Abstract:
An assembly for assisting performance of an operation involving a hardenable fluid in an axial flowbore of a casing string including a carrier disposed at the casing string. An operative device is carried by the carrier. A channel connects between the operative device and the axial flowbore. A plugging element is positioned in the channel that protects the operative device by preventing the hardenable fluid from entering the channel, and the plugging element is reconfigurable to selectively permit communication between the operative device and the axial flowbore via the channel. A method of protecting and using an operative device disposed at a casing string is also included.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    There is an ever present desire in the downhole drilling and completions industry for improved monitoring and/or control of various fluid operations, e.g., cementing, hydraulic fracturing, chemical injection, etc. For example, the industry would well receive new systems that increase efficiency, increase accuracy, decrease costs, and/or are applicable to a wider variety of scenarios than possible with previous systems. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0002]    An assembly for assisting performance of an operation involving a hardenable fluid in an axial flowbore of a casing string, comprising a carrier disposed at the casing string; an operative device carried by the carrier; a channel connecting between the operative device and the axial flowbore; and a plugging element positioned in the channel that protects the operative device by preventing the hardenable fluid from entering the channel, the plugging element reconfigurable to selectively permit communication between the operative device and the axial flowbore via the channel. 
         [0003]    A method of protecting and using an operative device disposed at a casing string, comprising performing an operation involving a hardenable fluid in an axial flowbore of the casing string; preventing the hardenable fluid from entering a channel connecting between the operative device and the axial flowbore with a plugging element disposed in the channel; reconfiguring the plugging element to permit communication through the channel; and communicating between the operative device and the axial flowbore via the channel. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]    The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike: 
           [0005]      FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration of a borehole completion system; 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a semi-transparent side view of an assembly that facilitates a function, operation, or process performed by or with the system of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a semi-transparent top view of the assembly of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0008]      FIGS. 4 and 5  illustrate a plugging element of the assembly of  FIG. 1  being removed from a communication channel; and 
           [0009]      FIG. 6  is a view of an operative device according to an embodiment disclosed herein. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]    A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures. 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  depicts a completion system  10  in which a casing string  12  is installed in a borehole  14 . In this embodiment the casing string  12  is cemented within the borehole  14  by filling an annulus  16  between the string  12  and the borehole  14  with cement. The cement can be supplied in any desired manner, e.g., pumped down through a port or shoe (not shown) at the end of the string  12  and back up the annulus  16 , or according to any other known or discovered technique. Other hardenable fluids, e.g., proppant or sand slurries, could also be pumped through the string  12 . 
         [0012]    The system  10  includes an assembly  20  having an operative device  22  that is in selective communication, e.g., fluid communication with an axial flowbore  24  of the casing string  12  via a communication channel  26 . The operative device  22  is carried by a carrier  28  that is installed with, along or otherwise disposed at the casing string  12 . In one embodiment, the carrier  28  includes threaded ends or the like in order for the carrier  28  to be secured along the length of the casing string  12 . In this way, the carrier  28  is a casing joint or section that is secured on opposite sides to other casing joints or sections to form the casing string  12 . In this way, the channel  26  is effectively formed in or through a wall of the casing string  12 , with the operative device  22  separated from the flowbore  24  and in communication therewith via the channel  26 . 
         [0013]    By operative device it is meant any device that is capable of performing a function, process, or operation for or with the system  10 , or assisting in the performance of such a function, process, or operation, specifically requiring communication with the flowbore  24 , e.g., fluid communication, pressure communication, etc. Alternatively stated, the operative device  22  relies upon interaction with fluid within the flowbore  24  in order to function to its desired end, be it direct contact with the fluid, or indirectly via some intermediary interface. In one embodiment, the operative device  22  is a chemical injection valve that selectively enables chemical injection via the fluid communication channel  26 . In the illustrated embodiment, the operative device  22  includes a pair of sensing elements  30  for enabling the assembly  20  to monitor one or more parameters of fluid within the flowbore  24 , e.g., temperature, pressure, etc. The sensing elements  30  can include relevant components, e.g., sensors, transmitters, receivers, or other communication devices or electronics, etc. 
         [0014]    An instrumentation line  32  extending to surface or another location in the system  10  can be included to provide power, fluid, signal, and/or data communication with the device  22 . In one embodiment, the instrumentation line  32  is a tubing encapsulated conductor, although in other embodiments the line  32  can be or include chemical injection line, hydraulic control line, fiber optic line, etc. The device  22  also includes a connector  34  to form a fluid pressure bearing connection between the device  22  and the channel  26 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the device  22  can be located within a recessed area  35  in the carrier  28 , e.g., to protect the device  22  during run-in. It is to be noted that the device  22  is illustrated as being open to the annulus  16 , but in other embodiments a cover or other member can be disposed over the recessed area  35  to provide further protection and fluidly isolate the device  22  from the annulus  16 . A clamp  36  or other fastener can be included to assist in securing the device  22  to the carrier  28 . 
         [0015]    Although communication between the device  22  and the flowbore  24  is required in order for the device  22  to properly perform one or more of its functions, operations, or processes, such communication may not be initially desired in order to protect the device  22  from cement or other hardenable fluids that are pumped through string  12 . For example, in the example above, communication through the channel  26  could be impaired or compromised if cement enters and cures within the channel  26 , if sand grains or solid particulate of proppant slurry become compacted within the channel  26 , or some other hardenable fluid clogs, blocks, or otherwise at least partially fills the channel  26 . In order to initially protect the channel  26  from becoming clogged, blocked, or impeded by a hardenable fluid, communication through the channel  26  is prevented by a plugging element  38 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . The plugging element  38  is reconfigurable between a first configuration in which communication between the flowbore  24  and the channel  26  is blocked and a second configuration in which communication is permitted. For example,  FIG. 4  depicts the plugging element  38  in a first relatively larger size or configuration in which the plugging element  38  impedes communication between the device  22  and the flowbore  24 , while  FIG. 5  depicts the channel  26  after the plugging element  38  has changed dimensions and fallen out of the channel  26 , been urged out of the channel  26 . It is noted that the plugging element  38  may remain positioned in the channel  26 , but change in shape, size, or dimension in order to permit fluid flow or other communication through the channel  26 . 
         [0016]    Specifically, the plugging element  38  can be selected from a material or having a structure that is reconfigurable in response to a selected fluid and/or a fluid having a selected property. In this way, the channel  26  can be selectively opened by exposing the plugging element  38  to the selected fluid, thereby triggering the plugging element  38  to reconfigure for providing the aforementioned communication between the device  22  and the flowbore  24 . The application of the selected fluid to the plugging element  38  can be set a desired time or following a selected event, e.g., after cementing operations through the string  12  have completed. In one embodiment, the selected fluid is provided through the axial flowbore  24 . 
         [0017]    The plugging element  38  can be made from a variety of materials and responsive to a variety of fluids in order to selectively permit communication through the channel  26 . For example, in one embodiment, the plugging element  38  is made at least partially from a material that is disintegrable in response to a corresponding fluid. By disintegrable, it is meant that the material is disintegrated, dissolved, consumed, decomposed, or otherwise removed due to interaction with the selected fluid. In one embodiment, the disintegrable material is the material made commercially available from Baker Hughes Incorporated under the name INTALLIC™ and the selected fluid includes brine, acid, etc. According to one embodiment, the plugging element  38  is a swellable material that can absorb one or more fluids (e.g., oil or water) in order to increase in size. By exposing the swellable material to a selected fluid to which the swellable material does not swellably respond, the absorbed fluid can be displaced or otherwise forced or drawn out of the plugging element  38  to cause the element  38  to shrink, compress, un-swell, or otherwise change in size in order to permit communication through the channel  26 . In one embodiment, the plugging element  38  is made at least partially from a shape-memory material (e.g., polymer, alloy, etc.) and the selected fluid conveys a corresponding transition stimulus, e.g., temperature, pH, etc., suitable for triggering the shape memory material to revert to a remembered shape having dimensions smaller than the channel  26 . It is also noted that the plugging element  38  could take the form of a rupture disk that is responsive to fluid pressure. 
         [0018]    An operative device  40  according to another embodiment is depicted in  FIG. 6 . In the illustrated embodiment, the operative device  40  includes one of the sensing elements  30 , although a chemical injection valve or other tool could be alternatively included, as noted above. In addition to the sensing element  30  or other device, the operatively device  40  includes a mechanism  42  for opening the channel  26  by triggering the reconfiguring of the plugging element  38 . For example, in one embodiment the mechanism  42  is or includes a chamber filled with the selected fluid to which the plugging element  38  is reconfigurably responsive. Thus, the reconfiguring mechanism can be a brine, acid, etc., for disintegrating the plugging element  38 , a fluid having a predefined temperature, pH, etc., for trigging a shape-memory shape change of the plugging element  38 , a pressurized fluid for bursting the plugging element  38 , a non-absorptive fluid that causes the plugging element  38  to un-swell, etc. The mechanism  42  can include a valve, pistons, etc., or any other components to assist in releasing the selected fluid at a desired time, pressuring up the selected fluid, urging the selected fluid to the plugging element  38 , etc. The mechanism  42  can be controlled via signals and/or power delivered through the instrumentation line  32 . 
         [0019]    While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. Also, in the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. do not denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item.