US 2023/0143855 A1 · RUPTURE DISC ASSEMBLY

Abstract

Disclosed is a rupture disc assembly for use in making a temporary seal in a vessel such as a casing string. The rupture disc assembly may include a rupture disc having a side surface that has a shallow angle taper inward towards a bottom surface of the rupture disc, and a mounting apparatus to support the rupture disc so that the rupture disc forms the temporary seal. When a disc working pressure is applied to a top surface of the rupture disc, engagement/force transmission between the rupture disc and the mounting apparatus produces enough radial compression in the rupture disc due to the shallow angle taper to significantly mitigate or cancel tensile stresses thereby avoiding the rupture disc from breaking. The rupture disc may be configured to break when the rupture disc is subjected to a disc working pressure that is greater than the disc rupture pressure, thereby removing the temporary seal. An axial abutment surface feature may be provided which is configured and operable to limit downward axial movement of the rupture disc relative to said disc support mechanism and thus be operable to restrict the amount of compression said tapered wall surface of said disc support mechanism can exert on said at least a portion of said rupture disc when the top surface of the rupture disc is subjected to said hydraulic pressure within the well.

Claims160

Dependent claims

An apparatus for forming a chamber in a well, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a length of tubing positionable in the well and having an uphole end and a downhole end, the downhole end configured for connection to a float device for forming a lower boundary of the chamber;
(b) a rupture disc assembly disposed at or towards the uphole end of the tubing forming an upper boundary of the chamber, the rupture disc assembly comprising:
(i) a rupture disc having a sealing mode and a disc failure mode, such that when the rupture disc is in the sealing mode, the rupture disc is in sealing engagement within the tubing to form the upper boundary of the chamber;
and wherein the rupture disc has a top surface area, a bottom surface area, and a side surface area, the side surface area having at least a portion that is inwardly tapered towards the bottom surface area;
(ii) a disc support mechanism comprising a tapered wall surface operable for mating direct or indirect abutment with the inwardly tapered surface area of the rupture disc when the rupture disc is in the sealing mode, wherein in response to application of hydraulic pressure within the well on the top surface area of the rupture disc in the sealing mode, the tapered wall surface of the disc support mechanism exerts compression on at least a portion of the rupture disc to counteract tensile stresses resulting from the application of the hydraulic pressure;
(iii) a disc failure activation mechanism operable to selectively cause the rupture disc to change from the sealing mode to the disc failure mode, such that when the rupture disc changes to the failure mode the rupture disc breaks;
and
(iv) an axial abutment surface feature configured and operable to limit downward axial movement of the rupture disc relative to the disc support mechanism and thus be operable to restrict the amount of compression the tapered wall surface of the disc support mechanism can exert on the portion of the rupture disc when the top surface of the rupture disc is subjected to the hydraulic pressure within the well.

5 more elements

A casing string float assembly comprising a tubular having a seal at a lower end and a rupture disc assembly disposed at or towards an upper end of the casing string, the rupture disc forming an upper boundary of a float chamber, the rupture disc assembly comprising:

(i) a rupture disc having a sealing mode and a disc failure mode, such that when the rupture disc is in the sealing mode, the rupture disc is in sealing engagement within the tubing to form the upper boundary of the chamber;
and wherein the rupture disc has a top surface area, a bottom surface area, and a side surface area, the side surface area having at least a portion that is inwardly tapered towards the bottom surface area;
(ii) a disc support mechanism comprising a tapered wall surface operable for mating force transmission with the inwardly tapered surface of the rupture disc when the rupture disc is in the sealing mode within the tubular, wherein in response to application of hydraulic pressure within the well on the top surface area of the rupture disc in the sealing mode, the tapered wall surface of the disc support mechanism exerts radial compression on at least a portion of the rupture disc to counteract tensile stresses resulting from the application of the hydraulic pressure;
(iii) a disc failure activation mechanism operable to selectively cause the rupture disc to change from the sealing mode to the disc failure mode, such that when the rupture disc changes to the failure mode the rupture disc will break;
and
an axial abutment surface feature configured and operable to limit downward axial movement of the rupture disc relative to the disc support mechanism and thus be operable to restrict the amount of radial compression the tapered wall surface of the disc support mechanism can exert on the at least a portion of the rupture disc when in operation, the top surface of the rupture disc is subjected to the hydraulic pressure within the well.

3 more elements

A float tool configured for use in a tubing positionable within a wellbore containing a well fluid, the tubing having an internal diameter that defines a fluid passageway between an upper portion of the tubing and a lower portion of the tubing and the wellbore having an upper, substantially vertical segment, a lower, substantially horizontal segment, and a bend portion connecting the upper and lower portions, the float tool comprising a rupture disc assembly comprising:

(i) a rupture disc having a sealing mode and a disc failure mode, such that when the rupture disc is in the sealing mode, the rupture disc is in sealing engagement within the tubing to form the upper boundary of the chamber;
and wherein the rupture disc has a top surface area, a bottom surface area, and a side surface area, the side surface area having at least a portion that is inwardly tapered towards the bottom surface area;
(ii) a disc support mechanism comprising a tapered wall surface operable for mating force transmission with the tapered surface area of the rupture disc when the rupture disc is in the sealing mode, wherein in response to application of hydraulic pressure within the tubing on the top surface area of the rupture disc in the sealing mode, the tapered wall surface of the disc support mechanism exerts compression on at least a portion of the rupture disc to counteract tensile stresses resulting from the application of the hydraulic pressure;
(iii) a disc failure activation mechanism operable to selectively cause the rupture disc to change from the sealing mode to the disc failure mode, such that when the rupture disc changes to the failure mode the rupture disc will break;
and
(iv) an axial abutment surface feature configured and operable to limit downward axial movement of the rupture disc relative to the disc support mechanism and thus be operable to restrict the amount of compression the tapered wall surface of the disc support mechanism can exert on the at least a portion of the rupture disc when the top surface of the rupture disc is subjected to the hydraulic pressure within the well

3 more elements

A rupture disc assembly for use in making a temporary seal in a vessel, the rupture disc assembly comprising:

a rupture disc having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a side surface area that has an angle taper inward towards the bottom surface of the rupture disc;
and
a mounting apparatus configured to support the rupture disc, with the mounting apparatus and rupture disc operable to form a temporary seal in the vessel, the mounting apparatus having a tapered supporting surface area that is complementary to the angle taper of the side surface area of the rupture disc, and the side surface area of the rupture disc and the supporting surface area of the mounting apparatus being operable to permit transmission of radial compressive forces from the mounting apparatus to the rupture disc;
wherein the angle of the angle taper is selected to produce sufficient radial compression against the support surface when pressure is applied to the top surface of the rupture disc, to significantly mitigate or cancel tensile stresses in the rupture disc;
wherein the rupture disc assembly is operable such that the rupture disc has mitigated or cancelled tensile stresses and remains intact when the top surface of the rupture disc is subjected to a first disc working pressure during a first operational mode of the rupture disc assembly, said first disc working pressure being below a disc rupture pressure;
wherein the rupture disc is operable to break during a second operational mode of the rupture disc assembly;
and wherein the rupture disc assembly further comprises an axial abutment surface feature configured and operable to limit downward axial movement of the rupture disc relative to said mounting apparatus, and thus limit the amount of radial compressive forces that can be transmitted from the mounting apparatus to the rupture disc, when the top surface of the rupture disc is subjected to said first disc working pressure.

4 more elements

An apparatus for forming a temporary seal in a vessel, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a rupture disc having a sealing mode and a disc failure mode, and wherein the rupture disc has a top surface area, a bottom surface area, and a side surface area, the side surface area having at least a portion that is inwardly tapered towards the bottom surface area;
(b) a disc support mechanism comprising a tapered wall surface operable for mating force transmission with the inwardly tapered surface area of the rupture disc when the rupture disc is in the sealing mode, wherein in response to application of pressure on the top surface area of the rupture disc in the sealing mode, the tapered wall surface of the disc support mechanism exerts radial compression on at least a portion of the rupture disc to counteract tensile stresses resulting from the application of the pressure;
(c) a disc failure activation mechanism operable to selectively cause the rupture disc to change from the sealing mode to the disc failure mode, such that when the rupture disc changes to the failure mode the rupture disc breaks;
and
(d) an axial abutment surface feature configured and operable to limit downward axial movement of the rupture disc relative to the disc support mechanism and thus be operable to restrict the amount of radial compression the tapered wall surface of the disc support mechanism can exert on the at least a portion of the rupture disc when the top surface of the rupture disc is subjected to the hydraulic pressure within the well.

2 more elements

A method of opening a buoyant chamber in a wellbore, the buoyant chamber formed within a length of tubing in the wellbore and having an up-hole end region and a downhole end region, the downhole end region of the tubing having an apparatus that provides a lower boundary of the buoyant chamber, and the up-hole end region of the tubing having a rupture disc assembly that provides an upper boundary of the buoyant chamber;

the rupture disc assembly comprising:
(i) a rupture disc having a sealing mode and a disc failure mode, such that when the rupture disc is in the sealing mode, the rupture disc is in sealing engagement within the tubing to form the upper boundary of the chamber;
and wherein the rupture disc has a top surface area, a bottom surface area, and a side surface area, the side surface area having at least a portion that is inwardly tapered towards the bottom surface area;
(ii) a disc support mechanism comprising a tapered wall surface operable for mating engagement with the inwardly tapered surface area of the rupture disc when the rupture disc is in the sealing mode within the tubular, wherein in response to application of hydraulic pressure within the well on the top surface area of the rupture disc in the sealing mode, the tapered wall surface of the disc support mechanism exerts radial compression on at least a portion of the rupture disc to counteract tensile stresses resulting from the application of the hydraulic pressure;
(iii) a disc failure activation mechanism operable to selectively cause the rupture disc to change from the sealing mode to the disc failure mode, such that when the rupture disc changes to the failure mode the rupture disc will break;
(iv) an axial abutment surface feature configured and operable to limit downward axial movement of the rupture disc relative to the disc support mechanism and thus be operable to restrict the amount of compression the tapered wall surface of the disc support mechanism can exert on the at least a portion of the rupture disc when the top surface of the rupture disc is subjected to the hydraulic pressure within the well;
and wherein the method comprises:
applying an activation hydraulic pressure to the upper surface of the disc that is greater than a maximum disc working pressure reached during the placement of the tubing into the wellbore, the activation hydraulic pressure being less than a disc rupture pressure of the disc, and the application of the hydraulic pressure causing the disc failure activation mechanism to be activated to cause the rupture disc to change to the disc failure mode to cause the rupture disc to break.

5 more elements

A method of opening a temporary seal formed in an opening in a vessel, wherein the temporary seal is formed with an apparatus comprising

(i) a rupture disc having a sealing mode and a disc failure mode, and wherein the rupture disc has a top surface area, a bottom surface area, and a side surface area, the side surface area having at least a portion that is inwardly tapered towards the bottom surface area;
(ii) a disc support mechanism comprising a tapered wall surface operable for mating engagement with the inwardly tapered surface area of the rupture disc when the rupture disc is in the sealing mode in the opening to provide the temporary seal, and wherein in response to application of pressure on the top surface area of the rupture disc in the sealing mode, the tapered wall surface of the disc support mechanism exerts radial compression on at least a portion of the rupture disc to counteract tensile stresses resulting from the application of the pressure;
iii) a disc failure activation mechanism operable to selectively cause the rupture disc to change from the sealing mode to the disc failure mode, such that when the rupture disc changes from the sealing mode to the failure mode the rupture disc is caused to break;
iv) an axial abutment surface feature configured and operable to limit downward axial movement of the rupture disc relative to the disc support mechanism and thus be operable to restrict the amount of compression the tapered wall surface of the disc support mechanism can exert on the at least a portion of the rupture disc when the top surface of the rupture disc is subjected to the hydraulic pressure within the well;
and wherein the method comprises:
applying an activation pressure to the upper surface of disc, the activation hydraulic pressure being less than the disc rupture pressure of the disc, and said application of said hydraulic pressure causing said disc failure activation mechanism to be activated to cause said rupture disc to change from said sealing mode to said disc failure mode to cause the rupture disc to break.

3 more elements

A rupture disc assembly for use in making a temporary seal in a vessel, the rupture disc assembly comprising:

a rupture disc having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a side surface area that has a shallow angle taper inward towards the bottom surface of the rupture disc;
and
a mounting apparatus configured to support the rupture disc, with the mounting apparatus and rupture disc operable to form a temporary seal in the vessel, the mounting apparatus having a tapered supporting surface area that is complementary to the shallow angle taper of the side surface area of the rupture disc, and the side surface area of the rupture disc and the supporting surface area of the mounting apparatus being operable to permit transmission of radial compressive forces from the mounting apparatus to the rupture disc;
wherein the angle of the shallow angle taper is selected to produce sufficient radial compression against the support surface when pressure is applied to the top surface of the rupture disc, to significantly mitigate or cancel tensile stresses in the rupture disc;
wherein the rupture disc assembly is operable such that the rupture disc has mitigated or cancelled tensile stresses and remains intact when the top surface of the rupture disc is subjected to a first disc working pressure that is a maximum disc working pressure during a first operational mode of the rupture disc assembly, the first disc working pressure being below a disc rupture pressure;
wherein the rupture disc is operable to break during a second operational mode of the rupture disc assembly;

3 more elements

A method of opening a buoyant chamber in a wellbore, the buoyant chamber formed within a length of tubing in the wellbore and having an up-hole end and a downhole end, the downhole end of the tubing having an apparatus that provides a lower boundary of the buoyant chamber, and the up-hole end of the tubing having a rupture disc assembly that provides an upper boundary of the buoyant chamber;

the rupture disc assembly comprising:
(i) a rupture disc having a sealing mode and a disc failure mode, such that when the rupture disc is in the sealing mode, the rupture disc is in sealing engagement within the tubing to form the upper boundary of the chamber;
and wherein the rupture disc has a top surface area, a bottom surface area, and a side surface area, the side surface area having at least a portion that is inwardly shallow tapered towards the bottom surface area;
(ii) a disc support mechanism comprising a tapered wall surface operable for mating engagement with the inwardly tapered surface area of the rupture disc when the rupture disc is in the sealing mode within the tubular, wherein in response to application of hydraulic pressure within the well on the top surface area of the rupture disc in the sealing mode, the tapered wall surface of the disc support mechanism exerts radial compression on at least a portion of the rupture disc to counteract tensile stresses resulting from the application of the hydraulic pressure;
and
(iii) a disc failure activation mechanism operable to selectively cause the rupture disc to change from the sealing mode to the disc failure mode, such that when the rupture disc changes to the failure mode the rupture disc will break.
and wherein the method comprises:
applying an activation hydraulic pressure to the upper surface of the disc that is greater than a maximum disc working pressure reached during the placement of the tubing into the wellbore, the activation hydraulic pressure being less than a disc rupture pressure of the disc, and the application of the hydraulic pressure causing the disc failure activation mechanism to be activated to cause the rupture disc to change to the disc failure mode to cause the rupture disc to break.

5 more elements

A method of opening a temporary seal formed in an opening in a vessel, wherein the temporary seal is formed with an apparatus comprising

(i) a rupture disc having a sealing mode and a disc failure mode, and wherein the rupture disc has a top surface area, a bottom surface area, and a side surface area, the side surface area having at least a portion that is inwardly shallow tapered towards the bottom surface area;
(ii) a disc support mechanism comprising a tapered wall surface operable for mating engagement with the inwardly tapered surface area of the rupture disc when the rupture disc is in the sealing mode in the opening to provide the temporary seal, and wherein in response to application of pressure on the top surface area of the rupture disc in the sealing mode, the tapered wall surface of the disc support mechanism exerts radial compression on at least a portion of the rupture disc to counteract tensile stresses resulting from the application of the pressure;
and
(iii) a disc failure activation mechanism operable to selectively cause the rupture disc to change from the sealing mode to the disc failure mode, such that when the rupture disc changes from the sealing mode to the failure mode the rupture disc is caused to break
and wherein the method comprises:
applying an activation pressure to the upper surface of disc, the activation hydraulic pressure being less than the disc rupture pressure of the disc, and the application of the hydraulic pressure causing the disc failure activation mechanism to be activated to cause the rupture disc to change from the sealing mode to the disc failure mode to cause the rupture disc to break.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Rupture disc assembly

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Rupture disc assembly

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims160