Assembly for Actuating a Downhole Tool

Abstract

A valve seat assembly for actuating a connected downhole tool. The connected downhole tool may be mechanically connected, such as a sleeve positionable between flow ports through a housing, or hydraulically connected, such as through establishing a fluid communication path to the tool to cause actuation thereof. The valve seat assembly generally has a seating element with an having an inlet and an outlet; and a counting element configured to keep a tally of the number times a first pressure at the inlet exceeds a second pressure at the outlet by at least a pre-determined amount.

1 . A valve seat assembly for use in a well for oil, gas or other hydrocarbons, said valve assembly comprising:
 a seating element having an inlet and an outlet; and   a counting element;   wherein said counting element is configured to keep a tally of the number times a first pressure at the inlet exceeds a second pressure at the outlet by at least a pre-determined amount.   
     
     
         2 . The valve assembly of  claim 1  further comprising an initiation element configured to prevent said counting element from keeping said tally until after such initiation element is actuated. 
     
     
         3 . The valve assembly of  claim 1  further comprising an activation element, wherein said activation element is configured to actuate a downhole tool when said tally reaches a desired number. 
     
     
         4 . The valve assembly of  claim 1  further comprising:
 an restrictor element with a resilient portion having a first shape when no more than a first pressure differential is applied across said engaging element in a direction and a second shape when a second pressure differential is applied across the restrictor element in the direction; 
 wherein said restrictor element is engagable with the first seating element to substantially prevent fluid communication through said sealing section when a pressure differential is applied to the restrictor element that is less than the first pressure differential; and 
 wherein said restrictor element is extrudable through said seating element without substantial permanent deformation by applying at least the second pressure differential. 
 
     
     
         5 . The valve seat assembly of  claim 1  wherein said seating element comprises:
 a plurality of seat segments interconnected with at least one elastomeric member, and wherein said seating element is moveable between a first section of a housing, said first section having a first inner diameter, and said housing further comprises a second section downwell from said first section and having a second inner diameter greater than said first inner diameter; and 
 wherein said first inner diameter is sized to prevent expansion of said expandable sleeve when said expandable sleeve is positioned in said first section, and said second inner diameter is sized to allow expansion of said expandable sleeve when said expandable sleeve is in said second section. 
 
     
     
         6 . The valve seat assembly of  claim 1  further comprising:
 an annular sleeve having an inner surface with a diameter, a first cylindrical outer surface, and a plurality of openings extending between said inner surface and said first cylindrical outer surface, wherein said annular sleeve further comprises a second cylindrical outer surface having a different diameter than the first cylindrical outer surface; 
 wherein said seating element comprises a first C-ring having a body with a seating surface, opposing terminal ends, and an outer diameter extending from the body, wherein the first C-ring is at least partially within the inner surface of the sleeve; and 
 a coil spring positioned around a portion of the sleeve and in an annular space at least partially defined by an annular body and the second cylindrical outer surface. 
 
     
     
         7 . The valve assembly of  claim 1  wherein said counting element comprises a slotted sleeve. 
     
     
         8 . The valve assembly of  claim 1  wherein said counting element comprises a slotted sleeve having a plurality of neutral positions, a plurality of shifted positions, and at least one actuated position. 
     
     
         9 . A valve assembly for use in a well for oil, gas or other hydrocarbons, said valve assembly comprising:
 a seating element, said seating element comprising an inlet and an outlet; and   a counting element;   wherein said counting element is configured to keep a tally of restrictor elements of a desired size range and deformability range that pass through said seating element.   
     
     
         10 . The valve assembly of  claim 7  further comprising an initiation element, said initiation element configured to prevent said counting element from keeping said tally until after such initiation element is actuated. 
     
     
         11 . The valve seat assembly of  claim 7  further comprising an activation element, wherein said activation element is configured to actuate a downhole tool when said tally reaches a desired number. 
     
     
         12 . A valve seat assembly for use in a well for oil, gas or other hydrocarbons, said valve seat assembly comprising:
 a path for the flow of fluids through the valve seat assembly;   a seating element configured to receive a restrictor element and thereby reduce or eliminate the flow of fluids through the path;   a guide element comprising:
 a counting element configured to keep a tally of restrictor elements having desired characteristics that pass through said seating element, and 
 an activation element, 
 wherein when said tally reaches a predetermined value, said activation element is actuated and said valve assembly actuates a tool in communication with said assembly. 
   
     
     
         13 . The valve assembly of  claim 10  wherein said counting element is a slotted sleeve. 
     
     
         14 . The valve assembly of  claim 10  where said initiation element is a shear pin. 
     
     
         15 . A valve assembly for use with a downhole tool, said valve assembly comprising:
 a seating element, said seating element comprising an inlet and an outlet, and   a guide element having a counting member;   wherein said seating element is configured to engage a restrictor element and thereby reduce or prevent the flow of fluid from said inlet to said outlet,   said seating element is engaged with said guide element such that said guide element is configured to prevent actuation of said tool through a first cycle of pressure increase and decrease; and   said guide element is configured to permit actuation of said tool during an activation cycle, which occurs subsequent to said initiation cycle.   
     
     
         16 . The valve assembly of  claim 13  further comprising a plurality of restrictor elements. 
     
     
         17 . The valve assembly of  claim 13  wherein said guide element is configured to prevent actuation of said tool through a plurality of indexing cycles. 
     
     
         18 . A downhole tool for use in a production well having a tubing string defining a flowpath, the downhole tool comprising:
 a ported housing having a plurality of ports disposed radially therethrough;   a sleeve at least partially within said ported housing and moveable between a first position and a second position, wherein in said first position said sleeve is radially positioned between said plurality of ports and said flowpath, said sleeve having an upper end, an exterior surface, a slot formed in said exterior surface, and an engagement surface having a first inner diameter;   a guiding member fixed relative to said housing and positionable within said slot; and   a compression spring positioned between said upper end of said sleeve and said ported housing, said compression spring being under compression when said sleeve is in said first position.   
     
     
         19 . The downhole tool of  claim 16  further comprising:
 a C-ring having first and second terminal ends defining a split and a plurality of radially-extending protrusions, said C-ring being moveable between a compressed state, wherein the ends of the C-ring are in contact to form a closed seat, and an uncompressed state; 
 wherein said sleeve has an interior surface, an exterior surface, and a groove formed in said interior surface with a plurality of openings extending between said interior and exterior surfaces, said openings aligned to receive with said plurality of radially extending protrusions; 
 wherein said housing has a first inside diameter and a second inside diameter that is larger than said first inside diameter; 
 wherein when said groove is positioned within said first inside diameter, said protrusions hold said C-ring in an at least substantially compressed state; and 
 wherein when said groove is positioned within said second inside diameter, the C-ring is in an at least substantially uncompressed state. 
 
     
     
         20 . The downhole tool of  claim 17  further comprising:
 a propellant volume; 
 an annular portion with at least one pressure chamber having an end positioned adjacent to said propellant volume and an inlet providing a communication path to said flowpath; 
 at least one detonator assembly within said at least one pressure chamber proximal to said end; 
 at least one firing pin within said at least one pressure chamber, said at least one firing pin having a first end pressure isolated from a second end; 
 a second section having a plurality of flow ports defining a fluid communication path between said flowpath and the exterior of the downhole tool; 
 wherein said sleeve is moveable between a first position and a second position, wherein in said first position said sleeve assembly is between said plurality of flow ports and said flowpath and between the inlet of said at least one pressure chamber and said flowpath. 
 
     
     
         21 . A system for producing hydrocarbons from a well wherein the downhole tool of  claim 16  is positioned as a bottom sub. 
     
     
         22 . A valve seat assembly for use in a well for oil, gas or other hydrocarbons, said valve assembly comprising:
 a seating element having an inlet and an outlet; and   a guide element;   wherein said guide element is configured to reflect the number times a first pressure at the inlet exceeds a second pressure at the outlet by at least a pre-determined amount.   
     
     
         23 . The valve seat assembly of  claim 22 , said guide element further comprises a timing element wherein said timing element causes actuation of a tool when the number of times said first pressure exceeds said second pressure by at least a pre-determined value reaches a desired number. 
     
     
         24 . The valve seat assembly of  claim 22 , said guide element further comprises a timing element wherein said timing element allows actuation of a tool when the number of times said first pressure exceeds said second pressure by at least a pre-determined value reaches a desired number. 
     
     
         25 . An assembly for actuating a downhole tool in a production well having a tubing string defining a flowpath, the assembly comprising:
 a housing;   an annular body at least partially within said housing and moveable between a first position and a second position, said annular body having an upper end, a lower end, an exterior surface, a slot formed in said exterior surface;   a guiding member fixed relative to said housing and positionable within said slot; and   a spring positioned between said upper end of said annular body and said housing, said spring being under compression when said annular body is in said first position;   wherein said slot has a continuous path between a first and second end formed of intersecting segments forming a repeated pattern of circumferentially-aligned first positions and circumferentially-aligned second positions positioned between said first end and said second end, and wherein the first end intersects one of said first positions and said second end is positioned longitudinally between said first positions and said lower end of said annular body.   
     
     
         26 . The assembly of  claim 25  wherein said annular body is a sleeve having a seating element with an engagement surface having an inner diameter sized to engage with a corresponding restrictor element. 
     
     
         27 . The assembly of  claim 25  wherein said annular body is a slotted member fixed relative to a seating element with an engagement surface having an inner diameter sized to engage with a corresponding restrictor element.