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US 9,004,180 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for actuating a downhole tool
AssigneeTeam Oil Tools, LP
InventorStephen L. Jackson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatuses and methods used for actuating downhole tools in which a ball is dropped from a surface of a wellbore until it contacts a ball seat of a downhole tool. The ball seat moves axially downward within the downhole tool and an expandable ball seating surface of the ball seat radially expands to pass the ball. The ball seat then moves axially upward within the downhole tool.
Claims20
A downhole tool comprising:
- an outer housing having a plurality of housing ports;
- an inner mandrel disposed in the outer housing, the inner mandrel having a plurality of mandrel ports;
- a ball seat disposed in the inner mandrel, the bail seat comprising an expandable ball seating surface and a jay slot:
- and
- a pin movable in and out of the jay slot,
- wherein, when the pin is moved out of the jay slot, the ball seat moves toward the plurality of mandrel ports, and the inner mandrel prevents the ball seating surface from expanding.
3 more elements
A method of actuating a downhole tool, the method comprising:
- dropping a ball from a surface of a wellbore;
- contacting the ball with a ball seat of the downhole tool, wherein the ball seat comprises a jay slot, and the downhole tool includes a pin received in the jay slot and an inner mandrel in which the ball seat is movably disposed;
- moving the ball seat axially downward within the downhole tool, wherein moving the ball seat axially advances the pin in the jay slot;
- expanding radially an expandable ball seating surface of the ball seat;
- passing the ball through the expanded expandable ball seating surface;
- moving the ball seat axially upward within the downhole tool, wherein moving the ball seat axially upwards advances the pin out of the jay slot, such that the ball seat is moved axially toward one or more mandrel ports formed radially in the inner mandrel, and the inner mandrel prevents the expandable ball seating surface from expanding after the ball seat is moved axially toward the one or more mandrel ports;
- dropping a second ball from the surface of the wellbore;
- and
- contacting the second ball with the ball seat of the downhole tool, wherein the ball seat is prevented from moving axially downwards by one or more locks, such that the inner mandrel prevents the expandable ball seating surface from expanding.
6 more elements
A method of fracturing formation, the method comprising:
- disposing a first downhole tool to a first location within a wellbore, wherein the first downhole tool comprises a ball seat having a first diameter;
- disposing a second downhole tool to a second location within the wellbore, wherein the second downhole tool comprises an expandable bail seat having the first diameter;
- dropping a first ball from a surface of the wellbore;
- passing the first ball through the second downhole tool, wherein passing the first ball through the second downhole tool comprises:
- seating the first ball in the expandable ball seat of the second downhole tool;
- sliding the expandable ball seat axially downward while rotating the expandable ball seat relative to an inner mandrel in which the expandable ball seat is disposed and relative to a pin in a jay slot of the expandable ball seat, such that the pin slides axially out of the jay slot;
- expanding an expandable ball seating surface of the expandable ball seat, wherein, when the pin is out of the jay slot, a spring causes the expandable ball seat to move toward one or more mandrel ports defined at least partially radially through the inner mandrel, such that the inner mandrel prevents the expandable ball seat from expanding, and one or more locks prevent axial movement of the expandable ball seat away from the one or more mandrel ports;
- seating the first ball in the ball seat of the first downhole tool;
- opening a plurality of ports in the first downhole tool;
- dropping a second ball from the surface of the wellbore after dropping the first ball;
- seating the second ball in the expandable ball seat of the second downhole tool, wherein the inner mandrel prevents the expandable ball seat from expanding, thereby preventing the second ball from passing through the second downhole tool;
- opening a plurality of ports in the second downhole tool;
- and
- fracturing the formation.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.