# US 2019/0376361 A1 · System and method for isolating a wellbore zone for rigless hydraulic fracturing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0376361 A1 - Document ID: US20190376361A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/002,410 - Filed: 2018-06-07 - Published: 2019-12-12 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-07 - Assignees: Saudi Arabian Oil Company - Applicants: Saudi Arabian Oil Company - Inventors: Mohamed Nabil Noui-Mehidi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190376361A1 ## CPC - E21B 33/1285: {by fluid pressure} - E21B 33/124: Units with longitudinally-spaced plugs for isolating the intermediate space - E21B 33/126: with fluid-pressure-operated elastic cup or skirt (E21B33/122, E21B33/124 take precedence) - E21B 34/14: operated by movement of tools, e.g. sleeve valves operated by pistons or wire line tools {(E21B34/066 takes precedence)} - E21B 43/14: Obtaining from a multiple-zone well - E21B 43/26: by forming crevices or fractures - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract Systems and methods for hydraulically fracturing a subterranean formation include a fracturing assembly with a tool body having a central bore. A downhole isolating assembly is moveable between a downhole unengaged position and a downhole engaged position. A downhole piston assembly is moveable between a downhole piston contracted position and a downhole piston extended position and is operable to move the downhole isolating assembly between the downhole unengaged position and the downhole engaged position. An uphole isolating assembly is moveable between an uphole unengaged position and an uphole engaged position. An uphole piston assembly is moveable between an uphole piston contracted position and an uphole piston extended position, where the uphole piston assembly is operable to move the uphole isolating assembly between the uphole unengaged position and the uphole engaged position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fracturing assembly for hydraulically fracturing a subterranean formation, the fracturing assembly including: a tool body, the tool body having a central bore; a downhole isolating assembly, the downhole isolating assembly moveable between a downhole unengaged position and a downhole engaged position, where in the downhole engaged position the downhole isolating assembly is operable to form a seal with an inner diameter surface of a wellbore; a downhole piston assembly in fluid communication with the central bore of the tool body, the downhole piston assembly moveable between a downhole piston contracted position and a downhole piston extended position, where the downhole piston assembly is operable to move the downhole isolating assembly between the downhole unengaged position and the downhole engaged position, where the downhole piston assembly includes a downhole piston member that forms a seal around an inner diameter surface of the central bore of the tool body, and where the downhole piston assembly further includes a downhole piston rod that is static relative to the tool body, and where the downhole piston member is operable to slide along the downhole piston rod; an uphole isolating assembly, the uphole isolating assembly moveable between an uphole unengaged position and an uphole engaged position, where in the uphole engaged position the uphole isolating assembly is operable to form a seal with the inner diameter surface of the wellbore; and an uphole piston assembly moveable between an uphole piston contracted position and an uphole piston extended position, where the uphole piston assembly is in fluid communication with the central bore of the tool body when the downhole piston assembly is in the downhole piston extended position, and where the uphole piston assembly is operable to move the uphole isolating assembly between the uphole unengaged position and the uphole engaged position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fracturing assembly of claim 1, where the downhole piston assembly is biased towards the downhole piston contracted position and the uphole piston assembly is biased towards the uphole piston contracted position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The fracturing assembly of claim 1, where the tool body further includes an annular space between an outside surface of an inner tubular member, and an inner diameter surface of an outer tubular member. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The fracturing assembly of claim 3, where the uphole piston assembly includes an uphole piston member that is ring shaped and forms a seal in the annular space of the tool body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The fracturing assembly of claim 4, where the uphole piston assembly further includes a plurality of uphole piston rods each of the plurality of uphole piston rods being static relative to the tool body, and where the uphole piston member is operable to slide along the plurality of uphole piston rods. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The fracturing assembly of claim 4, where the tool body further includes an uphole port extending through the outer tubular member, where the uphole piston member is located downhole of the uphole port when the uphole isolating assembly is in the uphole unengaged position and the uphole piston member is located uphole of the uphole port when the uphole isolating assembly is in the uphole engaged position. ### Claim 7 (canceled) ### Claim 8 (canceled) ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The fracturing assembly of claim 1, where the tool body further includes an inner tubular member that defines the central bore, and a downhole port extending through the inner tubular member, where the downhole piston member is located uphole of the downhole port when the downhole piston assembly is in the downhole piston contracted position and the downhole piston member is located downhole of the downhole port when the downhole piston assembly is in the downhole piston extended position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The fracturing assembly of claim 1, where the downhole isolating assembly includes a downhole structural assembly having a plurality of downhole linear members, and a plurality of downhole pivoting members, and the downhole isolating assembly further includes a downhole sealing member, where each of the plurality of downhole linear members is secured to one of the plurality of downhole pivoting members and each of the plurality of downhole pivoting members is secured to the downhole sealing member. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The fracturing assembly of claim 1, where the uphole isolating assembly includes an uphole structural assembly having a plurality of uphole linear members, and a plurality of uphole pivoting members, and the uphole isolating assembly further includes an uphole sealing member, where each of the plurality of uphole linear members is secured to one of the plurality of uphole pivoting members and each of the plurality of uphole pivoting members is secured to the uphole sealing member. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The fracturing assembly of claim 1, where the central bore of the tool body is in fluid communication with the wellbore when the downhole isolating assembly is in the downhole engaged position and the uphole isolating assembly is in the uphole engaged position. ### Claim 13 A method for hydraulically fracturing a subterranean formation with a fracturing assembly, the method including: providing a tool body having a central bore; providing a downhole isolating assembly, the downhole isolating assembly moveable between a downhole unengaged position and a downhole engaged position, where in the downhole engaged position the downhole isolating assembly forms a seal with an inner diameter surface of a wellbore; providing a downhole piston assembly in fluid communication with the central bore of the tool body, the downhole piston assembly moveable between a downhole piston contracted position and a downhole piston extended position, and forming a seal around an inner diameter surface of the central bore of the tool body with a downhole piston member of the downhole piston assembly; providing an uphole isolating assembly, the uphole isolating assembly moveable between an uphole unengaged position and an uphole engaged position, where in the uphole engaged position the uphole isolating assembly forms a seal with the inner diameter surface of the wellbore; providing an uphole piston assembly moveable between an uphole piston contracted position and an uphole piston extended position, where the uphole piston assembly is in fluid communication with the central bore of the tool body when the downhole piston assembly is in the downhole piston extended position; moving the downhole piston assembly between the downhole piston contracted position and the downhole piston extended position by sliding the downhole piston member along a downhole piston rod, where the downhole piston rod is static relative to the tool body; moving the downhole isolating assembly between the downhole unengaged position and the downhole engaged position with the downhole piston assembly; and moving the uphole isolating assembly between the uphole unengaged position and the uphole engaged position with the uphole piston assembly. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further including biasing the downhole piston assembly towards the downhole piston contracted position and biasing the uphole isolating assembly towards the uphole piston contracted position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further including sealing an annular space between an outside surface of an inner tubular member of the tool body and an inner diameter surface of an outer tubular member of the tool body with an uphole piston member of the uphole piston assembly. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further including moving the uphole piston assembly between the uphole piston contracted position and the uphole piston extended position by sliding the uphole piston member along a plurality of uphole piston rods, where each of the plurality of uphole piston rods is static relative to the tool body. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, where the outer tubular member has an uphole port extending through the outer tubular member, the method further including moving the uphole piston member from downhole of the uphole port to uphole of the uphole port by moving the uphole isolating assembly from the uphole unengaged position to the uphole engaged position. ### Claim 18 (canceled) ### Claim 19 (canceled) ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The fracturing assembly of claim 18, where the tool body further includes an inner tubular member that defines the central bore, and a downhole port extending through the inner tubular member, the method further including moving the downhole piston member from uphole of the downhole port to downhole of the downhole port by moving the downhole piston assembly from the downhole piston contracted position to the downhole piston extended position. ### Claim 21 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, where the central bore of the tool body is in fluid communication with the wellbore when the downhole isolating assembly is in the downhole engaged position and the uphole isolating assembly is in the uphole engaged position. ### Claim 22 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, where: moving the downhole isolating assembly from the downhole unengaged position to the downhole engaged position with the downhole piston assembly includes injecting a pressure fluid through the central bore; moving the uphole isolating assembly from the uphole unengaged position to the uphole engaged position with the uphole piston assembly includes injecting the pressure fluid through the central bore after the downhole isolating assembly is in the downhole engaged position; and the method further includes fracturing the subterranean formation with the pressure fluid after the uphole isolating assembly is in the uphole engaged position. ### Claim 23 A fracturing assembly for hydraulically fracturing a subterranean formation, the fracturing assembly including: a tool body, the tool body having a central bore where the tool body further includes an annular space between an outside surface of an inner tubular member, and an inner diameter surface of an outer tubular member; a downhole isolating assembly, the downhole isolating assembly moveable between a downhole unengaged position and a downhole engaged position, where in the downhole engaged position the downhole isolating assembly is operable to form a seal with an inner diameter surface of a wellbore; a downhole piston assembly in fluid communication with the central bore of the tool body, the downhole piston assembly moveable between a downhole piston contracted position and a downhole piston extended position, where the downhole piston assembly is operable to move the downhole isolating assembly between the downhole unengaged position and the downhole engaged position; an uphole isolating assembly, the uphole isolating assembly moveable between an uphole unengaged position and an uphole engaged position, where in the uphole engaged position the uphole isolating assembly is operable to form a seal with the inner diameter surface of the wellbore; and an uphole piston assembly moveable between an uphole piston contracted position and an uphole piston extended position, where the uphole piston assembly is in fluid communication with the central bore of the tool body when the downhole piston assembly is in the downhole piston extended position, where the uphole piston assembly is operable to move the uphole isolating assembly between the uphole unengaged position and the uphole engaged position; where the uphole piston assembly includes an uphole piston member that is ring shaped and forms a seal in the annular space of the tool body, and where the uphole piston assembly further includes a plurality of uphole piston rods each of the plurality of uphole piston rods being static relative to the tool body, and where the uphole piston member is operable to slide along the plurality of uphole piston rods. ### Claim 24 A fracturing assembly for hydraulically fracturing a subterranean formation, the fracturing assembly including: a tool body, the tool body having a central bore, where the tool body further includes an annular space between an outside surface of an inner tubular member, and an inner diameter surface of an outer tubular member, and where the tool body further includes an uphole port extending through the outer tubular member; a downhole isolating assembly, the downhole isolating assembly moveable between a downhole unengaged position and a downhole engaged position, where in the downhole engaged position the downhole isolating assembly is operable to form a seal with an inner diameter surface of a wellbore; a downhole piston assembly in fluid communication with the central bore of the tool body, the downhole piston assembly moveable between a downhole piston contracted position and a downhole piston extended position, where the downhole piston assembly is operable to move the downhole isolating assembly between the downhole unengaged position and the downhole engaged position; an uphole isolating assembly, the uphole isolating assembly moveable between an uphole unengaged position and an uphole engaged position, where in the uphole engaged position the uphole isolating assembly is operable to form a seal with the inner diameter surface of the wellbore; and an uphole piston assembly moveable between an uphole piston contracted position and an uphole piston extended position, where the uphole piston assembly is in fluid communication with the central bore of the tool body when the downhole piston assembly is in the downhole piston extended position, where the uphole piston assembly is operable to move the uphole isolating assembly between the uphole unengaged position and the uphole engaged position; where the uphole piston assembly includes an uphole piston member that is ring shaped and forms a seal in the annular space of the tool body, and where the uphole piston member is located downhole of the uphole port when the uphole isolating assembly is in the uphole unengaged position and the uphole piston member is located uphole of the uphole port when the uphole isolating assembly is in the uphole engaged position. ### Claim 25 A fracturing assembly for hydraulically fracturing a subterranean formation, the fracturing assembly including: a tool body, the tool body having a central bore, where the tool body further includes an inner tubular member that defines the central bore, and a downhole port extending through the inner tubular member; a downhole isolating assembly, the downhole isolating assembly moveable between a downhole unengaged position and a downhole engaged position, where in the downhole engaged position the downhole isolating assembly is operable to form a seal with an inner diameter surface of a wellbore; a downhole piston assembly in fluid communication with the central bore of the tool body, the downhole piston assembly moveable between a downhole piston contracted position and a downhole piston extended position, where the downhole piston assembly is operable to move the downhole isolating assembly between the downhole unengaged position and the downhole engaged position, where the downhole piston assembly includes a downhole piston member that forms a seal around an inner diameter surface of the central bore of the tool body, where the downhole piston member is located uphole of the downhole port when the downhole piston assembly is in the downhole piston contracted position and the downhole piston member is located downhole of the downhole port when the downhole piston assembly is in the downhole piston extended position; an uphole isolating assembly, the uphole isolating assembly moveable between an uphole unengaged position and an uphole engaged position, where in the uphole engaged position the uphole isolating assembly is operable to form a seal with the inner diameter surface of the wellbore; and an uphole piston assembly moveable between an uphole piston contracted position and an uphole piston extended position, where the uphole piston assembly is in fluid communication with the central bore of the tool body when the downhole piston assembly is in the downhole piston extended position, and where the uphole piston assembly is operable to move the uphole isolating assembly between the uphole unengaged position and the uphole engaged position. ### Claim 26 A fracturing assembly for hydraulically fracturing a subterranean formation, the fracturing assembly including: a tool body, the tool body having a central bore; a downhole isolating assembly, the downhole isolating assembly moveable between a downhole unengaged position and a downhole engaged position, where in the downhole engaged position the downhole isolating assembly is operable to form a seal with an inner diameter surface of a wellbore, where the downhole isolating assembly includes a downhole structural assembly having a plurality of downhole linear members, and a plurality of downhole pivoting members, and the downhole isolating assembly further includes a downhole sealing member, where each of the plurality of downhole linear members is secured to one of the plurality of downhole pivoting members and each of the plurality of downhole pivoting members is secured to the downhole sealing member; a downhole piston assembly in fluid communication with the central bore of the tool body, the downhole piston assembly moveable between a downhole piston contracted position and a downhole piston extended position, where the downhole piston assembly is operable to move the downhole isolating assembly between the downhole unengaged position and the downhole engaged position; an uphole isolating assembly, the uphole isolating assembly moveable between an uphole unengaged position and an uphole engaged position, where in the uphole engaged position the uphole isolating assembly is operable to form a seal with the inner diameter surface of the wellbore; and an uphole piston assembly moveable between an uphole piston contracted position and an uphole piston extended position, where the uphole piston assembly is in fluid communication with the central bore of the tool body when the downhole piston assembly is in the downhole piston extended position, and where the uphole piston assembly is operable to move the uphole isolating assembly between the uphole unengaged position and the uphole engaged position. ### Claim 27 A fracturing assembly for hydraulically fracturing a subterranean formation, the fracturing assembly including: a tool body, the tool body having a central bore; a downhole isolating assembly, the downhole isolating assembly moveable between a downhole unengaged position and a downhole engaged position, where in the downhole engaged position the downhole isolating assembly is operable to form a seal with an inner diameter surface of a wellbore; a downhole piston assembly in fluid communication with the central bore of the tool body, the downhole piston assembly moveable between a downhole piston contracted position and a downhole piston extended position, where the downhole piston assembly is operable to move the downhole isolating assembly between the downhole unengaged position and the downhole engaged position; an uphole isolating assembly, the uphole isolating assembly moveable between an uphole unengaged position and an uphole engaged position, where in the uphole engaged position the uphole isolating assembly is operable to form a seal with the inner diameter surface of the wellbore, where the uphole isolating assembly includes an uphole structural assembly having a plurality of uphole linear members, and a plurality of uphole pivoting members, and the uphole isolating assembly further includes an uphole sealing member, where each of the plurality of uphole linear members is secured to one of the plurality of uphole pivoting members and each of the plurality of uphole pivoting members is secured to the uphole sealing member; and an uphole piston assembly moveable between an uphole piston contracted position and an uphole piston extended position, where the uphole piston assembly is in fluid communication with the central bore of the tool body when the downhole piston assembly is in the downhole piston extended position, and where the uphole piston assembly is operable to move the uphole isolating assembly between the uphole unengaged position and the uphole engaged position. ### Claim 28 A method for hydraulically fracturing a subterranean formation with a fracturing assembly, the method including: providing a tool body having a central bore; providing a downhole isolating assembly, the downhole isolating assembly moveable between a downhole unengaged position and a downhole engaged position, where in the downhole engaged position the downhole isolating assembly forms a seal with an inner diameter surface of a wellbore; providing a downhole piston assembly in fluid communication with the central bore of the tool body, the downhole piston assembly moveable between a downhole piston contracted position and a downhole piston extended position; providing an uphole isolating assembly, the uphole isolating assembly moveable between an uphole unengaged position and an uphole engaged position, where in the uphole engaged position the uphole isolating assembly forms a seal with the inner diameter surface of the wellbore; providing an uphole piston assembly moveable between an uphole piston contracted position and an uphole piston extended position, where the uphole piston assembly is in fluid communication with the central bore of the tool body when the downhole piston assembly is in the downhole piston extended position; moving the downhole isolating assembly between the downhole unengaged position and the downhole engaged position with the downhole piston assembly; moving the uphole isolating assembly between the uphole unengaged position and the uphole engaged position with the uphole piston assembly; sealing an annular space between an outside surface of an inner tubular member of the tool body and an inner diameter surface of an outer tubular member of the tool body with an uphole piston member of the uphole piston assembly; and moving the uphole piston assembly between the uphole piston contracted position and the uphole piston extended position by sliding the uphole piston member along a plurality of uphole piston rods, where each of the plurality of uphole piston rods is static relative to the tool body. ### Claim 29 A method for hydraulically fracturing a subterranean formation with a fracturing assembly, the method including: providing a tool body having a central bore; providing a downhole isolating assembly, the downhole isolating assembly moveable between a downhole unengaged position and a downhole engaged position, where in the downhole engaged position the downhole isolating assembly forms a seal with an inner diameter surface of a wellbore; providing a downhole piston assembly in fluid communication with the central bore of the tool body, the downhole piston assembly moveable between a downhole piston contracted position and a downhole piston extended position; providing an uphole isolating assembly, the uphole isolating assembly moveable between an uphole unengaged position and an uphole engaged position, where in the uphole engaged position the uphole isolating assembly forms a seal with the inner diameter surface of the wellbore; providing an uphole piston assembly moveable between an uphole piston contracted position and an uphole piston extended position, where the uphole piston assembly is in fluid communication with the central bore of the tool body when the downhole piston assembly is in the downhole piston extended position; moving the downhole isolating assembly between the downhole unengaged position and the downhole engaged position with the downhole piston assembly; moving the uphole isolating assembly between the uphole unengaged position and the uphole engaged position with the uphole piston assembly; sealing an annular space between an outside surface of an inner tubular member of the tool body and an inner diameter surface of an outer tubular member of the tool body with an uphole piston member of the uphole piston assembly, where the outer tubular member has an uphole port extending through the outer tubular member; and moving the uphole piston member from downhole of the uphole port to uphole of the uphole port by moving the uphole isolating assembly from the uphole unengaged position to the uphole engaged position. ### Claim 30 A method for hydraulically fracturing a subterranean formation with a fracturing assembly, the method including: providing a tool body having a central bore, where the tool body further includes an inner tubular member that defines the central bore, and a downhole port extending through the inner tubular member; providing a downhole isolating assembly, the downhole isolating assembly moveable between a downhole unengaged position and a downhole engaged position, where in the downhole engaged position the downhole isolating assembly forms a seal with an inner diameter surface of a wellbore; providing a downhole piston assembly in fluid communication with the central bore of the tool body, the downhole piston assembly moveable between a downhole piston contracted position and a downhole piston extended position, and forming a seal around an inner diameter surface of the central bore of the tool body with a downhole piston member of the downhole piston assembly; providing an uphole isolating assembly, the uphole isolating assembly moveable between an uphole unengaged position and an uphole engaged position, where in the uphole engaged position the uphole isolating assembly forms a seal with the inner diameter surface of the wellbore; providing an uphole piston assembly moveable between an uphole piston contracted position and an uphole piston extended position, where the uphole piston assembly is in fluid communication with the central bore of the tool body when the downhole piston assembly is in the downhole piston extended position; moving the downhole isolating assembly between the downhole unengaged position and the downhole engaged position with the downhole piston assembly; moving the uphole isolating assembly between the uphole unengaged position and the uphole engaged position with the uphole piston assembly; and moving the downhole piston member from uphole of the downhole port to downhole of the downhole port by moving the downhole piston assembly from the downhole piston contracted position to the downhole piston extended position. ### Claim 31 A method for hydraulically fracturing a subterranean formation with a fracturing assembly, the method including: providing a tool body having a central bore; providing a downhole isolating assembly, the downhole isolating assembly moveable between a downhole unengaged position and a downhole engaged position, where in the downhole engaged position the downhole isolating assembly forms a seal with an inner diameter surface of a wellbore; providing a downhole piston assembly in fluid communication with the central bore of the tool body, the downhole piston assembly moveable between a downhole piston contracted position and a downhole piston extended position; providing an uphole isolating assembly, the uphole isolating assembly moveable between an uphole unengaged position and an uphole engaged position, where in the uphole engaged position the uphole isolating assembly forms a seal with the inner diameter surface of the wellbore; providing an uphole piston assembly moveable between an uphole piston contracted position and an uphole piston extended position, where the uphole piston assembly is in fluid communication with the central bore of the tool body when the downhole piston assembly is in the downhole piston extended position; moving the downhole isolating assembly between the downhole unengaged position and the downhole engaged position with the downhole piston assembly, where moving the downhole isolating assembly from the downhole unengaged position to the downhole engaged position with the downhole piston assembly includes injecting a pressure fluid through the central bore; moving the uphole isolating assembly between the uphole unengaged position and the uphole engaged position with the uphole piston assembly, where moving the uphole isolating assembly from the uphole unengaged position to the uphole engaged position with the uphole piston assembly includes injecting the pressure fluid through the central bore after the downhole isolating assembly is in the downhole engaged position; and fracturing the subterranean formation with the pressure fluid after the uphole isolating assembly is in the uphole engaged position.