Pressure actuated ported sub for subterranean cement completions

Abstract

A tubing pressure operated sliding sleeve is used in cementing a tubular string. The sleeve is configured to hold closed as pressure builds to a predetermined value. When pressure is further raised a rupture disc blows and provides access to an integral piston disposed outside the sleeve. The back side of the piston is exposed to a low pressure or atmospheric chamber located between upper and lower seals. The sleeve thickness near the chamber can be made relatively thick to avoid flexing or bending under differential pressure because the net force to shift the sleeve is from differential pressure on the piston rather than the piston areas created by the upper and lower seals.

We claim: 
     
       1. A valve for subterranean use, comprising:
 a housing having a passage therethrough and a port in a wall thereof; 
 a sleeve having a flow path therethrough movably mounted in said passage of said housing between a first position where said port is closed and a second position where said port is at least in part open; 
 a piston associated with said sleeve for moving said sleeve, said piston selectively isolated from passage pressure until a predetermined pressure is reached. 
 
     
     
       2. The valve of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said piston is integral to said sleeve. 
 
     
     
       3. The valve of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said piston is a discrete structure from said sleeve. 
 
     
     
       4. The valve of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said piston is selectively isolated from passage pressure by a pressure responsive barrier that opens. 
 
     
     
       5. The valve of  claim 4 , wherein:
 said pressure responsive barrier comprises at least one rupture disc. 
 
     
     
       6. The valve of  claim 5 , wherein:
 said piston has a first side that is selectively exposed to passage pressure and a second side opposite said first side exposed to a closed chamber in said housing. 
 
     
     
       7. The valve of  claim 6 , wherein:
 said sleeve at least in part defines said closed chamber. 
 
     
     
       8. The valve of  claim 7 , wherein:
 said sleeve is configured to respond to passage pressure below said predetermined level by being urged toward said first position. 
 
     
     
       9. The valve of  claim 8 , wherein:
 said closed chamber has an initial pressure of atmospheric or a predetermined value lower than an anticipated hydrostatic pressure in said passage. 
 
     
     
       10. The valve of  claim 9 , wherein:
 movement of said sleeve toward said second position reduces the volume of said closed chamber. 
 
     
     
       11. The valve of  claim 10 , wherein:
 said sleeve is retained with at least one shear pin until such time as said piston is no longer isolated from passage pressure. 
 
     
     
       12. The valve of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said piston has a first side that is selectively exposed to passage pressure and a second side opposite said first side exposed to a closed chamber in said housing. 
 
     
     
       13. The valve of  claim 12 , wherein:
 said sleeve at least in part defines said closed chamber. 
 
     
     
       14. The valve of  claim 13 , wherein:
 said closed chamber has an initial pressure of atmospheric or a predetermined value lower than an anticipated hydrostatic pressure in said passage. 
 
     
     
       15. The valve of  claim 14 , wherein:
 movement of said sleeve toward said second position reduces the volume of said closed chamber. 
 
     
     
       16. The valve of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said sleeve is configured to respond to passage pressure below said predetermined level by being urged toward said first position. 
 
     
     
       17. The valve of  claim 16 , wherein:
 said sleeve has piston areas adjacent opposed ends defined by seals against said housing wall that are of unequal diameters. 
 
     
     
       18. The valve of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said selective isolation is accomplished by a barrier that is undermined in response to a predetermined substance, energy field, temperature or other subterranean condition. 
 
     
     
       19. A valve for subterranean use, comprising:
 a housing having a passage therethrough and a port in a wall thereof; 
 a sleeve having a flow path therethrough movably mounted in said housing between a first position where said port is closed and a second position where said port is at least in part open; 
 a piston associated with said sleeve for moving said sleeve, said piston selectively isolated from passage pressure until a predetermined pressure is reached; 
 said piston has a first side that is selectively exposed to passage pressure and a second side opposite said first side exposed to a closed chamber in said housing; 
 said first side of said piston is exposed to a second chamber in said housing. 
 
     
     
       20. The valve of  claim 19 , wherein:
 said second chamber is defined in part by said sleeve and decreases in volume with movement of said sleeve toward said second position. 
 
     
     
       21. A valve for subterranean use, comprising:
 a housing having a passage therethrough and a port in a wall thereof; 
 a sleeve having a flow path therethrough movably mounted in said housing between a first position where said port is closed and a second position where said port is at least in part open; 
 a piston associated with said sleeve for moving said sleeve, said piston selectively isolated from passage pressure until a predetermined pressure is reached; 
 said sleeve is retained with a selectively defeated retainer until such time as said piston is no longer isolated from passage pressure. 
 
     
     
       22. The valve of  claim 21 , wherein:
 said retainer fails in shear. 
 
     
     
       23. A valve for use in a cementable open-hole well comprising:
 a housing having a passage therethrough and a port in a wall thereof for providing access from an interior of said housing to an exterior of the housing;   a sleeve having a longitudinal flow path therethrough movably mounted in said passage of said housing, the sleeve being movable from an initial closed position to an open position;   wherein when said sleeve is in said closed position the interior of said housing is isolated from the exterior of said housing and wherein when said sleeve is in said open position the port provides access from the interior of the housing to the exterior of the housing; and   a piston associated with said sleeve for moving said sleeve from the initial closed position to the open position, said piston selectively isolated from pressure within the passage until a predetermined pressure within the passage is reached.   
     
     
       24. The valve of claim 23, wherein said piston is integral to said sleeve. 
     
     
       25. The valve of claim 23, wherein said piston is selectively isolated from passage pressure by a pressure responsive barrier that responds to the predetermined pressure by allowing passage pressure to access said piston. 
     
     
       26. The valve of claim 25, wherein said pressure responsive barrier comprises at least one rupture disc. 
     
     
       27. The valve of claim 26, where the predetermined pressure within the passage bursts the rupture disc. 
     
     
       28. The valve of claim 27, wherein said piston has a first side that is selectively exposed to passage pressure and a second side opposite said first side exposed to a closed chamber in said housing. 
     
     
       29. The valve of claim 28, wherein said chamber has an initial pressure of atmospheric or a predetermined value lower than an anticipated hydrostatic pressure in said passage. 
     
     
       30. The valve of claim 28, wherein movement of the sleeve to said open position reduces a volume of the closed chamber. 
     
     
       31. The valve of claim 23, wherein pressure within the passage below the predetermined pressure urges the sleeve toward the closed position. 
     
     
       32. The valve of claim 23, wherein the piston is isolated from a pressure exterior of the housing. 
     
     
       33. The valve of claim 23, wherein cement may be pumped from the passage of the housing when the sleeve is in said closed position. 
     
     
       34. A method of temporarily isolating the inside of a valve from an open-hole well comprising:
 running a valve connected to casing into an open-hole well, the valve including a housing having a passage therethrough and a port in a wall of the housing, and a sleeve positioned within the passage and movable upon exposure to a predetermined passage pressure from an initial closed position that covers the port to an open position that uncovers at least a portion of the port;   exposing the sleeve to the predetermined passage pressure; and   moving the sleeve from the initial closed position to the open position.   
     
     
       35. The method of claim 34, wherein the step of exposing the sleeve to the predetermined pressure further comprises actuating a pressure responsive barrier in the passage by exposing the pressure responsive barrier to the predetermined pressure. 
     
     
       36. The method of claim 35, wherein actuating the pressure responsive barrier comprises bursting the pressure responsive barrier to expose the sleeve to the predetermined pressure. 
     
     
       37. The method of claim 36, wherein bursting the pressure responsive barrier exposes a first side of a piston to the predetermined pressure and a second side of the piston being exposed to a closed chamber in the housing, the piston being operatively connected to the sleeve. 
     
     
       38. The method of claim 37, moving the piston to reduce a volume of the closed chamber. 
     
     
       39. The method of claim 38, wherein the closed chamber has an initial pressure that is less than the predetermined pressure. 
     
     
       40. The method of claim 39, wherein the piston is integral to the sleeve. 
     
     
       41. The method of claim 34, wherein the pressure within the passage urges the sleeve to the initial position until the pressure reaches the predetermined pressure. 
     
     
       42. The method of claim 41, further comprising shearing a shearable device prior to moving the sleeve from the initial position to the open position. 
     
     
       43. The method of claim 34, wherein the step of exposing the sleeve to the predetermined pressure further comprises actuating a chemically responsive barrier in the passage by exposing the chemically responsive barrier to a predetermined substance, energy field, or temperature. 
     
     
       44. The method of claim 34, wherein the sleeve is exposed to the predetermined pressure after a cementation process.