초록 ▼

A downhole sleeve has an insert movable in the sleeve's bore from a closed condition to an opened condition when a ball dropped in the bore engages an indexing seat in the sliding sleeve. In the closed condition, the insert prevents communication between the bore and the sleeve's port, while the ins

A downhole sleeve has an insert movable in the sleeve's bore from a closed condition to an opened condition when a ball dropped in the bore engages an indexing seat in the sliding sleeve. In the closed condition, the insert prevents communication between the bore and the sleeve's port, while the insert in the opened condition permits communication between the bore and port. Keys of a seat extend into the bore to engage the ball and to move the insert open. After opening, the keys retract so the ball can pass through the sleeve to another cluster sleeve or to an isolation sleeve of an assembly. Insets or buttons disposed in the sleeve's port temporarily maintain fluid pressure in the sleeve's bore so that a cluster of sleeves can be opened before treatment fluid dislodges the button to treat the surrounding formation through the open port.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A downhole sliding sleeve, comprising: a housing defining a bore and defining at least one port communicating the bore outside the housing;an insert disposed in the bore and being movable from a closed condition to an opened condition, the insert in the closed condition preventing fluid communica

1. A downhole sliding sleeve, comprising: a housing defining a bore and defining at least one port communicating the bore outside the housing;an insert disposed in the bore and being movable from a closed condition to an opened condition, the insert in the closed condition preventing fluid communication between the bore and the at least one port, the insert in the opened condition permitting fluid communication between the bore and the at least one port;at least one inset member being temporarily disposed in the at least one port; anda seat movably disposed on the insert, the seat when the insert is in the closed condition extending at least partially into the bore and engaging a plug disposed in the bore to move the insert from the closed condition to the opened condition with application of fluid pressure against the seated plug, the seat when the insert is in the opened condition retracting from the bore and releasing the plug,wherein the at least one inset member at least temporarily maintains fluid pressure from communicating through the at least one port after the insert has moved to the opened condition and the seat has released the plug, andwherein the at least one inset member defines at least one orifice permitting flow therethrough, the at least one orifice producing a pressure differential across the insert in the closed condition, the pressure differential facilitating movement of the insert from the closed condition to the opened condition. 2. The sliding sleeve of claim 1, wherein the insert defines slots, and wherein the seat comprises a plurality of keys movable between extended and retracted positions in the slots. 3. The sliding sleeve of claim 1, further comprising seals disposed between the bore and the insert and sealing off the at least one port when the insert is in the closed condition. 4. The sliding sleeve of claim 1, further comprising a catch temporarily holding the insert in the closed condition. 5. The sliding sleeve of claim 4, wherein the catch comprises a shear ring engaging an end of the insert in the closed condition. 6. The sliding sleeve of claim 1, further comprising a lock locking the insert in the opened condition. 7. The sliding sleeve of claim 6, wherein the lock comprises a snap ring disposed about the insert and expandable into a slot in the bore when the insert is in the opened condition. 8. The sliding sleeve of claim 1, wherein the at least one inset member defines at least one slot on at least one side thereof. 9. The sliding sleeve of claim 8, wherein the at least one slot intersects the at least one orifice in the at least one side. 10. The sliding sleeve of claim 8, wherein the at least one slot comprises a plurality of slots intersecting at a center in the at least one inset member. 11. The sliding sleeve of claim 10, wherein the at least one orifice is defined at the center in the at least one inset member, and wherein the at least one inset member comprises a plurality of additional orifices therethrough, each of the additional orifices intersected by one of the slots. 12. The sliding sleeve of claim 1, wherein the at least one inset member threads into the at least one port. 13. The sliding sleeve of claim 1, wherein the at least one inset member dislodges from the at least one port by application of a fluid pressure, by breaking up, by erosion, or by a combination thereof. 14. The sliding sleeve of claim 13, wherein the at least one inset member dislodges from the at least one port when subjected to fluid pressure for a frac operation in the bore. 15. A downhole well fluid system, comprising: first cluster sleeves disposed on a tubing string deployable in a wellbore, each of the first cluster sleeves being actuatable from a closed condition to an opened condition by application of fluid pressure against a first plug deployable down the tubing string, the closed condition preventing fluid communication between the first cluster sleeve and the wellbore, the opened condition permitting fluid communication between the first cluster sleeve and the wellbore via at least one port in the first cluster sleeve,wherein at least one of the first cluster sleeves in the opened condition allows the first plug to pass therethrough, the at least one first cluster sleeve comprising: an insert disposed in a bore of the at least one first cluster sleeve and being movable from a closed position to an opened position, the insert in the closed position preventing fluid communication between the bore and the at least one port, the insert in the opened position permitting fluid communication between the bore and the at least one port,a seat movably disposed on the insert, the seat when the insert is in the closed condition extending at least partially into the bore and engaging the first plug disposed in the bore to move the insert from the closed position to the opened position, the seat when the insert is in the opened position retracting from the bore and releasing the first plug, andan inset member at least temporarily disposed in the at least one port and limiting flow from the at least one first cluster sleeve to the annulus at least until a last of the first cluster sleeves has been opened, the inset member defining at least one orifice producing a pressure differential across the insert in the closed condition, the pressure differential facilitating movement of the insert from the closed condition to the opened condition. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one inset member defines at least one slot on at least one side thereof. 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one slot intersects the at least one orifice in the at least one inset member. 18. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one slot comprises a plurality of slots intersecting at a center in the at least one inset member. 19. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one orifice is defined at the center in the at least one inset member, and wherein the at least one inset member comprises a plurality of additional orifices therethrough, each of the additional orifices intersected by one of the slots. 20. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one inset member threads into the at least one port. 21. The system of claim 15, wherein the inset member dislodges from the at least one port by application of a fluid pressure, by breaking up, by erosion, or by a combination thereof. 22. The system of claim 15, wherein one of the first cluster sleeves comprises an isolation sleeve engaging the first plug and preventing fluid communication therepast. 23. The system of claim 15, further comprising a second cluster sleeve disposed on the tubing string, the second cluster sleeve being actuatable by a second plug deployed down the tubing string, the second cluster sleeve being actuatable from a closed condition to an opened condition, the closed condition preventing fluid communication between the second cluster sleeve and the wellbore, the opened condition permitting fluid communication between the second cluster sleeve and the wellbore. 24. The system of claim 23, wherein the second cluster sleeve passes the first plug therethrough without being actuated. 25. The system of claim 23, wherein the second cluster sleeve in the opened condition allows the second plug to pass therethrough. 26. The system of claim 23, wherein the second cluster sleeve comprises an isolation sleeve engaging the second plug and preventing fluid communication therepast. 27. A wellbore fluid treatment method, comprising: deploying first and second sliding sleeves on a tubing string in a wellbore, each of the sliding sleeves having a closed condition preventing fluid communication between the sliding sleeves and the wellbore;dropping a first plug down the tubing string;changing the first sliding sleeve to an open condition allowing fluid communication between the first sliding sleeve and the wellbore by engaging the first plug on a first seat disposed in the first sliding sleeve and applying fluid pressure against the engaged first plug;passing the first plug through the first sliding sleeve in the opened condition to the second sliding sleeve;at least temporarily restricting fluid communication through at least one port in the first sliding sleeve in the opened condition; andfacilitating opening of the first sliding sleeve by permitting pressure in the annulus through the temporary restriction of the at least one port in the first sliding sleeve. 28. The method of claim 27, further comprising changing the second sliding sleeve to an open condition allowing fluid communication between the second sliding sleeve and the wellbore by engaging the first plug on a second seat disposed in the second sliding sleeve and applying fluid pressure against the engaged first plug. 29. The method of claim 28, further comprising passing the first plug through the second sliding sleeve in the opened condition. 30. The method of claim 28, further comprising sealing the first plug on the second seat of the second sliding sleeve and preventing fluid communication therethrough. 31. The method of claim 27, wherein at least temporarily restricting fluid communication through the at least one port in the first sliding sleeve comprises at least temporarily preventing a loss of pressure in the first sliding sleeve to the annulus when the first sliding sleeve is open. 32. The method of claim 27, further comprising releasing the temporary restriction of fluid communication by application of a fluid pressure, by breaking up, by erosion, or by a combination thereof. 33. The method of claim 32, wherein releasing the temporary restriction of fluid communication comprises applying fluid pressure for a frac operation in the first sliding sleeve. 34. The method of claim 27, wherein facilitating opening of the first sliding sleeve comprises producing a pressure differential across an insert in a closed condition in the first sliding sleeve with the pressure permitted through the temporary restriction. 35. A wellbore fluid treatment method, comprising: deploying first and second sliding sleeves on a tubing string in a wellbore, each of the sliding sleeves having a closed condition preventing fluid communication between the sliding sleeves and the wellbore;dropping a first plug down the tubing string;changing the first sliding sleeve to an open condition allowing fluid communication between the first sliding sleeve and the wellbore by engaging the first plug on a first seat disposed in the first sliding sleeve and applying fluid pressure against the engaged first plug;passing the first plug through the first sliding sleeve in the opened condition to the second sliding sleeve;at least temporarily restricting fluid communication through at least one port in the first sliding sleeve in the opened condition;changing the second sleeve to an open condition allowing fluid communication between the second sliding sleeve and the wellbore by engaging the first plug on a second seat disposed in the second sliding sleeve and applying fluid pressure against the engaged first plug; andpassing the first plug through the second sliding sleeve in the opened condition. 36. The method of claim 35, wherein at least temporarily restricting fluid communication through the at least one port in the first sliding sleeve comprises at least temporarily preventing a loss of pressure in the first sliding sleeve to the annulus when the first sliding sleeve is open. 37. The method of claim 35, further comprising releasing the temporary restriction of fluid communication by application of a fluid pressure, by breaking up, by erosion, or by a combination thereof. 38. The method of claim 37, wherein releasing the temporary restriction of fluid communication comprises applying fluid pressure for a frac operation in the first sliding sleeve. 39. The method of claim 35, further comprising facilitating opening of the first sliding sleeve by producing a pressure differential across an insert in a closed condition in the first sliding sleeve with pressure permitted through the temporary restriction. 40. A wellbore fluid treatment method, comprising: deploying first and second sliding sleeves on a tubing string in a wellbore, each of the sliding sleeves having a closed condition preventing fluid communication between the sliding sleeves and the wellbore;dropping a first plug down the tubing string;changing the first sliding sleeve to an open condition allowing fluid communication between the first sliding sleeve and the wellbore by engaging the first plug on a first seat disposed in the first sliding sleeve and applying fluid pressure against the engaged first plug;passing the first plug through the first sliding sleeve in the opened condition to the second sliding sleeve;at least temporarily restricting fluid communication through at least one port in the first sliding sleeve in the opened condition;changing the second sleeve to an open condition allowing fluid communication between the second sliding sleeve and the wellbore by engaging the first plug on a second seat disposed in the second sliding sleeve and applying fluid pressure against the engaged first plug; andsealing the first plug on the second seat of the second sliding sleeve and preventing fluid communication therethrough. 41. The method of claim 40, wherein at least temporarily restricting fluid communication through the at least one port in the first sliding sleeve comprises at least temporarily preventing a loss of pressure in the first sliding sleeve to the annulus when the first sliding sleeve is open. 42. The method of claim 40, further comprising releasing the temporary restriction of fluid communication by application of a fluid pressure, by breaking up, by erosion, or by a combination thereof. 43. The method of claim 42, wherein releasing the temporary restriction of fluid communication comprises applying fluid pressure for a frac operation in the first sliding sleeve. 44. The method of claim 40, further comprising facilitating opening of the first sliding sleeve by producing a pressure differential across an insert in a closed condition in the first sliding sleeve with pressure permitted through the temporary restriction. 45. A wellbore fluid treatment method, comprising: deploying first and second sliding sleeves on a tubing string in a wellbore, each of the sliding sleeves having a closed condition preventing fluid communication between the sliding sleeves and the wellbore;dropping a first plug down the tubing string;changing the first sliding sleeve to an open condition allowing fluid communication between the first sliding sleeve and the wellbore by engaging the first plug on a first seat disposed in the first sliding sleeve and applying fluid pressure against the engaged first plug;passing the first plug through the first sliding sleeve in the opened condition to the second sliding sleeve;at least temporarily restricting fluid communication through at least one port in the first sliding sleeve in the opened condition;releasing the temporary restriction of fluid communication by application of a fluid pressure, by breaking up, by erosion, or by a combination thereof;wherein releasing the temporary restriction of fluid communication comprises applying fluid pressure for a frac operation in the first sliding sleeve. 46. The method of claim 45, wherein at least temporarily restricting fluid communication through the at least one port in the first sliding sleeve comprises at least temporarily preventing a loss of pressure in the first sliding sleeve to the annulus when the first sliding sleeve is open.