Hydraulic metering system for downhole hydraulic actuation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10724334-B2
Application number	US-201715468560-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2017
Priority date	Mar 24, 2017
Publication date	Jul 28, 2020
Grant date	Jul 28, 2020

Abstract

A technique provides enhanced control over a variety of hydraulically actuated devices, e.g. flow control valves. A hydraulic control module is placed in hydraulic communication with an actuator of a hydraulically actuated device. The hydraulic control module comprises features which prevent hydraulic locking of the system. Additionally, the control module may comprise metering features to enable metered flow of actuating fluid. The features may include valves, mini-indexers, flowline configurations, or other features which maintain the ability to shift the hydraulically actuated device and/or provide metering of the actuating fluid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for use in a well, comprising:
a well string deployed in a wellbore, the well string comprising a flow control valve and a control module for controlling flow positions of the flow control valve via positioning of an actuator piston in the flow control valve, the system comprising a first chamber on one side of the actuator piston and a second chamber on an opposite side of the actuator piston, the control module comprising:
a hydraulic circuit arranged to enable incremental movement of the actuator piston away from a default position, the hydraulic circuit further enabling rapid, continuous return of the actuator piston to the default position, the hydraulic circuit having:
a metering system to provide the incremental movement based on changing pressure levels applied to the hydraulic circuit, the metering system comprising a metering valve having an internal metering piston and a defined volume, wherein the metering piston is biased to an original position in which the defined volume is configured to be filled with hydraulic actuating fluid, wherein the metering piston is moved from the original position to discharge the hydraulic actuating fluid from the defined volume, the defined volume correlated to an incremental shifting of the actuator piston when the metering piston is moved to discharge hydraulic actuating fluid from the defined volume, and wherein the metering piston is configured to repeatedly cycle within the valve to discharge hydraulic actuating fluid from the defined volume with each cycle; and
a hydraulic override arrangement to provide the rapid, continuous return of the actuator piston to the default position, the hydraulic override arrangement comprising an override valve comprising a flow position and an override position, wherein when the override valve is in the override position, hydraulic actuating fluid flows from the first chamber through the metering valve and the override valve to the second chamber.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a single hydraulic control line coupled to the control module to supply the hydraulic circuit with hydraulic actuating fluid.

3. The system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a pair of hydraulic control lines coupled to the control module to supply the hydraulic circuit with hydraulic actuating fluid.

4. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the hydraulic circuit comprises a mini-indexer positioned to receive an inflow of hydraulic actuating fluid from a hydraulic control line, the mini-indexer being shiftable between flow positions based on pulses received through the hydraulic control line.

5. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the override valve is biased to the override position which allows mechanical movement of the actuator piston without hydraulic lock up.

6. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the metering system comprises a metering piston assembly having a metering piston coupled with a collet.

7. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the metering system comprises a metering valve working in cooperation with a pair of pilot operated valves.

8. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the hydraulic override system comprises a plurality of valves biased to positions enabling venting of hydraulic actuating fluid as the actuator piston is forced to the default position.

9. A system, comprising:
a hydraulically controlled device shiftable to different operational positions via movement of a hydraulic actuator piston; and
a control module hydraulically coupled with the hydraulic actuator piston and also with a hydraulic control line supplying hydraulic actuating fluid at desired pressure levels, the control module comprising:
a metering system to meter delivery of hydraulic actuating fluid to the hydraulic actuator piston to cause controlled shifting of the hydraulic actuator piston to a plurality of incremental positions, the metering system comprising a metering valve having an internal metering piston and a defined volume, wherein the metering piston is configured to be moved to an original position in which the defined volume is configured to be filled with hydraulic actuating fluid, wherein the metering piston is configured to be moved from the original position to discharge the hydraulic actuating fluid from the defined volume, the defined volume correlated to the controlled shifting of the actuator piston to the plurality of incremental positions when the metering piston is moved to discharge hydraulic actuating fluid from the defined volume, and wherein the metering piston is configured to repeatedly cycle within the valve to discharge hydraulic actuating fluid from the defined volume with each cycle; and
a plurality of valves providing a hydraulic override arrangement enabling selective transition of the hydraulic actuator piston back to an original position without hydraulic lock.

10. The system as recited in claim 9 , wherein the metering system and the hydraulic override arrangement are part of a hydraulic circuit, the flow of hydraulic actuating fluid into the hydraulic circuit from the hydraulic control line being controlled by an indexer.

11. The system as recited in claim 9 , wherein the hydraulic control line comprises a pair of hydraulic control lines.

12. The system as recited in claim 9 , wherein the hydraulically controlled device comprises a flow control valve.

13. The system as recited in claim 12 , wherein the flow control valve is located in a well string deployed in a wellbore.

14. The system as recited in claim 9 , wherein the metering piston is a spring-loaded metering piston.

15. The system as recited in claim 9 , wherein the metering system comprises a metering piston assembly with a metering piston coupled to a collet.

16. The system as recited in claim 9 , wherein the metering system comprises a metering valve operationally coupled with a pair of pilot operated valves.

17. A method, comprising:
positioning a hydraulically actuated device in a wellbore;
changing operational positions of the hydraulically actuated device via an actuator piston, a first chamber being disposed on a first side of the actuator piston and a second chamber being disposed on an opposite side of the actuator piston;
fluidly coupling the actuator piston with a hydraulic circuit located downhole in the wellbore;
using the hydraulic circuit to meter predetermined amounts of actuating fluid to move the actuator piston in desired increments;
preventing hydraulic lock of the hydraulic circuit by moving an override valve to an override position to allow for mechanical movement of the actuator piston, wherein when the override valve is in the override position, actuating fluid flows from the first chamber through the override valve to the second chamber;
biasing the override valve to the override position; and
controlling the hydraulic circuit via changing pressure levels delivered downhole to the hydraulic circuit via a hydraulic control line.

18. The method as recited in claim 17 , wherein positioning comprises positioning a flow control valve in the wellbore.

19. The method as recited in claim 17 , wherein controlling comprises controlling the hydraulic circuit to enable mechanical intervention by which the actuator piston is mechanically moved to a desired position.

Assignees

• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Poluchalla Srinivas
• Mallela Virinchi
• Vaghi Francesco

Classifications

• F15B11/13

  using {separate dosing} chambers of predetermined volume · CPC title

• F15B2211/405

  characterised by the type of flow control means or valve · CPC title

• F15B2211/41527

  being connected to an output member and a directional control valve · CPC title

• F15B2211/7054

  Having equal piston areas · CPC title

• F15B2211/3058

  having additional valves for interconnecting the fluid chambers of a double-acting actuator, e.g. for regeneration mode or for floating mode · CPC title