Plug Breaker Soft-Open Preventer for Reliable Downhole Activation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing downhole tools activated by pressure can fail to activate at the intended pressure due to slow pressure increase, leading to potential well damage or tool misactivation, particularly with frangible plugs and sleeves, as they may not break or move properly if pressure is applied too slowly or unevenly.
Innovation Solution
A soft open preventer system that includes a preventer tubular, channel system, and downhole tool, where the preventer system ensures activation only occurs at a predetermined threshold pressure, allowing the tool to experience well pressure after the valve opens, using a pressure applier to activate the channel release and a preventer release element to break, ensuring the tool activates only when the desired pressure differential or absolute pressure is reached.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If pressure is applied slowly to activate the downhole tool, then the pressure increase is gradual and controlled, but the tool may not activate at the intended pressure due to insufficient force to break the frangible plug or move the sleeve
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by using a counter mechanism to count pressure cycles before allowing tool activation. The counter must reach a predetermined number of cycles (e.g., 5 cycles) before the sleeve can move or the frangible plug can break. This ensures that pressure is applied repeatedly at the intended activation pressure, building sufficient cumulative force while maintaining gradual pressure control, thereby resolving the contradiction between controlled pressure increase and reliable activation.
2Speed
If a single pressure spike is used to activate the tool, then activation can occur quickly, but the tool may not activate at the correct predetermined pressure if the pressure spike is too gradual
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action through a counter mechanism that requires a predetermined number of pressure cycles (e.g., 5 cycles) before tool activation occurs. Each cycle represents a periodic pressure application at the intended activation pressure. This periodic repetition ensures both that the pressure reaches the correct predetermined value (measurement precision) and that activation occurs with sufficient speed after the cycles are complete, resolving the contradiction between activation speed and pressure precision.
3Reliability
If the shear element is mistuned or the well conditions differ from expectations, then the shear element may shear at the wrong pressure or the breaker may not have enough force to impact the plug, but increasing pressure to compensate may damage the well or activate other tools at higher pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action through a counter mechanism that counts a predetermined number of pressure cycles (e.g., 5 cycles) before allowing tool activation. This preliminary counting ensures that activation only occurs after the pressure has been applied repeatedly at the correct predetermined pressure, compensating for potential shear element mistuning or varying well conditions. The multiple cycles build sufficient cumulative force reliably, eliminating the need to increase pressure to compensate for uncertainty, thereby preventing well damage while ensuring accurate activation pressure.
4Reliability
If the frangible plug breaks slowly due to insufficient force, then a soft open occurs rather than a normal quick opening, but it becomes much harder to break the plug subsequently as there is no moving distance to build up speed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action by requiring a predetermined number of pressure cycles (e.g., 5 cycles) before tool activation. Each cycle applies pressure at the intended activation pressure, and the repetitive cyclic loading builds cumulative force and movement distance. This ensures that when the frangible plug finally breaks, it occurs with sufficient impact force for a normal quick opening rather than a soft open, as the periodic cycles have prepared the system with adequate energy and movement, thereby resolving the contradiction between breaking reliability and impact force.
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
Ensures reliable activation of downhole tools like frangible plugs and sleeves by preventing premature activation, allowing multiple cycles of pressure application before breaking, reducing the risk of well damage and ensuring consistent tool operation.
Implementation Method 1
the preventer release element is arranged such that when a threshold absolute pressure or pressure differential is applied to the preventer release element, the preventer release element breaks activating the soft open preventer
Implementation Method 2
when subjected to point forces, such as can be provided by a knife edge or round surface (herein referred to as a breaker), they will shatter and break into small pieces and leave the pipe open
Data Source
AI summary
A soft open preventer system including: a preventer tubular, a soft open preventer, a channel system, and a downhole tool. The soft open preventer includes a preventer support and a preventer release element. The channel system includes a channel, a channel release, and pressure applier. The downhole tool includes a tool release element. The soft open preventer, the downhole tool, and the channel system is arranged at least partially in the preventer tubular. The soft open preventer is arranged such that the downhole tool will not activate before the soft open preventer activates. The pressure applier is arranged to activate the channel release, the channel release is arranged to allow pressure to increase in the channel, and the channel is in fluid contact with at least a portion of the preventer support. The preventer release element supports the preventer support and is arranged such that when a threshold absolute pressure or pressure differential is applied to the preventer release element, the preventer release element breaks activating the soft open preventer. This allows the preventer support to move. The preventer system is arranged such that activation of the soft open preventer will allow the activation of the downhole tool.