Hydrostatically powered fracturing sliding sleeve
AssigneeBaker Hughes Incorporated
InventorJames G. King
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A series of sliding sleeves is actuated by a single ball that lands on a first ball seat and shifts the ball seat. The shifting of the ball seat also allows tubing pressure to communicate to a formerly atmospheric chamber on one side of a piston integrated into the back side of the sliding sleeve. The other side of the piston remains at atmospheric pressure so that the shifting of the ball seat not only releases the ball to go to the next ball seat but also puts a net force on the sliding sleeve to shift it against a travel stop to open a port to allow fracturing, even if there is cement in the annulus around the opened port.
Claims21
A completion assembly for subterranean use, comprising:
- a tubular housing having a plurality of axially spaced ports each associated with a sliding sleeve valve such that said sliding sleeve valves are axially spaced from each other;
- said sliding sleeve valves further comprising a movable seat responsive to a fluid pressure to a predetermined value on an object that sequentially lands on said seats;
- individual movement of one of said movable seats redirects at least a portion of said fluid pressure to release a boost force to act on a respective said sliding sleeve valve associated with said moving movable seat, to shift said associated sliding sleeve valve and release the object to the adjacent said seat that has yet to shift.
A completion assembly for subterranean use, comprising:
- a tubular housing having a plurality of axially spaced ports each associated with a sliding sleeve valve such that said sliding sleeve valves are axially spaced from each other;
- said sliding sleeve valves further comprising a movable seat responsive to a fluid pressure to a predetermined value on an object that sequentially lands on said seats;
- individual movement of one of said movable seats redirects at least a portion of said fluid pressure to release a boost force to act on a respective said sliding sleeve valve associated with said moving movable seat, to shift said associated sliding sleeve valve and release the object to the adjacent said seat that has yet to shift;
- said sliding sleeve valves defining a piston disposed in an annular space between said housing and said sliding sleeve valve that is subjected to a pressure imbalance to provide said boost force;
- said pressure imbalance derives from access of tubing pressure in said housing to said piston;
- said access of tubing pressure to said piston results from movement of said seat;
- said piston defines opposed low pressure chambers;
- movement of a respective said sliding sleeve valve opens one of said chambers associated with said respective sliding sleeve valve to pressure in said tubing.
A completion assembly for subterranean use, comprising:
- a tubular housing having a plurality of axially spaced ports each associated with a sliding sleeve valve such that said sliding sleeve valves are axially spaced from each other;
- said sliding sleeve valves further comprising a movable seat responsive to a fluid pressure to a predetermined value on an object that sequentially lands on said seats;
- individual movement of one of said movable seats redirects at least a portion of said fluid pressure to release a boost force to act on a respective said sliding sleeve valve associated with said moving movable seat, to shift said associated sliding sleeve valve and release the object to the adjacent said seat that has yet to shift;
- said sliding sleeve valves defining a piston disposed in an annular space between said housing and said sliding sleeve valve that is subjected to a pressure imbalance to provide said boost force;
- said pressure imbalance derives from access of tubing pressure in said housing to said piston;
- said access of tubing pressure to said piston results from movement of said sliding sleeve valve;
- said piston defines opposed low pressure chambers;
- movement of a respective one of said sliding sleeve valve opens one of said chambers associated with said piston to pressure in said tubing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.