Anti-preset for packers
Disclosed herein are embodiments of a packer assembly and a well system. In one embodiment, a packer assembly includes an inner mandrel; a packing element at least partially surrounding the inner mandrel; a packing element activation sleeve coupled to the packing element; a hydrostatic setting assembly engageable with the packing element activation sleeve; and a hydraulic setting assembly positioned between the packing element and the hydrostatic setting assembly. The hydrostatic setting assembly includes a hydrostatic piston; a hydrostatic prop piston engageable to push the hydrostatic piston to engage the packing element activation sleeve; and a hydrostatic locking mechanism to maintain the hydrostatic piston in a locked position. The hydraulic setting assembly includes a hydraulic piston; a hydraulic locking mechanism coupled to the hydraulic piston; and a hydraulic prop piston engageable with the hydraulic locking mechanism and operable to move the hydraulic locking mechanism between locked and unlocked position.
1. A packer assembly, comprising:
an inner mandrel;
a packing element at least partially surrounding the inner mandrel;
a packing element activation sleeve coupled to the packing element;
a hydrostatic setting assembly engageable with the packing element activation sleeve, the hydrostatic setting assembly including:
a hydrostatic piston;
a hydrostatic prop piston engageable with the hydrostatic piston to push the hydrostatic piston to engage the packing element activation sleeve; and
a hydrostatic locking mechanism, the hydrostatic locking mechanism engageable with the hydrostatic prop piston to maintain the hydrostatic piston in a hydrostatic locked position; and
a hydraulic setting assembly positioned between the packing element and the hydrostatic setting assembly, the hydraulic setting assembly including:
a hydraulic piston;
a hydraulic locking mechanism coupled to the hydraulic piston;
a hydraulic prop piston engageable with the hydraulic locking mechanism, the hydraulic prop piston operable to allow the hydraulic locking mechanism to move from a hydraulic locked position to a hydraulic unlocked position.
2. The packing assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrostatic setting assembly further includes a lock sleeve engageable with the hydrostatic locking mechanism and the hydrostatic piston.
3. The packer assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the hydrostatic setting assembly further includes an inner locking mechanism positioned between the hydrostatic prop piston and the hydrostatic piston.
4. The packer assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the inner locking mechanism is a collet.
5. The packer assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrostatic locking mechanism is a collet.
6. The packer assembly according to claim 1 wherein the hydrostatic setting assembly further includes a rupture disc.
7. The packer assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the hydrostatic setting assembly further includes a shear feature coupleable with the hydrostatic piston and the hydrostatic locking mechanism.
8. The packer assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the hydraulic prop piston includes a piston locking mechanism configured to extend within a recess in the inner mandrel and release the hydraulic locking mechanism.
9. The packer assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the piston locking mechanism is a snap ring configured to snap within the recess in the inner mandrel and release the second locking mechanism.
10. The packer assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the inner mandrel comprises at least two portions coupled together by a threaded connection.
11. A well system, the well system comprising:
a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation; and
a packer assembly, the packer assembly including:
an inner mandrel;
a packing element at least partially surrounding the inner mandrel;
a packing element activation sleeve coupled to the packing element;
a hydrostatic setting assembly engageable with the packing element activation sleeve, the hydrostatic setting assembly including:
a hydrostatic piston;
a hydrostatic prop piston engageable with the hydrostatic piston to push the hydrostatic piston to engage the packing element activation sleeve; and
a hydrostatic locking mechanism, the hydrostatic locking mechanism engageable with the hydrostatic prop piston to maintain the hydrostatic piston in a hydrostatic locked position; and
a hydraulic setting assembly positioned between the packing element and the hydrostatic setting assembly, the hydraulic setting assembly including:
a hydraulic piston;
a hydraulic locking mechanism coupled to the hydraulic piston;
a hydraulic prop piston engageable with the hydraulic locking mechanism, the hydraulic prop piston operable to allow the hydraulic locking mechanism to move from a hydraulic locked position to a hydraulic unlocked position.
12. The well system according to claim 11 , wherein the hydrostatic setting assembly further includes a lock sleeve engageable with the hydrostatic locking mechanism and the hydrostatic piston.
13. The well system according to claim 12 , wherein the hydrostatic setting assembly further includes an inner locking mechanism positioned between the hydrostatic prop piston and the hydrostatic piston.
14. The well system according to claim 13 , wherein the inner locking mechanism is a collet.
15. The well system according to claim 11 , wherein the hydrostatic locking mechanism is a collet.
16. The well system assembly according to claim 11 wherein the hydrostatic setting assembly further includes a rupture disc.
17. The well system according to claim 16 , wherein the hydrostatic setting assembly further includes a shear feature coupleable with the hydrostatic piston and the hydrostatic locking mechanism.
18. The well system according to claim 11 , wherein the hydraulic prop piston includes a piston locking mechanism configured to extend within a recess in the inner mandrel and release the hydraulic locking mechanism.
19. The well system according to claim 18 , wherein the piston locking mechanism is a snap ring configured to snap within the recess in the inner mandrel and release the hydraulic locking mechanism.
20. A method for setting a packing element into a wellbore, the method comprising:
running a packer assembly into a wellbore, the packer assembly including:
an inner mandrel;
a packing element at least partially surrounding the inner mandrel;
a packing element activation sleeve coupled to the packing element;
a hydrostatic setting assembly engageable with the packing element activation sleeve, the hydrostatic setting assembly including:
a hydrostatic piston;
a hydrostatic prop piston engageable with the hydrostatic piston to push the hydrostatic piston to engage the packing element activation sleeve; and
a hydrostatic locking mechanism, the hydrostatic locking mechanism engageable with the hydrostatic prop piston to maintain the hydrostatic piston in a hydrostatic locked position; and
a hydraulic setting assembly positioned between the packing element and the hydrostatic setting assembly, the hydraulic setting assembly including:
a hydraulic piston;
a hydraulic locking mechanism coupled to the hydraulic piston;
a hydraulic prop piston engageable with the hydraulic locking mechanism, the hydraulic prop piston operable to allow the hydraulic locking mechanism to move from a hydraulic locked position to a hydraulic unlocked position;
determining that the hydrostatic setting assembly failed to engage the packing element activation sleeve;
running a plug downhole into the packer assembly; and
applying differential pressure from uphole to release the hydraulic locking mechanism and allow pressure to move the packing element activation sleeve uphole to engage the packing element.