Pressure and thermal compensation system for subterranean hydraulic control line connectors
A wet connection system has pressure compensation operative when running in and thermal effects compensation active in the duration between running in and supporting a bottom hole assembly and hooking up a production string having a mating upper part of the wet connect to the lower part of the wet connect already in the hole. The thermal compensation system is then defeated by locking a floating piston so that applied pressure in a given control line will be used to operate an associated tool connected to that control line. Multiple control lines each similarly compensated are envisioned. The pressure compensation system comes out of the hole with the running tool for the bottom hole assembly.
1. A borehole wet connect assembly for connecting a tubular string and at least one associated conduit in the borehole to at least one borehole tool, comprising:
a lower housing for the wet connect adapted to connect to the borehole tool comprising a flow line and at least one auxiliary fluid conduit to connect to an operator for the borehole tool;
said at least one auxiliary fluid conduit associated with said lower housing comprising a moveable first compensating piston with a first end thereof pressure referenced to outside said housing and a second end thereof in sealing engagement with said at least one auxiliary fluid conduit;
said movable first compensating piston selectively locked to said housing by a latch that is located within the auxiliary fluid conduit following movement of the first compensating piston within the auxiliary fluid conduit.
2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
said movable first compensating piston moveable in a predetermined range without selectively locking.
3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
said movable first compensating piston moveable responsive to thermal input to said housing.
4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
said movable first compensating piston moveable responsive to pressure input to said at least one auxiliary fluid conduit.
5. The assembly of claim 3 , wherein:
said movable first compensating piston moveable responsive to pressure input to said at least one auxiliary fluid conduit.
6. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a running tool for said lower housing for placement of said lower housing and the borehole tool in a predetermined location, said running tool further comprising at least one running tool auxiliary conduit in fluid communication with said at least one auxiliary conduit on said lower housing, said at least one auxiliary conduit on said running tool comprising a second compensating piston with a first end thereof referenced to outside said running tool and a second end thereof in sealing engagement with said at least one auxiliary fluid conduit in said running tool.
7. The assembly of claim 6 , further comprising:
said running tool is removably attached to said lower housing.
8. The assembly of claim 7 , further comprising:
said second compensating piston is removable from the borehole with said running tool.
9. The assembly of claim 6 , further comprising:
said second compensating piston responsive to pressure changes outside said running tool as said running tool is inserted into the borehole.
10. The assembly of claim 6 , further comprising:
said second compensating piston is movable in a predetermined range in opposed directions without restraint.
11. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the latch is a collet latch.