DOWNHOLE TOOL, METHOD AND SYSTEM

A downhole tool including a gravel pack assembly, a remotely addressable actuator connected to the gravel pack assembly, and a valve responsive to the actuator, the valve opening and closing a washdown path through the tool. A method for gravel packing a borehole including running a tool to a target depth in the borehole, flowing washdown fluid through the tool, sending an electric signal to the actuator to close the valve, and flowing through a cross over port of the gravel pack assembly. A borehole system including a borehole in a subsurface formation, a tool disposed within the borehole.

BACKGROUND

In the resource recovery and fluid sequestration industries there are often times when a tool is required to have one mode where fluid passes therethrough and another mode where fluid passage is prevented in order to increase pressure upstream of the tool or to divert fluid flow to outside of the tool. Traditionally, duties of this sort have been carried out by tools that employ dropped objects that are configured to land on a seat of the tool to shut off flow through the seat. While tools employing such drop objects are widely used in the industries identified there is an efficiency cost in waiting for the object to traverse the borehole and a risk that the object may become stuck prior to reaching the seat and therefore fail in its purpose. Since efficiency and reliability are always paramount in any downhole industry, the art always appreciated apparatus and methods that improve the same.

SUMMARY

An embodiment of a downhole tool including a gravel pack assembly, a remotely addressable actuator connected to the gravel pack assembly, and a valve responsive to the actuator, the valve opening and closing a washdown path through the tool.

An embodiment of a method for gravel packing a borehole including running a tool to a target depth in the borehole, flowing washdown fluid through the tool, sending an electric signal to the actuator to close the valve, and flowing through a cross over port of the gravel pack assembly.

An embodiment of a borehole system including a borehole in a subsurface formation, a tool disposed within the borehole.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIG.1, a first embodiment of a downhole tool10disclosed herein is illustrated. Tool10comprises a gravel pack assembly12that is operably connected to a remotely addressable actuator14and a valve16responsive to the actuator14. The valve16depending upon position either opens or closes a valve port18. The valve port18is disposed within a washdown flow path (flow from an uphole end of tool10, through tool10, and back to the inside diameter of a bottom hole assembly that is attached to the downhole end of the tool10) through the tool10such that if the valve port18is open, washdown operations are permitted while when the valve port18is closed, washdown operations are prevented. When the washdown operations are prevented by a closed valve port18, it is possible to increase pressure upstream of the valve port18or divert fluid upstream of the valve port18or both.

The gravel pack assembly12comprises a housing20having an extension port22therethrough. A sealing element24is disposed about the housing20and configured to seal between the housing20and a radially outwardly positioned different structure upon setting. The element24may be set by mechanical compression, hydrophilic or oleophilic swelling, inflation, shape memory, etc. The tool10further includes a sleeve26disposed in a movable manner, within the housing20. In an embodiment, the sleeve26moves longitudinally along the housing20. The sleeve26includes a cross over port body28having a cross over port30therein that is alignable with the extension port22for fluid connectivity between port22and port30or misalignable to retard fluid communication between port22and port30. In some embodiments, the housing20may also include a seal bore32disposed therein and with which the crossover port body28may seal to close the cross over port30. When the port22and the port30are aligned, fluid flowing in the inside of sleeve26may be diverted to the outside of housing20. This is the case when gravel is being crossed over for deposition outside of the housing in a gravel pack operation, for example.

The actuator14and valve16are both disposed within the housing20. Valve16includes a valve sleeve33that includes the valve port18. The port18as noted above is disposed within the washdown flow path through tool10. The path for the embodiment ofFIG.1is illustrated by arrows34inFIG.1. Valve sleeve33is movable longitudinally of the housing20based upon the reception by the actuator14of a signal. The signal could be electrical, acoustic, hydraulic, seismic, etc. Actuator14includes a body38having a plurality of holes40therethrough. An atmospheric chamber42is disposed in one of the holes40and an electronic controller44is disposed in another of the holes. The electronic controller responds to the signal to move a pin46out of a manifold48so that a hydraulic fluid chamber50becomes fluidly communicated with the atmospheric chamber42. Once this fluidic connection is made, the lower pressure atmospheric chamber42will draw ambient pressured hydraulic fluid from chamber50into the chamber42, thereby reducing volume of hydraulic fluid in the chamber50. The reduction in volume in the chamber50causes a valve sleeve mover52to move into the chamber50thereby moving valve sleeve33. This results in the position of tool10illustrated inFIG.2. In theFIG.2position, washdown is halted at the sleeve33and pressure may be applied to increase pressure upstream of the sleeve33. After conclusion of a pressure operation, the port body28is shifted to align the cross over port20with the extension port22, whereafter fluid flowing through tool10may be diverted outside of housing20.

Referring toFIGS.3-4C, an alternate embodiment of tool10is illustrated. In this embodiment the valve sleeve33includes a valve sleeve extension54that interacts with the cross over port body28to seal off the cross over port30. In this embodiment, the seal bore32of the embodiment ofFIG.1is not needed. It could however be retained if desired. In other respects, the embodiment ofFIGS.3-4Care similar to the embodiment ofFIGS.1and2.

Referring toFIGS.5-6, another alternate embodiment is illustrated. In this embodiment, the gravel pack assembly12and the valve16are the same asFIG.1but the actuator14is distinct. Actuator14in this embodiment employs a body56that is similar toFIG.1but the electronic controller58in this embodiment is quite different. The controller58still receives a remote signal in the same possible ways described forFIG.1but it imparts motive force to the valve16via a motor60and a screw62, which may be a lead or jack screw, or may be a ball screw or similar. Screw62interacts with a nut64that is a part of or connected to the sleeve mover52. Rotation of the screw62then controls position of the valve sleeve33and hence whether the washdown path is open at port18or closed at port18(seeFIG.6).

As inFIG.1, the embodiment ofFIG.5can be used for pressure operations in the position ofFIG.6or diversion operations in the position ofFIG.6moving the cross over port body28to align port30with port22.

Referring toFIGS.7-9, an embodiment that combines elements fromFIGS.3and5is illustrated. The actuator14is that ofFIG.5while the valve sleeve33includes the extension54ofFIG.3. Functionality is as would be expected following exposure to theFIG.3andFIG.5embodiments.FIG.7also illustrates a washdown flow path with arrows68.FIG.8illustrates the embodiment ofFIG.7with the port18closed to prevent washdown flow but the port30still occluded by extension54, andFIG.9illustrates the extension54displaced relative to the cross over port body28exposing port30so that fluid may flow through port30and port22for cross over operations.

In yet another embodiment of tool10, referring toFIG.10, a backflow prevention configuration is illustrated. Overall, the embodiment is similar to the others described above such that only the backflow prevention configuration need be addressed. The configuration comprises a backflow prevention ring70that extends from the sleeve26. Interactive with the ring70is a backflow ring engager72that extends from the sleeve32. These when aligned, and in some embodiments with a seal such as an o-ring74prevent fluid flow through body holes76through sleeve26, through sleeve port78and element port80to the outside of the housing20. Flow is enabled in this pathway when engager72is misaligned with ring70as shown inFIG.11. Flow arrows82illustrate the flow path.

Referring toFIG.12, a borehole system90is illustrated. The system90comprises a borehole92in a subsurface formation94. A string96is disposed within the borehole92. And the tool10is disposed within or as a part of the string96disclosed herein.

Set forth below are some embodiments of the foregoing disclosure:Embodiment 1: A downhole tool including a gravel pack assembly, a remotely addressable actuator connected to the gravel pack assembly, and a valve responsive to the actuator, the valve opening and closing a washdown path through the tool.Embodiment 2: The tool as in any prior embodiment, wherein the gravel pack assembly includes a housing having an extension port, a packer disposed on the housing, and a sleeve disposed in the housing, the sleeve including a crossover port that is alignable and misalignable with the extension port pursuant to movement of the sleeve.Embodiment 3: The tool as in any prior embodiment, wherein the housing includes a seal bore within which the crossover port is disposable to seal fluid flow through the cross over port.Embodiment 4: The tool as in any prior embodiment, wherein the sleeve includes a backflow prevention ring.Embodiment 5: The tool as in any prior embodiment, wherein the actuator is addressable electrically.Embodiment 6: The tool as in any prior embodiment, wherein the actuator includes a pressure chamber that upon a signal received by the actuator causes fluid to change position.Embodiment 7: The tool as in any prior embodiment, wherein the chamber is an atmospheric chamber.Embodiment 8: The tool as in any prior embodiment, wherein actuator is an electromotive configuration.Embodiment 9: The tool as in any prior embodiment, wherein the configuration is a lead screw.Embodiment 10: The tool as in any prior embodiment, wherein the valve comprises a valve sleeve having a washport.Embodiment 11: The tool as in any prior embodiment, wherein the valve sleeve further includes a crossover port cover.Embodiment 12: The tool as in any prior embodiment, wherein the valve sleeve further includes a backflow prevention ring engager.Embodiment 13: A method for gravel packing a borehole including running a tool as in any prior embodiment to a target depth in the borehole, flowing washdown fluid through the tool, sending an electric signal to the actuator to close the valve, and flowing through a cross over port of the gravel pack assembly.Embodiment 14: The method as in any prior embodiment further including shifting the sleeve to align the cross over port with an extension port of the gravel pack assembly.Embodiment 15: The method as in any prior embodiment wherein the shifting further includes moving the cross over port out of a seal bore in a housing of the gravel pack assembly.Embodiment 16: The method as in any prior embodiment further including shifting the sleeve to close a port.Embodiment 17: The method as in any prior embodiment, further including disengaging the valve sleeve from a backflow prevention ring.Embodiment 18: A borehole system including a borehole in a subsurface formation, a tool as in any prior embodiment disposed within 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.