Patent Abstract:
A valve on an inner string can only be closed with multiple movements in opposed directions that occur after a predetermined force is held for a finite time. Holding the force against resistance eventually allows movement that arms the valve. A set down and pickup force will then close the valve. The surrounding string has a constriction that interacts with a j-slot to rotate a wedge with a first peak into alignment with a peak on a second wedge that can only translate against a spring bias. The second wedge is eccentrically linked to a ball that rotates between and open and a closed position.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation application claiming priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/553,458, filed on Sep. 3, 2009. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The field of this invention relates to gravel packing and fracturing tools used to treat formations and to deposit gravel outside of screens for improved production flow through the screens. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Completions whether in open or cased hole can involve isolation of the producing zone or zones and installing an assembly of screens suspended by an isolation packer. An inner string typically has a crossover tool that is shifted with respect to the packer to allow fracturing fluid pumped down the tubing string to get into the formation with no return path to the surface so that the treating fluid can go into the formation and fracture it or otherwise treat it. This closing of the return path can be done at the crossover or at the surface while leaving the crossover in the circulate position and just closing the annulus at the surface. The crossover tool also can be configured to allow gravel slurry to be pumped down the tubing to exit laterally below the set packer and pack the annular space outside the screens. The carrier fluid can go through the screens and into a wash pipe that is in fluid communication with the crossover tool so that the returning fluid crosses over through the packer into the upper annulus above the set packer. 
     Typically these assemblies have a flapper valve, ball valve, ball on seat or other valve device in the wash pipe to prevent fluid loss into the formation during certain operations such as reversing out excess gravel from the tubing string after the gravel packing operation is completed. Some schematic representations of known gravel packing systems are shown schematically in U.S. Pat. No. 7,128,151 and in more functional detail in U.S. Pat. No. 6,702,020. Other features of gravel packing systems are found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,801. Other patents and applications focus on the design of the crossover housing where there are erosion issues from moving slurry through ports or against housing walls on the way out such as shown in U.S. application Ser. Nos. 11/586,235 filed Oct. 25, 2006 and application Ser. No. 12/250,065 filed Oct. 13, 2008. Locator tools that use displacement of fluid as a time delay to reduce applied force to a bottom hole assembly before release to minimize a slingshot effect upon release are disclosed in US Publication 2006/0225878. Also relevant to time delays for ejecting balls off seats to reduce formation shock is U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,496. Crossover tools that allow a positive pressure to be put on the formation above hydrostatic are shown in US Publication 2002/0195253. Other gravel packing assemblies are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,865,251; 6,053,246 and 5,609,204. 
     These known systems have design features that are addressed by the present invention. One issue is well swabbing when picking up the inner string. Swabbing is the condition of reducing formation pressure when lifting a tool assembly where other fluid can&#39;t get into the space opened up when the string is picked up. As a result the formation experiences a drop in pressure. In the designs that used a flapper valve in the inner string wash pipe this happened all the time or some of the time depending on the design. If the flapper was not retained open with a sleeve then any movement uphole with the inner string while still sealed in the packer bore would swab the well. In designs that had retaining sleeves for the flapper held in position by a shear pin, many systems had the setting of that shear pin at a low enough value to be sure that the sleeve moved when it was needed to move that it was often inadvertently sheared to release the flapper. From that point on a pickup on the inner string would make the well swab. Some of the pickup distances were several feet so that the extent of the swabbing was significant. 
     The present invention provides an ability to shift between squeeze, circulate and reverse modes using the packer as a frame of reference where the movements between those positions do not engage the low bottom hole pressure control device or wash pipe valve for operation. In essence the wash pipe valve is held open and it takes a pattern of deliberate steps to get it to close. In essence a pickup force against a stop has to be applied for a finite time to displace fluid from a variable volume cavity through an orifice. It is only after holding a predetermined force for a predetermined time that the wash pipe valve assembly is armed by allowing collets to exit a bore. A pattern of passing through the bore in an opposed direction and then picking up to get the collets against the bore they just passed through in the opposite direction that gets the valve to close. Generally the valve is armed directly prior to gravel packing and closed after gravel packing when pulling the assembly out to prevent fluid losses into the formation while reversing out the gravel. 
     The extension ports can be closed with a sleeve that is initially locked open but is unlocked by a shifting tool on the wash pipe as it is being pulled up. The sleeve is then shifted over the ports in the outer extension and locked into position. This insures gravel from the pack does not return back thru the ports, and also restricts subsequent production to enter the production string only through the screens. For the run in position this same sleeve is used to prevent flow out the crossover ports so that a dropped ball can be pressurized to set the packer initially. 
     The upper valve assembly that indexes off the packer has the capability of allowing reconfiguration after normal operations between squeezing and circulation while holding the wash pipe valve open. The upper valve assembly also has the capability to isolate the formation against fluid loss when it is closed and the crossover is in the reverse position when supported off the reciprocating set down device. An optional ball seat can be provided in the upper valve assembly so that acid can be delivered though the wash pipe and around the initial ball dropped to set the packer so that as the wash pipe is being lifted out of the well acid can be pumped into the formation adjacent the screen sections as the lower end of the wash pipe moves past them. 
     These and other advantages of the present invention will be more apparent to those skilled in the art from a review of the detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the associated drawings that appear below with the understanding that the appended claims define the literal and equivalent scope of the invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A valve on an inner string can only be closed with multiple movements in opposed directions that occur after a predetermined force is held for a finite time. Holding the force against resistance eventually allows movement that arms the valve. A set down and pickup force will then close the valve. The surrounding string has a constriction that interacts with a j-slot to rotate a wedge with a first peak into alignment with a peak on a second wedge that can only translate against a spring bias. The second wedge is eccentrically linked to a ball that rotates between and open and a closed position. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a system schematic representation to show the major components in the run in position; 
         FIG. 2  is the view of  FIG. 1  in the packer set position; 
         FIG. 3  is the view of  FIG. 2  in the squeeze position; 
         FIG. 4  is the view of  FIG. 3  in the circulate position; 
         FIG. 5  is the view of  FIG. 4  in the metering position which is also the reverse out position; 
         FIG. 6  shows how to arm the wash pipe valve so that a subsequent predetermined movement of the inner string can close the wash pipe valve; 
         FIG. 7  is similar to  FIG. 5  but the wash pipe valve has been closed and the inner assembly is in position for pulling out of the hole for a production string and the screens below that are not shown; 
         FIGS. 8   a - j  show the run in position of the assembly also shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 9   a - b  the optional additional ball seat in the multi-acting circulation valve before and after dropping the ball to shift a ball seat to allow acidizing after gravel packing on the way out of the hole; 
         FIGS. 10   a - c  are isometric views of the low bottom hole pressure ball valve assembly that is located near the lower end of the inner string; 
         FIGS. 11   a - j  show the tool in the squeeze position of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIGS. 12   a - j  show the tool in the circulate position where gravel can be deposited, for example; 
         FIGS. 13   a - j  show the metering position which can arm the low bottom hole pressure ball valve to then close; and 
         FIGS. 14   a - j  show the apparatus in the reverse position with the low bottom hole pressure ball valve open. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a wellbore  10  that can be cased or open hole has in it a work string  12  that delivers an outer assembly  14  and an inner assembly  16 . At the top of the outer assembly is the isolation packer  18  which is unset for run in  FIG. 1 . A plurality of fixed ports  20  allow gravel to exit into the annulus  22  as shown in  FIG. 4  in the circulation position. A tubular string  24  continues to a series of screens that are not shown at the lower ends of  FIG. 1-7  but are of a type well known in the art. There may also be another packer below the screens to isolate the lower end of the zone to be produced or the zone in question may go to the hole bottom. 
     The inner string  16  has a multi-passage or multi-acting circulation valve or ported valve assembly  26  that is located below the packer  18  for run in. Seals  28  are below the multi-acting circulation valve  26  to seal into the packer bore for the squeeze and circulate position shown in  FIG. 3 . Seals  28  are also below the packer bore during run in to maintain hydrostatic pressure on the formation prior to, and after setting, the packer. 
     Gravel exit ports  30  are held closed for run in against sleeve  32  and seals  34  and  36 . Metering dogs  38  are shown initially in bore  40  while the reciprocating set down device  42  and the low bottom hole pressure ball valve assembly  44  are supported below bore  40 . Alternatively, the entire assembly of dogs  38 , reciprocating set down device  42  and low bottom hole pressure ball valve assembly  44  can be out of bore  40  for run in. Valve assembly  44  is locked open for run in. A ball seat  46  receives a ball  48 , as shown in  FIG. 2  for setting the packer  18 . 
     When the packer  18  has been positioned in the proper location and is ready to be set, the ball  48  is pumped to seat  46  with ports  30  in the closed position, as previously described. The applied pressure translates components on a known packer setting tool and the packer  18  is now set in the  FIG. 2  position. Arrows  48  represent the pressure being applied to the known packer setting tool (not shown) to get the packer  18  set. 
     In  FIG. 3  the string  12  is raised and the collets  50  land on the packer  18 . With weight set down on the string  12  seals  52  and  54  on the multi-acting circulation valve  26  isolates the upper annulus  56  from the annulus  22 . Flow down the string  12  represented by arrows  58  enters ports  30  and then ports  20  to get to the annulus  22  so that gravel slurry represented by arrows  58  can fill the annulus  22  around the screens (not shown). The multi-acting circulation valve  26  has a j-slot mechanism which will be described below that allows the string  12  to be picked up and set down to get seal  52  past a port so as to open a return flow path that is shown in  FIG. 4 . It should be noted that picking up the string  12  allows access to the annulus  22  every time to avoid swabbing the formation by connecting it fluidly to the upper annulus  56 . On the other hand, setting down on string  12  while the collets  50  rest on the packer  18  will close off the return path to the upper annulus  56  by virtue of seal  52  going back to the  FIG. 3  position. This is accomplished with a j-slot mechanism that will be described below. In the circulation mode of  FIG. 4  the return flow through the screens (not shown) is shown by arrows  60 . The positions in  FIGS. 3 and 4  can be sequentially obtained with a pickup and set down force using the j-slot assembly mentioned before. 
     In  FIG. 5  the string  12  has been raised until the metering dogs  38  have landed against a shoulder  62 . A pull of a predetermined force for a predetermined time will displace fluid through an orifice and ultimately allow the dogs  38  to collapse into or past bore  64  as shown in  FIG. 6 . Also, picking up to the  FIG. 5  position lets the reciprocating set down device  42  come out of bore  40  so that it can land on shoulder  66  for selective support. Picking up the reciprocating set down device  42  off shoulder  66  and then setting it down again will allow the reciprocating set down device  42  to re-enter bore  40 . 
     Once the valve assembly  44  is pulled past bore  40  as shown in  FIG. 6  and returned back into bore  40  it is armed. Re-entering bore  40  then close the valve assembly  44 . The valve assembly can re-enter bore  40  to go to the  FIG. 7  position for coming out of the hole. It should be noted that reversing out can be done in the  FIG. 5  or  FIG. 7  positions. To reverse out in  FIG. 5  position it is required that valve  44  be closed to prevent fluid loss down the wash pipe. Valve  44  having been closed can be reopened by moving it through bore  40  and then landing it on shoulder  66 . 
       FIGS. 8   a - 8   j  represent the tool in the run in position. The major components will be described in an order from top to bottom to better explain how they operate. Thereafter, additional details and optional features will be described followed by the sequential operation that builds on the discussion provided with  FIGS. 1-7 . The work string  12  is shown in  FIG. 8   a  as is the top of the packer setting tool  70  that is a known design. It creates relative movement by retaining the upper sub  72  and pushing down the packer setting sleeve  74  with its own sleeve  76 . The upper sub  72  is held by the setting tool  70  using sleeve  78  that has flexible collets at its lower end supported for the setting by sleeve  80 . After a high enough pressure to set the packer  18  has been applied in passage  82  and into ports  84 , sleeve  80  is pushed up to undermine the fingers at the lower end of sleeve  78  so that the upper sub  72  is released by the setting tool  70 . The initial buildup of pressure in passage  82  communicates through ports  86  in  FIG. 8   a  to move the setting sleeve  76  of the setting tool  70  down against the packer setting sleeve  74  to set the packer  18  by pushing out the seal and slip assembly  88 . It is worth noting that in the preferred embodiment the packer setting tool sets the packer at 4000 PSI through port  86 . The pressure is then released and a pull is delivered to the packer with the work string to make sure the slips have set properly. At that point pressure is applied again. Sleeve  80  will move when 5000 PSI is applied. 
     Continuing down on the outside of the packer  18  to  FIG. 8   e  there are gravel slurry outlets  20  also shown in  FIG. 1  which are a series of holes in axial rows that can be the same size or progressively larger in a downhole direction and they can be slant cut to be oriented in a downhole direction. These openings  20  have a clear shot into the lower annulus  22  shown in  FIG. 1 . One skilled in the art would understand that these axial rows of holes could be slots or windows of varying configuration so as to direct the slurry into the lower annulus  22 . Continuing at  FIG. 8   d  and below the string  24  continues to the screens that are not shown. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 8   b - d  the multi-acting circulation valve  26  will now be described. The top of the multi-acting circulation valve  26  is at  90  and rests on the packer upper sub  72  for run in. Spring loaded collets  50  shown extended in the squeeze position of  FIG. 3 , are held against the upper mandrel  94  by a spring  92 . Upper mandrel  94  extends down from upper end  90  to a two position j-slot assembly  96 . The j-slot assembly  96  operably connects the assembly of connected sleeves  98  and  100  to mandrel  94 . Sleeve  100  terminates at a lower end  102  in  FIG. 8   d . Supported by mandrel  94  is ported sleeve  104  that has ports  106  through which flow represented by arrows  60  in  FIG. 4  will pass in the circulation mode when seal  52  is lifted above ports  106 . Below ports  106  is an external seal  28  that in the run in position is below the lower end  110  of the packer upper sub  72  and seen in  FIG. 8   c . Note also that sleeve  100  moves within sleeve  112  that has ports  30  covered for run in by sleeve  114  and locked by dog  116  in  FIG. 8   e . Ports  30  need to be covered so that after a ball is dropped onto seat  118  the passage  82  can be pressured up to set the packer  18 . 
     A flapper valve  120  is held open by sleeve  122  that is pinned at  124 . When the ball (first shown in corresponding  FIG. 9 ) is landed on seat  118  and pressure in passage  82  is built up, the flapper is allowed to spring closed against seat  126  so that downhole pressure surges that might blow the ball (not shown in this view) off of seat  118  will be stopped. 
     Going back to  FIGS. 8   a - b , when pressure builds on passage  82  it will go through ports  128  and lift sleeve  130 . The lower end of sleeve  130  serves as a rotational lock to the packer body or upper sub  72  during run in so that if the screens get stuck during run in they can be rotated to free them. After the proper placement for the packer  18  is obtained, the rotational lock of item  130  is no longer needed and it is forced up to release by pressure in passage  82  after the ball is dropped. Piston  134  is then pushed down to set the packer  18  and then piston  136  can move to prevent overstressing the packer seal and slip assembly  88  during the setting process. This creates a “soft release” so that the collet can unlatch from the packer top sub. The setting tool  70  is now released from the packer upper sub  72  and the string  12  can be manipulated. 
     Coming back to  FIGS. 8   b - c , with the packer  18  set, the top  90  of the multi-acting circulation valve  26  can be raised up by pulling up on sleeves  98  and  100  to raise mandrel  94  after shoulders  95  and  97  engage, which allows the lower inner string to be raised. Ultimately the collets  50  will spring out at the location where top end  90  is located in  FIG. 8   b . With mandrel  94  and everything that hangs on it including sleeve  104 , supported off the packer upper sub  72  the assembly of connected sleeves  98  and  100  can be manipulated up and down and in conjunction with j-slot  96  can come to rest at two possible locations after a pickup and a set down force of a finite length. In one of the two positions of the j-slot  96  the seal  52  will be below the ports  106  as shown in  FIG. 8   c . In the other position of the j-slot  96  the seal  52  will move up above the ports  106 . In essence seal  52  is in the return flow path represented by arrows  60  in  FIG. 4  in the circulate mode which happens when seal  52  is above ports  106  and the squeeze position where the return path to the upper annulus  56  is closed as in  FIG. 3  and in the run in position of  FIG. 8   c.    
     It should be noted that every time the assembly of sleeves  98  and  100  is picked up the seal  52  will rise above ports  106  and the formation will be open to the upper annulus  56 . This is significant in that it prevents the formation from swabbing as the inner string  16  is picked up. If there are seals around the inner string  16  when it is raised for any function, the raising of the inner string  16  will reduce pressure in the formation or cause swabbing which is detrimental to the formation. As mentioned before moving up to operate the j-slot  96  or lifting the inner string to the reverse position of  FIG. 5  or  7  will not actuate the valve  44  nor will it swab the formation. The components of the multi-acting circulation valve have now been described; however there is an optional construction where the return path  137  shown above ports  106  in  FIG. 8   c  is different. The purpose of this alternative embodiment is to allow pumping fluid down passage  82  as the inner string  16  is removed and to block paths of least resistance so that fluid pumped down passage  82  will go down to the lower end of the inner string  16  past the open valve  44  for the purpose of treating from within the screens with acid as the lower end of the inner string  16  moves up the formation on the way out of the wellbore. 
     First to gain additional perspective, it is worth noting that the return path  138  around the flapper  120  in  FIG. 8   e  starts below the ports  30  and bypasses them as shown by the paths in hidden lines and then continues in the run in position until closed off at seal  52  just below the ports  106  in  FIG. 8   c . Referring now to  FIG. 9   a  part  112 ′ has been redesigned and part  140  is added to span between parts  100  that is inside part  140  at the top and part  112 ′ that surrounds it at the bottom. Note that what is shown in  FIGS. 9   a - b  is well above the ball seat  118  that was used to set the packer  18  and that is shown in  FIG. 8   e . Even with this optional design for the multi-acting circulation valve  26  it should be stated that the ball  142  is not dropped until after the gravel packing and reversing out steps are done and the inner string  16  is ready to be pulled out. Note that return path  138 ′ is still there but now it passes through part  112 ′ at ports  144  and  146  and channel  138 ′ on the exterior of part  140 . Ports  150  are held closed by seals  152  and  154 . Ports  156  are offset from ports  150  and are isolated by seals  154  and  158 . Ball  142  lands on seat  160  held by dog  162  to part  140 . When ball  142  lands on seat  160  and pressure builds to undermine dogs  162  so that part  140  can shift down to align ports  150  and  156  between seals  152  and  154  while isolating ports  144  from ports  146  with seal  164 . Now acid pumped down passage  82  cannot go uphole into return path  138 ′ because seal  164  blocks it. It is fine for the acid to go downhole into passage  138 ′ as by that time after the gravel packing the flow downhole into path  138 ′ will simply go to the bottom of the inner string  16  as it is pulled out of the whole, which is the intended purpose anyway which is to acidize as the inner string is pulled out of the hole. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 8   e - g  the inner string  16  continues with metering device top mandrel  166  that continues to the metering device lower mandrel  168  in  FIG. 8   g . The metering assembly  38  is shown in  FIGS. 1-7 . It comprises a series of dogs  170  that have internal grooves  172  and  174  near opposed ends. Metering sub  166  has humps  176  and  178  initially offset for run in from grooves  172  and  174  but at the same spacing. Humps  176  and  178  define a series of grooves  180 ,  182  and  184 . For run in the dogs  170  are radially retracted into grooves  180  and  182 . When the inner string  16  is picked up, the dogs  170  continue moving up without interference until hitting shoulder  186  in  FIG. 8   d . Before that point is reached, however, the dogs  170  go into a bigger bore than the run in position of  FIG. 8   f  and that is when spring  188  pushes the dogs  170  down relative to the metering sub  166  to hold the dogs  170  in the radially extended position up on humps  176  and  178  before the travel stop shoulder  186  is engaged by dogs  170 . In order for the metering sub to keep moving up after the dogs  170  shoulder out it has to bring with it lower mandrel  168  and that requires reducing the volume of chamber  190  which is oil filled by driving the oil through orifice  192  and passage  194  to chamber  196 . Piston  198  is biased by spring  200  and allows piston  198  to shift to compensate for thermal effects. It takes time to do this and this serves as a surface signal that if the force is maintained on the inner string  16  that valve  44  will be armed as shown in  FIG. 6 . If the orifice  192  is plugged, a higher force can be applied than what it normally takes to displace the oil from chamber  190  and a spring loaded safety valve  202  will open to passage  204  as an alternate path to chamber  196 . When enough oil has been displaced, the inner string  16  moves enough to allow the opposed ends of the dogs  170  to pop into grooves  182  and  184  to undermine support for the dogs  170  while letting the inner string  16  advance up. The wash pipe valve  44  is now expanded upon emerging from bore  40 . It will take lowering it down through bore  40  below shoulder  210  to arm it and raising valve  44  back into bore  40  to close it. 
     Pulling the metering sub  166  up after the dogs  170  are undermined brings the collets  257  (shown in  FIG. 10   c ) on valve assembly  44  completely through narrow bore  40  that starts at  210  and ends at  212  in  FIG. 8   g . The collets  206  will need to go back through bore  40  from 212 to 210 and then the inner string  16  will need to be picked up to get the collets  257  back into bore  40  for the valve  44  to close. The valve will close when the collet  257  is drawn back into bore  40 . 
     The reciprocating set down device  42  has an array of flexible fingers  214  that have a raised section  216  with a lower landing shoulder  218 . There is a two position j-slot  220 . In one position when the shoulder  218  is supported, the j-slot  220  allows lower reciprocating set down device mandrel  222  that is part of the inner string  16  to advance until shoulder  224  engages shoulder  226 , which shoulder  226  is now supported because the shoulder  218  has found support. Coincidentally with the shoulders  224  and  226  engaging, hump  228  comes into alignment with shoulder  218  to allow the reciprocating set down device  42  to be held in position off shoulder  218 . This is shown in the metering and the reverse positions of  FIGS. 5 and 7 . However, picking up the inner string  16  gets hump  228  above shoulder  218  and actuates the two position j-slot  220  so that when weight is again set down the hump  228  will not ride down to the shoulder  218  to support it so that the collet assembly  214 ,  216  will simple collapse inwardly if weight is set down on it and shoulder  218  engages a complementary surface such as  212  in  FIG. 8   g.    
     Referring now to  FIGS. 8   i - j  and  FIGS. 10   a - b , the operation of the valve assembly  44  will be reviewed.  FIGS. 10   a - b  show how the valve  44  is first rotated to close from the open position at run in and through various other steps shown in  FIGS. 1-7 . Spring  230  urges the ball  232  into the open position of  FIG. 8   j . To close the ball  232  the spring  230  has to be compressed using a j-slot mechanism  234 . Mechanism  234  comprises the sleeve  236  with the external track  238 . It has a lower triangularly shaped end that comes to a flat  242 . An operator sleeve  244  has a triangularly shaped upper end  246  that ends in a flat  248 . Sleeve  244  is connected by links  246  and  248  to ball  232  offset from the rotational axis of ball  232  with one of the connecting pins  250  to the ball  232  shown in  FIG. 8   j  above the ball  232 . 
     The j-slot mechanism  234  is actuated by engaging shoulder  252  (see  FIG. 10   c ) when pulling up into a reduced bore such as  40  or when going down with set down weight and engaging shoulder  254  with a reduced bore such as  40 . Sleeve  256  defines spaced collet fingers on the outside of which are found shoulders  252  and  256 .  FIG. 10   c  shows one of several openings  258  in sleeve  256  where the collet member  206  is mounted (see also  FIG. 8   i ). Pin  260  on the collet  206  rides in track  238  of member  236  shown in  FIG. 10   a.    
     Run-in position shown in  FIG. 1  starts with triangular components  240  and  246  misaligned with 270 degrees of remaining rotation required for alignment and closure of ball  232 . The first pick up of valve  44  into bore  40  advances triangular components  240  and  246  to 180 degrees of misalignment. Unrestrained upward movement of the inner string  16  is possible until the metering position shown in  FIG. 5  where it is important to note that valve  44  remains collapsed in bore  40  until the metering time has elapsed. Once metered thru, the inner string  16  continues upward allowing the collet sleeve  256  of valve  44  to expand above bore  40 . Downward movement of inner string  16  allows shoulder  254  to interact with bore  40  resulting in triangular components  240  and  246  to advance to a position of 90 degrees misalignment. At this point typically circulate position shown in  FIG. 4  is to be reached and gravel pumped. Upon completing the gravel pumping procedure inner string  16  will be pulled upward. Valve  44  will enter bore  40  to produce another rotation of  236  allowing triangular components  240  and  246  to align and ball  232  to close. To reiterate, each alternating interaction of shoulder  252  and  254  with respective shoulders of bore  40  produces a 90 degree rotation of j-slot sleeve  236 . Successive interactions of the same shoulder, be it shoulder  252  or shoulder  254 , by entering and exiting bore  40  without passing completely thru do not produce additional 90 degree rotations of j-slot sleeve  236 . Of course the ball  232  can be opened after being closed as described above by pushing shoulder  254  back down through bore  40  get the flats  242  and  248  misaligned at which time the spring  230  rotates the ball  232  back to the open position. 
     When the inner string  16  is pulled out the sleeve  114  will be unlocked, shifted and locked in its shifted position. Referring to  FIG. 8   j  a series of shifting collets  252  have an uphole shifting shoulder  255  and a downhole shifting shoulder  257 . When the inner string  16  comes uphole the shoulder  255  will grab shoulder  258  of sleeve  260  shown in  FIG. 8   e  and carry sleeve  260  off of trapped collet  116  thus releasing sleeve  114  to move uphole. Sleeve  260  will be carried up by the inner string  16  until it bumps collet finger  266  at which point the sleeve  114  moves in tandem with the inner string  16  until collet fingers  266  engage groove  268 . At this point the collet fingers  266  deflect sufficiently to allow sleeve  260  to pass under collet finger  266 . Sleeve  260  stops when it contacts shoulder  262 , locking sleeve  114  in place. Since sleeve  114  is attached to ported sleeve  20  whose top end  264  is not restrained and is free to move up sleeves  114  and  20  will move in tandem with sleeve  260  until collets  266  land in groove  269  to allow sleeve  260  to go over collets  266  and shoulder  255  to release from sleeve  260  as the inner string  16  comes out of the hole. This locks sleeve  114  in the closed position. At this time sleeve  114  will block ports  20  from the annulus  22  so that a production string can go into the packer  18  to produce through the screens (not shown) and through the packer  18  to the surface. The above described movements can be reversed to open ports  20 . To do that the inner string  16  is lowered so that shoulder  257  engages shoulder  270  on sleeve  260  to pull sleeve  260  off of collets  266 . Sleeve  114  and with it the sleeve with ports  20  will get pushed down until collets  116  go into groove  272  so that sleeve  260  can go over them and shoulder  257  can release from sleeve  260  leaving the sleeve  114  locked in the same position it was in for run in as shown in  FIG. 8   e . Sleeve  114  is lockable at its opposed end positions. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 11   a - j , the squeeze position is shown. Comparing  FIG. 11  to  FIG. 8  it can be seen that there are several differences. As seen in  FIG. 11   e , the ball  48  has landed on seat  118  breaking shear pin  124  as the shifting of seat  118  allows the flapper  120  to close. The packer  18  has been set with pressure against the landed ball  48 . With the packer  18  set the work string  12  picks up the inner string assembly  16  as shown in  FIG. 11   a  such that the multi-acting circulation valve  26  as shown in  FIG. 11   c  now has its collets  50  sitting on the packer upper sub  72  where formerly during run in the top  90  of the multi-acting circulation valve  26  sat during run in as shown in  FIG. 8   b . With the weight set down on the inner assembly  16  the seal  52  is below ports  106  so that a return path  138  is closed. This isolates the upper annulus  56  (see  FIG. 3 ) from the screens (not shown) at the formation. As mentioned before the j-slot  96  allows for alternative positioning of seal  52  below ports  106  for the squeeze position and for assumption of the circulation position of seal  52  being above ports  106  on alternate pickup and set down forces of the inner string  16 . The position in  FIG. 11   d  can be quickly obtained if there is fluid loss into the formation so that the upper annulus  56  can quickly be closed. This can be done without having to operate the low bottom hole pressure ball valve  44  which means that subsequent uphole movements will not swab the formation as those uphole movements are made with flow communication to the upper annulus  56  while fluid loss to the formation can be dealt with in the multi-acting circulation valve  26  being in the closed position by setting down with the j-slot  96  into the reverse position. 
     It should also be noted that the internal gravel exit ports  30  are now well above the sliding sleeve  114  that initially blocked them to allow the packer  18  to be set. This is shown in  FIGS. 11   d - e . As shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 11   f , the metering dogs  170  of the metering device  38  are in bore  40  as is the reciprocating set down device assembly  42  shown in  FIG. 11   i . The low bottom hole pressure ball valve  44  is below bore  40  and will stay there when shifting between the squeeze and circulate positions of  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
       FIG. 12  is similar to  FIG. 11  with the main difference being that the j-slot  96  puts sleeves  98  and  100  in a different position after picking up and setting down weight on the inner string  16  so that the seal  52  is above the ports  106  opening a return path  138  through the ports  106  to the upper annulus  56 . This is shown in  FIG. 12   c - d . The established circulation path is down the inner string  16  through passage  82  and out ports  30  and then ports  20  to the outer annulus  22  followed by going through the screens (not shown) and then back up the inner string  16  to passage  138  and through ports  106  and into the upper annulus  56 . It should also be noted that the squeeze position of  FIG. 11  can be returned to from the  FIG. 12  circulation position by simply picking up the inner string  16  and setting it down again using j-slot  96  with the multi-acting circulation valve  26  supported off the packer upper sub  72  at collets  50 . This is significant for several reasons. First the same landing position on the packer upper sub  72  is used for circulation and squeezing as opposed to past designs that required landing at axially discrete locations for those two positions causing some doubt in deep wells if the proper location has been landed on by a locating collet. Switching between circulate and squeeze also poses no danger of closing the low bottom hole pressure ball valve  44  so that there is no risk of swabbing in future picking up of the inner string  16 . In prior designs the uncertainty of attaining the correct locations mainly for the reverse step at times caused inadvertent release of the wash pipe valve to the closed position because the shear mechanism holding it open was normally set low enough that surface personnel could easily shear it inadvertently. What then happened with past designs is that subsequent picking up of the inner string swabbed the well. Apart from this advantage, even when in the circulation configuration of  FIG. 12  for the multi-acting circulation valve  26 , the squeeze position of multi-acting circulation valve  26  can be quickly resumed to reposition seal  52  with respect to ports  106  to prevent fluid losses, when in the reverse position, to the formation with no risk of operating the low bottom hole pressure ball valve  44 . 
     It is worth noting that when the string  12  is picked up the multi-acting circulation valve  26  continues to rest on the packer sub  72  until shoulders  95  and  97  come into contact. It is during that initial movement that brings shoulders  95  and  97  together that seal  52  moves past ports  106 . This is a very short distance preferably under a few inches. When this happens the upper annulus  56  is in fluid communication with the lower annulus  22  before the inner string  16  picks up housing  134  of the multi-acting circulation valve  26  and the equipment it supports including the metering assembly  38 , the reciprocating set down device  42  and the low bottom hole pressure ball valve assembly  44 . This initial movement of the sleeves  98  and  100  without housing  134  and the equipment it supports moving at all is a lost motion feature to expose the upper annulus  56  to the lower annulus  22  before the bulk of the inner string  16  moves when shoulders  95  and  97  engage. In essence when the totality of the inner string assembly  16  begins to move, the upper annulus  56  is already communicating with the lower annulus  22  to prevent swabbing. The j-slot assembly  96  and the connected sleeves  98  and  100  are capable of being operated to switch between the squeeze and circulate positions without lifting the inner string  16  below the multi-acting circulation valve  26  and its housing  134 . In that way it is always easy to know which of those two positions the assembly is in while at the same time having an assurance of opening up the upper annulus  56  before moving the lower portion of the inner string  16  and having the further advantage of quickly closing off the upper annulus  56  if there is a sudden fluid loss to the lower annulus  22  by at most a short pickup and set down if the multi-acting circulation valve  26  was in the circulate position at the time of the onset of the fluid loss. This is to be contrasted with prior designs that inevitably have to move the entire inner string assembly to assume the squeeze, circulate and reverse positions forcing movement of several feet before a port is brought into position to communicate the upper annulus to the lower annulus and in the meantime the well can be swabbed during that long movement of the entire inner string with respect to the packer bore. 
     In  FIG. 13  the inner string  16  has been picked up to get the gravel exit ports  30  out of the packer upper sub  72  as shown in  FIG. 13   e . The travel limit of the string  16  is reached when the metering dogs  170  shoulder out at shoulder  186  as shown in  FIG. 13   f - g  and get support from humps  176  and  178 . At this time the reciprocating set down device  42  shown in  FIG. 13   i  is out of bore  40  so that when weight is set down on the inner string  16  after getting to the  FIG. 13  position and as shown in  FIG. 13   i , the travel stop  224  will land on shoulder  226  which will put hump  228  behind shoulder  218  and trap shoulder  218  to shoulder  219  on the outer string  24  supported by the packer  18 . As stated before, the reciprocating set down device  42  has a j-slot assembly  220  shown in  FIG. 13   h  that will allow it to collapse past shoulder  219  simply by picking up off of shoulder  219  and setting right back down again. By executing the metering operation and displacing enough hydraulic fluid from reservoir  190  shown in  FIG. 13   g  the low bottom hole pressure ball valve  44  is pulled through bore  40  that is now located below  FIG. 13   j . Pulling valve  44  once through bore  40  turns its j-slot  234  90 degrees but flats  242  and  248  in  FIGS. 10   a - b  are still offset. Going back down all the way through bore  40  will result in another 90 degree rotation of the j-slot  234  with the flats  242  and  248  still being out of alignment and the valve  44  is still open. However, picking up the inner string  16  to get valve  44  through bore  40  a third time will align the flats  242  and  248  to close the valve  44 . Valve  44  can be reopened with a set down back through bore  40  enough to offset the flats  242  and  248  so that spring  230  can power the valve to open again. 
     The only difference between  FIGS. 13 and 14  is in  FIG. 13   i  compared to  FIG. 14   i . The difference is that in  FIG. 14   i  weight has been set down after lifting high enough to get dogs  170  up to shoulder  186  and setting down again without metering though, which means without lifting valve  44  through bore  40  all the way.  FIG. 14   f  shows the dogs  170  after setting down and away from their stop shoulder  186 .  FIG. 14   i  shows the hump  228  backing the shoulder  218  of the reciprocating set down device  42  onto shoulder  219  of the outer string  24 . Note also that the ports  30  are above the packer upper sub  72 . The inner string  16  is sealed in the packer upper sub  72  at seal  28 . 
     While the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is manifest that many changes may be made in the details of construction and the arrangement of components without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. It is understood that the invention is not limited to the exemplified embodiments set forth herein but is to be limited only by the scope of the attached claims, including the full range of equivalency to which each element thereof is entitled.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4