Toe valve housing tracer

Abstract

A toe valve housing one or more of tracer or dye compounds and a method of monitoring the operation of a toe valve. The toe valve has an atmospheric chamber disposed between a sleeve and a pressure barrier and contains one or more of tracer or dye compounds in an amount sufficient to be observed from water or other wellbore fluids when released to the fluids. The tracer compound is released from the atmospheric chamber as a pressure barrier is activated and open. The released tracer or dye compounds can be identified from the water or other wellbore fluids. Also included are methods of monitoring the operation of a toe valve in a wellbore.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A toe valve comprising:
 an internal sub mechanically engaged with first and second subs surrounding a through bore for the toe valve;   a housing being mechanically engaged with the first and second subs and being spaced radially from the internal sub;   a sleeve disposed between the internal sub and the housing, the sleeve being movable axially in response to an application of fluid pressure from a closed position to an open position; and   an atmospheric chamber adjacent the sleeve, the atmospheric chamber containing a tracer or dye compound in an amount sufficient to be observed from water or other wellbore fluids when released to the fluids;   wherein the sleeve is movable between closed and open positions, such that in the closed position, the sleeve prevents fluid communication between the atmospheric chamber and fluids in the through bore, and in the open position, the sleeve allows fluid communication between the atmospheric chamber and fluids in the through bore to release the tracer or dye compound into the fluids.   
     
     
         2 . The toe valve of  claim 1  wherein the first sub defines a portion of the through bore, and the second sub defines another portion of the through bore, the second sub being spaced axially from the first sub. 
     
     
         3 . The toe valve of  claim 1  wherein the first sub defines a portion of the through bore, and the second sub defines another portion of the through bore, the second sub being spaced axially from the first sub. 
     
     
         4 . The toe valve of  claim 1  wherein a pressure barrier is disposed in the first sub, the pressure barrier fluidly communicating with the through bore. 
     
     
         5 . The toe valve of  claim 4  wherein the atmospheric chamber is disposed between the sleeve and the pressure barrier. 
     
     
         6 . The toe valve of  claim 4  wherein the pressure barrier is activated at a predetermined pressure to allow fluid communication between the through bore and the atmospheric chamber and move the sleeve from a closed position to an open position, 
     
     
         7 . The toe valve of  claim 1  wherein each of the internal sub and the housing includes one or more openings. 
     
     
         8 . The toe valve of  claim 7  wherein when the sleeve is in the closed position, the sleeve extends across the one or more openings of the housing and the internal sub, and prevents fluid communication from the atmospheric chamber and the through bore to the fluids via the one or more openings of the housing and the internal sub. 
     
     
         9 . The toe valve of  claim 7  wherein when the sleeve is in the open position, the sleeve shuttles past the one or more openings of the housing and the internal sub, and allows fluid communication from the atmospheric chamber and the through bore to the fluids via the one or more openings of the housing and the internal sub, such that the tracer compound is released to the fluids. 
     
     
         10 . A toe valve comprising:
 a first sub defining a portion of a through bore;   a second sub defining another portion of the through bore, the second sub being spaced axially from the first sub;   an internal sub being mechanically engaged with the first and second subs, such that the through bore is defined axially between the first sub and the second sub;   a housing being mechanically engaged with the first and second subs and being spaced radially spaced from the internal sub;   a sleeve disposed between the internal sub and the housing, the sleeve being movable axially in response to an application of fluid pressure from a closed position to an open position;   a pressure barrier disposed in the first sub, the pressure barrier fluidly communicating with the through bore; and   an atmospheric chamber disposed between the sleeve and the pressure barrier, the atmospheric chamber containing a tracer or dye compound in an amount sufficient to be observed from water or other wellbore fluids when released to the fluids;   wherein each of the internal sub and the housing includes one or more openings;   wherein the pressure barrier is activated at a predetermined pressure to allow fluid communication between the through bore and the atmospheric chamber and move the sleeve from a closed position to an open position,   wherein when the sleeve is in the closed position, the sleeve extends across the one or more openings of the housing and the internal sub, and prevents fluid communication from the atmospheric chamber and the through bore to the fluids via the one or more openings of the housing and the internal sub, and   wherein when the sleeve is in the open position, the sleeve shuttles past the one or more openings of the housing and the internal sub, and allows fluid communication from the atmospheric chamber and the through bore to the fluids via the one or more openings of the housing and the internal sub, such that the tracer compound is released to the fluids.   
     
     
         11 . A method of monitoring of operation of a toe valve, which comprises:
 providing a toe valve according to  claim 1 ;   moving the sleeve from the closed position to the open position to release the tracer or dye compound from the atmospheric chamber to the fluids in the through hole; and   identifying the released tracer or dye compound from the fluids.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the first sub defines a portion of the through bore, and the second sub defines another portion of the through bore, the second sub being spaced axially from the first sub. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the first sub defines a portion of the through bore, and the second sub defines another portion of the through bore, the second sub being spaced axially from the first sub. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein a pressure barrier is disposed in the first sub, the pressure barrier fluidly communicating with the through bore. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the atmospheric chamber is disposed between the sleeve and the pressure barrier. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the pressure barrier is activated at a predetermined pressure to allow fluid communication between the through bore and the atmospheric chamber and move the sleeve from a closed position to an open position, 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11  wherein each of the internal sub and the housing includes one or more openings. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein when the sleeve is in the closed position, the sleeve extends across the one or more openings of the housing and the internal sub, and prevents fluid communication from the atmospheric chamber and the through bore to the fluids via the one or more openings of the housing and the internal sub. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein when the sleeve is in the open position, the sleeve shuttles past the one or more openings of the housing and the internal sub, and allows fluid communication from the atmospheric chamber and the through bore to the fluids via the one or more openings of the housing and the internal sub, such that the tracer compound is released to the fluids. 
     
     
         20 . A method of monitoring of operation of a toe valve, which comprises:
 providing a toe valve comprising:
 a first sub defining a portion of a through bore; 
 a second sub defining another portion of the through bore, the second sub being spaced axially from the first sub; 
 an internal sub being mechanically engaged with the first and second subs, such that the through bore is defined axially between the first sub and the second sub; 
 a housing being mechanically engaged with the first and second subs and being spaced radially spaced from the internal sub; 
 a sleeve disposed between the internal sub and the housing, the sleeve being movable axially in response to an application of fluid pressure from a closed position to an open position; 
 a pressure barrier disposed in the first sub, the pressure being fluidly communicating with the through bore; and 
 an atmospheric chamber disposed between the sleeve and the pressure barrier, the atmospheric chamber containing a tracer or dye compound in an amount sufficient to be observed from water or other wellbore fluids when released to the fluids; 
   delivering the toe valve into a wellbore wherein the fluids are present surrounding the toe valve;   activating the pressure barrier at a predetermined pressure to allow fluid communication between the through bore and the atmospheric chamber and move the sleeve from a closed position to an open position, wherein in the open position, the sleeve shuttles past the one or more openings of the housing and the internal sub, and allows fluid communication from the atmospheric chamber and the through bore to the fluids via the one or more openings of the housing and the internal sub;   releasing the tracer compound from the atmospheric chamber to the fluids; and   identifying the released tracer compound from the fluids.