Circulation Sleeve Radial Pressure Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current tools for preparing long boreholes in the resource recovery industry require multiple tools and actions, leading to slow and costly processes, with existing circulation tools limited in efficiency and versatility, especially in handling contingency operations.
Innovation Solution
A circulation sleeve design featuring a housing and mandrel configuration that responds to radial pressure and fluid flow rate to expose or retract a treatment port, enabling multiple actuations and positions within a wellbore system, including optional seals and a check valve for enhanced performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple tools are run and installed individually in long boreholes, then each tool can be properly installed and operated, but the process becomes excruciatingly slow and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple tools and functions into a single integrated assembly that can be run and installed together in one trip down the borehole. The circulation sleeve serves as a hub that integrates multiple tools, allowing them to be deployed simultaneously rather than individually, thereby dramatically improving installation speed while maintaining operational reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The circulation sleeve is designed with multi-functionality, capable of enabling more than one actuation and serving multiple operational purposes. It can operate in different positions to effect various actuations of other tools, providing universal functionality that replaces multiple specialized tools and reduces the need for repeated trips.
2Productivity
If circulation tools are designed to operate in multiple positions for different actuations, then operational efficiency improves, but the tools remain limited and cannot account for contingency operations
Solution Approach 1:
The circulation sleeve is designed with dynamic positioning capability, allowing it to be moved to different positions along the mandrel depending on operational needs. The sleeve can be positioned to expose different treatment ports or maintain different flow paths, enabling adaptive response to various operational scenarios including contingencies. This dynamic adjustability provides both efficiency for routine operations and versatility for unexpected situations.
3Extent of automation
If a circulation sleeve allows fluid flow through the mandrel to actuate tools, then tool actuation is enabled, but pressure events from other tools cannot affect the sleeve
Solution Approach 1:
The circulation sleeve incorporates segmentation through separate flow paths and isolated chambers. The mandrel contains an inside diameter flow path for actuating the sleeve, while treatment ports provide separate paths for treating formations. This segmentation isolates pressure events from different sources, allowing the sleeve to be actuated by controlled fluid flow while remaining unaffected by pressure events from other tools operating in the system.
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
Enables efficient and versatile one-trip operations in wellbore systems, allowing multiple circulation events and pressure activations without affecting the sleeve, improving operational efficiency and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
respond to fluid flow rate within the mandrel to move the housing to a position relative to the mandrel where the treatment port is disposed within the housing
Implementation Method 2
respond to pressure applied to the sleeve from radially outward of the housing by moving the housing to a position relative to the mandrel where a treatment port through a radial wall of the mandrel is exposed outside of the housing
Data Source
AI summary
A circulation sleeve including a housing, a mandrel disposed at least partially within the housing, the mandrel and the housing together configured to respond to pressure applied to the sleeve from radially outward of the housing by moving the housing to a position relative to the mandrel where a treatment port through a radial wall of the mandrel is exposed outside of the housing and to respond to fluid flow rate within the mandrel to move the housing to a position relative to the mandrel where the treatment port is disposed within the housing.