Valve assembly for inflatable packers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12345126-B2
Application number	US-202318449804-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 15, 2023
Priority date	Aug 18, 2022
Publication date	Jul 1, 2025
Grant date	Jul 1, 2025

Abstract

A valve assembly for an inflatable packer includes an opening valve configured to actuate into an open position in response to a first pressure within a tubular string, so as to permit fluid flow from the tubular string, through the valve assembly, and into an inflatable packer element. The valve assembly also includes a closing valve configured to actuate into a closed position so as to prevent fluid flow from the tubular string, through the valve assembly, and into the inflatable packer element in response to a second pressure within the inflatable packer element. The valve assembly also includes a contingency valve configured to actuate into a closed position so as to prevent fluid flow from the tubular string, through the valve assembly, and into the inflatable packer element in response to a third pressure in the tubular string.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A valve assembly for an inflatable packer, the valve assembly comprising:
an opening valve configured to actuate into an open position in response to a first pressure within a tubular string, so as to permit fluid flow from the tubular string, through the valve assembly, and into an inflatable packer element;
a closing valve configured to actuate into a closed position so as to prevent fluid flow from the tubular string, through the valve assembly, and into the inflatable packer element in response to a second pressure within the inflatable packer element; and
a contingency valve configured to actuate into a closed position so as to prevent fluid flow from the tubular string, through the valve assembly, and into the inflatable packer element in response to a third pressure in the tubular string, wherein the contingency valve comprises a contingency valve member having a first plunger portion and a second plunger portion, wherein the first plunger portion comprises first and second seals, wherein the second plunger portion comprises a third seal, wherein the first and second seals are configured to be positioned such that they straddle a conduit from the tubular string to the contingency valve and/or from the contingency valve to the opening valve, which prevents fluid flow from the tubular string, through the valve assembly, and into the inflatable packer element.

2. The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the contingency valve is also configured to actuate into the closed position in response to an inability to reach the second pressure within the inflatable packer element.

3. The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the third pressure is greater than the first pressure and independent of a pressure in the inflatable packer element.

4. The valve assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a restraint that restrains the closing valve in an open position, wherein the second pressure overcomes the restraint and drives the closing valve to the closed position; and
a restraint that restrains the contingency valve in an open position, wherein the third pressure overcomes the restraint and drives the contingency valve to the closed position, and wherein the first and second pressures do not overcome the restraint.

5. The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the opening valve is positioned between the closing valve and the contingency valve, such that the contingency valve in the closed position prevents fluid flow from an inlet of the valve assembly to the opening valve and to the closing valve.

6. The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the valve assembly has a run-in configuration, and wherein, in the run-in configuration, the opening valve is in a closed position, the closing valve is in an open position, and the contingency valve is in an open position.

7. The valve assembly of claim 6 , wherein the valve assembly has an inflation configuration, wherein the valve assembly actuates from the run-in configuration to the inflation configuration in response to the first pressure within the tubular string, and wherein, in the inflation configuration, the opening valve, the closing valve, and the contingency valve are in the respective open positions.

8. The valve assembly of claim 7 , wherein the valve assembly has a first closed configuration, wherein the valve assembly actuates from the inflation configuration to the first closed configuration in response to the second pressure in the inflatable packer element, and wherein, in the first closed configuration, the closing valve is in the closed position, and the open and contingency valves remain in the respective open positions.

9. The valve assembly of claim 8 , wherein the valve assembly has a second closed configuration, and wherein, in the second closed configuration, the opening valve is in the closed position, the closing valve remains in the closed position, and the contingency valve remains in the open position.

10. The valve assembly of claim 7 , wherein the valve assembly has a contingency configuration in response to the second pressure not being reached, wherein the valve assembly actuates from the inflation configuration to the contingency configuration in response to the third pressure, and wherein, in the contingency configuration, the contingency valve is in the closed position where the first and second seals are positioned such that they straddle the conduit from the tubular string to the contingency valve and/or from the contingency valve to the opening valve, and the opening and closing valves remain in the respective open positions.

11. The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the closing valve comprises a closing valve member having a first plunger portion and a second plunger portion, wherein the first plunger portion comprises first and second seals, wherein the second plunger portion comprises a third seal, wherein the first and second seals are configured to be positioned such that they straddle a conduit from the opening valve to the closing valve and/or from the closing valve to the inflatable packer element, which prevents fluid flow from the tubular string, through the valve assembly, and into the inflatable packer element.

12. An inflatable packer, comprising:
an inflatable packer element fluidly connected to a tubular string; and
a valve assembly coupled to and positioned between the tubular string and the inflatable packer element, wherein the valve assembly comprises an opening valve, a closing valve, and a contingency valve, wherein the contingency valve comprises a contingency valve member having a first plunger portion and a second plunger portion, wherein the first plunger portion comprises first and second seals, wherein the second plunger portion comprises a third seal, and wherein the valve assembly comprises a plurality of configurations including:
a run-in configuration in which the opening valve is in a closed position, the closing valve is in an open position, and the contingency valve is in an open position;
an inflation configuration, wherein the valve assembly is configured to actuate from the run-in configuration to the inflation configuration in response to a first pressure within the tubular string, and wherein, in the inflation configuration, the opening valve is in an open position to permit fluid flow from the tubular string, through the valve assembly, and into the inflatable packer element, and the closing and contingency valves remain in the respective open positions;
a first closed configuration, wherein the valve assembly is configured to actuate from the inflation configuration to the first closed configuration in response to a second pressure in the inflatable packer element, and wherein, in the first closed configuration, the closing valve is in a closed position to prevent fluid flow from the tubular string, through the valve assembly, and into the inflatable packer element, and the open and contingency valves remain in the respective open positions; and
a contingency configuration in response to the second pressure not being reached, wherein the valve assembly is configured to actuate from the inflation configuration to the contingency configuration in response to a third pressure in the tubular string, wherein, in the contingency configuration, the contingency valve is in a closed position where the first and second seals are positioned such that they straddle a conduit from the tubular string to the contingency valve and/or from the contingency valve to the opening valve to prevent fluid flow from the tubular string, through the valve assembly, and into the inflatable packer element, and the opening and closing valves remain in the respective open positions, and

Assignees

• Innovex Downhole Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Cuffe Chris
• Griffith Bennett

Classifications

• E21B33/127

  with inflatable sleeve (E21B33/122, E21B33/124 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B34/102 Primary

  with means for locking the closing element in open or closed position (E21B34/105 and E21B34/108 take precedence) · CPC title