Electromechanical shifter apparatus for subsurface well flow control

A shifter tool operable to engage and axially shift a sleeve member coaxially and slidably retained within the hollow body portion of a movable sleeve type flow control device installed in a subsurface well flow conductor, said shifter tool comprising:

• a generally tubular body axially insertable into the well flow conductor and longitudinally movable therethrough into the flow control device, said shifter tool body having first and second axially spaced side wall opening means therein;
• first key means releasably lockable with the flow control device body portion in a manner releasably locking said shifter tool body thereto,
• said first key means being received in said first side wall opening means for radial movement relative to said shifter tool body between an extended position in which said first key means radially project outwardly beyond said shifter tool body, and a retracted position in which said first key means are radially retracted into said first opening means;
• second key means releasably lockable with the flow control device sleeve member,
• said second key means being received in said second side wall opening means for radial movement relative to said shifter tool body between an extended position in which said second key means radially project outwardly beyond said shifter tool body, and a retracted position in which said second key means are radially retracted into said second opening means,
• said second key means further being supported on said shifter tool body for driven axial movement toward and away said first key means;
• first drive means, disposed within said shifter tool body, for resiliently biasing said first and second key means toward said extended positions thereof;
• and
• second drive means disposed within said shifter tool body and selectively operable to:
• (1) radially drive said first and second key means from their extended positions to their retracted positions, and
• (2) axially drive said second key means toward and away from said first key means.

For use in conjunction with a well having a borehole sequentially extending through a spaced series of subsurface fracture zones each containing a retrievable fluid, and an elongated hollow well fluid conductor received in and longitudinally extending along the length of the borehole, a subsurface well flow control system comprising:

• (a) a spaced series of well flow control devices each including:
• a generally tubular body coaxially installed in the well fluid conductor at one of the fracture zones and having side wall opening means for communicating the interior of the well flow conductor with the interior of the fracture zone, the interior side surfaces of said tubular bodies having identically configured recess means formed thereon, and
• a tubular flow control sleeve coaxially disposed within said body for driven axial movement relative thereto between a closed position in which said sleeve covers said opening means and prevents fluid flow therethrough, and an open position in which said sleeve uncovers said opening means to permit fluid flow therethrough, the interior side surfaces of said flow control sleeves having identically configured recess means formed therein;
• (b) tool means removably insertable into the well fluid conductor and, without being removed therefrom, being operable to shift any selected number of said flow control sleeves from either of said open and closed positions thereof fully to or partially toward the other of said open and closed positions thereof, said tool means including:
• a hollow, generally cylindrical body portion axially movable in opposite directions through the well fluid conductor and said flow control sleeves,
• anchor key means carried by said tool means body portion for driven radial movement relative thereto between an extended position in which said anchor- key means project radially outwardly beyond said tool means body portion, and a retracted position in which said anchor key means are drawn radially into said tool means body portion, said anchor key means being configured to be radially and lockingly received within any of the identically configured flow control device body recess means,
• shifter key means carried by said tool means body portion for (1) driven radial movement relative thereto between an extended position in which said shifter key means project radially outwardly beyond said tool means body portion, and a retracted position in which said shifter key means are drawn radially into said tool means body portion, and (2) driven axial movement in opposite directions relative to said tool means body portion, said shifter key means being configured to be radially and lockingly received within any of the identically configured flow control sleeve recess means, and
• drive means carried within said tool means body portion and operative to (1) selectively drive said anchor key means and said shifter key means radially between said extended and retracted positions thereof and (2) selectively drive said shifter key means in opposite axial directions relative to said anchor key means;
• and
• (c) positioning means for moving said tool means body portion to selectively variable positions along the interior length of the well fluid conductor.