Patent Publication Number: US-2023137410-A1

Title: Counter object, method and system

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     In the resource recovery and fluid sequestration industries, there often is need for action taken at specific places in a borehole. This may be, for example, that a specific number of Frac sleeves (stages) must be counted before one is actuated or may be that a number of sleeves related to other operations need to be counted to ensure that a desired sleeve is actuated. The number of stages that may be addressed in a single object run is generally limited due to various structural issues but the more stages in a frac operation, for example, that can be managed with a singe object run, the greater the efficiency of the operation. The art is always receptive to alternative configurations that improve efficiency. 
     SUMMARY 
     An embodiment of an object including a housing, a cone movably received in the housing, a piston body attached to the cone, a valve disposed as a part of the object and separating hydrostatic pressure from pressure at an interface between the housing and the piston body, and a trigger configured to open the valve at a selected circumstance. 
     An embodiment of a method for moving a selected downhole tool including running an object into a borehole, counting features in the borehole using a sensor in the object, opening the valve at a selected count, flooding the interface with hydrostatic pressure, driving the piston body away from the housing, and moving a radially expandable shoulder member toward a larger diameter end of the cone. 
     An embodiment of a borehole system including a borehole in a subsurface formation, a string disposed in the borehole, and an object disposed within or as a part of the string. 
    
    
     
       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 an object as disclosed herein; 
         FIG.  2    is a cross sectional view of the same object illustrated in  FIG.  1    but with the cross section taken after rotating the object along its own longitudinal axis 90 degrees; 
         FIG.  3    is the view of  FIG.  2    in a set position; 
         FIG.  4    is a view of another embodiment of an object as disclosed herein; 
         FIG.  5    is yet another embodiment of an object as disclosed herein; and 
         FIG.  6    is a view of a borehole system including the object as disclosed herein. 
     
    
    
     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   , an object  10  is illustrated. The object is runnable in a borehole during use either on its own or in a tethered condition. The object  10  may in some instances be termed a “dart”. The object  10  includes a housing  12  that features a piston body bore  14  and a cone bore  16 . A piston body  18  is initially disposed partially in the piston body bore  14  and is sealed therein with a seal  20  such as for example on O-ring. A cone  22  is disposed within the cone bore  16  and sealed with seal  24 , which also may be an O-ring. The housing  12  and piston body  18  together define an interface  26  and also together define an interface bore  28 , which is sealed to the cone  22  via seals  30  and  32 , which again may be O-rings. Within the object  10  and as illustrated within the piston body  18  (could be located in another place on object  10  such as in body  12 ) are disposed sensors  34  that act in concert with a controller  36  as a trigger  38  for the object  10  when certain selected circumstances are met. In an embodiment, these are non-contacting proximity sensors that sense metal objects within millimeters of a sensing aperture thereof (2, 3 or 5 mm, for example, sensing ranges for proximity sensors  34  are appropriate for purposes of this disclosure). It is contemplated that two or more sensors  34  may be employed but also contemplated that three or more will provide greater confidence of a count. In an embodiment, there are four sensors  34  disposed in the piston body  18  90 degrees apart from one another about the periphery of the piston body  18 . Employing four or more sensors  34  enhances proximity sensor accuracy. During use, when the object comes into proximity with a feature downhole such as a frac sleeve or other tool, which is of smaller inside diameter than a string in which the tool is disposed, the proximity sensors will register a signal that is counted in the controller  36  that may be a part of the sensors  34  or may be configured as a separate unit disposed in the object  10  (illustrated for example only in a recess  40  of piston body  18 ). 
     Referring now to  FIG.  2   , and reminding the reader that  FIG.  2    is a cross section of the object  10  rotated 90 degrees from the  FIG.  1    view, a valve  42  is now visible in the piston body  18 . The valve is initially disposed to close a port  44  in piston body  18 . The valve  42  includes seals  46  and  48  that straddle the port  44  and thereby prevent hydrostatic pressure from entering an interface feed  50 . The valve includes a biaser  52 , such as a spring device (coil spring, leaf spring, rubber, compressed gas, etc,), that biases the valve  42  to a position where port  44  is fluidly connected with interface feed  50 . The biaser  52 , such as a spring device, cannot achieve the fluid connection until a designated signal from the controller  36  to release a stop  54 . The stop  54  may be of a number of constructions that physically interferes with the ability of the valve  42  to move to the right in the Figure and to an open position. One construction of stop  54  may be a multipiece structure that is held together with a for example an aramid fiber wire, that may be severed by an electrical current supplied thereto by the controller  36  upon reaching a selected count. Upon severing the wire, the stop  54  falls apart and the valve  42  is free to move under the bias of the biaser  52 . Clearly other stop mechanisms known to the art could be substituted. 
     Referring to  FIG.  3   , the object  10  is illustrated close in a set position, meaning it is in the position required after the controller  36  achieves the selected circumstance (which may be a count) and the hydraulic pressure is fluidly connected  from port  44  to the interface  26 . It will be appreciated that piston body  18  has shifted away from the housing  12  and dragged cone  22  with it. The piston body  18  and cone  22  are attached to one another by suitable mechanical connection such as thread  56  or by a bonding connection such as by welding or adhesive in the same place as the thread  56  is located. This is occasioned by the valve  42  moving rightwardly in the figure, away from the housing  12  whereby hydraulic fluid in the environment outside of the object  10  is allowed to communicate through port  44  to the interface feed  50  and hence to the interface  26 . Hydraulic pressure in the interface  26  is opposed across seals  30  and  32  to a pressure contained within the object  10  during its construction, normally atmospheric pressure. Because of this pressure mismatch across these seal areas, the piston body  18  is moved away from the housing  12  and draws the cone  22  further into the housing  12 . As cone  22  is drawn into housing  12 , a radially expandable shoulder member  58 , which may be a split ring, C ring, helical cut backup ring, etc. disposed about the cone  22  is forced to move along the cone  22  to a portion thereof with a larger diameter. This causes the member  58  to expand radially and be able to land on a feature  60 , which may be a sleeve or other tool that requires movement, in a string or borehole  62  radially outwardly of the feature  60  that is to be moved. In the illustration, the feature  60  is a step of a sleeve  64  that may be a frac sleeve in some embodiments but could also be other tools that require movement. Feature  60  could also be the end of the sleeve. Once landed, pressure uphole of the object  10  may be increased to thereby move the movable feature  60 , as illustrated, moving the sleeve  64  relative to the borehole  62  or string  66 . It is also important to note that the object  10  includes a through bore  68  that allows for fluid flow through the object  10  if need be and so the object  10  is provided with a seat  70  for a drop ball  72  (that may be run with the object  10  or dropped afterward) or for a flapper (not shown but well known to those of skill in the art). With the ball  72  on seat  70  as illustrated, pressure uphole will cause the desired movement of the feature  60  along with sleeve  62 . 
     Referring to  FIG.  4   , another embodiment, object  74  is illustrated that employs substantially the same structure as the embodiment of  FIG.  1    but uses a gas evolving compound to create motive force as opposed to the hydrostatic pressure  working against a lower (Ex. Atmospheric) pressure of the embodiment of  FIG.  1   . Accordingly, in the embodiment of  FIG.  4    there is no need for port  44  and it has been eliminated or plugged in this embodiment. Further, the valve  42  is removed. Rather, in the same space or similar space as housed the valve  42  of  FIG.  1   , there is in the embodiment of  FIG.  4    a compound  76  that will evolve gas upon command. Suitable compounds include: Gun powder, including a black powder charge that is glued together into a form, various perchlorate mixtures, such as Aluminum with Aluminum perchlorate, explosives such as RDX (Hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine) and HMX (1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazacyclooctane), among others. 
     Due to this distinction, the piston body for this embodiment is identified with numeral  78 . The command may be an electrical command, pursuant to the same count occasioned by the same proximity sensors discussed above, that ignites the compound  76 , in embodiments. Upon ignition, the compound  76  evolves gas that is conveyed to the interface  26  through interface feed  50 . The evolving gas need only develop pressure sufficient to overcome the atmospheric pressure in the object  74 , which pressure is as was described above for object  10 . Action of the object  74  is otherwise the same as object  10 . 
     Referring to  FIG.  5   , yet another embodiment is illustrated. In this embodiment, an object  80  is illustrated that is similar to the foregoing objects  10  and  74  but lacks a low-pressure (e.g., atmospheric pressure) internal containment. None is to be used in this embodiment and hence none is needed for this embodiment. Object  80  includes the same piston body  78  from the embodiment of  FIG.  4    but a different housing from each of the foregoing embodiments. Housing  82  lacks cone bore  16  from  FIG.  1    since that space, held at a lower pressure, is no needed in this embodiment. This allows for the overall length of the object  80  to be slightly less that the previous embodiments. In other respects, the object  80  functions as do the foregoing embodiments with the distinction being that the compound  76  must in the embodiment of  FIG.  5    evolve sufficient gas to create a pressure that exceeds hydrostatic pressure in the location of actuation rather than just to exceed the atmospheric pressure in the embodiment of  FIG.  4   .  
     Referring to  FIG.  6   , a borehole system  90 . The system  90  includes the borehole  62  that extends within a subsurface formation  92 . A string  66  is disposed within the borehole  62 . Disposed within or as a part of the string  66  is an object  10 ,  74  or  80  as disclosed herein. 
     Set forth below are some embodiments of the foregoing disclosure: 
     Embodiment 1: An object including a housing, a cone movably received in the housing, a piston body attached to the cone, a valve disposed as a part of the object and separating hydrostatic pressure from pressure at an interface between the housing and the piston body, and a trigger configured to open the valve at a selected circumstance. 
     Embodiment 2: The object as in any prior embodiment further including a radially expandable shoulder member. 
     Embodiment 3: The object as in any prior embodiment wherein the member is a helically split ring. 
     Embodiment 4: The object as in any prior embodiment wherein the trigger including a sensor and a controller assembled in one or more units. 
     Embodiment 5: The object as in any prior embodiment wherein the sensor is a proximity sensor. 
     Embodiment 6: The object as in any prior embodiment wherein the sensor is a plurality of sensors distributed about the object. 
     Embodiment 7: The object as in any prior embodiment wherein the plurality is greater than 3 sensors. 
     Embodiment 8: The object as in any prior embodiment wherein the plurality is four sensors located 90 degrees apart from one another. 
     Embodiment 9: The object as in any prior embodiment wherein the valve comprises a piston. 
     Embodiment 10: The object as in any prior embodiment wherein the selected circumstance is a selected number of proximity sensor signals. 
     Embodiment 11: The object as in any prior embodiment wherein the valve is restrained to a closed position by a stop releasable by the controller. 
     Embodiment 12: The object as in any prior embodiment wherein the object maintains a build environment pressure within the object against which hydrostatic pressure acts when triggered during use. 
     Embodiment 13: The object as in any prior embodiment wherein the build environment pressure is atmospheric pressure. 
     Embodiment 14: A method for moving a selected downhole tool including running an object as in any prior embodiment into a borehole, counting features in the borehole using a sensor in the object, opening the valve at a selected count, flooding the interface with hydrostatic pressure, driving the piston body away from the housing, and moving a radially expandable shoulder member toward a larger diameter end of the cone. 
     Embodiment 15: The method as in any prior embodiment wherein the counting includes sensing proximity to the features with a plurality of sensors at the same time. 
     Embodiment 16: The method as in any prior embodiment wherein the sensing is noncontact. 
     Embodiment 17: The method as in any prior embodiment further including landing the expandable shoulder member on a feature subsequent to obtaining a selected count of features. 
     Embodiment 18: The method as in any prior embodiment further including pressuring on the object to move the feature. 
     Embodiment 19: The method as in any prior embodiment wherein the feature is a frac sleeve.  
     Embodiment 20: A borehole system including a borehole in a subsurface formation, a string disposed in the borehole, and an object as in any prior embodiment disposed within or as a part of the string. 
     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 terms “about”, “substantially” and “generally” are intended to include the degree of error associated with measurement of the particular quantity based upon the equipment available at the time of filing the application. For example, “about” and/or “substantially” and/or “generally” can include a range of ±8% or 5%, or 2% of a given value. 
     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.