Tubular assembly including a sliding sleeve having a degradable locking element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016076337-A1
Application number	US-201414487812-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 16, 2014
Priority date	Sep 16, 2014
Publication date	Mar 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A tubular assembly includes a turbular member having at least one opening, and a sleeve slidingly mounted relative to the tubular member. The sleeve is shiftable between an open configuration in which the at least one opening is exposed and a closed configuration in which the at least one opening is covered by the sleeve. A degradable locking member is mounted relative to one of the turbular and the sleeve. The degradable locking member selectively retains the sleeve in the open configuration. The degradable locking member is configured to degrade when exposed to a downhole fluid allowing the sleeve to be shifted to the closed configuration.

First claim

1 . A tubular assembly comprising:
a turbular member including at least one opening; a sleeve slidingly mounted relative to the tubular member, the sleeve being shiftable between an open configuration, in which the at least one opening is exposed, and a closed configuration, in which the at least one opening is covered by the sleeve; and a degradable locking member mounted relative to one of the turbular and the sleeve, the degradable locking member selectively retaining the sleeve in the open configuration, the degradable locking member being configured to degrade when exposed to a downhole fluid allowing the sleeve to be shifted to the closed configuration.

2 . The tubular assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the degradable locking member comprises a degradable snap ring.

3 . The tubular assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the degradable snap ring extends from a first end to a second end through a degradable intermediate portion, the first end being spaced from the second end defining a discontinuity in the degradable snap ring.

4 . The tubular assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the degradable locking member comprises a body lock ring.

5 . The tubular assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the body lock ring includes a plurality of teeth configured and disposed to engage with another plurality of teeth formed on the slidable sleeve.

6 . The tubular assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising: a collet mounted relative to the tubular, wherein the degradable locking member forms a portion of the collet.

7 . The tubular assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the slidable sleeve is arranged radially inwardly of the tubular.

8 . A resource extraction system comprising:
an uphole portion including at least a platform; a wellbore formed in a formation; and a tubular assembly extending down the wellbore into the formation, the tubular assembly comprising:
a turbular member including at least one opening;
a sleeve slidingly mounted relative to the tubular member, the sleeve being shiftable between an open configuration, in which the at least one opening is exposed, and a closed configuration, in which the at least one opening is covered by the sleeve; and
a degradable locking member mounted relative to one of the turbular and the sleeve, the degradable locking member selectively retaining the sleeve in the open configuration, the degradable locking member being configured to degrade when exposed to a downhole fluid allowing the sleeve to be shifted to the closed configuration.

9 . The resource extraction system according to claim 8 , wherein the degradable locking member comprises a degradable snap ring.

10 . The resource extraction system according to claim 9 , wherein the degradable snap ring extends from a first end to a second end through a degradable intermediate portion, the first end being spaced from the second end defining a discontinuity in the degradable snap ring.

11 . The resource extraction system according to claim 8 , wherein the degradable locking member comprises a body lock ring.

12 . The resource extraction system according to claim 11 , wherein the body lock ring includes a plurality of teeth configured and disposed to engage with another plurality of teeth formed on the slidable sleeve.

13 . The resource extraction system according to claim 8 , further comprising: a collet mounted relative to the tubular, wherein the degradable locking member forms a portion of the collet.

14 . The resource extraction system according to claim 8 , wherein the slidable sleeve is arranged radially inwardly of the tubular.

15 . A method of operating a downhole slidable sleeve comprising:
running a tubular assembly including at least one tubular having one or more openings covered by a slidable sleeve into a wellbore; shifting the slidable sleeve relative to the at least one tubular from a closed configuration to an open configuration exposing the one or more openings to a downhole fluid; locking the slidable sleeve in the open configuration with a degradable locking member; and exposing the degradable locking member to a downhole fluid causing the degradable locking member to degrade.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising: shifting the slidable sleeve from the open configuration to the closed configuration.

Assignees

• Harper Jason M
• King James G
• Sanchez James Scott
• Baker Hughes Inc

Inventors

• Harper Jason M
• King James G
• Sanchez James Scott

Classifications

• E21B23/004

  Indexing systems for guiding relative movement between telescoping parts of downhole tools · CPC title

• E21B2200/06

  Sleeve valves · CPC title

• E21B34/12 Primary

  operated by movement of casings or tubings · CPC title

• E21B2034/007

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic

• E21B2200/08

  Down-hole devices using materials which decompose under well-bore conditions · CPC title