A cross-over tool including a housing having an extension port therein, a gravel pack port sleeve having a gravel pack port structure and a seal disposed at a radially inward surface of the port structure, and an activation sleeve having an opening therein, the activation sleeve being in dynamic sealing contact with the seal of the port structure. A borehole system including a borehole in a subsurface formation, a completion string in the borehole, and a tool disposed in the completion string. A method for gravel packing a borehole including releasing the housing from a latch connected to a workstring, applying tension to the activation sleeve with the workstring, and aligning the opening of the activation sleeve with the gravel pack port.

BACKGROUND

In the resource recovery industry and fluid sequestration industry gravel packing may be undertaken to support borehole walls or filter fluids for example. Gravel pack operations often include cross over tools. Such tools have been known to the industry for quite some time and generally employ a plug conveyed through the workstring to facilitate particular operations of the system. While dropping a plug, such as a ball, is effective in many situations, it can cause undue delay due to time it takes the plug to traverse the borehole and/or be pushed along with fluid flow for highly deviated or horizontal boreholes. Time is directly correlated to cost in the subject industries and hence the art would well receive alternatives that reduce time required.

SUMMARY

An embodiment of a cross-over tool including a housing having an extension port therein, a gravel pack port sleeve having a gravel pack port structure and a seal disposed at a radially inward surface of the port structure, and an activation sleeve having an opening therein, the activation sleeve being in dynamic sealing contact with the seal of the port structure.

An embodiment of a borehole system including a borehole in a subsurface formation, a completion string in the borehole, and a tool disposed in the completion string.

An embodiment of a method for gravel packing a borehole including releasing the housing from a latch connected to a workstring, applying tension to the activation sleeve with the workstring, and aligning the opening of the activation sleeve with the gravel pack port.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIG.1, a cross-over tool10is illustrated in schematic cross section. Tool10includes a housing12having an extension port14therein. Disposed upon the housing12is a seal element16such as a packer. The packer may be mechanical, swellable or inflatable and may be set in accordance with normal procedure.

Disposed within the housing12is a gravel pack port sleeve18having a gravel pack port structure20as a part thereof, the port structure20defining a port22therethrough. The port sleeve18is slidably disposed in the housing12and includes a no go shoulder24to prevent the port sleeve18moving relative to the housing in one direction beyond seating of the shoulder24against housing12. The port sleeve18is movable in the opposite direction to allow for positioning and for pulling out of the hole. At a radially inward surface26of the structure20are seals28that are disposed on either longitudinal end of the port22and function to dynamically seal the structure20to a radially inwardly positioned activation sleeve30. The sleeve30includes an opening32therein that allows initially for Inside Diameter (ID) flow through the sleeve30for washdown and flow during running. The sleeve30further includes a lock34that is interactive with the port sleeve18to, once engaged, prevent any further relative motion between the port sleeve18and the activation sleeve30. This lock in an embodiment is a body lock ring although it is contemplated that this lock may also be a C-ring, a collet, any other type of snap ring, etc. Also, in an embodiment, a stop36and a counter stop38are disposed upon sleeve30and sleeve18such that they will contact one another at a certain position of the sleeve30relative to sleeve18and prevent further relative movement in the same direction. The stop and counter stop are illustrated in contact inFIG.2.

Referring toFIG.2, the tool10is illustrated in a second operational position where the opening32is aligned with the port22. Viewing this portion ofFIG.2against the position inFIG.1will make clear the flow path prior to moving the sleeve30versus after moving sleeve30. Initially the opening32allows flow for washdown and then after movement of sleeve30the opening32is aligned with port22so that gravel slurry may be ported to an outside diameter of the housing12to create a gravel pack. The stop and counter stop36and38are shown in contact with one another inFIG.2and it should be understood that with the sleeve30moved to the position inFIG.2, the lock34is engaged and the opening32will stay aligned with the port22permanently. It is to be appreciated that moving the tool10to a gravel packing position requires simply application of tension to a workstring40upon which the tool10is supported. There is no need to drop a plug of any kind. There is no wait time and no chance for a plug getting hung on its way to a seat that the tool10does not possess. Accordingly, the tool as disclosed improves reliability and reduces time required for a gravel packing operation.

In use, the tool10is made up to the workstring40and latched with a latch42. The position of the latch42when latched is illustrated inFIG.1while the position of the latch42unlatched is illustrated inFIG.2. In any case, after the latch is unlatched from the housing12, the workstring may be pulled uphole to reposition the sleeve30and with it the opening32. The opening32will, as mentioned above, align with the port22when the stop and counterstop36/38contact one another as shown inFIG.2. Flow from surface (gravel slurry, frac slurry, etc.) is then flowed out the extension port. Once all packing operation is complete, a portion of the tool10is retrieved to surface. That is the sleeve18and the sleeve30with all parts of each one. Removal of these sleeves to surface will leave the tool10in the condition shown inFIG.3wherein the housing and its seal are left in the hole as a portion of the completion and with a gravel pack radially outwardly thereof. The tool then has a full drift diameter therewithin for future borehole operations.

Referring toFIG.4, a borehole system. The borehole system50comprises a borehole52in a subsurface formation54. A string56is disposed within the borehole52, and the cross-over tool10is disposed within or as a part of the string56disclosed herein.

Embodiment 1: A cross-over tool including a housing having an extension port therein, a gravel pack port sleeve having a gravel pack port structure and a seal disposed at a radially inward surface of the port structure, and an activation sleeve having an opening therein, the activation sleeve being in dynamic sealing contact with the seal of the port structure.

Embodiment 2: The tool as in any prior embodiment further including a lock that when engaged prevents relative motion between the port sleeve and the activation sleeve.

Embodiment 3: The tool as in any prior embodiment wherein the lock is a body lock ring.

Embodiment 4: The tool as in any prior embodiment further including a stop limiting relative movement between the activation sleeve and the port sleeve.

Embodiment 5: The tool as in any prior embodiment wherein the shoulder when shouldered positions the activation sleeve relative to the port sleeve such that the opening of the activation sleeve is aligned with the gravel pack port of the port sleeve.

Embodiment 6: The tool as in any prior embodiment further including a sealing element disposed on the housing.

Embodiment 7: A borehole system including a borehole in a subsurface formation, a completion string in the borehole, and a tool as in any prior embodiment disposed in the completion string.

Embodiment 8: A method for gravel packing a borehole including releasing the housing as in any prior embodiment from a latch connected to a workstring, applying tension to the activation sleeve with the workstring, and aligning the opening of the activation sleeve with the gravel pack port.

Embodiment 9: The method as in any prior embodiment further including engaging a lock, which thereafter prevents relative movement between the activation sleeve and the gravel pack port sleeve.

Embodiment 10: The method as in any prior embodiment further including pumping a fluid through the workstring and through the opening, gravel pack port and extension port.

Embodiment 11: The method as in any prior embodiment further including setting a seal element about the housing.

Embodiment 12: The method as in any prior embodiment further including pulling the gravel pack port sleeve and the activation sleeve out of the borehole leaving the element and housing in the borehole.

The teachings of the present disclosure may be used in a variety of well operations. These operations may involve using one or more treatment agents to treat a formation, the fluids resident in a formation, a borehole, and/or equipment in the borehole, such as production tubing. The treatment agents may be in the form of liquids, gases, solids, semi-solids, and mixtures thereof. Illustrative treatment agents include, but are not limited to, fracturing fluids, acids, steam, water, brine, anti-corrosion agents, cement, permeability modifiers, drilling muds, emulsifiers, demulsifiers, tracers, flow improvers etc. Illustrative well operations include, but are not limited to, hydraulic fracturing, stimulation, tracer injection, cleaning, acidizing, steam injection, water flooding, cementing, etc.