Hydraulic Delay Toe Valve for Staged Wellbore Injection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current time delay tools for injecting pressured fluid into geologic formations lack controlled and repeatable operation, often resulting in uncontrolled opening, inability to open multiple tools simultaneously, and reliability issues due to complex construction and leakage, and fail to withstand the torsional loads of wellbore casings.
Innovation Solution
A controlled time delay apparatus featuring a housing with openings, a piston, a stacked delay restrictor, and a high pressure chamber with hydraulic fluid, allowing the piston to travel for a customized actuation time period before opening the ports for fluid injection, enabling reliable and repeatable operation, and capable of opening multiple tools in a staged manner.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If current time delay tools are used for fluid injection, then fluid injection can be delayed, but the opening is uncontrolled and not repeatable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a hydraulic system with a piston, hydraulic fluid, and delay restrictor to control the opening mechanism. The hydraulic fluid passes through the delay restrictor to move the piston in a controlled manner, providing both time delay and controlled opening motion, thereby achieving repeatable and reliable operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent controls the opening process by changing the flow rate parameter of hydraulic fluid through the delay restrictor. By adjusting the restrictor characteristics, the piston movement speed and opening time can be precisely controlled, ensuring repeatable and reliable time delay performance.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple tools need to be opened to formation, then more injection points are available, but pump pressure cannot reach all tools due to pressure loss at first tool
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a time delay mechanism to open multiple tools in a staged sequence. The first tool opens after a predetermined delay, allowing pressure to build up, then the second tool opens after another delay period. This preliminary timing arrangement ensures pump pressure can reach all tools sequentially without being depleted by simultaneous opening.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic opening action where tools are opened at different time intervals rather than simultaneously. The delay restrictors create periodic opening events, allowing pressure recovery between openings, enabling multiple tools to be opened with available pump pressure.
3Ease of manufacture
If valve is constructed with multiple segments and connections, then assembly is easier, but the valve cannot withstand torsional loads and has increased leakage propensity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple valve segments into a single integrated valve body constructed from a one-piece mandrel. This consolidation eliminates weak connection points while maintaining ease of manufacture through mandrel-based fabrication, thereby achieving both manufacturability and high strength to withstand torsional loads.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve body is constructed as a composite structure using a one-piece mandrel that integrates multiple functional components. This composite approach provides enhanced mechanical strength and torsional load resistance while maintaining assembly efficiency through the mandrel construction method.
4Speed
If piston opens instantly without control, then opening time is short, but the opening is uncontrolled and causes reliability issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a hydraulic control system where hydraulic fluid passes through a delay restrictor to move the piston. This hydraulic arrangement provides controlled opening speed while maintaining reliability, as the restrictor regulates fluid flow to the piston chamber, ensuring controlled and repeatable piston movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces hydraulic fluid as an intermediary between the pressure source and the piston. The fluid acts as a mediator that transmits pressure in a controlled manner through the delay restrictor, enabling controlled piston opening while maintaining system reliability and repeatable operation.
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 apparatus provides a reliable, repeatable, and controlled time delay for fluid injection, allowing multiple tools to open simultaneously, improving the connection to the formation and reducing leakage, while withstanding the torsional loads of wellbore casings.
Implementation Method 1
a rate of travel of the piston is restrained by passage of the hydraulic fluid from the high pressure chamber into the low pressure chamber through the stacked delay restrictor
Implementation Method 2
upon actuation by the actuating device, the piston travels for an actuation time period
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An apparatus and method for providing a time delay in injection of pressured fluid into a geologic formation. In one aspect the invention is a toe valve activated by fluid pressure that opens ports after a predetermined time interval to allow fluid to pass from a well casing to a formation. The controlled time delay enables casing integrity testing before fluid is passed through the ports. This time delay also allows multiple valves to be used in the same well casing and provide a focused jetting action to better penetrate a concrete casing lining.