Patent Publication Number: US-10767429-B2

Title: Plug bypass tool and method

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     In the resource recovery industry objects on seats are often used to create a plug whereby the application of pressure from a surface location or otherwise may be used for an operation such as to actuate a tool, fracture a formation, etc. Subsequent to the operation, removal of the object is often desired and there are many ways in which such removal may be addressed that are known to the art. Sometimes however, the speed at which fluid flow communication is reestablished is insufficient for an operator&#39;s needs. The art would well receive alternative means to restore fluid flow. 
     SUMMARY 
     A plug bypass tool including a housing defining a main flow passage and a bypass passageway, the bypass passageway extending between a first port and a second port, the first and second ports being fluidly connected to the main flow passage, a first seat and a first sleeve disposed within the passage between the first port and second port, and a second seat and a second sleeve disposed in the passage, the second sleeve movable between a position covering the second port and a position revealing the second port. 
     A method for bypassing a plug in a tool including landing a first object on a first seat, pressuring on the first object and moving a first sleeve, pressuring to perform an operation, landing a second object on a second seat, pressuring on the second object and moving a second sleeve, revealing a second port whereby a bypass passageway around the first object on the first seat is established. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike: 
         FIG. 1  is a cross sectional view of a tool as disclosed herein having a first seat and sleeve arrangement and a second seat and second sleeve arrangement in a run in condition; 
         FIG. 2  is the tool of  FIG. 1  with a first object landed on the first seat; 
         FIG. 3  is the tool of  FIG. 1  with a second object landed on the second seat in a partially shifted position; 
         FIG. 4  is the tool of  FIG. 1  wherein the second seat is fully shifted and a fluid bypass of the tool is enabled; and 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic view of a wellbore system including the tool of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  a plug bypass tool  10  facilitates early fluid flow around a plugged passage  12  such as a main flow bore of a tubular housing  14 . The housing  14  includes a bypass passageway  16  that extends from a first port  18  to a second port  20  around a pluggable section of the tool  10 . In an embodiment, a first seat  22  is operably connected to a first sleeve  24 , the sleeve being positionable to cover or reveal fracture ports  26  in the housing  14  (visible in  FIG. 2 ) but behind the first sleeve  24  in  FIG. 1 . A second seat  28  is operably connected to second sleeve  30  and is positionable to cover or reveal port  20 , fracture ports  26  and production openings  31 , optionally including filters  32 . In the run in condition of the tool  10 , first sleeve  24  covers fracture ports  26  and second sleeve  30  covers port  20  and production filters  32 . This is easily seen to be the case in  FIG. 1 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the tool  10  has been shifted to a first operational position wherein an object  34  has landed on first seat  22  and pressure applied thereto causes the seat  22 , object  34  and connected sleeve  24  to shift in a direction dictated by the pressure advance or in the drawing to the right, which is also intended to indicate a downhole direction for a subsurface borehole completion. The shifting of the sleeve  24  reveals the fracture ports  26  visible through the housing  14 . In this condition, the tool  10  may be used by applying a fracture pressure against the object  34  and seat  22  to a level where a formation (not shown) will fracture in ways known to the downhole industry. Subsequent to the fracturing operation and as noted above it is often desirable to reestablish fluid flow through the housing  14 . This can be accomplished by employing a degradable object  34  for example but may not occur as rapidly as desired. Accordingly, tool  10  also supplies bypass passageway(s)  16  that extend from first port  18  downhole of the object  34  and seat  22  to a second port  20  uphole of the object  34  and seat  22 . This port  20  as is evident in  FIG. 2  is covered by second sleeve  30 . The second seat  28  is, however, available to accept a second object  36 , which can be seen in  FIG. 3 . The  FIG. 3  view is taken after the second object  36  has landed in second seat  28  and sufficient pressure has been applied to the combination of object  36  and seat  28  to cause movement of second sleeve  30 . As illustrated, the sleeve  30  has partially covered fracture ports  26  that had been uncovered by first sleeve  24  in the first pressure operation. Movement of second sleeve  30  will continue based upon the applied pressure from uphole of object  34 , displacing otherwise trapped fluid between first object  34  and second object  36  through the fracture ports  26 . As the sleeve  30  completes its movement to cover fracture ports  26 , the port  20  is opened, which condition may be seen in  FIG. 4 . It will also be appreciated in  FIG. 4  that both port  18  and port  20  are open the main flow bore  12  and to bypass passageway  16 . Because the ports  18  and  20  straddle the objects in their respective seats, flow around the objects is possible. 
     The bypass passageway(s)  16  may be created through gun drilling processes or may be a product of the housing  14  being created additively in an additive manufacturing operation and defining the bypass passageway(s)  16  in that operation. 
     In embodiments, it may be desirable to configure the first and or second sleeves  24  and  30  with automatic retainers  40  such as C rings that automatically engage grooves  42  in housing  14  so that the sleeves  24  and/or  30  do not shift again after the retainers  40  engage the respective grooves  42 . Engagement is to occur when the sleeves  24  and or  30  reach their downholemost intended locations. 
     In an iteration of the foregoing, referring to  FIG. 5 , the tool  10  forms a part of a wellbore system  48  comprising a borehole  50  in a formation  52 ; drilling or completion string  54  disposed within the borehole  50  and the tool  10  being a part of the drilling or completion string  54 . 
     A method for bypassing a plug in a tool comprises landing a first object  34  on a first seat  22 , pressuring against the first object  34  to move a first sleeve  24  connected to the first seat  22  sufficiently to reveal a fracture port  26 . Applying a higher pressure sufficient to fracture the formation  52  outside of the tool  10 . Landing a second object  36  on a second seat  28  and pressuring against the second object  36  to move a second sleeve  30  to cover the ports  26  and reveal one or more of the filters  32  and the port  20  thereby creating a bypass flow path around the objects  34  and  36 . 
     Set forth below are some embodiments of the foregoing disclosure: 
     Embodiment 1: A plug bypass tool including a housing defining a main flow passage and a bypass passageway, the bypass passageway extending between a first port and a second port, the first and second ports being fluidly connected to the main flow passage, a first seat and a first sleeve disposed within the passage between the first port and second port, and a second seat and a second sleeve disposed in the passage, the second sleeve movable between a position covering the second port and a position revealing the second port. 
     Embodiment 2: The plug bypass tool as in any prior embodiment wherein the housing includes a fracture port. 
     Embodiment 3: The plug bypass tool as in any prior embodiment wherein the first sleeve is moveable between a position covering the fracture port and a position revealing the fracture port. 
     Embodiment 4: The plug bypass tool as in any prior embodiment wherein the first seat and first sleeve are responsive to a first object landable on the first seat. 
     Embodiment 5: The plug bypass tool as in any prior embodiment wherein the second sleeve when in a position to reveal the second port covers the fracture port. 
     Embodiment 6: The plug bypass tool as in any prior embodiment wherein the passageway is a gun drilled configuration. 
     Embodiment 7: The plug bypass tool as in any prior embodiment wherein the first sleeve includes an automatic retainer. 
     Embodiment 8: The plug bypass tool as in any prior embodiment wherein the automatic retainer is a C ring. 
     Embodiment 9: The plug bypass tool as in any prior embodiment wherein the second sleeve includes an automatic retainer. 
     Embodiment 10: The plug bypass tool as in any prior embodiment wherein the automatic retainer is a C ring. 
     Embodiment 11: The plug bypass tool as in any prior embodiment wherein the housing includes a production opening. 
     Embodiment 12: The plug bypass tool as in any prior embodiment wherein the production opening includes a filter. 
     Embodiment 13: A method for making a plug bypass tool comprising depositing material in accordance with a program to layer by layer build the housing as in any prior embodiment. 
     Embodiment 14: The method for making a plug bypass tool as in any prior embodiment further comprising building the entire tool as in any prior embodiment. 
     Embodiment 15: A wellbore system including a borehole in a formation, a string disposed within the borehole, and a tool as in any prior embodiment making up a part of the string. 
     Embodiment 16: A method for bypassing a plug in a tool including landing a first object on a first seat, pressuring on the first object and moving a first sleeve, pressuring to perform an operation, landing a second object on a second seat, pressuring on the second object and moving a second sleeve, revealing a second port whereby a bypass passageway around the first object on the first seat is established. 
     Embodiment 17: The method as in any prior embodiment wherein the operation is a fracture operation. 
     Embodiment 18: The method as in any prior embodiment wherein moving the first sleeve is revealing a fracture port. 
     Embodiment 19: The method as in any prior embodiment further comprising flowing fluid through the established bypass passageway. 
     The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. Further, it should be noted that the terms “first,” “second,” and the like herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another. The modifier “about” used in connection with a quantity is inclusive of the stated value and has the meaning dictated by the context (e.g., it includes the degree of error associated with measurement of the particular quantity). 
     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, hydraulic fracturing, stimulation, tracer injection, cleaning, acidizing, steam injection, water flooding, cementing, etc. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. Also, in the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited.