US 8,944,169 B2Granted

Apparatus and method for fracturing a well

AssigneeStonecreek Technologies Inc.

InventorSean Patrick Campbell

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are provided for fracturing a well in a hydrocarbon bearing formation. The apparatus can include one or more valve sub-assemblies assembled into a tubing string inserted into an unlined well. The valve sub-assembly can include a sliding piston initially pinned in place to seal off ports that provide communication between the interior of the tubing string and a production zone of the formation. A ball can be inserted into a tubing string and moved along the tubing string by injected pressurized fracturing fluid until the ball sits on a valve seat of a valve sub-assembly coupled to the sliding piston to close off the tubing string below the valve. The force of the fluid forces the piston downwards to shear off the pins and open the ports. Fracturing fluid can then exit the ports to fracture the production zone of the formation.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An apparatus for fracturing a well in a formation, comprising:

(a) a tubular valve body comprising an upper end and a lower end, and a valve passageway extending therethrough, the valve body further comprising at least one valve port extending through a sidewall thereof, the at least one valve port located nearer the upper end;
(b) a tubular piston valve slidably disposed in the valve passageway and configured to provide communication therethrough, the piston valve configured to move from a raised position where the at least one valve port is closed to a lowered position where the at least one valve port is open;
(c) a ball seat sub-assembly slidably disposed in the valve passageway between the piston valve and the lower end, the ball seat sub-assembly comprising a ball seat passageway extending therethrough, the ball seat sub-assembly further comprising a bypass port extending therethrough for allowing fluid circulation through the ball seat sub-assembly;
and
(d) an inner piston sub-assembly releasably coupled to the piston valve and configured to disengage from the piston valve when pulled away from the ball seat, wherein the inner piston sub-assembly is releasably coupled to the ball seat sub-assembly, and the inner piston sub-assembly is configured to pull away from the ball seat sub-assembly to open the bypass port;
wherein the ball seat sub-assembly is configured to move the piston valve from the raised position to the lowered position when downward force is applied to the ball seat sub-assembly.

3 more elements

A method for fracturing a well in a formation, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an apparatus, comprising:
(i) a tubular valve body comprising an upper end and a lower end, and a valve passageway extending therethrough, the valve body further comprising at least one valve port extending through a sidewall thereof, the at least one valve port located nearer the upper end;
(ii) a tubular piston valve slidably disposed in the valve passageway and configured to provide communication therethrough, the piston valve configured to move from a raised position where the at least one valve port is closed to a lowered position where the at least one valve port is open;
(iii) a ball seat sub-assembly slidably disposed in the valve passageway between the piston valve and the lower end, the ball seat sub-assembly comprising a ball seat passageway extending therethrough, the ball seat sub-assembly further comprising a bypass port extending therethrough for allowing fluid circulation through the ball seat sub-assembly;
and
(iv) an inner piston sub-assembly releasably coupled to the piston valve and configured to disengage from the piston valve when pulled away from the ball seat, wherein the inner piston sub-assembly is releasably coupled to the ball seat sub-assembly, and the inner piston sub-assembly is configured to pull away from the ball seat sub-assembly to open the bypass port;
wherein the ball seat sub-assembly is configured to move the piston valve from the raised position to the lowered position when a downward force is applied to the ball seat sub-assembly;
(b) placing the apparatus in a tubing string disposed in the well, the apparatus located near a production zone in the formation;
(c) placing a ball configured to seal off the ball seat passageway when seated on the ball seat sub-assembly into the tubing string;
and
(d) injecting pressurized fracturing fluid into the tubing string wherein the fracturing fluid moves the ball through the tubing string into the apparatus until the ball is seated on the ball seat sub-assembly and places the downward force on the ball seat sub-assembly to move the piston valve from the closed position to the open position, wherein the fracturing fluid can pass through the at least one valve port of the apparatus to fracture the formation.

8 more elements

A method for fracturing a well in a formation, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an apparatus, comprising:
(i) a tubular valve body comprising an upper end and a lower end, and a valve passageway extending therethrough, the valve body further comprising at least one valve port extending through a sidewall thereof, the at least one valve port located nearer the upper end;
(ii) a tubular piston valve slidably disposed in the valve passageway and configured to provide communication therethrough, the piston valve configured to move from a raised position where the at least one valve port is closed to a lowered position where the at least one valve port is open;
(iii) a ball seat sub-assembly slidably disposed in the valve passageway between the piston valve and the lower end, the ball seat sub-assembly comprising a ball seat passageway extending therethrough, the ball seat sub-assembly further comprising a bypass port extending therethrough for allowing fluid circulation through the ball seat sub-assembly;
and
(iv) an inner piston sub-assembly releasably coupled to the piston valve and configured to disengage from the piston valve when pulled away from the ball seat, wherein the inner piston sub-assembly is releasably coupled to the ball seat sub-assembly, and the inner piston sub-assembly is configured to pull away from the ball seat sub-assembly to open the bypass port;
wherein the ball seat sub-assembly is configured to move the piston valve from the raised position to the lowered position when a downward force is applied to the ball seat sub-assembly;
(b) placing the apparatus in a tubing string disposed in the well, the apparatus located near a production zone in the formation;
(c) placing a ball configured to seal off the ball seat passageway when seated on the ball seat sub-assembly into the tubing string;
(d) injecting pressurized fracturing fluid into the tubing string wherein the fracturing fluid moves the ball through the tubing string into the apparatus until the ball is seated on the ball seat sub-assembly and places the downward force on the ball seat sub-assembly to move the piston valve from the closed position to the open position, wherein the fracturing fluid can pass through the at least one valve port of the apparatus to fracture the formation;
(e) providing a removal tool configured to separate the ball seat sub-assembly and the inner piston sub-assembly from the valve body;
(f) separating the ball seat sub-assembly and the inner piston sub-assembly from the valve body with the removal tool;
(g) providing a shifting tool;
and
(h) shifting the valve piston back to the raised position with the shifting tool.

12 more elements

A system for use downhole in a well, the system comprising:

(a) at least one apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
(i) a tubular valve body comprising an upper end and a lower end, and a valve passageway extending therethrough, the valve body further comprising at least one valve port extending through a sidewall thereof, the at least one valve port located nearer the upper end;
(ii) a tubular piston valve slidably disposed in the valve passageway and configured to provide communication therethrough, the piston valve configured to move from a raised position where the at least one valve port is closed to a lowered position where the at least one valve port is open;
(iii) a ball seat sub-assembly slidably disposed in the valve passageway between the piston valve and the lower end, the ball seat sub-assembly comprising a ball seat passageway extending therethrough, the ball seat sub-assembly further comprising a bypass port extending therethrough for allowing fluid circulation through the ball seat sub-assembly;
and
(iv) an inner piston sub-assembly releasably coupled to the piston valve and configured to disengage from the piston valve when pulled away from the ball seat, wherein the inner piston sub-assembly is releasably coupled to the ball seat sub-assembly, and the inner piston sub-assembly is configured to pull away from the ball seat sub-assembly to open the bypass port;
wherein the ball seat sub-assembly is configured to move the piston valve from the raised position to the lowered position when downward force is applied to the ball seat sub-assembly;
and
(b) at least one ball configured to seal off the ball seat passageway when seated on the ball seat sub-assembly,
wherein the at least one ball is configured to specifically engage the ball seat sub-assembly of a particular apparatus and the at least one ball is targeted to the particular apparatus.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/775,404Filed 25 Feb 2013 · continuation
Priority: 24 Aug 2010
Published: US 2013/0161015 A127 Jun 2013
Granted: 3 Feb 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

E21B 34/142
Operated by movement of tools, e.g. sleeve valves operated by pistons or wire line tools: unsupported or free-falling elements, e.g. balls, plugs,…
E21B 21/103
Valve arrangements in drilling-fluid circulation systems: down-hole by-pass valve arrangements, i.e. between the inside of the drill string and…
E21B 23/00
Apparatus for displacing, setting, locking, releasing or removing tools, packers or the
E21B 34/102
Operated by control fluid supplied from outside the borehole: with means for locking the closing element in open or closed position