IP Library Granted Patent US 10,066,459
Granted Patent B2
US 10,066,459 · App. 13/889,889 · Granted Sep 4, 2018

Fracturing using re-openable sliding sleeves

Inventor: Roger Antonsen (Houston, TX)
Assignee: NOV Completion Tools AS
E21B34/14E21B43/26E21B47/0905E21B2034/007
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,066,459
App. No.
13/889,889
Granted
Sep 4, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Zone isolation is a leading concern for operators that wish to fluidly treat a well. By utilizing a ported sliding sleeve assembly that is highly resistant to leaking after being opened and closed through multiple cycles a wellbore may be accessed at any ported sliding sleeve assembly location without plugging the wellbore below the ported sliding sleeve assembly and will allow any ported sliding sleeve assembly to be accessed in any order.

Claims (65)

1. A wellbore servicing system comprising:

a tubular assembly having a horizontal section disposed in a single production zone of a single formation, the tubular assembly including a first resealable valve and at least a second resealable valve disposed along the horizontal section of the tubular assembly uphole from the first resealable valve;

wherein the first resealable valve has a first profile and the second resealable valve has a second profile; and

a shifting tool having a disconnect, the disconnect configured to:

set an internal packer at a first position within the tubular assembly, the first position being downhole from the first resealable valve;

after the internal packer is set at the first position, open and close the first resealable valve by engaging the first profile;

after the first resealable valve is closed, set the internal packer at a second position within the tubular assembly, the second position being uphole from the first resealable valve and downhold from the second resealable valve; and

after the internal packer is set at the second position, open and close the second resealable valve by engaging the second profile.

2. The wellbore servicing system of claim 1 wherein the first resealable valve and the at least second resealable valve further comprise:

a substantially cylindrical outer valve housing including radially extending side ports and an inner sliding sleeve mounted axially movable and rotationally locked inside the valve housing;

the sliding sleeve further comprising a first seal, a second seal, and a third seal, which seals are all disposed around the entire circumference of the sliding sleeve and in contact with an inner sealing surface of the valve housing;

wherein the axial distance between the first and second seals is greater than the length of the valve housing comprising the side ports, and axial distance between the second and third seals is greater than the length of the valve housing comprising the side ports.

3. The wellbore servicing system of claim 2 , wherein the first seal is made stiffer than the second and third seal.

4. The wellbore servicing system of claim 2 , wherein the first seal is firmer retained than the second and third seal.

5. The wellbore servicing system of claim 2 , wherein the sliding sleeve is fixed to a radially flexible latch ring abutting a first inner shoulder on the inner sealing surface of the valve housing when the valve is in a first, closed position, and abutting a second inner shoulder on the inner sealing surface of the valve housing when the valve is in a second, open position axially displaced from the first closed position; and

the axial force required to move the sliding sleeve between its first and second positions must be sufficient to overcome a radially spring force from the latch ring.

6. The wellbore servicing system of claim 2 wherein the valve further comprises a scraping ring disposed between the sliding sleeve and the inner sealing surface of the valve housing.

7. The wellbore servicing system of claim 2 wherein the sliding sleeve comprises a first indicator;

the valve housing is firmly connected to a second indicator; and

the axial distance between the first and second indicator indicates whether the sliding sleeve opens or closes for the radial side ports.

8. A wellbore servicing system comprising:

a tubular assembly having a first resealable valve and at least a second resealable valve disposed uphole from the first resealable valve; wherein the first resealable valve is configured to be selectively actuable between an open condition and a closed condition; further wherein the at least second resealable valve is configured to be selectively actuable between an open condition and a closed condition; and where the first resealable valve and the at least second resealable valve in the open condition allow a fluid to flow between an inner diameter of the tubular assembly and an outer diameter of the tubular assembly; and

a shifting tool configured to set an internal packer at a position within the tubular assembly that is downhole from the first resealable valve.

9. The wellbore servicing system of claim 8 wherein the first resealable valve and the at least second resealable valve are each selectively actuable by hydraulic control lines.

10. The wellbore servicing system of claim 8 wherein the first resealable valve and the at least second resealable valve are each selectively actuable by an electric motor.

11. The wellbore servicing system of claim 8 wherein the first resealable valve and the at least second resealable valve further comprise:

a substantially cylindrical outer valve housing including radially extending side ports and an inner sliding sleeve mounted axially movable and rotationally locked inside the valve housing;

the sliding sleeve further comprising a first seal, a second seal, and a third seal, which seals are all disposed around the entire circumference of the sliding sleeve and in contact with an inner sealing surface of the valve housing;

wherein the axial distance between the first and second seals is greater than the length of the valve housing comprising the side ports, and axial distance between the second and third seals is greater than the length of the valve housing comprising the side ports.

12. The wellbore servicing system of claim 11 , wherein the first seal is made stiffer than the second and third seal.

13. The wellbore servicing system of claim 11 , wherein the first seal is firmer retained than the second and third seal.

14. The wellbore servicing system of claim 11 , wherein the sliding sleeve is fixed to a radially flexible latch ring abutting a first inner shoulder on the inner sealing surface of the valve housing when the valve is in a first, closed position, and abutting a second inner shoulder on the inner sealing surface of the valve housing when the valve is in a second, open position axially displaced from the first closed position; and

the axial force required to move the sliding sleeve between its first and second positions must be sufficient to overcome a radially spring force from the latch ring.

15. The wellbore servicing system of claim 11 wherein the valve further comprises a scraping ring disposed between the sliding sleeve and the inner sealing surface of the valve housing.

16. The wellbore servicing system of claim 11 wherein the sliding sleeve comprises a first indicator;

the valve housing is firmly connected to a second indicator; and

the axial distance between the first and second indicator indicates whether the sliding sleeve opens or closes for the radial side ports.

17. A method of servicing a wellbore comprising:

running into a production zone of a single formation that includes at least a first and second formation zone, a tubular assembly having a horizontal section disposed in the production zone, the tubular assembly including a first resealable valve and an at least second resealable valve disposed within the horizontal section of the tubular assembly, the at least second reseal able valve being disposed uphole from the first resealable valve;

wherein the first resealable valve is configured to be selectively actuable between an open condition and a closed condition;

further wherein the at least second resealable valve is configured to be selectively actuable between an open condition and a closed condition; and where the first resealable valve and the at least second resealable valve in the open condition allow a fluid to flow between an inner diameter of the tubular assembly and an outer diameter of the tubular assembly;

setting an internal packer at a first position within the tubular assembly, the first position being downhole from the first resealable valve;

selectively actuating the first resealable valve from a closed condition to an open condition;

treating the first formation zone;

selectively actuating the first resealable valve from the open condition to the closed condition;

setting the internal packer at a second position within the tubular assembly, the second position being uphole from the first resealable valve;

selectively actuating the at least second resealable valve from a closed condition to an open condition;

treating the second formation zone; and

selectively actuating the at least second resealable valve from the open condition to the closed position.

18. The method of servicing a wellbore of claim 17 wherein the first resealable valve are at least two resealable valves in a single isolated zone corresponding to the first formation zone.

19. The method of servicing a wellbore of claim 17 where anyone of the at least second resealable valves are at least two resealable valves in a single isolated zone corresponding to the second formation zone.

20. The wellbore servicing system of claim 17 wherein the first resealable valve and the at least second resealable valve are each selectively actuable by hydraulic control lines.

21. The wellbore servicing system of claim 17 wherein the first resealable valve and the at least second resealable valve are each selectively actuable by an electric motor.

22. The wellbore servicing system of claim 17 wherein the first resealable valve and the at least second resealable valve further comprise:

a substantially cylindrical outer valve housing including radially extending side ports and an inner sliding sleeve mounted axially movable and rotationally locked inside the valve housing;

the sliding sleeve further comprising a first seal, a second seal, and a third seal, which seals are all disposed around the entire circumference of the sliding sleeve and in contact with an inner sealing surface of the valve housing;

wherein the axial distance between the first and second seals is greater than the length of the valve housing comprising the side ports, and axial distance between the second and third seals is greater than the length of the valve housing comprising the side ports.

23. The wellbore servicing system of claim 22 , wherein the first seal is made stiffer than the second and third seal.

24. The wellbore servicing system of claim 22 , wherein the first seal is firmer retained than the second and third seal.

25. The wellbore servicing system of claim 22 , wherein the sliding sleeve is fixed to a radially flexible latch ring abutting a first inner shoulder on the inner sealing surface of the valve housing when the valve is in a first, closed position, and abutting a second inner shoulder on the inner sealing surface of the valve housing when the valve is in a second, open position axially displaced from the first closed position; and

the axial force required to move the sliding sleeve between its first and second positions must be sufficient to overcome a radially spring force from the latch ring.

26. The wellbore servicing system of claim 22 wherein the valve further comprises a scraping ring disposed between the sliding sleeve and the inner sealing surface of the valve housing.

27. The wellbore servicing system of claim 22 wherein the sliding sleeve comprises a first indicator;

the valve housing is firmly connected to a second indicator; and

the axial distance between the first and second indicator indicates whether the sliding sleeve opens or closes for the radial side ports.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 21, 2017
From: TRICAN COMPLETION SOLUTION AS
To: NOV COMPLETION TOOLS AS
Reel/Frame 042310/0201 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 14, 2014
From: I-TEC WELL SOLUTIONS, L.L.C.
To: TRICAN COMPLETION SOLUTIONS AS
Reel/Frame 033534/0411 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 26, 2013
From: ANTONSEN, ROGER
To: I-TEC WELL SOLUTIONS, L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 031078/0577 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20140332228A1 · Nov 13, 2014