and the sleeve for isolating the body port from the body interior, in the second body configuration the first seal being provided between an outer diameter of a sleeve portion and an inner diameter of the first body portion and the second seal being provided between an inner diameter of a sleeve portion and an outer diameter of the second body portion, the first and second seals defining different diameters whereby the sleeve is a differential piston, and wherein in the first body configuration a third seal is provided between a laterally extending face of a sleeve portion and a laterally extending face of the first body portion.
A downhole apparatus comprising:
- a hollow body including a port for providing fluid pressure communication between an interior of the body and an exterior of the body, the hollow body having an axially extending surface and a laterally extending surface;
- a sleeve movable in the body, the sleeve having an axially extending surface and a laterally extending surface;
- at least first and second seals between the body and the sleeve for isolating the body port from the body interior, wherein the first seal is provided between the laterally extending surface of the sleeve and the laterally extending face of the body, the first and second seals defining different diameters whereby the sleeve is a differential piston, wherein the sleeve is biased to maintain the laterally extending surfaces in sealing contact.
A sealing method for a downhole apparatus comprising a hollow body including a port for providing fluid communication between an interior of the body and an exterior of the body, and the body having an axially extending surface and a laterally extending surface, the method comprising:
- movably mounting a sleeve having an axially extending surface and a laterally extending surface in the body and providing first and second seals between the body and the sleeve to isolate the body port from the body interior, the first seal being provided between the laterally extending surface of the sleeve and the laterally extending surface of the body and defining a first diameter, the second seal defining a second diameter different from the first diameter, whereby the sleeve is a differential piston;
- biasing the sleeve to maintain the laterally extending surfaces in sealing contact;
- and
- generating a pressure differential between the interior of the body and the exterior of the body to create an axial pressure force on the sleeve.
1 more element
A downhole apparatus comprising:
- a hollow body including a port for providing fluid pressure communication between an interior of the body and an exterior of the body, the hollow body having an axially extending surface and a laterally extending surface;
- a sleeve movable in the body, the sleeve having an axially extending surface and a laterally extending surface;
- at least first and second seals between the body and the sleeve for isolating the body port from the body interior, wherein the first seal is provided between the laterally extending surface of the sleeve and the laterally extending face of the body, the first and second seals defining different diameters whereby the sleeve is a differential piston, wherein the sleeve is releasably retained to maintain the laterally extending surfaces in sealing contact.
A downhole apparatus comprising:
- a hollow body including a port for providing fluid pressure communication between an interior of the body and an exterior of the body, the hollow body having an axially extending surface and a laterally extending surface;
- a sleeve movable in the body, the sleeve having an axially extending surface and a laterally extending surface;
- at least first and second seals between the body and the sleeve for isolating the body port from the body interior, wherein the first seal is provided between the laterally extending surface of the sleeve and the laterally extending face of the body, the first and second seals defining different diameters whereby the sleeve is a differential piston, in combination with a closing sleeve translatable into the sleeve and configured to form at least a close fit with the body and the sleeve, whereby an upper area of the sleeve is substantially isolated from internal string pressure and exposed to external pressure.
A sealing method for a downhole apparatus comprising a hollow body including a port for providing fluid communication between an interior of the body and an exterior of the body, and the body having an axially extending surface and a laterally extending surface, the method comprising:
- movably mounting a sleeve having an axially extending surface and a laterally extending surface in the body and providing first and second seals between the body and the sleeve to isolate the body port from the body interior, the first seal being provided between the laterally extending surface of the sleeve and the laterally extending surface of the body and defining a first diameter, the second seal defining a second diameter different from the first diameter, whereby the sleeve is a differential piston;
- releasably retaining the sleeve to maintain the laterally extending surfaces in sealing contact;
- and
- generating a pressure differential between the interior of the body and the exterior of the body to create an axial pressure force on the sleeve.
1 more element
A sealing method for a downhole apparatus comprising a hollow body including a port for providing fluid communication between an interior of the body and an exterior of the body, and the body having an axially extending surface and a laterally extending surface, the method comprising:
- movably mounting a sleeve having an axially extending surface and a laterally extending surface in the body and providing first and second seals between the body and the sleeve to isolate the body port from the body interior, the first seal being provided between the laterally extending surface of the sleeve and the laterally extending surface of the body and defining a first diameter, the second seal defining a second diameter different from the first diameter, whereby the sleeve is a differential piston;
- generating a pressure differential between the interior of the body and the exterior of the body to create an axial pressure force on the sleeve;
- and
- translating a closing sleeve into the sleeve to form at least a close fit with the body and the sleeve, whereby an upper area of the sleeve is substantially isolated from internal string pressure and exposed to external pressure.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.