Abstract:
A pressure test and actuation tool includes a housing; an insert disposed in operable communication with the housing. A metering head initially in sealed relation to both the housing and insert. A damper relief shoulder operably positioned relative to the metering head to initially support the metering head in sealed relationship with the housing and the insert and movable to unsupport the metering head defeating the sealed relationship with the housing and the insert. A method actuating a tool.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    In the downhole industry, it is often desirable to facilitate interventionless actions in the subsurface environment. One example is to open a valve without the need for a separate run, such as a cementing valve for example. Such, it is known, can be accomplished by configuring the valve to respond to an application of pressure. This is common in toe initiation operations as well as in other operations in the borehole. In view of regulations requiring pressure testing however, the use of conventional interventionless valves becomes problematic. Requirements to hold pressure before any actuation occurs and yet to allow actuation at the same pressures complicates tools and processes. Because it is economically advantageous to avoid the need for intervention, the art will well receive new configurations that meet regulations while maintaining the ability to act interventionlessly. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
       [0002]    A pressure test and actuation tool includes a housing; an insert disposed in operable communication with the housing; a metering head initially in sealed relation to both the housing and insert; a damper relief shoulder operably positioned relative to the metering head to initially support the metering head in sealed relationship with the housing and the insert and movable to unsupport the metering head defeating the sealed relationship with the housing and the insert. 
         [0003]    A downhole valve includes a housing; an insert sealingly mated to the housing to divide a volume created between the insert and the housing; a metering head sealingly mated to the housing and to the insert to further divide the volume between the housing and the insert, the housing, insert and metering head creating three individual pressure chambers; a volume of hydraulic fluid in one of the chambers, the fluid being in operable communication with the metering head the fluid being expressable through the metering head to another of the chambers; and a damper relief shoulder in operable communication with the metering head to during use, unsupport the metering head thereby undermining sealing between the metering head, the housing and the insert. 
         [0004]    A pressure test and actuation tool includes a pressure defeatible configuration allowing tubing pressure to access the valve at a selected pressure; and a metering head configured to meter fluid transfer within the valve, the valve configured to unsupport the metering head thereby defeating metering. 
         [0005]    A method actuating a tool includes pressuring up on the tool a pressure test and actuation tool includes a housing; an insert disposed in operable communication with the housing; a metering head initially in sealed relation to both the housing and insert; a damper relief shoulder operably positioned relative to the metering head to initially support the metering head in sealed relationship with the housing and the insert and movable to unsupport the metering head defeating the sealed relationship with the housing and the insert; metering fluid through the metering head; unsupporting the metering head by repositioning of the damper relief shoulder; and moving fluid around the metering head at a rate exceeding the metering rate. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike: 
           [0007]    The FIGURE is a schematic quarter section view of a pressure test and actuation tool as disclosed herein. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0008]    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 FIGURE. 
         [0009]    Referring to the FIGURE, a tool  10 , which may be a valve, is illustrated in a closed position. The valve  10  comprises a housing  12  and a movable insert  14  disposed therein. The housing is configured with grooves  16  to receive retaining rings  18 . The rings  18  may be snap rings or any other type of locating ring or even locating studs. In some embodiments, the housing  12  will include a fill port  20  and plug  22 . This may be used to add hydraulic fluid to the valve  10  at an appropriate time and seal it therein with the plug. The insert  14  is configured with an upset portion  24  that acts as a piston. The upset portion  24  is provided with a seal  26  such as an O-ring. The seal is configured and positioned to interact with an inside surface  28  of the housing  12 , providing a seal thereagainst. The sealing interaction with the housing of the upset  24  will act to segregate individual fluid chambers or divide a volume into individual chambers. Other features of the insert  14  include a fluid pathway  30  that will allow fluid communication from a first surface  32  of the insert  14  to a second surface  34  of insert  14  at any time that a pressure member or pressure defeatible configuration  36 , such as a burst disk, check valve, etc., is either not intact or not seated in the pathway  30 . In the FIGURE, the pressure member is a burst disk and responds to pressure that exceeds a threshold pressure in an inside diameter (ID) of a tubing string of which the valve  10  is a part. It will be noted that the surface  34  is exposed to a chamber that is at relatively low pressure when compared to downhole pressure. In an embodiment, the pressure in that chamber is atmospheric pressure. The insert  14  further includes a damper relief shoulder  40 . The function of this feature will become apparent below in connection with operation of the valve. 
         [0010]    Another component of the valve  10  is a meter head  50  that in one embodiment is annular. In other embodiments, the valve  10  could be configured with individual meter heads arranged annularly that could look identical in the FIGURE. The meter head  50  features a seal receptacle  52  at an outside diameter thereof and a seal receptacle  54  at an inside diameter thereof In operable communication with the receptacles are seals  56  and  58 , respectively, such as O-rings. Seal  56  sealingly cooperates with housing  12  while seal  58  sealingly cooperates with insert  14  thereby creating two fluid chambers  60  (lower or atmospheric pressure) and  62 , one on either side of meter head  50 . It is also to be appreciated from the FIGURE that the meter head  50  includes one or more bores  64  therethrough (one illustrated) and located in an annular pattern about the annulus defined by the meter head  50 . Each of the one or more bores  64  is configured to accept a metering insert  66  from a plurality of available individual metering inserts that can be selected for the degree of fluid flow therethrough that is desired for a particular application. As should be appreciated in the FIGURE, the bore  64  is tapered. This will effect retention of the metering insert  66 . Of course, other means of retaining the metering insert are also contemplated such as threaded connection, snap ring, configuring the metering insert with a portion thereof too large to enter the bore  64 , etc. 
         [0011]    Turning now to operation of the valve  10 , it is first pointed out that as illustrated, the valve had been loaded with hydraulic fluid  68  in chamber  62 . As above noted, it is important that an interventionless valve  10  as described herein facilitate a pressure hold test to comply with local regulations. Valve  10  does this as well as actuating via tubing pressure as follows. Upon increasing ID pressure in the tubing string within which the valve  10  is disposed will be tolerated until it exceeds a threshold pressure of pressure member  36  whereafter, fluid and pressure will progress through pathway  30  into atmospheric chamber  38 . This tubing pressure will now act on upset  24  urging the insert  14  leftwardly in the FIGURE. Opposing this motion is the hydraulic fluid  68 , the fluid being essentially incompressible. That is not to say that the hydraulic fluid prevents movement but rather that there is a resistance because the hydraulic fluid is not in a lock condition but is rather merely flow restricted by the metering head  50 . Accordingly, pressure applied to the hydraulic fluid will result in hydraulic fluid metering through metering head  50  at a selected rate into low pressure chamber (e.g. atmospheric)  60 . This restriction in hydraulic fluid movement ensures that pressure on the tubing string can be maintained for a sufficient time to meet regulations while still allowing for actuation of the valve  10  upon nothing more than tubing pressure. In addition, the damper relief shoulder performs another interesting function in the valve  10 . Because the insert  14  is moving leftwardly as disclosed above, it will be appreciated that the damper relief shoulder will move under (in the FIGURE) the metering head  50  to unsupport the metering head thereby defeating the sealed relationship the metering head previously had with the housing and the insert. 
         [0012]    More specifically, when the damper relief shoulder  40  moves to a position that the metering head  50  is no longer supported by the insert  14  in its position of sealing with the housing  12 , the metering head  50  will lose the function of both seals  56  and  58 , thereby allowing hydraulic fluid to rush around metering head  50  into chamber  60 . This adds to functionality of the valve  10  because it results in the insert  14  being slammed open. In view of the harsh conditions downhole including cement that might be used with a valve of this construction, slamming the valve open will help to avoid components hanging up on debris or cement and reducing effectiveness of the valve. 
         [0013]    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 further 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). 
         [0014]    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. 
         [0015]    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 FIGURE 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.