Abstract:
A multi-function tool is connected to an inner string to selectively align a port or ports in the inner string with ports in the outer string at various locations. The tool is locked from functioning at some locations where a locating collet will not selectively engage with an unlocking profile. In this more the tool will pass through the location unhindered. If an unlock profile is engaged the tool is enabled to be unlocked so that manipulation allows a support mandrel to align with collets that have an external V-shaped profile. Setting down weight allows the supported V-shaped profile on the collets engage a similar profile on the outer tubular to rotate, if needed , and to find support on a V-shaped profile on the surrounding tubular for performance of the borehole operation. Thereafter the locating collet engages a locking profile to disable the tool again.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/489,694 filed Sep. 18, 2014 and published as US 2016/0084027. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The field of the invention is a tool inner string that can be run through an outer string and in specific predetermined locations the tool can be unlocked to find set down support and tool rotational orientation with an outer string port. The tool can be locked to not find support in passing through other zones. Once unlocked to operate using an indexing device setting down weight allows rotation for needed alignment and a support location of the inner string to the outer string at multiple locations. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    With the advances of downhole completion and well monitoring methods, rotationally aligning service strings are beginning to see a growing number of applications for their use. Current generation rotationally aligned equipment, in the form of well monitoring wet connects, are commonly positioned at the top of a lower completion to allow a monitor from the lower completion to be linked to surface equipment. However, these rotational aligned connections are limited to single point in the tool string. Additionally, downhole completion frac pack methods are limited to linear alignment only of a service string to an outer string in current generation completion systems. This introduces difficulties in ways to control erosive flow paths and implement optimal alignment of tool strings to ensure durability for the applicable frac tools. Multizone completions are equally limited in the inability to rotationally align a frac tool with each frac sleeve over the course of several zones. Additionally, deep water completions require the use of indicating tools to identify tool, port, or seal position and prevent unwanted tool movement caused by tubing stretch, rig heave, etc. A common indicator for tool position is a hard boundary encountered by the indicating tool through interaction with a unique profile on the ID of the outer string, which can allow for either setting down weight or pulling on the rental string while the indicating tool is in “Locate Mode.” Manipulation of the indicating tool with an associated profile can be used to cycle the indicating tool to the “Snap Thru Mode,” enabling the rental string to pass beyond the indicating profile. For multi-zone systems, this produces the need to indicate on and cycle through each profile of each subsequent zone, resulting in excess string manipulation when passing through or between zones. This invention provides an apparatus to selectively lock rotationally aligning indicating tools in the “Snap Thru Mode” while tripping both in and out of the lower completion, to allow movement through multiple zones without having to index the mechanism and to provide a positive no-go indication in the axial and rotational direction when each indication boundary is encountered in order to service multiple zones with rotationally aligning equipment. 
         [0004]    A tool that selectively unlocks after landing collets in a profile and using a pickup force and spring return to advance a j-slot to selectively align locking dogs with an axial groove has been described in US 2016/0084027, and is fully incorporated by reference herein as if fully set forth. In this tool the tool is functional for a downhole operation when the dogs rotate into alignment with an axial slot due to picking up against a spring return force while operating a j-slot. After the operation is completed the spring-loaded collets align with another profile and picking up against the spring force rotates a sleeve having the j-slot so that the locking dogs are again aligned axially with stops between the axial slots so that the inner string is locked against relative movement and can pass to the next zone of interest or out of the hole without needing to be cycled at other locations. 
         [0005]    Selectively supported collet fingers made from axial slices into a tube and having an exterior profile on each finger to engage a similar profile in a surround tubular have been made by Baker Hughes, a GE company under the trademark Smart Collet® and the makeup and operation of such collets is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,382,319 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,464,006 and is fully incorporated by reference herein as if fully set forth. 
         [0006]    The present invention combines the selective locking of a tool with spaced profiles in a surrounding tubular as described in US 2016/0084027 with a Smart Collet® with finger profiles on adjacent fingers defining a V-shaped protruding shape to engage a similarly shaped profile on the outer tubular. The V-shapes create relative rotation, if needed for alignment of ports between the inner string and the outer string, for example. Freeing the tool to operate after passing the first profile using a lower j-slot to align dogs with an axial slot allows a j-slot at the upper end of the tool to position a support mandrel with a similar V-shaped profile in alignment with the V-shaped profile on the Smart Collet® fingers so that as the inner string is set down the V-shaped pattern of the collet fingers is supported as rotation, if needed, occurs on setting down weight to land on a V-shaped support profile in the surrounding tubular. After performing the downhole operation such as a gravel pack or a fracturing operation, for example, the tool is picked up through another profile and locked again for transport to another unlock profile where the steps can be repeated or out of the borehole. Certain locations where the unlocking collets do not fit in the outer string profile allow the tool to be pulled past without actuation. Rotational orientation is enabled in a variety of locations as opposed to single location functionality of known wet connect devices. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    A multi-function tool is connected to an inner string to selectively align a port or ports in the inner string with ports in the outer string at various locations. The tool is locked from functioning at some locations where a locating collet will not selectively engage with an unlocking profile. In this more the tool will pass through the location unhindered. If an unlock profile is engaged the tool is enabled to be unlocked so that manipulation allows a support mandrel to align with collets that have an external V-shaped profile. Setting down weight allows the supported V-shaped profile on the collets engage a similar profile on the outer tubular to rotate, if needed , and to find support on a V-shaped profile on the surrounding tubular for performance of the borehole operation. Thereafter the locating collet engages a locking profile to disable the tool again. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIGS. 1 a -1 c    are the tool in the locked position for running in and engaged to an unlocking profile in the outer housing; 
           [0009]      FIGS. 2 a -2 c    is the view of  FIGS. 1 a -1 c    with the tool picked up so that a lower j-slot unlocks the tool on an inner string for reconfiguration; 
           [0010]      FIGS. 3 a -3 c    are the view of  FIGS. 2 a -2 c    showing setting down to allow the upper collets to enter an alignment profile in the outer housing; 
           [0011]      FIGS. 4 a -4 c    are the view of  FIGS. 3 a -3 c    with the upper collets rotated and landed in the profile of the surrounding housing; 
           [0012]      FIGS. 5 a -5 c    are the view of  FIGS. 4 a -4 c    showing a pickup force after landing in an upper profile to unsupport the upper collets; 
           [0013]      FIGS. 6 a -6 e    are the view of  FIGS. 5 a -5 c    with the tool pulled out of an upper profile which locks the tool from actuation until another unlock profile, if any, is engaged; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is an exterior view of the lower j-slot sleeve with circumferentially mounted locking dogs; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a section view through line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the upper collet sleeve showing the lower V-shaped profile on the collet fingers; 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  is a longitudinal section view through the sleeve of  FIG. 9  showing an upper V-shape on the collet fingers; 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  is a section view through an outer housing on an outer string with a landing profile that accepts the V-shape of  FIG. 9 ; 
           [0019]      FIGS. 12 a -12 b    show a V-shape profile on a support mandrel that selective aligns within the V-shape in  FIG. 9 ; 
           [0020]      FIGS. 13 a -13 b    is a rotated view of  FIGS. 12 a -12 b    showing the dogs aligned with an axial slot for unlocking the tool for axial movement; 
           [0021]      FIGS. 14 a -14 b    are the rotated view of  FIGS. 13 a -13 b    showing the dogs locked by being misaligned with the axial slot and the V-shaped profile misaligned with the V-shaped profile of the fingers on the upper collet; 
           [0022]      FIG. 15  is a section through line  15 - 15  of  FIG. 13   b.    
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0023]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 a -1 c   , the tool  10  is connected at upper end  12  to an inner string that is not shown. An outer string  14  is fixedly mounted in a borehole that is also not shown. The outer string can have a series of spaced apart openings to the formation that are also not shown. Each such opening has an unlock profile  16  below a support profile  18  and a relock profile  20  above support profile  18 . It should be noted that relock profile  20  is shown in  FIG. 5 c    as aligned with unlock profile  16  for drawing convenience but in reality relock profile  20  is axially uphole from unlock profile  16  and below the next uphole support profile schematically shown as  18 ′. In essence the pattern going uphole is an unlock profile  16  followed by a support profile  18  followed by a relock profile  20 . In that manner if the tool  10  is releasably captured in an unlock profile  16  then it will operate to find support and rotational alignment off the next support profile  18  and then relock at relock profile  20  that follows immediately above the support profile  18  just exited. In this manner the tool  10  can bypass some support profiles, for example  18 ′ if there is no engagement at a leading unlock profile before the support profile  18 ′. One the other hand if there is releasable engagement with a given unlock profile such as  16  then the tool  10  can be actuated for support and rotational alignment with spaced ports that are not shown in the outer string  14 . Before even delving into the detailed operation of tool  10  some immediate advantages of the tool  10  can already be appreciated. Axial and rotational alignment of unshown ports on the inner string that supports tool  10  can be axially and rotationally aligned with selected unshown ports on the outer string  14  at different depths. Some locations can be simply skipped if the tool  10  fails to engage an unlock profile such as  16 . In the latter case the tool  10  remains locked as it passes a port location on an outer string, for example. 
         [0024]    The initial step is to unlock the tool  10  at a desired location. Tool  10  has a mandrel  22  that extends from upper end  12  to bottom sub  24 . The outer assembly extends from spring  74  to spring  30  and includes all the intervening parts that surround the mandrel  22  which can be in multiple parts, as shown. Referring to  FIGS. 1 b -1 c   , a series of collets  26  overlay collet support  28  so that at a predetermined unlock profile  16  where engagement is contemplated as in  FIG. 1 c    the mandrel  22  will be lowered past unlock profile  16  and then picked up to allow the collets  26  to engage the unlock profile  16 . Spring  30  assists in snapping the collets  26  into the unlock profile  16 . Pin  32  moves with mandrel  22  in j-slot track  34  of j-slot sleeve  36  shown in  FIG. 7 . With collets  26  in unlock profile  16  and a pickup force applied to mandrel  22 , the spring  30  is compressed. The pin  32  moves from j-slot position  36  to position  38  as spring  30  is compressed. When collets  26  jump out of unlock profile  16  the spring  30  advances the pin  32  from position  38  to position  40  of the j-slot pattern  34 . The result of this is rotation of j-slot sleeve  42 . A circumferential array of dogs  44  also get rotated with sleeve  42  out of depressions  46  in mandrel  22  as shown in  FIG. 12 b    where surfaces  48  and  50  prevent axial movement of mandrel  22  and into longitudinal slot  52  to allow axial movement of mandrel  22 . Later on after support and alignment for tool  10  is found at support profile  18  engagement of collets  26  in unlock profile  20  will continue the rotation of j-slot sleeve  42  to put the dogs  44  back into the next adjacent set of depressions  46  in the direction of j-slot sleeve  42  rotation. This will happen by the continuing relative movement between the pin  32  and the j-slot track  34 . 
         [0025]      FIGS. 2 a -2 c    show the unlocked position just described before a pickup force is applied. Before discussing this movement, additional components of the tool need to be described. The above described mode of unlocking and locking was described in detail in US 2016/0084027, which is incorporated herein as if fully set forth. 
         [0026]    A support collet sleeve  54  is shown in  FIG. 2 b    and in more detail in  FIGS. 9 and 10 . It has a series of fingers  56  extending part way between ends  58  and  60 . There is a profile member  62  on each finger  56  that extends to inside and outside each finger  56  as seen in section in  FIG. 10 . In essence the profile members  62  are two connected half spiral patterns to form a downhole oriented V-shape  64  and an uphole oriented V-shape  66 . The outer string  14  has a. support profile  18  seen in more detail in  FIG. 11 . Support profile  18  has an uphole oriented V-shaped support surface  68  with which V-shape  64  will engage when mandrel  22  is set down. Other mating shapes that induce rotation to a predetermined alignment can be used such as U-shapes or other shapes. If V-shape  64  is initially misaligned with V-shape  68  then relative rotation will ensue between collet sleeve  54  and support profile  18 , which is held fixed to the outer string  14 . If there is perfect alignment of V-shaped profiles  64  and  68  there will only be relative axial movement between the collet sleeve  54  and the support profile  18  which is fixed as the mandrel  22  is set down. 
         [0027]    The fingers  56  are flexible and the profile members  62  will snap into recess  70  that in part defines the support profile  18 . However, merely snapping into recess  70  by profile members  62  that make up the V-shape  64  will alone not be sufficient to support the tool  10  on profile  68 . The V-shape  64  will need internal support from V-shape  72  on mandrel  22  before landing on V-shape  68  in support profile  18 . In  FIG. 2 c    the V-shaped profiles  64  and  72  are axially offset. However in  FIG. 3 b    they have come into alignment. They way this happens is that the V-shape  64  makes contact with V-shape  68  and has enough outward force built into fingers  56  to hold the V-shape  64  against the V-shape  68  as weight is set down to compress spring  74  as an upper j-slot assembly  76  is operated to allow mandrel  22  to axially descend to align V-shape  72  with V-shape  64  as V-shape  64  is resting on V-shape  68 . At this point the tool  10  is fully supported on V-shape  68  using V-shape  64  internally supported by V-shape  72  on mandrel  22 . The tool  10  is now in the  FIG. 4 b    position. The ports that are not shown between the inner string and the outer string  14  are in alignment and a procedure such as gravel packing or fracturing, for example, can take place. When that procedure ends the mandrel  22  is lifted and spring  74  in conjunction with the upper j-slot  76  allow for an axial offset between supporting V-shape  72  and V-shape  64  on fingers  56 . This is illustrated in  FIG. 5   b.    
         [0028]    What remains is the need to relock the tool after lifting the V-shape  64  out of recess  70  and leaving V-shape  64  without internal support so that fingers  56  can flex radially inwardly without engaging for support into any other support profiles, such as for example  18 ′. Picking up the mandrel  22  will land the collets  28  in a relock profile such as  20  where the j-slot sleeve  42  will again he rotated in a mariner previously described to put the locking dogs  44  into recess  46  and out of alignment with slot  52  thereby locking the collets  26  against relative movement with respect to mandrel  22 . Going uphole with tool  10  will leave the tool locked until the tool  10  comes out of the hole or until another unlock profile such as  16  is engaged and the process is repeated. The selective support function of the V-shape  64  functions similarly to a Smart Collet® as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,382,319 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,464,006 and is fully incorporated by reference herein as if fully set forth. 
         [0029]    In essence tool  10  combines the ability to be locked and selectively unlocked at unlock profile locations and in between the tool simple snaps through any surrounding surface recesses without actuation. When unlocked the tool combines the capability of axial support to align openings axially between an inner and outer string as well as a rotational alignment capability to rotationally align ports in and inner and an outer string. Such axial and rotational alignment can occur more than once in a single trip in the borehole depending on how many unlock and relock profiles are distributed in the outer string. 
         [0030]    While port alignment is a principal function of the tool  10 , other purposes of the tool that finds support in select locations and auto-rotates for rotational alignment are also envisioned for a variety of borehole treatment procedures and other tasks as outlined below. 
         [0031]    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 wellbore, and/or equipment in the wellbore, 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, gravel packing, hydraulic fracturing, stimulation, tracer injection, cleaning, acidizing, steam injection, water flooding, cementing, etc. 
         [0032]    The above description is illustrative of the preferred embodiment and many modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention whose scope is to be determined from the literal and equivalent scope of the claims below: