Abstract:
This disclosure relates to system and method for delaying actuation using a destructible impedance device. In one embodiment, a delayed actuating system can comprise a base pipe comprising a first portion of an orifice, a sliding sleeve around the base pipe, the sliding sleeve comprising a second portion of said orifice, further said sliding sleeve maneuverable into a first position, wherein said first portion of said orifice rests at least partially over said second portion of said orifice, a second position, a distance away from said second position. Further, the delayed actuating system can comprise a biasing device biasing the sliding sleeve toward the second position, and a destructible impedance device at least partially in side said orifice, the destructible impedance device preventing the sliding sleeve from leaving the first position.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    This disclosure relates to a fracturing system and method for acquiring oil and gas. 
         [0002]    The demand for natural gas and oil has significantly grown over the years making low productivity oil and gas reservoirs economically feasible, where hydraulic fracturing plays an important part in these energy productions throughout the world. For several decades different technology has been used to enhance methods for producing resources from oil and gas wells. Long horizontal wellbores with multiple fractures is one commonly used process to enhance extraction of oil and gas from wells. This process starts after a well has been drilled and the completion has been installed in the wellbore. Multi-stage fracking is a method that involves pumping large amounts of pressurized water or gel, a proppant and/or other chemicals into the wellbore to create discrete multiple fractures into the reservoir along the wellbore. 
         [0003]    One of the technologically advanced methods being used today is simultaneous proppant fracturing of up to thirty fractures in one pumping operation. This method involves usage of proppant to prevent fractures from closing. However, this practice can usually cause an uneven distribution of proppant between the fractures, which will reduce the efficiency of the fracture system. As a result, this practice can also cause fractures to propagate in areas that are out of the target reservoir. Thus, such method can be inefficient and unsafe. 
         [0004]    Additionally, proppant fracturing usually involves multiple steps and requires several tools in order to be performed successfully. Such practice that will allow even distribution of proppant between fractures highly depends on setting, plugs between the fracture stages or using frack balls of increasing sizes. In these methods, plugs are either set after each fracture has been perforated and pumped, or frack balls are dropped from the surface to successively open fracturing valves placed along the well. For each stage, balls of different diameters are dropped into the well corresponding to a specific fracturing valve&#39;s seat. At a point in the well, the ball will no longer pass through due to a decrease in well diameter. Once the ball is in place, fracking can take place. After fracking, the plugs must be drilled out and the balls must be recovered. With each fracturing stage while setting plugs, much time and energy is expended in tripping out of the hole between the stages and and drilling out the plugs. Moreover, land-based rigs are usually rented per day basis, and so any delays can be quite expensive. Also, only about 12 different fracture stages is possible with the ball method before a restriction in flow area due to small ball diameter makes fracturing difficult due to large pressure losses. 
         [0005]    As such it would be useful to have an improved system and method for fracturing oil and gas wells. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    This disclosure relates to a system and method for delaying actuation using a destructible impedance device. In one embodiment, a delayed actuating system can comprise a base pipe comprising a first portion of an orifice, a sliding sleeve around the base pipe, the sliding sleeve comprising a second portion of said orifice, further said sliding sleeve maneuverable into a first position, wherein said first portion of said orifice rests at least partially over said second portion of said orifice, a second position, a distance away from said second position. Further, the delayed actuating system can comprise a biasing device biasing the sliding sleeve toward the second position, and a destructible impedance device at least partially in side said orifice, the destructible impedance device preventing the sliding sleeve from leaving the first position. 
         [0007]    Additionally, a method of delaying actuation comprising is disclosed. The method can comprise connecting a base pipe within a pipe string, the base pipe comprising a first portion of an orifice, applying a force on a sliding sleeve using a biasing device, the force configured to actuate the sliding sleeve from a first position to a second position, the sliding sleeve comprising a second portion of an orifice, the sliding sleeve positionable into said first position, wherein the second position of the orifice rests at least partially over the first portion of the orifice, said second portion, a distance away from the second position, and preventing the sliding sleeve from leaving the first position using a destructible impedance device. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1A  illustrates a side view of a base pipe. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1B  illustrates a front view of a base pipe. 
           [0010]      FIG. 1C  illustrates a cross sectional view of a base pipe. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2A  illustrates a sliding sleeve. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2B  illustrates a front view of a sliding sleeve. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2C  illustrates a cross sectional view of a sliding sleeve. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2D  illustrates a cross sectional view of a sliding sleeve that further comprises a fixed sleeve, and an actuator. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3A  illustrates a peripheral view of outer ring. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3B  illustrates a front view of an outer ring. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4A  illustrates a valve casing. 
           [0018]      FIG. 4B  illustrates a fracking port of a valve casing 
           [0019]      FIG. 4C  illustrates a production slot of a valve casing. 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  illustrates a fracturing valve at a fracturing state. 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  illustrates one example of an impedance device counteracting actuator, in an embodiment where impedance device is a tension device such as a string. 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  illustrates one example of an impedance device counteracting actuator, in an embodiment where impedance device is a compression device such as a bar. 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  illustrates fracturing valve at production state. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0024]    Described herein is an improved fracturing system and method for acquiring oil and gas. The following description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention as claimed and is provided in the context of the particular examples discussed below, variations of which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. In the interest of clarity, not all features of an actual implementation are described in this specification. It will be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation (as in any development project), design decisions must be made to achieve the designers&#39; specific goals (e.g., compliance with system- and business-related constraints), and that these goals will vary from one implementation to another. It will also be appreciated that such development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the field of the appropriate art having the benefit of this disclosure. Accordingly, the claims appended hereto are not intended to be limited by the disclosed embodiments, but are to be accorded their widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein. 
         [0025]      FIG. 1A  illustrates a side view of a base pipe  100 . Base pipe  100  can be connected as a portion of a pipe string. In one embodiment, base pipe  100  can be a cylindrical material that can comprise different wall openings and/or slots. Base pipe  100  wall openings can comprise insert port  101 , fracking port  102 , and/or production port  103 . Insert port  101  can be made of one or more small openings in a base pipe  100 . Fracking port  102  can also be made of one or more openings. Further, production port  103  can be a plurality of openings in base pipe  100 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 1B  illustrates a front view of base pipe  100  further comprising a chamber  104 . Chamber  104  can be a cylindrical opening or a space created inside base pipe  100 . As such chamber  104  can be an opening that can allow material, such as frack fluid or hydrocarbons to pass through.  FIG. 1C  illustrates a cross sectional view of a base pipe  100 . Each wall opening discussed above can be circularly placed around base pipe  100 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 2A  illustrates a sliding sleeve  200  connected to a fixed sleeve  205  by an actuator  206 , and in line with an outer ring  207 . In one embodiment, sliding sleeve  200  can be a cylindrical tube that can comprise fracking port  102 . Thus fracking port can have a first portion within base pipe  101  and a second portion within sliding sleeve  200 .  FIG. 2B  illustrates a front view of a sliding sleeve  200  further comprising an outer chamber  201 . In one embodiment outer chamber  201  can be an opening larger than chamber  104 . As such chamber  201  can be large enough to house base pipe  100 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 2C  illustrates a cross sectional view of a sliding sleeve  200 . Sliding sleeve  200  can comprise a first sleeve  202  and a second sleeve  203 . First sleeve  202  and second sleeve  203  can be attached through one or more curved sheet  204 , the spaces between each curved sheet  204  defining a portion of fracking port  102 . Inner surface of first sleeve  202  can have a bottleneck void, or any other void within the inner surface. The void can extend radially around the complete inner diameter of base pipe  101 , partially around the inner diameter, or locally. If completely around the inner diameter, the ends of inner surface can have a smaller diameter than the void. 
         [0029]      FIG. 2D  illustrates a cross sectional view of a sliding sleeve  200  further comprising fixed sleeve  205 , and actuator  206 . In one embodiment, actuator  206 , can be a biasing device. In such embodiment, biasing device can be a spring. In another embodiment, actuator can be bidirectional and/or motorized. In one embodiment second sleeve  203  of sliding sleeve  200  can be attached to fixed sleeve  205  using actuator  206 . In one embodiment, sliding sleeve  200  can be pulled towards fixed sleeve  205 , thus compressing or otherwise load actuator  206  with potential energy. Later actuator  206  can be released or otherwise instigated, pushing sliding sleeve  200  away from fixed sleeve  205 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 3A  illustrates a peripheral view of outer ring  207 . In one embodiment outer ring  207  can be a solid cylindrical tube forming a ring chamber  301 , as seen in  FIG. 3B . In one embodiment outer ring  207  can be an enclosed solid material forming a cylindrical shape. Ring chamber  301  can be the space formed inside outer ring  207 . Further, ring chamber  301  can be large enough to slide over base pipe  100 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 4A  illustrates a valve casing  400 . In one embodiment, valve casing  400  can be a cylindrical material, which can comprise fracking port  102 , and production port  103 . In one embodiment, fracking port  102  can be a plurality of openings circularly placed around valve casing  400 , as seen in  FIG. 4B . Further, production port  103  can be one or more openings placed around valve casing  400 , as seen in  FIG. 4C . 
         [0032]      FIG. 5  illustrates a fracturing valve  500  in fracturing mode. In one embodiment fracturing valve  500  can comprise base pipe  100 , sliding sleeve  200 , outer ring  207 , and/or valve casing  400 . In such embodiment, base pipe  100  can be an innermost layer of fracturing valve  500 . A middle layer around base pipe  100  can comprise outer ring  207  fixed to base pipe  100  and sliding sleeve  200 , wherein fixed sleeve  205  is fixed to base pipe  100 . Fracturing valve  500  can comprise valve casing  400  as an outer later. Valve casing  400  can, in one embodiment, connect to outer ring  207  and fixed sleeve  205 . In a fracking position, fracking port  102  can be aligned and open, due to the relative position of base pipe  100  and sliding sleeve  200 . 
         [0033]    Fracturing valve  500  can further comprise a frack ball  501 , and one or more stop balls  502 . In one embodiment, stop ball  502  can rest in insert port  101 . At a fracturing state, actuator  206  can be in a closed state, pushing stop ball  502  partially into chamber  104 . In such state, frack ball  501  can be released from the surface and down the well. Frack ball  501  will be halted at insert port  101  by any protruding stop balls  502  while fracturing valve  500  is in a fracturing mode. As such, the protruding portion of stop ball  502  can halt frack ball  501 . In this state, fracking port  102  will be open, allowing flow of proppant from chamber  104  through fracking port  102  and into a formation, thereby allowing fracturing to take place. 
         [0034]      FIG. 6  illustrates one example of an impedance device counteracting actuator  206 , in an embodiment where impedance device is a tension device such as a string  601 . String  601  can connect sliding sleeve  200  with base pipe  100 . While intact, string can prevent actuator  206  from releasing. As biasing device attempts to push or pull sliding sleeve  200  in one direction, it also applies a tension on string  601 . String  601  prevents actuator  206  from actuating. Once the string  601  is broken, broken, actuator  206  can push sliding sleeve  200 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 7  illustrates a second example of an impedance device counteracting actuator  206 , in an embodiment wherein impedance device is compression device such as a bar  701 . While intact, bar  701  can prevent actuator  206  from releasing. As actuator  206  attempts to push or pull sliding sleeve  200  in one direction, it applies a tension force bar  701 . Bar  701  can be held in place in a number of ways. In one embodiment, bar  701  can be connected to base pipe  100  and/or sliding sleeve  200  in a fixed manner. In another embodiment, the sheering force of sliding sleeve  200  and base pipe  100  can hold bar  700  into place. In another embodiment, bar  701  can fit into brackets attached to sliding sleeve  200  and/or base pipe  100 . 
         [0036]    In one embodiment, impedance device can be destructible. A destructible impedance device is one that is designed to fail under the right conditions. One method of breaking the impedance devices is by pushing a corrosive material reactive with impedance device  206  through fracking port, deteriorating the impedance until actuator  206  can overcome its impedance. This method can work in embodiments wherein impedance device comprises a corrodible material (such as animal hair in the case of string  601 ). Corrosives material can be an chemical such as hydrochloric acid. If impedance device comprises erodible material, then other methods can be used to break it. If empedance device is made of thin steel or some other material, it can predictably fail after enough fluid passes around it, eroding it over time. Another method of breaking impedance device is by pushing a fluid comprising particulates such as sand, glass or rocks through fracking port  102 , in an embodiment wherein impedance device comprises an erodible material such as a soft rock, or sand that is mixed, formed and hardened with a weak epoxy. Another method of breaking the impedance devices is by pushing a large object such as a ball down the hole and through fracking port  102 . The systems and methods described in this disclosure regarding delaying actuation using an impedance device can work for orifices other than fracking port  102 , as well. 
         [0037]      FIG. 8  illustrates fracturing valve  500  in production mode. As sliding sleeve  200  is pushed towards outer ring  207  by actuator  206 , fracking port  102  can close and production port  103  can open. Concurrently, frack ball  501  can push stop balls  502  back into the inner end of first sleeve  202  which can further allow frack ball  501  to slide through base pipe  101 , to another fracturing valve  500 . Once production port  103  is opened, extraction of oil and gas can start. In one embodiment, production ports can have a check valve to allow fracking to continue downstream without pushing frack fluid through the production port. 
         [0038]    Various changes in the details of the illustrated operational methods are possible without departing from the scope of the following claims. Some embodiments may combine the activities described herein as being separate steps. Similarly, one or more of the described steps may be omitted, depending upon the specific operational environment the method is being implemented in. It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described embodiments may be used in combination with each other. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. In the appended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein.”