Pressure indexing sliding side door with rapid actuation

A valve can include a closure device which selectively permits and prevents fluid communication between an interior and an exterior of the valve, an incremental displacement device which incrementally displaces the closure device in response to pressure differentials between the interior and the exterior of the valve, and an accelerator device which accelerates displacement of the closure device in response to a predetermined pattern of the pressure differentials. A method of operating a valve in a well can include applying a predetermined pattern of pressure differentials between an interior and an exterior of a tubular string in which the valve is connected, thereby incrementally displacing a closure device of the valve, and accelerating displacement of the closure device in response to the predetermined pattern of pressure differentials, thereby displacing the closure device to a selected one of an open and a closed position.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to equipment utilized and operations performed in conjunction with a subterranean well and, in one example described below, more particularly provides a pressure indexing sliding side door with rapid actuation.

BACKGROUND

It is known to operate sliding side doors in wells by applying a predetermined number and/or pattern of pressure manipulations interior to and/or exterior to a tubular string. However, relatively simple and reliable incremental axial displacement ratchet devices would not be used for opening or closing sliding side doors, since a very large number of pressure manipulations would be required to displace a sliding sleeve between its open and closed positions.

Therefore, it will be appreciated that improvements are needed in the art of constructing and operating sliding side doors in wells.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Representatively illustrated inFIG. 1is a system10for use with a subterranean well, and an associated method, which system and method can embody principles of this disclosure. However, it should be clearly understood that the system10and method are merely one example of an application of the principles of this disclosure in practice, and a wide variety of other examples are possible. Therefore, the scope of this disclosure is not limited at all to the details of the system10and method described herein and/or depicted in the drawings.

In theFIG. 1example, a tubular string12is positioned in a wellbore14lined with casing16and cement18. In other examples, the wellbore14could be uncased or open hole.

A valve20is connected in the tubular string12, so that a longitudinal flow passage22extending through the tubular string also extends through the valve. The valve20includes openings24and a closure device26which selectively blocks flow through the openings, so that fluid communication is selectively permitting and prevented between the flow passage22in an interior of the valve, and an annulus28on an exterior of the valve.

The closure device26in theFIG. 1example comprises an axially displaceable sleeve, and the openings24are formed in a generally tubular housing30, and so the valve20is of the type known to those skilled in the art as a sliding sleeve valve or sliding side door. However, other types of valves (e.g., ball valves, plug valves, etc.) can benefit from the principles described herein.

The valve20in theFIG. 1example, however, includes an actuator32which incrementally displaces the closure device26in response to pressure differentials applied between the flow passage22and the annulus28. When a predetermined pattern (number, sequence, etc.) of pressure differentials have been applied, the actuator32accelerates the closure device26to a desired open or closed position. In this manner, the closure device26does not have to be incrementally displaced all the way to the desired position (which could take a large number of incremental displacements).

Referring additionally now toFIG. 2, a cross-sectional view of an example of the valve20is representatively illustrated. In this view, it may be seen that the actuator32of the valve20includes an incremental displacement device34and an accelerator device36.

The valve20is provided with tubular string connections38for connecting the valve in the tubular string12. However, it should be understood that the valve20could be connected in other tubular strings and could be used in other systems and methods, in keeping with the scope of this disclosure.

The incremental displacement device26incrementally axially displaces the closure device26toward an open position in which fluid communication is permitted between the interior and the exterior of the valve20. In the open position, the closure device26does not block flow through the openings24, so that the flow passage22is in communication with the annulus28.

The accelerator device36accelerates the displacement of the closure device26axially to the open position when a predetermined pattern of pressure differentials have been applied between the flow passage22and the annulus28. Thus, the incremental displacement device does not displace the closure device26all the way to its open position.

Referring additionally now toFIG. 3, an enlarged scale cross-sectional view of the incremental displacement device34is representatively illustrated. In this view, it may be seen that the increment displacement device34includes an annular piston40which is downwardly biased by a pressure differential from an interior of the valve20to an exterior of the valve.

In theFIG. 3example, the piston40is biased upwardly by a biasing device42, such as, a coiled compression spring. However, other types of biasing devices (for example, compressed gas chambers, liquid springs, extension springs, etc.) may be used in other examples.

A gripping device44displaces with the piston40and grips an outer serrated or toothed tubular surface46of the closure device26. In this example, the gripping device44allows upward displacement of the closure device26toward its open position, but the gripping engagement between the gripping device and the surface46prevents downward displacement of the closure device relative to the piston40.

The gripping device44is depicted inFIG. 3as being a generally tubular sleeve which is internally circumferentially toothed, and is biased by its own elasticity into gripping contact with the surface46. However, other types of gripping devices (for example, gripping wedges, spring-biased teeth, etc.) may be used in other examples.

Shear members48releasably retain the piston40against displacement relative to the closure device26. When a predetermined level of pressure differential from the passage22to the annulus28is applied, the shear members48will shear and allow the piston40to displace downwardly against a biasing force exerted upwardly by the biasing device42.

When the pressure differential from the passage22to the annulus28is sufficiently reduced, the biasing device42will displace the piston40upwardly, and the closure device26will be displaced upwardly with the piston (the gripping device44preventing the piston from displacing upwardly without the closure device). The piston40can then be displaced downwardly by increasing the pressure differential from the passage22to the annulus28.

The gripping device44allows such downward displacement of the piston40relative to the closure device26. Another gripping device62(seeFIG. 6) prevents the closure device26from displacing downwardly with the piston40, but permits upward displacement of the closure device with the piston.

In this manner, the closure device26is incrementally displaced axially upward in response to repeated applications of increased and decreased pressure differentials from the passage22to the annulus28. However, it is not desired in this example for the incremental displacement device34to be used to displace the closure device26all the way to its open position. Instead, it is desired that the incremental displacement device34displace the closure device26to a position in which the accelerator device36will more rapidly displace the closure device to its open position.

Referring additionally now toFIG. 4, a cross-sectional view of the accelerator device36is representatively illustrated. In this view, it may be seen that the accelerator36includes a biasing device50and a sleeve52having radially flexible collet fingers54formed in an upper end thereof.

The biasing device50biases the sleeve52upward, but the sleeve is prevented from displacing upward by engagement between the collet fingers54and a shoulder56in the housing30. The collet fingers54are initially supported radially outward into engagement with the shoulder56by an outer surface58on the closure device26.

However, when a predetermined number of incremental displacements of the closure device26upward with the piston40have been performed as described above, a radially reduced recess60on the closure device26will underlie the collet fingers54. As a result, the surface58will no longer radially support the collet fingers54in engagement with the shoulder56, and the biasing device50can displace the sleeve52upward.

When the collet fingers56engage the recess60, they cause the closure device26to be upwardly displaced with the sleeve52. A force applied to the closure device26from the biasing device50accelerates the closure device axially upward to its open position. In this manner, incremental displacements are not used to displace the closure device26all the way to its open position.

Referring additionally now toFIG. 5, the valve20is representatively illustrated with the closure device26displaced upwardly to its open position. Note that the collet fingers54are engaged with the recess60, so that the biasing device50biases the closure device26upward with the sleeve52.

Referring additionally now toFIG. 6, the closure device26is depicted in its open position. The closure device26no longer blocks flow through the openings24, and fluid communication is now permitted between the interior passage22and the exterior annulus28.

It may now be fully appreciated that the above disclosure provides significant advancements to the arts of constructing and operating valves in wells. The valve20described above can be opened by applying a predetermined level of a pressure differential from the passage22to the annulus28to shear the shear members48, and then the valve can be opened by applying a predetermined pattern of pressure differentials.

A subterranean well valve20is provided to the art by the above disclosure. In one example, the valve20can include a closure device26which selectively permits and prevents fluid communication between an interior and an exterior of the valve20, an incremental displacement device34which incrementally displaces the closure device26in response to pressure differentials between the interior and the exterior of the valve20, and an accelerator device36which accelerates displacement of the closure device26in response to a predetermined pattern of the pressure differentials.

The valve20may include tubular string connectors38at opposite ends thereof, whereby the valve20is configured for controlling flow between an interior and an exterior of a tubular string12.

The incremental displacement device34may axially displace the closure device26. The accelerator device36may axially displace the closure device26. In other examples, the closure device26could be rotationally displaced, helically displaced, etc.

The accelerator device36can comprise at least one biasing device50which applies a force to the closure device26in response to the predetermined pattern of pressure differentials.

The accelerator device36may displace the closure device26to an open or closed position.

The incremental displacement device34may comprise a gripping sleeve (such as gripping devices44,62) which permits incremental axial displacement of the closure device26in a first direction, but which prevents axial displacement of the closure device26in an opposite second direction, in response to the pressure differentials.

The incremental displacement device34may displace the closure device toward an open position in which fluid communication is permitted between an interior and an exterior of the valve20. The accelerator device36may displace the closure device26to an open position in which fluid communication is permitted between the interior and the exterior of the valve20.

A method of operating a valve20in a well is also provided to the art by the above disclosure. In one example, the method can comprise: applying a predetermined pattern of pressure differentials between an interior and an exterior of a tubular string12in which the valve20is connected, thereby displacing a closure device26of the valve20; and accelerating displacement of the closure device26in response to the predetermined pattern of pressure differentials, thereby displacing the closure device26to a selected one of an open and a closed position.

In the above description of the representative examples, directional terms (such as “above,” “below,” “upper,” “lower,” etc.) are used for convenience in referring to the accompanying drawings. However, it should be clearly understood that the scope of this disclosure is not limited to any particular directions described herein.