CA-3032410-C - METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR MAINTAINING A PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN PAIRS OF PACKERS

Abstract

Examples of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for fracturing systems that maintain a substantially constant pressure differential between a first pressure zone and a second pressure zone.

Inventors

• Peter Kris Cleven

Assignees

• COMITT WELL SOLUTIONS US HOLDING INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20170816

Priority Date

20160915

Claims (20)

1. WE CLAIM: 1. A system for stimulating a well comprising: a flow activated valve positioned proximate to a distal end of a tool, the flow activated valve being configured to move towards the distal end to the tool to seal a hole located at the distal most end of the tool responsive to flowing fluid through an inner diameter of the tool; a packer pair configured to expand responsive to the flow activated valve sealing the distal most end of the tool, the packer pair including an upper packer and a lower packer; a vent including a first end positioned above the lower packer and a second end positioned below the lower packer, the second end of the vent being coupled with a sliding sleeve, the sliding sleeve being configured to cover a vent hole through the tool responsive to the packer pair sealing against a wellbore wall, the vent hole extending laterally through the tool from the inner diameter of the tool to an annulus; a first pressure zone positioned within the inner diameter of the tool; a second pressure zone positioned outside of the tool between the upper packer and the lower packer; a linearly adjustable member configured to maintain a substantially constant pressure differential between the first pressure zone and the second pressure zone when the packers are sealing against the well bore wall.
2. 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a third pressure zone positioned outside of the the tool below the lower packer, wherein when the sliding sleeve covers the vent hole the third pressure zone is not in communication with the first pressure zone or the second pressure zone.
3. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the flow activated valve is configured to not seal the distal most end of the tool responsive to ceasing the fluid flowing through the inner diameter of the tool, and when ceasing the fluid flow through the inner diameter of the tool the sliding sleeve does not cover the vent hole. 12 Date Re9ue/Date Recieved 2024-02-05
4. 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first pressure zone, the second pressure zone, and the third pressure zone are in communication with each other when the sliding sleeve does not cover the vent hole.
5. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the flow activated valve is deactivated when ceasing the fluid flowing through the inner diameter of the tool based on the communication between the first pressure zone, the second pressure zone, and the third pressure zone.
6. 6. The system of claim 1, further comprising; a gate configured to move in a linear axis in parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tool and to cover a valve when the flow activated valve is not sealing the distal most end of the tool.
7. 7. The system of claim 6, wherein the gate is configured to not cover the valve when the flow activated valve is sealing the distal most end of the tool.
8. 8. The system of claim 6, wherein the gate is positioned between the upper packer and the lower packer.
9. 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the substantially constant pressure differential is a positive value.
10. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the linearly adjustable member is configured to compress as a fluid flow rate through the inner diameter of the tool increases to maintain a substantially constant pressure differential.
11. 11. A method for stimulating a well comprising: positioning a flow activated valve proximate to a distal end of a tool; moving the flow activated valve towards the distal end of the tool to seal a hole positioned on the distal most end of the tool responsive to flowing fluid through an inner diameter of the tool; 13 Date Re9ue/Date Recieved 2024-02-05 expanding a packer pair responsive to the flow activated valve sealing the distal most end of the tool, the packer pair including an upper packer and a lower packer; moving a sliding sleeve coupled to a vent to cover a vent hole, the vent hole extending laterally through the tool from the inner diameter of the tool to an annulus responsive to the packer pair sealing against a wellbore wall, wherein the vent includes a first end positioned above the lower packer and a second end positioned below the lower packer, the sliding sleeve being coupled to the second end; creating a first pressure zone positioned within the inner diameter of the tool; creating a second pressure zone positioned outside the the tool between the upper packer and the lower packer; maintaining, via a linearly adjustable member, a substantially constant pressure differential between the first pressure zone and the second pressure zone when the packers are sealing against the well bore wall.
12. 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: creating a third pressure zone positioned outside of the the tool below the lower packer, wherein when the sliding sleeve covers the vent hole the third pressure zone is not in communication with the first pressure zone or the second pressure zone.
13. 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising: not sealing the distal most end of the tool by the flow activated valve responsive to ceasing the fluid flowing through the inner diameter of the tool, and when ceasing the fluid flow through the inner diameter of the tool the sliding sleeve does not cover the vent hole. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first pressure zone, the second pressure zone, and the third pressure zone are in communication with each other when the sliding sleeve does not cover the vent hole.
14. 14 Date Re9ue/Date Recieved 2024-02-05
15. 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: de-activing the flow activated valve when ceasing the fluid flowing through the inner diameter of the tool based on the communication between the first pressure zone, the second pressure zone, and the third pressure zone.
16. 16. The method of claim 11, further comprising: moving a gate configured in a linear axis in parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tool to cover a valve when the flow activated valve is not sealing the distal most end of the tool.
17. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the gate is configured to not cover the valve when the flow activated valve is sealing the distal most end of the tool.
18. 18. The method of claim 16, wherein the gate is positioned between the upper packer and the lower packer.
19. 19. The method of claim 11, wherein the substantially constant pressure differential is a positive value.
20. 20. The method of claim 11, further comprising: compressing the linearly adjustable member configured as a fluid flow rate through the inner diameter of the tool increases to maintain a substantially constant pressure differential. Date Re9ue/Date Recieved 2024-02-05

Description

METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR MAINTAINING A PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN PAIRS OF PACKERS BACKGROUND INFORMATION Field of the Disclosure [0001] Examples of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for injection systems that maintain a substantially constant pressure differential between a first pressure zone and a second pressure zone. Background [0002] Hydraulic injection explained in this document thereafter as fracturing for simplicity is performed by pumping fluid into a formation at a pressure sufficient to create fractures in the formation. When a fracture is open, a propping agent may be added to the fluid. The propping agent, e.g. sand or ceramic beads, remains in the fractures to keep the fractures open when the pumping rate and pressure decreases. [0003] Conventionally, to generate sufficient pressure to create the fractures in the formations, systems utilize a pair of packers to isolate zones of interest. Conventionally, the pair of packers are set by increasing the pressure within a coiled tube. After sealing a zone of interest, a further increase in pumping fluid correspondingly increases the pressure within the coiled tube to open a valve. This allows a fracturing treatment to be applied to the zone of interest. Once fracturing treatment is completed, the pumping pressure may decrease. This causes the valve to close and the packers to unset. To this end, conventional systems utilize pressure within the coil tubing to set and unset packers and open and close frac ports. [0004] Accordingly, needs exist for system and methods for fracturing systems that in a first mode maintain a substantially constant pressure differential between a first pressure zone within a tool between a pair of packers and a second pressure zone outside of the tool between the pair of packers, and in a second mode have equalized pressure between three pressure zones. Date Rec;ue/Date Recieved 2024-02-05 AT'wo 2018/052624~T NUMBER COMITT1020-1PCT SUMMARY PCT /0S2017 /04 7063 ,TI ON Customer No. 109967 [0005] Embodiments disclosed herein describe fracturing methods and systems that maintain a substantially constant pressure differential between an inner diameter of a tool and an annulus. In embodiments, once a tool is activated, multiple pressure zones with different pressures may be created. A first pressure zone may be created within the inner diameter of the tool, which may be in a position between packers, a second pressure zone may be created outside of the tool between two sealing packers, and a third pressure zone may be created outside of the sealing packers and outside the tool. Responsive to deactivating the tool, the multiple pressure zones may have equal pressures. [0006] In embodiments, a tool may include an upper packer, a lower packer, a vent, a vent hole, a central gate, a valve, and a flow activated valve with a debris filter. [0007] In a first mode, the tool may be deactivated to equalize the pressure across different zones associated with the tool. While in the first mode, fluid may flow through the tool. The fluid flowing through the tool may activate the flow activated valve and the upper packer, lower packer, and gate, which may place the tool in a second mode. When the flow activated valve is activated, upper packer and the lower packer are activated thereafter, causing the first pressure zone may be created, the second pressure zone may be created, and the third pressure zone may be created. The pressure within the first pressure zone may correlate with the pressure within the second pressure zone. [0008] Responsive to ceasing the fluid flow through the inner diameter of the tool, the tool may return to the first mode from the second mode. Furthermore, when ceasing the fluid flow through the inner diameter of the tool, the flow activated valve may be deactivated to eliminate residual pressure, which may maintain the tool in the second mode. [0009] In embodiments, if pressure within a third pressure zone positioned below the tool and the lower packer is lower than the pressure within the first pressure zone and/ or the second pressure zone, the flow activated valve may not be able to be deactivated. To alleviate this potential issue, the vent 2 AT'wo 2018/052624~T NUMBER COMITT1020-1PCT PCT /0S2017 /04 7063 ,TI ON Customer No. 109967 is configured to directly connect a treating annulus pressure associated with the first pressure zone and the second pressure zone with the third pressure zone via the vent hole. Accordingly, due to the positioning of the vent hole below the lower packer and above the flow activated valve, while in the first mode the pressure zones may be in communication with each other to equalize the pressure zones. [0010] In embodiments, responsive to ceasing the fluid flow through the inner diameter of the tool, the gate and the vent may return to their positioning in the first mode based on the pressure within the first pressure zone and the second pressure zone. Furthermore,