Interventionless downhole screen and method of actuation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9580993-B2
Application number	US-201314394451-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 10, 2013
Priority date	May 10, 2013
Publication date	Feb 28, 2017
Grant date	Feb 28, 2017

Abstract

An interventionless downhole screen that is resistant to plugging during run-in-hole operations and a method for remotely actuating the screen. The screen includes a perforated sleeve that is slideably disposed coaxially with a perforated tubular member. When running, the sleeve is in a closed positioned with its openings offset from the apertures in the tubular member, thereby blocking flow through the screened openings, while a check valve through the tubular member allows fluid ingress. To actuate for production, the tubular member is pressurized, which moves a piston into ratcheting engagement with the sleeve. A subsequent depressurization allows the piston to return to its original position, carrying with it the sleeve to an open position where the sleeve and tubing perforations are aligned for allowing fluid flow into the tubular member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A downhole tool comprising:
a tubular member with a wall defining an interior and an exterior, said wall having an aperture formed therethrough;
a sleeve coaxially disposed so as to abut and be in sliding engagement with said tubular member, said sleeve having a wall with an opening formed therethrough; and
an actuator coupled between said tubular member and said sleeve and arranged to move said sleeve with respect to said tubular member from a shut position where said opening is offset from said aperture thereby substantially restricting fluid communication between said opening and said aperture and an open position where said opening and said aperture are aligned so as to permit fluid communication therebetween;
wherein the wall of said sleeve includes a portion with a ratchet tooth profile; and
wherein the actuator includes a body lock ring defining first and second ends and having a wall with said ratchet tooth profile that engages said portion of said sleeve so as to allow unidirectional movement of said body lock ring with respect to said sleeve.

2. The downhole tool of claim 1 further comprising:
a mesh disposed so as to filter flow from said exterior to said interior through said aperture.

3. The downhole tool of claim 1 wherein:
in said shut position, said opening is radially aligned with but axially offset from said aperture.

4. The downhole tool of claim 1 wherein:
said sleeve is disposed about the exterior of said tubular member.

5. The downhole tool of claim 1 wherein:
said actuator is fluidly coupled to said interior of said tubular member and is arranged to move said sleeve with respect to said tubular member in response to a change of a fluid pressure within said interior.

6. The downhole tool of claim 5 wherein:
said actuator includes a resilient member that urges said sleeve into said open position against said fluid pressure.

7. The downhole tool of claim 6 wherein:
said resilient member acts upon said first end of said body lock ring; and
said fluid pressure acts upon said second end of said body lock ring; whereby a first pressurization of said interior forces said body lock ring to ratchet with respect to said sleeve against said resilient member; and
a subsequent depressurization of said interior allows said resilient member to move said body lock ring and thereby move said sleeve from said shut position to said open position.

8. The downhole tool of claim 7 wherein:
said body lock ring is arranged for unidirectional axial movement.

9. The downhole tool of claim 5 further comprising:
a fluid conduit coupled between said interior, said exterior, and said actuator; and
a check valve disposed in said conduit between said exterior at a first port and said interior and said actuator at a second port; whereby
pressurization of said interior with respect to said exterior shuts said check valve thereby allowing pressurization of said actuator.

10. A method for actuating a downhole screen comprising:
providing a tubular member with a wall defining an interior and an exterior, said wall having an aperture formed therethrough, and a mesh disposed so as to filter flow from said exterior to said interior through said aperture;
disposing a sleeve so as to abut and be in sliding coaxially engagement with said tubular member, said sleeve having a wall with an opening formed therethrough;
moving said sleeve with respect to said tubular member from a shut position where said opening is offset from said aperture thereby substantially restricting fluid communication between said opening and said aperture and an open position where said opening and said aperture are aligned so as to permit fluid communication therebetween;
providing an actuator between said tubular member and said sleeve that is arranged to move said sleeve with respect to said tubular member from said shut position to said open position;
fluidly coupling said actuator to said interior of said tubular member, said actuator arranged so as to move said sleeve with respect to said tubular member in response to a change of a fluid pressure within said interior; and
actuating said actuator by changing said fluid pressure;
wherein the wall of said sleeve includes a portion with a ratchet tooth profile; and
wherein the actuator includes a body lock ring defining first and second ends and having a wall with said ratchet tooth profile that engages said portion of said sleeve so as to allow unidirectional movement of said body lock ring with respect to said sleeve.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
disposing said sleeve about the exterior of said tubular member.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein:
said actuator includes a resilient member that urges said sleeve into said open position against said fluid pressure.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein:
said resilient member acts upon said first end of said body lock ring; and
said fluid pressure acts upon said second end of said body lock ring.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:
pressurizing said interior so as to force said body lock ring to ratchet with respect to said sleeve against said resilient member; and then
depressurizing said interior so as to allow said resilient member to move said body lock ring and therewith move said sleeve from said shut position to said open position.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein:
said body lock ring is arranged for unidirectional axial movement.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:
providing a fluid conduit coupled between said interior, said exterior, and said actuator;
providing a check valve in said conduit between said exterior at a first port and said interior and said actuator at a second port; and
pressurizing said interior with respect to said exterior so as to shut said check valve and allow pressurization of said actuator.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc
• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Aitken Liam Andrew

Classifications

• E21B43/08 Primary

  Screens or liners {(expandable screens or liners E21B43/108)} · CPC title

• E21B34/10

  operated by control fluid supplied from outside the borehole · CPC title

• E21B2200/06

  Sleeve valves · CPC title

• E21B43/084

  Screens comprising woven materials, e.g. mesh or cloth · CPC title

• E21B34/102

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