Downhole Counter Object with Valve-Triggered Piston Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing technologies for managing frac operations in boreholes are limited by the number of stages that can be addressed in a single object run due to structural issues, which restricts operational efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An object with a housing, a movably received cone, a piston body, a valve to separate hydrostatic pressure, and a trigger to open the valve at a selected count, along with sensors to count features in the borehole, allowing for the flooding of hydrostatic pressure to drive the piston body away from the housing and expand a radially expandable shoulder member to actuate frac sleeves or other tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the number of stages addressed in a single object run is increased, then operational efficiency is improved, but structural limitations are exceeded
Solution Approach 1:
The object is divided into multiple modular components including a housing, cone, piston body, and multiple frac sleeves that can be independently positioned and actuated. This segmentation allows the system to manage multiple stages without requiring a complete redesign of the entire structure, thereby increasing productivity while managing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cone is movably received within the housing, and the piston body is received within the cone, creating a nested arrangement. This nesting allows multiple functional elements to be contained within a compact structure, enabling more stages to be addressed in a single run without proportionally increasing the overall device size or structural complexity.
2Productivity
If more frac sleeves are actuated in a single object run, then the efficiency of the operation is improved, but the structural capacity of the object is exceeded
Solution Approach 1:
The cone is configured to move axially within the housing in response to piston movement, and the frac sleeves are designed to expand radially when actuated. These dynamic movements allow the structure to adapt to the demands of multiple stage actuation without requiring excessive static strength, thereby improving efficiency while respecting structural capacity limits.
Solution Approach 2:
Hydrostatic pressure is used to actuate the piston body, which in turn moves the cone and triggers the frac sleeves. This hydraulic mechanism provides a force multiplication effect, allowing a relatively small structural component to generate the necessary forces for multiple stage actuations without exceeding its structural capacity.
3Productivity
If a single object run manages more stages, then operational efficiency is improved, but the complexity of managing multiple stages increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensors automatically detect and count the frac sleeves as the object moves through the borehole, and the controller automatically actuates the valve at the predetermined count. This self-service automation eliminates the need for complex manual coordination of multiple stages, allowing the system to manage more stages efficiently without proportionally increasing operational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Sensors provide real-time feedback on the position and status of frac sleeves, and the controller uses this feedback to determine when to actuate the valve. This feedback mechanism ensures precise control over multiple stage actuation, enabling the system to manage complex multi-stage operations with simplified control logic.
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
This solution enables efficient counting and actuation of multiple frac sleeves or tools in a borehole, enhancing the operational efficiency of frac operations by allowing more stages to be managed in a single run.
Implementation Method 1
a valve (42) disposed as a part of the object and separating hydrostatic pressure from pressure at an interface (26) between the housing (12) and the piston body (18)
Implementation Method 2
moving a radially expandable shoulder member (58) toward a larger diameter end of the cone (22)
Data Source
AI summary
An object including a housing, a cone movably received in the housing, a piston body attached to the cone, a valve disposed as a part of the object and separating hydrostatic pressure from pressure at an interface between the housing and the piston body, and a trigger configured to open the valve at a selected circumstance. A method for moving a selected downhole tool including running an object into a borehole, counting features in the borehole using a sensor in the object, opening the valve at a selected count, flooding the interface with hydrostatic pressure, driving the piston body away from the housing, and moving a radially expandable shoulder member toward a larger diameter end of the cone. A borehole system including a borehole in a subsurface formation, a string disposed in the borehole, and an object disposed within or as a part of the string.