Annular Pressure Regulating Diaphragm for Downhole Wellbore Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pressure changes within isolated wellbore annuli due to temperature fluctuations can cause damage to well components and formations, as trapped fluids expand or contract, leading to significant pressure variations that may result in component failure.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of pressure relief devices comprising a tubular member with a housing and an expandable member, where ports allow pressure changes to be compensated by expanding or contracting the expandable member, maintaining a sealed chamber at atmospheric or charged pressure, thereby mitigating pressure-induced damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple barriers (packers, bridge plugs) are disposed in the annular space to seal or isolate zones, then the isolation effectiveness is improved, but the trapped fluid pressure changes can cause damage to well components and formation
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure relief device acts as an intermediary between the isolated annular space and the external environment. It includes a housing with a chamber, an expandable member (such as a balloon or diaphragm) that can expand and contract in response to pressure changes, and a relief mechanism that opens to vent fluid when pressure exceeds a threshold, thereby protecting well components from pressure-induced damage while maintaining zone isolation
Solution Approach 2:
The device changes the pressure parameter within the isolated annular space by allowing controlled venting of fluid when pressure exceeds predetermined thresholds. The expandable member physically expands to occupy space and reduce pressure, and the relief mechanism opens to release fluid, thereby maintaining pressure within safe operating parameters that prevent damage to well components
2Stability of the object's composition
If the trapped fluid pressure is allowed to change freely with temperature fluctuations, then the natural thermal response is maintained, but damage to wellbore components and formation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates a feedback mechanism where the expandable member responds to pressure changes by expanding or contracting, and the relief mechanism opens or closes based on pressure thresholds. When pressure increases due to temperature rise, the expandable member expands and the relief mechanism opens to vent fluid, reducing pressure. When pressure decreases, the expandable member contracts and the relief mechanism closes, allowing pressure to rebuild, thereby maintaining pressure within safe limits while responding to thermal fluctuations
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively distributes pressure changes across the expandable member, reducing the likelihood of damage to wellbore components and formations by maintaining equilibrium pressure, thus protecting the wellbore and tubing from expansion and contraction-related damage.
Implementation Method 1
the fluid trapped or sealed in this isolated zone can expand or contract depending on the temperature of the fluid trapped in the isolated zone. When the temperature increases, such as during production from other zones within in the wellbore, the fluid expands
Implementation Method 2
the pressure relief devices disclosed herein facilitate compensation of the pressure within the isolated wellbore annulus. As pressure in an environment located outside the pressure relief device, referred to herein as an 'outside environment,' such as within an isolated wellbore annulus, increases such as due to an increase in temperature within the outside environment, the resultant increase in pressure is distributed through the port and into the interior of the expandable member causing expansion of the expandable member
Data Source
AI summary
Downhole tools comprise a housing chamber with an expandable member disposed therein. An interior of the expandable member is in fluid communication with an outside environment so that hydrostatic pressure can act on an inner wall surface of the expandable member. The outer wall surface of the expandable member partially defines a sealed chamber within the housing chamber such that expansion of the expandable member due to an increase in hydrostatic pressure causes the volume within the sealed chamber to decrease, thereby energizing the sealed chamber. Thus, an increase in hydrostatic pressure within an outside environment is compensated. Further, when the hydrostatic pressure within the outside environment decreases, the energized sealed chamber causes contraction of the expandable member, thereby compensating for the decrease in hydrostatic pressure.