Digital hydraulic well control system
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsDaniel G. Purkis, Brett W. Bouldin
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Abstract
A well control system and associated method of controlling well tools provides downhole well tool control without requiring the use of electricity or complex pressure pulse decoding mechanisms. In a described embodiment, a digital hydraulic well control system includes multiple well tool assemblies, with each assembly including a well tool, an actuator and an addressable actuation control device. Multiple hydraulic lines are interconnected to each control device. The hydraulic lines transmit addresses or codes to respective selected ones of the control devices, thereby selecting corresponding respective ones of the well tools for actuation thereof. Hydraulic lines are also used to actuate the selected well tools.
Claims45
A method of hydraulically controlling multiple well tools in a well, each well tool having an actuator operatively associated therewith, the method comprising the steps of:
- interconnecting each of a plurality of addressable control devices to a different one of the actuators;
- interconnecting each of a first plurality of hydraulic lines to each of the addressable control devices;
- and
- selecting at least one of the tools for actuation thereof by generating a first code on the first hydraulic lines.
A method of hydraulically controlling multiple well tools in a well, the method comprising the steps of:
- interconnecting a first plurality of hydraulic lines to each of the tools;
- and
- selecting at least one of the tools for actuation thereof by generating a first code on the first hydraulic lines, the selecting step comprising decoding the first code utilizing an addressable actuation control device interconnected to the first hydraulic lines and to an actuator for the tool, the decoding step further comprising opening a first fluid communication path between at least one of the first hydraulic lines and the actuator in response to the first code matching a first address of the control device,
- the decoding step further comprising opening a second fluid communication path between another of the first hydraulic lines and the actuator in response to a second code on the first hydraulic lines, the second code matching a second address of the control device.
A method of controlling multiple hydraulically actuated well tool assemblies, each of the well tool assemblies including a well tool, a hydraulic actuator for operating the well tool and an addressable actuation control device, the method comprising the steps of:
- interconnecting each of multiple first hydraulic lines to each of the control devices;
- and
- transmitting a first address of at least one of the control devices via the first hydraulic lines, thereby selecting at least one of the well tools for actuation thereof.
A method of controlling multiple hydraulically actuated well tool assemblies, each of the well tool assemblies including a well tool, a hydraulic actuator for operating the well tool and an addressable actuation control device, the method comprising the steps of:
- interconnecting multiple first hydraulic lines to each of the control devices;
- transmitting a first address of at least one of the control devices via the first hydraulic lines, thereby selecting at least one of the well tools for actuation thereof;
- and
- actuating the well tool by manipulating fluid pressure on a first one of the first hydraulic lines after the transmitting step,
- the actuating step further comprising receiving fluid from a respective first one of the actuators into a second one of the first hydraulic lines.
A method of controlling multiple hydraulically actuated well tool assemblies, each of the well tool assemblies including a well tool, a hydraulic actuator for operating the well tool and an addressable actuation control device, the method comprising the steps of:
- interconnecting multiple first hydraulic lines to each of the control devices;
- transmitting a first address of at least one of the control devices via the first hydraulic lines, thereby selecting at least one of the well tools for actuation thereof, in the transmitting step only one of the well tools being selected for actuation thereof in response to transmission of the first address;
- and
- transmitting a second address of the control device of the selected well tool, thereby selecting the well tool for actuation thereof in a first manner different from a second manner in which the selected well tool was selected for actuation in response to transmission of the first address.
A method of controlling multiple hydraulically actuated well tool assemblies, each of the well tool assemblies including a well tool, a hydraulic actuator for operating the well tool and an addressable actuation control device, the method comprising the steps of:
- interconnecting multiple first hydraulic lines to each of the control devices;
- transmitting a first address of at least one of the control devices via the first hydraulic lines, thereby selecting at least one of the well tools for actuation thereof, in the transmitting step all of the well tools being selected for actuation thereof in response to transmission of the first address and
- transmitting via the first hydraulic lines a second address of the respective control device of at least one of the well tools, thereby selecting at least one of the well tools for actuation thereof in a second manner different from a first manner in which the well tools were selected for actuation in response to transmission of the first address.
A well tool control system, comprising:
- multiple well tool assemblies, each assembly including a well tool, an actuator attached to the well tool for actuation thereof and an addressable actuation control device;
- and
- multiple first hydraulic lines each being interconnected to each control device, the first hydraulic lines transmitting addresses to respective selected ones of the control devices and thereby selecting corresponding respective ones of the well tools for actuation thereof.
A well control system, comprising:
- at least first, second and third hydraulic lines;
- a first well tool assembly including a first well tool, a first actuator attached to the first well tool, and a first addressable actuation control device connected to the first, second and third hydraulic lines, the first well tool assembly being selected for operation of the first well tool in a first manner when a first combination of different pressure levels, including at least a first predetermined pressure level on the first hydraulic line, a second predetermined pressure level on the second hydraulic line and a third predetermined pressure level on the third hydraulic line, corresponds to a first address on the first control device.
A well control system, comprising:
- at least first, second and third hydraulic lines;
- and
- a first well tool assembly including a first well tool, a first actuator attached to the first well tool, and a first addressable actuation control device connected to the first, second and third hydraulic lines, the first well tool assembly being selected for operation of the first well tool in a first manner when a first combination of pressure levels, including at least a first predetermined pressure level on the first hydraulic line, a second predetermined pressure level on the second hydraulic line and a third predetermined pressure level on the third hydraulic line, corresponds to a first address of the first control device,
- the first well tool assembly being selected for operation of the first well tool in a second manner when a second combination of pressure levels, including at least a fourth predetermined pressure level on the first hydraulic line, a fifth predetermined pressure level on the second hydraulic line and a sixth predetermined pressure level on the third hydraulic line, corresponds to a second address of the first control device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.