Well tools incorporating valves operable by low electrical power input

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9593546-B2
Application number	US-201213489504-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 6, 2012
Priority date	Jan 14, 2009
Publication date	Mar 14, 2017
Grant date	Mar 14, 2017

Abstract

Well tools including valves operable by low electrical input. One well tool includes a valve which controls fluid communication between pressure regions in a well, the valve including a rotatable member which is biased to rotate, and a brake or clutch which prevents rotation of the member. Another valve includes a barrier which separates reactants, with the valve being operable in response to the barrier being opened and the reactants thereby reacting with each other. Yet another valve includes a barrier which separates the pressure regions, and a control circuit which heats the barrier to a weakened state. Another valve includes a member displaceable between open and closed positions, a restraining device which resists displacement of the member, and a control device which degrades or deactivates the restraining device and thereby permits the member to displace between its open and closed positions, in response to receipt of a predetermined signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A well tool, comprising a valve which controls fluid communication in a well, the valve including:
a barrier which separates reactants and is degradable in response to being heated to allow the reactants to react with each other; and
a plug that isolates pressure regions, the plug being responsive to a reaction between the reactants so as to be degraded or deactivated to permit communication between the pressure regions.

2. The well tool of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the plug is dissolvable by a product of the reactants.

3. The well tool of claim 1 , wherein a product of the reactants is corrosive to at least a portion of the plug.

4. The well tool of claim 1 , wherein an exothermic reaction is produced when the reactants react with each other, and wherein at least a portion of the plug is weakened, melted or disintegrated by the exothermic reaction.

5. The well tool of claim 1 , wherein pressure is produced when the reactants react with each other.

6. The well tool of claim 5 , wherein the plug is displaced in response to the produced pressure, thereby controlling fluid communication between the pressure regions.

7. The well tool of claim 1 , wherein the valve further includes a signal detector and a control circuit, whereby upon receipt of a predetermined signal by the signal detector, the control circuit degrades the barrier.

8. The well tool of claim 7 , wherein the control circuit causes the barrier to be heated in response to receipt of the predetermined signal by the signal detector.

9. The well tool of claim 7 , wherein the control circuit causes the barrier to be combusted in response to receipt of the predetermined signal by the signal detector.

10. The well tool of claim 7 , wherein the control circuit causes the barrier to be melted in response to receipt of the predetermined signal by the signal detector.

Assignees

• Wright Adam D
• Fripp Michael L
• Fink Kevin D
• Perkins Donald
• Williamson Jimmie R
• Kalman Mark D
• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Wright Adam D
• Fripp Michael L
• Fink Kevin D
• Perkins Donald
• Williamson Jimmie R
• Kalman Mark D

Classifications

• E21B23/04 Primary

  operated by fluid means, e.g. actuated by explosion (E21B23/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B41/00

  Equipment or details not covered by groups E21B15/00 - E21B40/00 · CPC title

• E21B23/0412

  characterised by pressure chambers, e.g. vacuum chambers · CPC title

• E21B34/063 Primary

  Valve or closure with destructible element, e.g. frangible disc (E21B34/103 takes precedence) · CPC title