Well Tool Actuation Chamber Isolation

Abstract

A well tool in one or more example comprises a packer and a setting tool having a through bore in fluid communication with the tubular conveyance. An actuation port fluidically couples the through bore to a setting chamber. Pressurized fluid may be supplied to the setting chamber via the through bore to set the packer. An expandable material may then be exposed to an activation fluid to seal off the actuation port and isolate the setting chamber. By isolating the setting chamber after setting the sealing element, pressure may be increased to above the setting pressure to perform a well service operation, without damaging the setting chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A well tool, comprising:
 a tool body positionable in a wellbore on a tubular conveyance, the tool body including a through bore for fluid communication with the tubular conveyance and an actuatable tool feature moveably coupled to the tool body;   an actuating mechanism including an actuation chamber and an actuation port fluidically coupling the through bore to the actuation chamber, the actuating mechanism configured for actuating the actuatable tool feature in response to an actuating pressure applied along the through bore to the actuation port; and   an expandable material in proximity to the actuation port configured to seal off the actuation port in response to exposure to an activation fluid.   
     
     
         2 . The well tool of  claim 1 , wherein the actuatable tool feature comprises a sealing element carried on the tool body and the actuating mechanism is configured for urging the sealing element into engagement with the wellbore in response to the actuating pressure. 
     
     
         3 . The well tool of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plug initially plugging the actuation port and removeable downhole to open the actuation port.   
     
     
         4 . The well tool of  claim 3 , wherein the plug comprises a dissolvable material that dissolves in response to a wellbore fluid present in the through bore of the tool body. 
     
     
         5 . The well tool of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a valve coupled to the actuation port, the valve including a component comprising the expandable material.   
     
     
         6 . The well tool of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a burst disk initially closing the actuation port, the burst disk being rupturable in response to a burst pressure in the through bore of the tool body.   
     
     
         7 . The well tool of  claim 1 , wherein the expandable material seals the actuation port up to at least 20% greater than the setting pressure. 
     
     
         8 . The well tool of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a fluid capsule initially containing the activation fluid and configured to release the activation fluid to the actuation port in response to a fluid pressure applied from surface, a signal, a time delay, or combinations thereof.   
     
     
         9 . The well tool of  claim 1 , wherein the expandable material comprises a swellable metallic alloy. 
     
     
         10 . The well tool of  claim 1 , wherein the sealing element comprises a packer bladder configured to seal an annulus portion between the tool body and the wellbore. 
     
     
         11 . A method, comprising:
 lowering a well tool into a wellbore on a tubular conveyance, the well tool including an actuatable tool feature and an actuating mechanism for actuating the actuatable tool feature;   actuating the actuatable tool feature by applying fluid pressure down the tubular conveyance to the actuating mechanism via an actuation port fluidically coupling a through bore of the well tool to an actuation chamber of the actuating mechanism;   after actuating the actuatable tool feature, exposing an expandable material to an activation fluid to close the actuation port and isolate the actuation chamber from the through bore; and   after isolating the actuation chamber, increasing the fluid pressure in the through bore in excess of the fluid pressure used in actuating the actuatable tool feature.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the actuatable tool feature comprises a sealing element and actuating the actuatable tool feature comprises urging the sealing element into engagement with the wellbore in response to the actuating pressure. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 lowering the well tool into the wellbore with a plug initially plugging the actuation port; and   subsequently removing at least a portion of the plug to open the actuation port prior to actuate the well tool.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the plug comprises a dissolvable material, the method further comprising delivering a wellbore fluid into the through bore of the tool body to dissolve the dissolvable material to open the setting port. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 positioning the well tool in the wellbore with a burst disk initially closing the actuation port; and   delivering a fluid pressure to the through bore of the tool body to rupture the burst disk to open the actuation port prior to actuating the actuating mechanism.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 releasing the activation fluid from a capsule initially containing the activation fluid; and   delivering the released activation to the actuation port to expand the expandable material.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the expandable material comprises:
 a swellable metallic alloy.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein actuating the setting mechanism comprises setting a packer in response to the actuation pressure to seal an annulus between the well tool and the wellbore, the packer configured to withstand an annulus pressure of at least twice the setting pressure. 
     
     
         19 . A method of servicing a well, comprising:
 lowering a packer into a wellbore on a tubular conveyance, the packer carrying a sealing element and a setting mechanism for setting the packer within the wellbore;   setting the packer by applying a setting pressure down the tubular conveyance to the setting mechanism via an actuation port fluidically coupling a through bore of the setting tool to a setting chamber;   exposing an expandable material in the actuation port to an activation fluid to close the actuation port and isolate the setting chamber from the through bore; and   performing a wellbore service comprising delivering a service fluid down the tubular conveyance and into an annulus sealed by the set packer, wherein the service fluid is pressurized to greater than the setting pressure.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the expandable material comprises a swellable metallic material or a doped magnesium alloy.