System and method for use of a stage cementing differential valve tool

Abstract

A stage cementing differential valve tool includes a body extending from a first end to a second end. The body may include one or more ports that may be configured to circulate a cement slurry, an external sleeve may be slidably coupled to an outer surface to the body, and an internal sleeve assembly may be slidably coupled to an inner surface to the body. The external sleeve and the internal sleeve assembly may be configured to open and close the one or more ports. The stage cementing differential valve tool may also include a sealing element extending from the outer surface of the body that is configured to swell in a downhole fluid environment and a plug having shoulders with break-off points that is configured to actuate the internal sleeve assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A stage cementing differential valve tool, comprising:
 a body extending from a first end to a second end, wherein the body comprises:
 one or more ports, wherein the one or more ports are configured to circulate a cement slurry; 
 an external sleeve slidably coupled to an outer surface to the body; and 
 an internal sleeve assembly slidably coupled to an inner surface to the body, 
 wherein the external sleeve and the internal sleeve assembly are configured to open and close the one or more ports; 
   a sealing element extending from the outer surface of the body, wherein the sealing element is configured to swell in a downhole fluid environment; and   a plug having shoulders with break-off points, wherein the plug is configured to actuate the internal sleeve assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The stage cementing differential valve tool of  claim 1 , wherein the external sleeve comprises a close position and an open position, wherein in the close position, the external sleeve covers an opening of the one or more ports on the outer surface, and wherein in the open position, the external sleeve exposes the opening of the one or more ports on the outer surface. 
     
     
         3 . The stage cementing differential valve tool of  claim 1 , wherein the internal sleeve comprises a close position and an open position, wherein in the close position, the internal sleeve covers an opening of the one or more ports on the inner surface, and wherein in the open position, the internal sleeve exposes the opening. 
     
     
         4 . The stage cementing differential valve tool of  claim 3 , further comprising a spring provided below the internal sleeve, wherein in the open position, the internal sleeve compresses the spring. 
     
     
         5 . The stage cementing differential valve tool of  claim 4 , further comprising a latch-ratchet system coupling the internal sleeve to the spring. 
     
     
         6 . The stage cementing differential valve tool of  claim 1 , further comprising a chamber filled with a fluid, wherein the chamber is configured to rupture to leak the fluid on the sealing element to swell. 
     
     
         7 . The stage cementing differential valve tool of  claim 1 , wherein the internal sleeve comprises a seal stack assembly to seal against the body. 
     
     
         8 . A system, comprising:
 a tubular string within a wellbore, wherein the tubular string comprises a plurality of tubular joints joined end-to-end;   a float shoe installed at a bottom end of the tubular string and configured to circulate a cement slurry during a first stage of cementing; and   one or more stage cementing differential valve tools installed at various depths in the tubular string and configured to circulate the cement slurry during a second stage of cementing, the one or more stage cementing differential valve tools comprises:
 a body extending from a first end to a second end, wherein the body comprises:
 one or more ports, wherein the one or more ports are configured to circulate the cement slurry into an annulus between the tubular string and the wellbore; 
 an external sleeve slidably coupled to an outer surface to the body; and an internal sleeve assembly slidably coupled to an inner surface to the body, 
 wherein the external sleeve and the internal sleeve assembly are configured to open and close the one or more ports; and 
 
 a sealing element extending from the outer surface of the body, wherein the sealing element is configured to swell in a downhole fluid environment and seal against the wellbore; and 
 a plug having shoulders with break-off points, wherein the plug is configured to actuate the internal sleeve assembly. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a first plug configured to land within and isolate the float shoe; and   a second plug having shoulders with break-off points, wherein the plug is configured to actuate the internal sleeve assembly.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the second plug lands on shoulders on the inner surface. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a bottom hole assembly configured to be lower into the tubular string and shear the second plug. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising an annular blowout preventer provided at a surface of the wellbore. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the first end and the second end are connection ends configured to be threadedly-coupled to one of the tubular joints of the tubular string. 
     
     
         14 . A method, comprising:
 lowering a tubular string including one or more stage cementing differential valve tools into a wellbore;   performing a first stage of cementing by circulate a cement slurry through a float shoe at a bottom end of the tubular string and into an annulus between the tubular string and the wellbore;   dropping a first plug to isolate the float shoe and stop the first stage of cementing; and   performing a second stage of cementing using the one or more stage cementing differential valve tools, wherein performing the second stage of cementing comprises:
 activating an internal sleeve and an external sleeve of the one or more stage cementing differential valve tools to an open position to fluid couple a bore of the one or more stage cementing differential valve tools to the annulus via one or more ports; and 
 circulating a cement slurry through the one or more ports and into the annulus. 
   shearing a second plug and conducting further well operations.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising closing an annular blowout preventer to increase a pressure within the annulus to activate the external sleeve. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising deploying a second plug to land on a shoulder of the one or more stage cementing differential valve tools to activate the internal sleeve. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising shearing the second plug with a pressure from a bottom hole assembly. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising compressing a spring with the internal sleeve. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising using a potential energy of the spring to move the internal sleeve from the open position to a closed position. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising conducting remedial cement operations to fully close the one or more ports.