Production packer-setting tool with electrical control line

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10053937-B2
Application number	US-201314899493-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 16, 2013
Priority date	Aug 16, 2013
Publication date	Aug 21, 2018
Grant date	Aug 21, 2018

Abstract

Certain aspects are directed to tools for setting production packers or actuating other downhole tools in response to activation signals received via an electrical control line within the wellbore. In one aspect, a downhole assembly for a wellbore is provided. The downhole assembly can include a reservoir and a pressuring module in fluid communication with the reservoir. The reservoir can contain a control fluid in communication with a fluid control path of a downhole tool. A quantity of the control fluid can be transmitted via the fluid control path for actuation of the downhole tool. The quantity of the control fluid can be controlled using a pressure change in the control fluid. The pressure change in the control fluid can be caused by the pressurizing module in response to an activation signal received by the pressurizing module via an electrical control line coupled to the pressurizing module.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A downhole assembly for a wellbore, the downhole assembly comprising:
a packer tool;
a reservoir containing a control fluid, the control fluid in communication with a fluid control path of the packer tool; and
a pressurizing module electrically coupleable to an electrical control line and operable for applying a plurality of pressure changes to the control fluid, wherein the pressurizing module comprises a pump, and

wherein at least a quantity of the control fluid is transmittable via the fluid control path for actuation of the packer tool, wherein the quantity of the control fluid is controllable by the plurality of pressure changes applied to the control fluid by the pressurizing module in response to a plurality of activation signals received via the electrical control line, and wherein an amount of each of the plurality of pressure changes is controlled by a respective activiation signal of the plurality of activiation signals;
wherein the packer tool further comprises:
a first chamber in fluid communication with the fluid control path of the packer tool,
a compression element in fluid communication with the first chamber, wherein the compression element is movable in response to communication of the quantity of control fluid via the fluid control path between the reservoir and the first chamber, and
a packing element adjacent to the compression element and movable in a radial direction relative to the packer tool in response to a compressive force applied to the packing element by a movement of the compression element.

2. The downhole assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pressurizing module further comprises a controller, wherein the controller is operable for receiving the respective activation signal and actuating the pressurizing module in response to the received respective activation signal.

3. The downhole assembly of claim 2 , wherein the controller is operable for controlling the pressurizing module based at least in part upon a voltage level applied to the pressurizing module.

4. The downhole assembly of claim 2 , wherein the pressurizing module further comprises a pressure transducer, wherein the pressure transducer is operable for measuring a pressure of the control fluid, wherein the controller is operable for controlling the pressurizing module based at least in part upon a pressure reading from the pressure transducer.

5. The downhole assembly of claim 2 , wherein the controller is operable for identifying a control unit accessible via the electrical control line and for communicating a feedback signal via the electrical control line.

6. The downhole assembly of claim 2 , wherein the controller is operable for recognizing the plurality of activation signals from a plurality of other signals received via the electrical control line, wherein the plurality of activation signals is addressed to the controller and at least one of the plurality of other signals is addressed to another downhole tool.

7. The downhole assembly of claim 2 , wherein the controller is operable for storing data corresponding to the operation of the pressurizing module.

8. The downhole assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pressurizing module comprises:
a second chamber;
a rupture disk, wherein the rupture disk is operable for preventing communication of a fluid into the second chamber;
a puncture tool, wherein the puncture tool is operable for puncturing the rupture disk in response to the respective activation signal of the plurality of activation signals such that communication of the fluid into the second chamber is allowed;
a setting element, wherein the setting element is operable for moving in response to the communication of the fluid into the second chamber, wherein movement of the setting element is operable for communicating a force to the reservoir, wherein the reservoir is operable for communicating at least the quantity of control fluid via the fluid control path in response to the force communicated by the setting element.

9. The downhole assembly of claim 8 , wherein the downhole assembly is coupleable with a segment of production tubing for actuating the packer without using a port providing fluid communication with a source of internal tubing pressure of the segment of production tubing.

10. The downhole assembly of claim 8 , wherein the packing element comprises an elastomeric element.

11. The downhole assembly of claim 8 , wherein the packing element further comprises a slip element movable in a radial direction in response to the compression force.

12. The downhole assembly of claim 8 , wherein the packer tool is positionable closer to a well head of the wellbore than the pressurizing module for allowing a release of fluid into the wellbore from the pressurizing module without affecting the expansion of the packing element after the packing element has been expanded.

13. The downhole assembly of claim 8 , wherein the pressurizing module comprises an actuator, wherein the actuator is operable for applying a force to the reservoir in response to receiving the respective activation signal, wherein the reservoir is operable for communicating at least the quantity of control fluid via the fluid control path in response to the force.

14. The downhole assembly of claim 8 , further comprising a pyrotechnic charge positioned adjacent to the puncture tool, wherein the pyrotechnic charge is operable for detonating in response to receiving the respective activation signal, wherein the puncture tool is operable for puncturing the rupture disk in response to a detonation of the pyrotechnic charge.

15. A downhole assembly for a wellbore, the downhole assembly comprising:
a packer tool;
a structure defining a fluid control path containing an amount of control fluid, the fluid control path operable for actuating the packer tool in response to a plurality of pressure changes in the fluid control path;
a pressurizing module coupled with the fluid control path, wherein the pressurizing module is operable for changing pressure in the fluid control path; and
a controller electrically coupled with an electrical control line, wherein the controller is operable for receiving a plurality of activation signals via the electrical control line and operating the pressurizing module to produce the plurality of pressure changes in the fluid control path for actuating the packer tool in response to the plurality of activation signals, wherein an amount of each of the plurality of pressure changes is controlled by a respective activation signal of the plurality of activation signals,

wherein the packer tool further comprises:
a chamber in fluid communication with the fluid control path of the packer tool,
a compression element in fluid communication with the chamber, wherein the compression element is movable in response to communication of a quantity of control fluid via the fluid control path to or from the chamber, and
a packing element adjacent to the compression element and expandable in response to a compressive force applied to the packing element by a movement of the compression element.

16. The downhole assembly of claim 15 , wherein the pressurizing module comprises a pump.

17. The downhole assembly of claim 15 , wherein the pressurizing module comprises an actuator.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Richards William Mark
• Tips Timothy Rather
• Flygare James Andrew

Classifications

• E21B23/06 Primary

  for setting packers · CPC title

• E21B23/04

  operated by fluid means, e.g. actuated by explosion (E21B23/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B33/129

  with mechanical slips for hooking into the casing (E21B33/122, E21B33/124 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B23/065

  setting tool actuated by explosion or gas generating means · CPC title

• E21B33/12

  Packers; Plugs (used for cementing E21B33/134, E21B33/16) · CPC title