Valves for Autonomous Activation of Downhole Tools

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016273308-A1
Application number	US-201414760970-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 29, 2014
Priority date	Apr 29, 2014
Publication date	Sep 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An autonomous valve includes a fluid-sensitive actuator operable to automatically actuate the valve in response to being exposed to a target fluid. The target fluid may be a fluid whose presence is generally undesirable in a production fluid, such as water, and the valve may be actuated to stop flow from an interval within a wellbore that is no longer expected to produce hydrocarbon-bearing fluids. The valve further includes a protective layer disposed between the fluid inlet and the fluid-sensitive actuator, the protective layer being insoluble in the target fluid. The fluid-sensitive actuator may include a swellable piston that swells to actuate the valve in the presence of the target fluid, a soluble plug that isolates a hydraulic, closing piston until the soluble plug is dissolved into the target fluid, and an electromechanical actuator that closes the valve in response to detecting the target fluid using an electronic sensor.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A downhole, autonomous valve comprising:
a fluid inlet operable to receive fluid from a wellbore; a fluid-sensitive actuator operable to automatically actuate the valve in response to being exposed to a target fluid; and a protective layer disposed between the fluid inlet and the fluid-sensitive actuator, the protective layer being insoluble in the target fluid.

2 . The downhole, autonomous valve of claim 1 , wherein the protective layer is soluble in a hydrocarbon-bearing production fluid.

3 . The downhole, autonomous valve of claim 1 , wherein the fluid-sensitive actuator comprises a swellable piston, the swellable piston comprising a material that is absorbent of the target fluid and inabsorbent of a hydrocarbon-bearing production fluid.

4 . The downhole, autonomous valve of claim 1 , further comprising:
a soluble plug disposed between an exterior of the downhole, autonomous valve and a fluid inlet of the fluid-sensitive actuator, the soluble plug being soluble in the target fluid; and a fluid motivated piston coupled to a valve closing member disposed between the soluble plug and a chamber at a first pressure; wherein the fluid motivated piston is operable to motivate the valve closing member to a closed position in response to fluid entering the fluid inlet at a wellbore pressure that is greater than the first pressure.

5 . The downhole, autonomous valve of claim 1 , wherein the fluid-sensitive actuator comprises an electromechanical actuator having a controller, a power source, and an electronic sensor, wherein the fluid-sensitive actuator is operable to actuate the valve in response to the electronic sensor detecting a trigger condition.

6 . The downhole, autonomous valve of claim 5 , wherein the trigger condition comprises the presence of water in the production fluid at a concentration that is greater than a predetermined concentration.

7 . The downhole, autonomous valve of claim 1 , wherein the target fluid is a production fluid containing at least a predetermined concentration of water.

8 . An autonomous valve actuation system comprising:
a tubing segment, the tubing segment comprising a conduit and a valve, wherein the valve includes an inlet and an outlet, and defines a fluid flow path between the inlet and the outlet, and wherein the inlet is fluidly coupled to an exterior of the tubing segment and the outlet is fluidly coupled to the conduit;
wherein the valve comprises a fluid-sensitive actuator that is operable to close the valve in response to detecting a concentration of water in a production fluid that flows through the valve.

9 . The system of claim 8 , further comprising a protective layer between a fluid inlet of the fluid-sensitive actuator and the exterior of the tubing segment.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the protective layer is soluble in a hydrocarbon-bearing production fluid.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the protective layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of natural rubber latex, a triacylglycol, a phospholipid, a glycolipid, hydrophobic proteins, and aliphatic hydrocarbons.

12 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the fluid-sensitive actuator comprises a swellable piston, the swellable piston comprising a material that is absorbent of the water and inabsorbent of a hydrocarbon-bearing production fluid.

13 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the fluid-sensitive actuator comprises:
a soluble plug disposed between the exterior of the tubing segment and a fluid inlet of the fluid-sensitive actuator, the soluble plug being soluble in the target fluid; and a fluid motivated piston coupled to a valve closing member disposed between the soluble plug and a chamber at a first pressure; wherein the fluid motivated piston is operable to motivate the valve closing member to a closed position in response to fluid entering the fluid inlet of the fluid-sensitive actuator at a wellbore pressure that is greater than the first pressure.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the soluble plug comprises a material selected from the group consisting of sodium cations, potassium cations, ammonium cations, nitrate-based salts, acetate-based salts, chloride salts, and sulfate salts.

15 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the fluid-sensitive actuator comprises an electromechanical actuator having a controller, a power source, and an electronic sensor, wherein the fluid-sensitive actuator is operable to actuate the valve in response to the electronic sensor detecting a trigger condition.

16 . A method of autonomously actuating a valve, the method comprising:
operating a tubing segment in a wellbore, the tubing segment including a conduit and a valve, wherein the valve includes an inlet and an outlet, and defines a fluid flow path between the inlet and the outlet, and wherein the inlet is fluidly coupled to an exterior of the tubing segment and the outlet is fluidly coupled to the conduit; receiving a production fluid from a geological formation to the valve inlet; detecting a target fluid in the production fluid; and closing the valve in response to detecting the target fluid; wherein detecting the target fluid and closing the valve comprises a fluid-sensitive actuator autonomously detecting the target fluid and closing the valve.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein:
the fluid-sensitive actuator comprises a swellable piston, the swellable piston comprising a material that is absorbent of the target fluid and inabsorbent of a hydrocarbon-bearing production fluid; detecting the target fluid comprises absorbing the target fluid with the swellable piston; and closing the valve in response to detecting the target fluid comprises the swellable piston enlarging and actuating a valve closing member.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein:
the fluid-sensitive actuator comprises a soluble plug disposed between the exterior of the tubing segment and a fluid inlet of the fluid-sensitive actuator, the soluble plug being soluble in the target fluid, and a fluid motivated piston coupled to a valve closing member that is disposed between the soluble plug and a chamber at a first pressure; detecting the target fluid comprises the target fluid dissolving the soluble plug; and closing the valve in response to detecting the target fluid comprises the fluid motivated piston motivating a valve closing member to a closed position in response to fluid entering the fluid inlet of the fluid-sensitive actuator at a wellbore pressure that is greater than the first pressure.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the soluble plug comprises a material selected from the group consisting of sodium cations, potassium cations, ammonium cations, nitrate-based salts, acetate-based salts, chloride salts, and sulfate salts.

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein:
the fluid-sensitive actuator comprises an electromechanical actuator having a controller, a power source, an electronic sensor, and a fluid motivated piston coupled to a valve closing member, the fluid motivated piston being disposed between the a fluid inlet of the fluid-sensitive actuator and a chamber at a first pressure; detecting the target fluid comprises detecting the target fluid with the electronic sensor; and closing the valve in response to detecting the target fluid comprises opening the fluid inlet of the fluid-sensitive actuator to allow fluid from the wellbore to engage the fluid motivated piston to force the valve closing member to a closed position in response to

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Williamson Jr Jimmie R
• Beck Adam E

Classifications

• E21B43/12

  Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells (E21B43/25 takes precedence; valve arrangements E21B34/00) · CPC title

• E21B34/08 Primary

  responsive to flow or pressure of the fluid obtained (E21B34/10 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B33/12

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

• E21B34/066

  electrically actuated · CPC title

• E21B34/14 Primary

  operated by movement of tools, e.g. sleeve valves operated by pistons or wire line tools {(E21B34/066 takes precedence)} · CPC title