Devices for reducing ball impact into ball seats and methods of reducing ball impact into ball seats

Abstract

Seats for receiving a plug member comprise a tubular member having a seat disposed therein and a fluid flow reduction member that reduces the velocity of the fluid flowing through the tubular member as it approaches the seat so as to reduce the impact of the plug member landing on the seat. The fluid flow reduction member may be disposed on a fluid flow reduction device, such as on an inner wall surface of a sleeved insert, or formed in the inner wall surface of the tubular member. The fluid reduction member can comprise one or more longitudinal channels, one or more apertures, or one or more curved-shaped grooves disposed either on the inner wall surface of the tubular member or on a fluid flow reduction device, such as on an inner wall surface of a sleeved insert disposed within the tubular member.

1 . A seat for receiving a plug member, the seat comprising:
 a tubular member having an inner wall surface defining a bore, the bore being divided into an upper portion and a lower portion;   a seat disposed along the inner wall surface, the seat transitioning the inner wall surface from the upper portion to the lower portion; and   a fluid flow reduction member, the fluid flow reduction member being disposed along the inner wall surface of the tubular member.   
     
     
         2 . The seat of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid flow reduction member comprises at least one groove disposed longitudinal to an axis of the seat, the at least one groove being disposed in the inner wall surface. 
     
     
         3 . The seat of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid flow reduction member comprises a plurality of grooves disposed longitudinal to an axis of the seat, the plurality of grooves being disposed in the inner wall surface. 
     
     
         4 . The seat of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid flow reduction member comprises at least one curved-shaped groove disposed in the inner wall surface. 
     
     
         5 . The seat of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the at least one curved-shaped grooves comprises a spiral-shaped groove. 
     
     
         6 . The seat of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid flow reduction member comprises an insert, the insert comprising a sleeve having a sleeve inner wall surface and a sleeve outer wall surface, the sleeve outer wall surface being in engagement with the inner wall surface of the tubular member, the insert comprising at least one aperture disposed in the sleeve, the at least one aperture providing fluid communication between the sleeve inner wall surface and the sleeve outer wall surface. 
     
     
         7 . The seat of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid flow reduction member comprises an insert, the insert comprising a sleeve having a sleeve inner wall surface and a sleeve outer wall surface, the sleeve outer wall surface being in engagement with the inner wall surface of the tubular member, the insert comprising a plurality of apertures disposed in the sleeve, each of the plurality of apertures providing fluid communication between the sleeve inner wall surface and the sleeve outer wall surface. 
     
     
         8 . The seat of  claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of apertures has an identical size and an identical shape. 
     
     
         9 . The seat of  claim 7 , wherein the sleeve outer wall surface comprises a recess in fluid communication with at least one of the at least one apertures. 
     
     
         10 . The seat of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid flow reduction member is disposed adjacent the seat. 
     
     
         11 . The seat of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid flow reduction member comprises an insert, the insert comprising a sleeve having a sleeve inner wall surface and a sleeve outer wall surface, the sleeve outer wall surface being in engagement with the inner wall surface of the tubular member and the sleeve inner wall surface comprising at least one groove disposed in the sleeve inner wall surface, at least one of the at least one grooves being disposed longitudinally relative to an axis of the sleeve. 
     
     
         12 . The seat of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the at least one grooves extends from an upper end of the insert to a lower end of the insert. 
     
     
         13 . The seat of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the at least one grooves extends does not extend from an upper end of the insert to a lower end of the inert. 
     
     
         14 . The seat of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid flow reduction member comprises an insert, the insert comprising a sleeve having a sleeve inner wall surface and a sleeve outer wall surface, the sleeve outer wall surface being in engagement with the inner wall surface of the tubular member and the sleeve inner wall surface comprising at least one curved-shaped groove disposed in the sleeve inner wall surface, the curved-shape groove. 
     
     
         15 . The seat of  claim 14 , wherein at least one of the at least one curved-shaped grooves comprises a spiral-shaped groove. 
     
     
         16 . A method of restricting fluid flow through a conduit disposed within a wellbore, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) disposing a seat within a conduit;   (b) running the conduit into a wellbore to a desired location;   (c) flowing a fluid through the conduit and the seat, the fluid carrying a plug member toward the seat, the fluid flowing through the conduit above the seat at a first velocity;   (d) flowing the fluid through a fluid flow reduction device disposed above the seat, the fluid flowing through the fluid flow reduction device at a second velocity, the second velocity being slower than the first velocity; and then   (e) landing the plug member on the seat at a plug member velocity that is slower than the first velocity.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein during step (d), the fluid flows through the fluid flow reduction device in a substantially longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein during step (d), the fluid flows through the fluid flow reduction device in a curved direction. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein during step (d), the fluid flows out of an inner bore of the fluid flow reduction device by flowing through a first aperture disposed in a wall of the fluid flow reduction device. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein after the fluid flows out of the inner bore of the fluid flow reduction device through the first aperture, the fluid flows into the inner bore of the fluid flow reduction device by flowing through a second aperture disposed below the first aperture.