Downhole tool having an axial passage and a lateral fluid passage being opened/closed

Abstract

A downhole tool operatively associated with a downhole pump for use in artificial lift applications comprises a body having a throughbore forming an axial flow passage and a plurality of lateral ports forming a lateral flow passage, a valve seat for co-operating with a valve member and a sleeve member. In use, the downhole tool is run into a borehole, such as an oil and/or gas production well borehole, as part of a tubing string, the downhole tool being configured to permit selective axial passage of fluid through the downhole tool while lateral passage of fluid is prevented, the downhole tool being operable to move from the first, closed, configuration to the second, open, configuration in response to the activation event to divert fluid through the lateral flow passage into an annulus between the downhole tool and the borehole.

What we claim is: 
     
         1 . A downhole tool comprising:
 a body having an axial flow passage therethrough, the downhole tool configured to permit selective fluid communication through the axial flow passage; and   a lateral flow passage disposed through the body,   wherein the downhole tool is operable between a first, closed, configuration in which fluid communication through the lateral flow passage is prevented and a second, open, configuration in which fluid communication through the lateral flow passage is permitted, the downhole tool being configured to normally define the first, closed, configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The downhole tool of  claim 1 , comprising a valve arrangement configured to permit selective fluid communication through the axial flow passage. 
     
     
         3 . The downhole tool of  claim 1 , comprising a sleeve member operatively associated with the lateral flow passage, the downhole tool configured so that in the first, closed, configuration, the sleeve member prevents fluid communication through the lateral flow passage and so that in the second, open, configuration the sleeve member permits fluid communication through the lateral flow passage. 
     
     
         4 . The downhole tool of  claim 1 , wherein the downhole tool is operable to move from the first, closed, configuration to the second, open, configuration in response to an activation event. 
     
     
         5 . The downhole tool of  claim 2 , wherein the activation event comprises a fluid pressure force acting on the sleeve member. 
     
     
         6 . The downhole tool of  claim 2 , wherein the fluid pressure force comprises a differential pressure force acting on the sleeve member between fluid uphole of the sleeve member and fluid downhole of the sleeve member. 
     
     
         7 . The downhole tool of  claim 1 , wherein the activation event comprises a fluid pressure force resulting from fluid directed through the axial flow passage from surface or other uphole location. 
     
     
         8 . The downhole tool of  claim 7 , wherein the fluid directed through the axial flow passage from surface or other uphole location comprises a well treatment fluid. 
     
     
         9 . The downhole tool of  claim 1 , wherein the downhole tool is biased towards the first, closed, configuration. 
     
     
         10 . The downhole tool of  claim 9 , wherein the downhole tool is biased towards the first, closed, configuration by a biasing member operatively associated with the sleeve member. 
     
     
         11 . The downhole tool of  claim 10 , wherein the biasing member comprises a spring element. 
     
     
         12 . The downhole tool of  claim 9 , wherein the downhole tool is biased towards the first, closed, configuration, by fluid pressure. 
     
     
         13 . The downhole tool of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve member is configured so that an uphole-directed area of the sleeve member is smaller than a downhole-directed area of the sleeve member. 
     
     
         14 . The downhole tool of  claim 1 , wherein the downhole tool is operatively associated with a downhole pump. 
     
     
         15 . The downhole tool of  claim 14 , wherein the downhole pump comprises a positive displacement pump. 
     
     
         16 . The downhole tool  15 , wherein the downhole pump comprises a progressive cavity pump. 
     
     
         17 . The downhole tool of  claim 14 , wherein the downhole tool is configured to be coupled to the downhole pump. 
     
     
         18 . The downhole tool of  claim 14 , wherein the downhole tool is configured to be coupled to a stator housing of the downhole pump. 
     
     
         19 . The downhole tool of  claim 14 , wherein the downhole tool forms part of a downhole pump assembly comprising the downhole pump. 
     
     
         20 . The downhole tool of  claim 14 , when dependent on  claim 4 , wherein the activation event comprises a fluid pressure force acting on the sleeve member as a result of shut down or a reduction in output from the downhole pump. 
     
     
         21 . The downhole tool of  claim 1 , wherein the valve arrangement is configured to permit fluid passage towards surface or other uphole location via the axial flow passage while preventing back-flow. 
     
     
         22 . The downhole tool of  claim 1 , wherein the valve arrangement comprises a valve seat. 
     
     
         23 . The downhole tool of  claim 22 , wherein the valve seat is formed on, or coupled to, a tubular member forming part of, or which is coupled to, the body of the downhole tool. 
     
     
         24 . The downhole tool of  claim 1 , wherein the valve arrangement comprises, or is operatively associated with, a valve member. 
     
     
         25 . The downhole tool of  claim 24 , wherein the valve member is disposed on or coupled to the downhole pump. 
     
     
         26 . The downhole tool of  claim 24 , wherein the valve member is disposed on a rotor or rod string of the downhole pump, and wherein the valve member is axially moveable relative to the downhole tool in response to fluid flow output from the downhole pump. 
     
     
         27 . The downhole tool of  claim 24 , wherein the valve member is freely axially moveable relative to the body of the downhole tool. 
     
     
         28 . The downhole tool of  claim 24 , wherein the valve member comprises a body portion configured to engage the valve seat. 
     
     
         29 . The downhole tool of  claim 24 , wherein the valve member comprises a centraliser portion formed on, or coupled to, the body portion of the valve member. 
     
     
         30 . The downhole tool of  claim 1 , wherein the lateral flow passage comprises at least one lateral port. 
     
     
         31 . The downhole tool of  claim 30 , wherein the lateral flow passage comprises a plurality of lateral ports. 
     
     
         32 . The downhole tool of  claim 1 , wherein the body of the downhole tool comprises a plurality of components coupled together. 
     
     
         33 . The downhole tool of  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a first body portion defining an upper housing of the downhole tool and a second body portion defining a lower housing of the downhole tool. 
     
     
         34 . The downhole tool of  claim 33 , wherein the lateral flow passage is formed in the first body portion. 
     
     
         35 . The downhole tool of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
 the downhole tool comprises, or is configured to couple to, a top sub for coupling to an adjacent uphole tool or component of a tubing string; and   the downhole tool comprises, or is configured to couple to, a bottom sub for coupling to an adjacent downhole tool or component of a tubing string.   
     
     
         36 . A method comprising:
 providing a downhole tool comprising: a body having an axial flow passage therethrough, the downhole tool configured to permit selective fluid communication through the axial flow passage; and a lateral flow passage disposed through the body; and   operating the downhole tool between a first, closed, configuration in which the sleeve member prevents fluid communication through the lateral flow passage and a second, open, configuration in which the sleeve member permits fluid communication through the lateral flow passage.   
     
     
         37 . A downhole tool comprising:
 a body having an axial flow passage therethrough, the downhole tool configured to permit selective fluid communication through the axial flow passage; and   a lateral flow passage disposed through the body,   wherein the downhole tool is operable between a first, closed, configuration in which the downhole tool prevents fluid communication through the lateral flow passage and a second, open, configuration in which the downhole tool permits fluid communication through the lateral flow passage, and wherein the downhole tool comprises or is operatively associated with a valve member freely axially moveable relative to the body.   
     
     
         38 . A method comprising:
 providing a downhole tool comprising: a body having an axial flow passage therethrough, the downhole tool configured to permit selective fluid communication through the axial flow passage; and a lateral flow passage disposed through the body; and   operating the downhole tool between a first, closed, configuration in which the downhole tool prevents fluid communication through the lateral flow passage and a second, open, configuration in which the downhole tool permits fluid communication through the lateral flow passage,   wherein the downhole tool comprises or is operatively associated with a valve member freely axially moveable relative to the body.   
     
     
         39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . (canceled)