Method and system to avoid premature activation of liner hanger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9816357-B2
Application number	US-201314050972-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 10, 2013
Priority date	Oct 10, 2013
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

A technique facilitates avoidance of premature actuation of a liner hanger in a wellbore. The technique utilizes a running string which may be coupled to a liner having a liner hanger. The running string extends into the liner in a manner which creates an inner pressure region within the running string, an intermediate pressure region between the running string and the liner, and an outer or annulus pressure region surrounding the liner. The inner pressure region is initially isolated from the intermediate pressure region by a closure mechanism during, for example, movement downhole. The closure mechanism selectively closes off a port used to actuate the liner hanger.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for avoiding premature actuation in a wellbore, comprising:
a liner having a liner hanger; and
a running string coupled to the liner and extending into the liner in a manner which creates an inner pressure region within the running string, an intermediate pressure region between the running string and the liner, and an annulus pressure region surrounding the liner, the intermediate pressure region and the annulus pressure region being pressure balanced via a one-way seal during movement downhole into the wellbore if pressure in the annulus pressure region exceeds pressure in the intermediate pressure region, the inner pressure region being selectively isolated from the intermediate pressure region by a closure mechanism closing a port until desired actuation of the liner hanger.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the closure mechanism comprises a sliding sleeve joint.

3. The system as recited in claim 2 , wherein the running string comprises a ball seat for receiving a ball to enable increased pressure in the inner pressure region for actuating the sliding sleeve joint.

4. The system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a first pack off and a second pack off disposed between the running tool and the liner.

5. The system as recited in claim 4 , wherein the first pack off is positioned uphole relative to the closure mechanism and the second pack off is positioned downhole relative to the closure mechanism.

6. The system as recited in claim 5 , wherein the first pack off forms the one-way seal and the second pack off forms a two-way seal to ensure against a hydraulic lock between the first pack off and the second pack off.

7. The system as recited in claim 6 , wherein the liner hanger is actuated hydraulically through a port located between the first pack off and the second pack off.

8. The system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a packer disposed around the liner.

9. The system as recited in claim 8 , further comprising a casing, wherein the packer is selectively settable against the casing.

10. A method, comprising:
coupling a running string to a liner having a liner hanger;
providing a liner hanger port through a wall of the liner hanger and a running string port through a wall of the running string to enable actuation of the liner hanger via pressurized fluid supplied through the running string port and the liner hanger port;
closing the running string port initially as the running string and the liner are run downhole into a wellbore;
selectively opening the running string port to actuate the liner hanger via pressurized fluid supplied along an interior of the running string;
placing a first pack off and a second pack off between the running string and the liner at positions on opposite sides of both the running string port and the liner hanger port; and
forming the first pack off as a one-way seal and the second pack off as a two-way seal.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein closing comprises closing the running string port with a sliding sleeve joint.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein selectively opening comprises sealing off an interior of the running string with an object dropped against a seat downhole of the sliding sleeve joint and increasing pressure within the interior to shift the sliding sleeve joint and to thus open the running string port.

13. The method as recited in claim 10 , further comprising positioning a packer and a setting sleeve along an exterior of the liner.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 , further comprising setting the packer against a surrounding casing.

15. A method, comprising:
coupling a running string to a liner having a liner hanger to create an inner pressure region within the running string; an intermediate pressure region between the running string and the liner and bounded by a first pack off and a second pack off; and an outer pressure region along an exterior of the liner;
isolating the inner pressure region from the intermediate pressure region and the outer pressure region as the running string and liner are deployed downhole through a wellbore casing;
selectively opening a port through a wall of the running string to enable communication of a flow of pressurized fluid from the interior pressure region to the intermediate pressure region;
using the pressurized fluid in the intermediate pressure region to actuate the liner hanger against the wellbore casing;
equalizing pressure between the outer pressure region and the intermediate pressure region via a one way seal when pressure in the outer pressure region rises above pressure in the intermediate region as the liner is moved downhole through the wellbore casing.

16. The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein selectively opening comprises shifting a sliding sleeve joint.

17. The method as recited in claim 15 , further comprising setting a packer against the wellbore casing uphole from the liner hanger.

Assignees

• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Abraham Aju

Classifications

• E21B43/10 Primary

  Setting of casings, screens, liners {or the like} in wells · CPC title

• E21B23/01

  for anchoring the tools or the like (E21B23/02 - E21B23/06 take precedence; anchoring of drives in the borehole E21B4/18) · CPC title