US2016032690A1PendingUtilityA1

Actuating Apparatus

42
Assignee: PETROWELL LTDPriority: Mar 15, 2013Filed: Mar 14, 2014Published: Feb 4, 2016
Est. expiryMar 15, 2033(~6.7 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Damien Gerard Patton
E21B 34/10E21B 41/00E21B 34/06E21B 23/08E21B 34/142E21B 43/26
42
PatentIndex Score
0
Cited by
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References
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Claims

Abstract

A downhole actuating apparatus ( 10 ) comprising a body ( 12 ), an object ( 14 ) provided on the body, and a sealing arrangement ( 30 ) provided on the body and axially spaced from the object. In use, the apparatus ( 10 ) is deployed downhole until the object ( 14 ) engages an obstacle ( 44 ). The sealing arrangement is configured to provide protection for the object during deployment of the apparatus and/or while the apparatus is engaged with the obstacle.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A downhole actuating apparatus comprising:
 a body,   an object provided on the body, and   a sealing arrangement provided on the body and axially spaced from the object.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to engage an obstacle. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein in use, the object engages the obstacle, and the sealing arrangement is operable to provide protection for the object. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing arrangement is engageable with an internal surface of a bore or an internal surface of a downhole tool to provide sealing contact therewith. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least two of the body, object and sealing arrangement are provided as separate components. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein at least two of the body, object and sealing arrangement are provided as a unitary component. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the object is mounted towards or at a leading end of the apparatus and the sealing arrangement is mounted towards or at a trailing end of the apparatus. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the object is mounted towards or at a trailing end of the apparatus and the sealing arrangement is mounted towards or at a leading end of the apparatus. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the object is provided on the body on a leading side of the seal arrangement. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the object defines a profile for engaging an obstacle. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least part of the object comprises a substantially spherical surface. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the object comprises a ball. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the object comprises a cavity extending at least partially through the object. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cavity is provided for mounting the object on the body. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the body is substantially elongate so as to provide axial separation between the object and the sealing arrangement. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing arrangement is provided or mounted on a support member. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claims 1 , wherein the sealing arrangement defines or comprises a sealing element. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the sealing element extends at least partially around the support member. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the sealing element comprises a cup. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing arrangement comprises a compliant portion. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing arrangement comprises a plurality of sealing elements. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the sealing elements are axially spaced from each other. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein in use, the apparatus provides or establishes a flow diversion. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein in use, the apparatus provides or establishes a flow block. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein in use, the apparatus actuates a downhole tool. 
     
     
         26 . A downhole method, comprising:
 deploying an apparatus downhole, wherein the apparatus comprises a body, an object provided on the body, and a sealing arrangement provided on the body and axially spaced from the object,   engaging the object with a downhole obstacle, and   establishing a seal with the sealing arrangement which is axially spaced from the object.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , comprising establishing the seal to provide protection for the object. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the sealing arrangement comprises a sealing element which establishes sealing contact with an internal surface of a bore or downhole tool. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , comprising applying pressure on the sealing element to increase the sealing force applied by the sealing element. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , comprising providing a plurality of sealing elements. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 26 , comprising using the apparatus to establish a flow diversion. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 26 , comprising configuring the apparatus to divert flow from a first flow path to second flow path. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , comprising at least partially occluding the first flow path and revealing the second flow path. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 26 , comprising configuring the sealing arrangement to provide a flow barrier or diverter. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 26 , comprising configuring the object to provide a flow barrier or diverter. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 26 , comprising actuating a downhole tool associated with the obstacle. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , comprising applying a fluid pressure force on the apparatus to actuate the downhole tool. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 38 , comprising actuating the downhole tool to open, close or vary a flow path. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , comprising actuating the downhole tool to provide or establish a flow diversion. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 36 , comprising using the apparatus to actuate a valve. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the valve comprises a valve sleeve. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , comprising using the apparatus to move or actuate the valve sleeve. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 40 , comprising actuating the valve to open, close or vary a flow path. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 40 , comprising actuating the valve to provide a flow diversion. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 36 , comprising using the object to actuate the downhole tool. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 26 , comprising actuating a first downhole tool with the apparatus, and actuating at least a second downhole tool with the first downhole tool. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein at least one of the first and second downhole tools comprises a collet member. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the first downhole tool comprises an indexing tool and the second downhole tool comprises a valve tool. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48 , comprising using the apparatus Cr a separate downhole tool to actuate the indexing tool. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , comprising using a pre-determined number of apparatuses or separate downhole tools to configure the indexing tool from an initial configuration to a final configuration, the final configuration providing actuation of the valve tool or preparing the valve tool to be actuated by the apparatus. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50 , comprising actuating the valve tool such that the valve tool presents an obstacle to restrict passage of a further apparatus or separate downhole tool. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 48 , comprising using the apparatus to actuate the valve tool. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , comprising applying fluid pressure on the apparatus to apply a force on the downhole tool, thereby actuating the valve tool to provide a downhole operation. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53 , comprising configuring the valve tool to provide fluid flow control.

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