US-20210102440-A1 - HYDRAULIC CONTROL SYSTEM FOR INDEX DOWNHOLE VALVES

US20210102440A1US 20210102440 A1US20210102440 A1US 20210102440A1US-20210102440-A1

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling a control valve. A primary line is pressurized to move according to an operating sequence to move a first piston within a first housing from a reset position to a close position such that a first control valve is switched to a closed state. The primary line is pressurized according to the operating sequence to move the first piston within the first housing from the close position to an open position such that the first control valve is switched to an open state. The secondary line is pressurized according to the operating sequence to move the first piston within the first housing back into the reset position.

Inventors

MINASSA LORENZZO BREDA
JOUBRAN JONATHAN

Assignees

HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES INC

Dates

Publication Date: 20210408
Application Date: 20180523
Priority Date: 20180523

Claims (20)

1 . An apparatus comprising: a first housing; a first piston located within the first housing and movable within the first housing between a reset position, a close position, and an open position; a first plurality of seals fixedly attached to the first piston such that the first plurality of seals defines a first plurality of chambers between the first piston and the first housing; a primary line fluidly connected to the first plurality of chambers, wherein pressurization of the primary line according to an operating sequence moves the first piston from the reset position into the close position; and wherein pressurization of the primary line according to the operating sequence moves the first piston from the close position into the open position; and a secondary line fluidly connected to the first plurality of chambers, wherein pressurization of the secondary line according to the operating sequence moves the first piston back into the reset position.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of seals includes four seals that define five chambers between the first piston and the first housing.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising: a first control valve, wherein pressurizing the primary line according to the operating sequence moves the first piston from the reset position into the close position such that the first control valve is switched to a closed state; wherein pressurizing the primary line according to the operating sequence moves the first piston from the close position into the open position such that the first control valve is switched to an open state; and wherein movement of the first piston into the reset position enables the first piston to be later moved back into the close position to switch the first control valve back to the closed state.
4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein pressurizing the primary line according to the operating sequence moves the first piston from the reset position to a blank position before moving the first piston into the close position and wherein moving the first piston into the blank position does not change a state of the first control valve.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising: an open line; and a close line, wherein the open line and the close line are in fluid communication with a same chamber of the first plurality of chambers within the first housing when the first piston is in the reset position and wherein the open line and the close line are in fluid communication with different chambers of the first plurality of chambers within the first housing when the first piston is in the close position and the open position.
6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of chambers comprises: an index chamber; a control chamber; a first auxiliary chamber; a second auxiliary chamber; and a reset chamber between the first piston and the first housing.
7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the index chamber and the control chamber are in fluid communication through a first channel within the first piston.
8 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first auxiliary chamber and the second auxiliary chamber are in fluid communication through a second channel within the first piston.
9 . The apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising: a metering system fluidly connected to the secondary line, wherein hydraulic fluid moves from the reset chamber into the metering system when the first piston is moved in a first direction within the first housing; and wherein the hydraulic fluid moves from the metering system back into the reset chamber when the first piston is moved in a second direction opposite the first direction within the first housing to thereby reset the first piston.
10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the metering system includes a second housing, a second piston located within the second housing, a pilot valve, and a check valve.
11 . The apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising: a relief valve in fluid communication with the primary line and the index chamber, wherein the relief valve controls a flow of hydraulic fluid from the primary line into the index chamber to thereby control movement of the first piston.
12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising: an outlet relief valve that allows hydraulic fluid to move from within the first housing into the secondary line.
13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising: a second housing; a second piston located within the second housing and movable within the second housing between the reset position, the close position, and the open position; and a second plurality of seals fixedly attached to the second piston such that the second plurality of seals defines a second plurality of chambers between the second piston and the second housing.
14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the primary line and the secondary line are fluidly connected to the second plurality of chambers, and further comprising: a first control valve, wherein moving the first piston into the close position switches the first control valve to a closed state; and wherein moving the first piston from the close position into the open position switches the first control valve to an open state; and a second control valve, wherein pressurizing the secondary line according to the operating sequence moves the second piston from the reset position to the close position such that the second control valve is switched to the closed state; wherein pressurizing the secondary line according to the operating sequence moves the second piston from the close position to the open position such that the second control valve is switched to the open state; and wherein pressurizing the primary line according to the operating sequence moves the second piston into the reset position.
15 . A method comprising: pressurizing a primary line according to an operating sequence to move a first piston within a first housing from a reset position to a close position such that a first control valve is switched to a closed state; pressurizing the primary line according to the operating sequence to move the first piston within the first housing from the close position to an open position such that the first control valve is switched to an open state; and pressurizing a secondary line according to the operating sequence to move the first piston within the first housing back into the reset position.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein pressurizing the primary line according to the operating sequence to move the first piston within the first housing from the reset position to the close position comprises: pressurizing the primary line in at least a first pressure cycle to move the first piston in a first direction within the first housing into the close position such that a close line that is in fluid communication with the first control valve is also in fluid communication with a control chamber that is defined between the first piston and the first housing.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein pressurizing the primary line according to the operating sequence to move the first piston within the first housing from the close position to the open position comprises: pressurizing the primary line in a second pressure cycle to move the first piston in a first direction within a housing into an open position such that an open line that is in fluid communication with the first control valve is also in fluid communication with a control chamber that is defined between the first piston and the first housing.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein pressurizing the secondary line comprises: pressurizing the secondary line in a third pressure cycle to move the first piston in a second direction within the first housing from a blank position, the close position, or the open position back into the reset position.
19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein pressurizing the secondary line causes a second piston within a second housing to move from the reset position to a blank position within a same pressure cycle that the first piston is moved back into the reset position.
20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising: pressurizing the secondary line in at least a first pressure cycle according to the operating sequence to move the second piston within the second housing from the reset position to the close position such that a second control valve is switched to the closed state; pressurizing the secondary line in a second pressure cycle according to the operating sequence to move the second piston within the second housing from the close position to the open position such that the second control valve is switched to the open state; and pressurizing the primary line in a third pressure cycle according to the operating sequence to move the second piston within the second housing back into the reset position and to move the first piston from the reset position into the blank position.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is related to International Patent Application No. ______, filed May 23, 2018, bearing Attorney Docket No. 7523.1941WO02, and entitled “Dual Line Hydraulic Control System to Operate Multiple Downhole Valves,” the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to an apparatus and method for controlling one or more valves, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for hydraulically opening and closing one or more control valves using at least one index piston that is moved into a plurality of index positions using a primary hydraulic line and a secondary hydraulic line that extend to the surface of a well. BACKGROUND Different types of control valves are used in wellbores to control the flow of fluid into and out of an oil and gas reservoir. A control valve may be, for example, an isolation valve, an internal control valve, or some other type of valve. Isolation valves are typically used downhole to isolate an oil and gas reservoir from the production string. Isolation valves may be used in a broad range of applications including, but not limited to, fluid loss control, underbalanced perforating, well control barrier operations, lubrication, and multi-zone isolation. Interval control valves may be used to provide remote zonal flow control by choking, permitting, or preventing fluid production or fluid injection from or into the oil and gas reservoir. Controlling a control valve may include, for example, opening and closing the control valve. Typically, control valves are controlled using mechanical systems. For example, a control valve in a well completion system may include a J-slot mechanism that controls the opening and closing of the control valve. A J-slot mechanism may include a track for an actuating cam or pin that may combine rotation and up or down movement to control the opening and closing of a control valve. In some cases, the parts used in mechanical systems may not have the longevity or service life desired when used for controlling control valves in wellbores. Further, some currently available mechanical systems may not provide the flexibility desired when controlling the state of a control valve. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Various embodiments of the present disclosure will be understood more fully from the detailed description given below and from the accompanying drawings of various embodiments of the disclosure. In the drawings, like reference numbers may indicate identical or functionally similar elements. FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an offshore oil and gas platform coupled to a set of control valves and a control system for the set of control valves, according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the control system for the set of control valves, according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a portion of the control system from FIG. 2 that includes the first controller and the first control valve, according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a configuration of the first controller and the first control valve of FIG. 3 during a first pressure cycle of an operating sequence, according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of another configuration of the first controller and the first control valve of FIG. 3 during the first pressure cycle of the operating sequence, according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of yet another configuration of the first controller and the first control valve of FIG. 3 during the first pressure cycle of the operating sequence, according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of yet another configuration of the first controller and the first control valve of FIG. 3 during the first pressure cycle of the operating sequence, according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of yet another configuration of the first controller and the first control valve of FIG. 3 during a second pressure cycle of the operating sequence, according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of yet another configuration of the first controller and the first control valve of FIG. 3 during the second pressure cycle of the operating sequence, according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of yet another configuration of the first controller and the first control valve of FIG. 3 during a third pressure cycle of the operating sequence, according to an example embodiment; FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of yet another configuration of the first controller and the first control valve of FIG. 3 during the third pressure cycle of the opera