阅读说明：本技术 上下压裂系统和方法 (Up and down fracturing system and method ) 是由 尼尔·H·阿克曼 于 2018-04-05 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种用于在井眼中使用的阀,包括：壳体,其包括壳体端口；可滑动闭合构件,其设置在壳体的孔中并包括闭合构件端口；密封件,其设置在壳体中；以及棘部,其径向设置在闭合构件与壳体之间,其中,闭合构件包括在壳体中的第一位置以及与第一位置轴向间隔开的第二位置,在第一位置中,在闭合构件端口与壳体端口之间提供流体连通,在第二位置中,在闭合构件端口与壳体端口之间的流体连通受到限制,其中,响应于将闭合构件从第一位置致动到第二位置,闭合构件被构造成使棘部弹性变形。(A valve for use in a wellbore, comprising: a housing comprising a housing port; a slidable closure member disposed in the aperture of the housing and including a closure member port; a seal disposed in the housing; and a ratchet portion disposed radially between the closure member and the housing, wherein the closure member comprises a first position in the housing in which fluid communication is provided between the closure member port and the housing port, and a second position axially spaced from the first position in which fluid communication between the closure member port and the housing port is restricted, wherein, in response to actuating the closure member from the first position to the second position, the closure member is configured to elastically deform the ratchet portion.)

1. A valve for use in a wellbore, comprising:

a housing including a housing port;

a slidable closure member disposed in the aperture of the housing and including a closure member port;

a seal disposed in the housing; and

a ratchet portion disposed radially between the closure member and the housing;

wherein the closure member includes a first position in the housing in which fluid communication between the closure member port and the housing port is provided, and a second position axially spaced from the first position in which fluid communication between the closure member port and the housing port is restricted;

wherein, in response to actuating the closure member from the first position to the second position, the closure member is configured to elastically deform the ratchet portion.

2. The valve of claim 1, wherein the ratchet includes a shoulder of a retaining ring disposed radially between the closure member and the housing.

3. The valve of claim 2, wherein:

the outer surface of the closure member includes an annular locator defined by a pair of frustoconical shoulders; and is

In response to actuating the closure member from the first position to the second position, the retaining ring is forced to expand radially and over one of the frustoconical shoulders of the closure member.

4. The valve of claim 2, wherein:

the inner surface of the housing includes an annular locator defined by a pair of frustoconical shoulders; and is

In response to actuating the closure member between the first and second positions, the retaining ring is forced to contract radially and over one of the frustoconical shoulders of the closure member.

5. The valve of claim 2, wherein the retaining ring extends completely around the closure member.

6. The valve of claim 1, wherein:

the closure member including a third position axially spaced from the first and second positions in which fluid communication between the closure member port and the housing port is restricted; and is

The valve further includes a retaining ring that allows the closure member to enter the third position when the retaining ring is in the first position and restricts the closure member from entering the third position when the retaining ring is in the second position.

7. A valve for use in a wellbore, comprising:

a housing including a housing port;

a slidable closure member disposed in the aperture of the housing and including a closure member port;

a seal disposed in the housing;

a retaining ring disposed in the housing; and is

Wherein the closure member includes a first position in the housing in which fluid communication between the closure member port and the housing port is provided, a second position axially spaced from the first position in which fluid communication between the closure member port and the housing port is restricted, and a third position axially spaced from the first position and the second position in which fluid communication between the closure member port and the housing port is restricted;

wherein the retaining ring allows the closure member to enter the third position when the retaining ring is in the first position and restricts the closure member from entering the third position when the retaining ring is in the second position.

8. The valve of claim 7, wherein the first position of the retaining ring comprises a radially outer position and the second position of the retaining ring comprises a radially inner position.

9. The valve of claim 7, wherein the retaining ring includes a shear pin that is received in a groove formed in the closure member when the closure member is disposed in the third position.

10. The valve of claim 7, further comprising a fluid damper disposed in the housing, wherein the fluid damper includes a flow restriction through which fluid is forced in response to the closure member being displaced between the first and second positions.

11. The valve according to claim 10, wherein said fluid damper comprises a cylindrical damping member slidably disposed in a receiving seat formed in said housing.

12. The valve of claim 10, wherein the fluid damper includes a port extending through the annular flange of the closure member.

13. The valve of claim 7, further comprising:

a ratchet portion disposed radially between the closure member and the housing;

wherein, in response to actuating the closure member from the first position to the second position, the closure member is configured to elastically deform the ratchet portion;

wherein the ratchet portion comprises a shoulder of a positioning ring disposed radially between the closure member and the housing, and wherein the positioning ring extends completely around the closure member.

14. A flow delivery tamping tool for actuating a valve in a wellbore, comprising:

a housing comprising a radially translatable engagement assembly; and

a core slidably disposed in the housing;

wherein the engagement assembly is configured to: when the core is in a first position relative to the housing, the engagement assembly displaces the valve from a first closed position to an open position;

wherein the engagement assembly is configured to: the engagement assembly displaces the valve from the open position to a second closed position in response to the cartridge being displaced from the first position to a second position spaced from the first position in a first axial direction.

15. The jam tool of claim 14, wherein the engagement assembly comprises: a first engagement member including an unlocked position and a locked position; and a second engagement member axially spaced from the first engagement member and including an unlocked position and a locked position.

16. The jam tool of claim 15, wherein:

the first engagement member is disposed in a receptacle formed in the housing and includes an arcuate slot that receives a lip of the housing to prevent the first engagement member from disengaging the receptacle; and is

The engagement between the lip of the housing and the arcuate slot of the first engagement member prevents the first engagement member from rotating in the receptacle of the housing.

17. The jam tool of claim 15, wherein the first engagement member comprises a compound key including a first shoulder and a second shoulder radially translatable relative to the first shoulder.

18. The jam tool of claim 14, further comprising:

an actuation assembly disposed in the housing and configured to allow displacement of the core from the first position to the second position in response to sensing a predetermined pressure differential between a first end and a second end of the jam tool; and

a floating piston slidably disposed between the core and the housing;

wherein the floating piston forms a first chamber in the housing in fluid communication with an ambient environment and a second chamber in the housing sealed from the ambient environment, and wherein the actuation assembly is disposed in the second chamber;

wherein the floating piston is configured to balance fluid pressure between the first chamber and the second chamber.

19. The jam tool of claim 14, further comprising:

a filter coupled to the housing and configured to allow fluid communication between the housing and the ambient environment;

wherein the filter comprises a plurality of stacked gaskets, wherein the first end of each gasket comprises a notch providing an axially extending gap between each gasket.

20. A flow delivery tamping tool for actuating a valve in a wellbore, comprising:

a housing including a first engagement member including an unlocked position and a locked position, and a second engagement member axially spaced from the first engagement member and including an unlocked position and a locked position; and

a core slidably disposed in the housing;

wherein when the first engagement member is in the locked position, the first engagement member is configured to displace the valve from an open position to a closed position;

wherein when the second engagement member is in the locked position, the second engagement member is configured to land against a landing shoulder of the valve to prevent the jam tool from passing through the valve;

wherein the core is configured to: actuating the first engagement member from the locked position to the unlocked position in response to the core being displaced relative to the housing in a first axial direction between a first position and a second position;

wherein the core is configured to: actuating the second engagement member from the locked position to the unlocked position in response to the core being displaced relative to the housing in the first axial direction between the second position and a third position.

21. The jam tool of claim 20, wherein:

the first engaging member is slidably accommodated in an accommodating seat formed in the housing; and is

The first engagement member includes an annular seal disposed on an outer surface of the first engagement member, and wherein the annular seal sealingly engages an inner surface of the receptacle to restrict fluid flow through the receptacle.

22. The jam tool of claim 20, wherein:

the first engagement member comprises a compound key comprising a first shoulder and a second shoulder radially translatable relative to the first shoulder; and is

The compound key further includes a biasing member that biases the second shoulder to a radially outer position.

23. The caulking tool of claim 20, further comprising an annular seal assembly disposed in a groove formed in the housing, wherein the seal assembly comprises a metal piston ring and an annular elastomeric seal having an L-shaped cross-sectional profile.

24. The jam tool of claim 20, further comprising an actuation assembly disposed in the housing and configured to: allowing the wick to be displaced from the first position to the second position in response to sensing a predetermined pressure differential between the first and second ends of the jam tool.

25. The jam tool of claim 24, wherein:

the actuation assembly includes a valve body including a first channel configured to receive fluid pressure acting on the first end of the jam tool; and is

The jam tool also includes a fluid damper located upstream of the first passage of the valve body in a passage formed in the core, and wherein the fluid damper is configured to provide a flow restriction in the passage of the core.

26. A flow delivery tamping tool for actuating a valve in a wellbore, comprising:

a housing including a first engagement member including an unlocked position and a locked position and a second engagement member including an unlocked position and a locked position;

a core slidably disposed in the housing and configured to: actuating the first engagement member from the locked position to the unlocked position in response to displacing the core from a first position to a second position in the housing; and

an actuation assembly disposed in the housing and including a first valve assembly configured to: in response to sensing a first pressure differential between a first end and a second end of the jam tool, thereby allowing the core to be displaced from the first position to the second position;

wherein the core is configured to: actuating the second engagement member from the locked position to the unlocked position in response to displacing the core from the second position to a third position within the housing;

wherein the actuation assembly comprises a first valve assembly configured to: in response to sensing a second difference between the first and second ends of the jam tool, thereby allowing the core to be displaced from the first position to the second position.

27. The jam tool of claim 26, wherein the second pressure differential is less than the first pressure differential.

28. The jam tool of claim 26, further comprising:

a floating piston slidably disposed between the core and the housing;

wherein the floating piston forms a first chamber in the housing in fluid communication with an ambient environment and a second chamber in the housing sealed from the ambient environment;

wherein the floating piston is configured to balance fluid pressure between the first chamber and the second chamber.

29. The jam tool of claim 26, further comprising:

a filter coupled to the housing and configured to allow fluid communication between the housing and the ambient environment;

wherein the filter comprises a plurality of stacked gaskets, wherein the first end of each gasket comprises a notch providing an axially extending gap between each gasket;

wherein the recess of each gasket is configured to allow particles of a predetermined size to enter the housing from the ambient environment.

30. The compaction tool of claim 26, wherein the first and second valve assemblies of the actuation assembly each comprise:

a housing;

a piston slidably received in the housing; and

a check valve assembly housed in a valve body of the actuation assembly;

wherein the valve body of the actuation assembly includes a first channel configured to receive fluid pressure acting on the first end of the jam tool and a second channel configured to receive fluid pressure acting on the second end of the jam tool.

Background

The present disclosure relates generally to well intervention and completion systems for producing hydrocarbons. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to actuatable downhole tools including slidable sleeves to provide selective access to open (uncapped) and cased wellbores during completion, workover, and production operations, e.g., hydraulic fracturing of open and cased wellbores and perforating of cased wellbores. The present disclosure also relates to tools for selectively actuating a slidable sleeve of a downhole tool to provide selective access to open and cased wellbores in workover and production operations. Further, the present disclosure relates to tools for hydraulically fracturing a subterranean formation from multiple zones of a wellbore extending through the formation. The present disclosure also relates to tools for selectively perforating components of a well string in preparation for hydraulically fracturing a subterranean formation.

Hydraulic fracturing and stimulation may increase the flow of hydrocarbons from one or more production zones of a wellbore extending into a subterranean formation. In particular, formation stimulation techniques such as hydraulic fracturing may be used with deviated or horizontal wellbores that provide additional exposure to hydrocarbon containing formations such as shale formations. A horizontal wellbore includes a vertical section extending from the surface to a "heel" where the wellbore transitions to a horizontal or deviated section extending horizontally through the hydrocarbon containing formation and terminating at a "toe" of the horizontal section of the wellbore.

A series of completion strategies and systems have been developed that incorporate hydraulic fracturing operations to economically enhance production from subterranean formations. In particular, "bridge plug and perforation" completion strategies have been developed which involve pumping a bridge plug tethered through the wellbore (typically with a cement liner) with one or more perforation tools to a desired zone near the toe end of the wellbore. The bridge plugs are placed and the zone perforated using a perforation tool. Subsequently, the tool is removed and high pressure fracturing fluid is pumped into the wellbore and directed against the formation by the placed bridge plug to hydraulically fracture the formation at the selected zone via the completed perforations. The process may then be repeated, moving in the direction of the heel of the horizontal section of the wellbore (i.e., "down-up" movement). Thus, while bridge plug and perforation operations enable enhanced flow control to the wellbore and the creation of a large number of discrete production zones, a significant amount of time and fluid is required to pump and retrieve the various tools needed to perform the operation.

Another completion strategy incorporating hydraulic fracturing includes a ball-actuated sliding sleeve (also referred to as a "frac sleeve"), and an isolation packer is run inside the liner or in the open hole wellbore. Specifically, the system includes a ported sliding sleeve installed in the wellbore between isolation packers on a single well string. Isolation packers seal against the inner surface of the wellbore to separate a horizontal section of the wellbore into a plurality of discrete production zones, with one or more sliding sleeves disposed in each production zone. The ball is pumped from the surface into the well string until it sits within the sliding sleeve nearest the toe end of the horizontal section of the wellbore. The hydraulic pressure acting on the ball causes a gradual increase in hydraulic pressure behind the seated ball, causing the sliding sleeve to shift into an open position to hydraulically fracture the formation at the production zone of the actuated sliding sleeve via high pressure fluid pumped into the well string.

The process may then be repeated, using balls of progressively increasing size to actuate the remaining sliding sleeve closer to the heel of the level section of the wellbore to move toward the heel of the level section of the wellbore (i.e., "bottom-up" movement). The ball and the ball seat of the sliding sleeve may be drilled out using coiled tubing. The use of sliding sleeves and isolation packers disposed along the well string can streamline hydraulic fracturing operations compared to bridge plugs and perforation systems, but the use of ball and ball seats of varying sizes to actuate the multiple sliding sleeves limits the total number of producing zones during fracturing while limiting the flow of fluid to the formation, thereby requiring the use of high pressure and low viscosity fluids to provide adequate flow rates to the formation. In addition, the use of multiple balls of varying sizes also complicates the fracturing operation and increases the likelihood of problems in performing the operation, such as the balls becoming stuck during pumping and failing to successfully actuate their intended sliding sleeves.

Disclosure of Invention

An embodiment of a valve for use in a wellbore comprises: a housing comprising a housing port; a slidable closure member disposed in the aperture of the housing and including a closure member port; a seal disposed in the housing; and a ratchet portion disposed radially between the closure member and the housing, wherein the closure member comprises a first position in the housing in which fluid communication between the closure member port and the housing port is provided, and a second position axially spaced from the first position in which fluid communication between the closure member port and the housing port is restricted, wherein, in response to actuating the closure member from the first position to the second position, the closure member is configured to elastically deform the ratchet portion. In some embodiments, the ratchet portion comprises a shoulder of the positioning ring disposed radially between the closure member and the housing. In some embodiments, the outer surface of the closure member includes an annular locator defined by a pair of frustoconical shoulders, and in response to actuating the closure member from the first position to the second position, the locator ring is forced to expand radially and over one of the frustoconical shoulders of the closure member. In certain embodiments, the inner surface of the housing includes an annular locator defined by a pair of frustoconical shoulders, and in response to actuating the closure member between the first and second positions, the locator ring is forced to radially contract and pass over one of the frustoconical shoulders of the closure member. In some embodiments, the retaining ring extends completely around the closure member. In some embodiments, the closure member includes a third position axially spaced from the first position and the second position, in which fluid communication between the closure member port and the housing port is restricted, and the valve further includes a retaining ring that allows the closure member to enter the third position when the retaining ring is in the first position and restricts the closure member from entering the third position when the retaining ring is in the second position.

An embodiment of a valve for use in a wellbore comprises: a housing comprising a housing port; a slidable closure member disposed in the aperture of the housing and including a closure member port; a seal disposed in the housing; a retaining ring disposed in the housing, and wherein the closure member includes a first position in the housing in which fluid communication is provided between the closure member port and the housing port, a second position axially spaced from the first position in which fluid communication is restricted between the closure member port and the housing port, and a third position axially spaced from the first position and the second position in which fluid communication is restricted between the closure member port and the housing port, wherein when the retaining ring is in the first position, the retaining ring allows the closure member to enter the third position, and when the retaining ring is in the second position, the retaining ring restricts the closure member from entering the third position. In some embodiments, the first position of the retaining ring comprises a radially outer position and the second position of the retaining ring comprises a radially inner position. In some embodiments, the retaining ring includes a shear pin that is received in a groove formed in the closure member when the closure member is disposed in the third position. In certain embodiments, the valve further comprises a fluid damper disposed in the housing, wherein the fluid damper comprises a flow restriction through which fluid is forced in response to the closure member being displaced between the first and second positions. In some embodiments, the fluid damper includes a cylindrical damping member slidably disposed in a receiving seat formed in the housing. In some embodiments, the fluid damper includes a port extending through the annular flange of the closure member. In some embodiments, the valve further comprises a ratchet portion disposed radially between the closure member and the housing, wherein, in response to actuating the closure member from the first position to the second position, the closure member is configured to elastically deform the ratchet portion, wherein the ratchet portion comprises a shoulder of a positioning ring disposed radially between the closure member and the housing, and wherein the positioning ring extends completely around the closure member.

An embodiment of a flow delivering tight plug tool for actuating a valve in a wellbore includes: a housing including a radially translatable engagement assembly; and a cartridge slidably disposed in the housing, wherein the engagement assembly is configured to displace the valve from a first closed position to an open position when the cartridge is in a first position relative to the housing, wherein the engagement assembly is configured to displace the valve from the open position to a second closed position in response to displacement of the cartridge from the first position to a second position spaced from the first position in the first axial direction. In some embodiments, the engagement assembly comprises: a first engagement member including an unlocked position and a locked position; and a second engagement member axially spaced from the first engagement member including an unlocked position and a locked position. In some embodiments, the first engagement member is disposed in a receptacle formed in the housing and includes an arcuate slot that receives a lip of the housing to prevent the first engagement member from disengaging the receptacle, and engagement between the lip of the housing and the arcuate slot of the first engagement member prevents the first engagement member from rotating in the receptacle of the housing. In certain embodiments, the first engagement member comprises a compound key comprising a first shoulder and a second shoulder radially translatable relative to the first shoulder. In some embodiments, the tamping tool further comprises: an actuation assembly disposed in the housing and configured to allow displacement of the wick from the first position to the second position in response to sensing a predetermined pressure differential between the first end and the second end of the jam tool; and a floating piston slidably disposed between the core and the housing, wherein the floating piston forms a first chamber in the housing in fluid communication with an ambient environment and a second chamber in the housing sealed from the ambient environment, and wherein the actuation assembly is disposed in the second chamber, wherein the floating piston is configured to equalize fluid pressure between the first and second chambers. In some embodiments, the tamping tool further comprises: a filter coupled to the housing and configured to allow fluid communication between the housing and an ambient environment, wherein the filter comprises a plurality of stacked gaskets, wherein a first end of each gasket comprises a recess that provides an axially extending gap between each gasket.

An embodiment of a flow delivering tight plug tool for actuating a valve in a wellbore includes: a housing including a first engagement member including an unlocked position and a locked position, and a second engagement member axially spaced from the first engagement member including an unlocked position and a locked position; and a core slidably disposed in the housing, wherein when the first engagement member is in the locked position, the first engagement member is configured to displace the valve from the open position to the closed position, wherein when the second engagement member is in the locked position, the second engagement member is configured to land against a landing shoulder of the valve to prevent the jam tool from passing through the valve, wherein the core is configured to actuate the first engagement member from the locked position to the unlocked position in response to displacing the core in the first axial direction relative to the housing between the first position and the second position, wherein the core is configured to actuate the second engagement member from the locked position to the unlocked position in response to displacing the core in the first axial direction relative to the housing between the second position and the third position. In some embodiments, the first engagement member is slidably received in a receptacle formed in the housing, and the first engagement member includes an annular seal disposed on an outer surface of the first engagement member, and wherein the annular seal sealingly engages an inner surface of the receptacle to restrict fluid flow through the receptacle. In some embodiments, the first engagement member comprises a compound key comprising a first shoulder and a second shoulder radially translatable relative to the first shoulder, and the compound key further comprises a biasing member biasing the second shoulder into a radially outer position. In certain embodiments, the caulking tool further comprises an annular seal assembly disposed in a groove formed in the housing, wherein the seal assembly comprises a metal piston ring and an annular elastomeric seal having an L-shaped cross-sectional profile. In certain embodiments, the tamping tool further comprises an actuation assembly disposed in the housing and configured to allow the core to be displaced from the first position to the second position in response to sensing a predetermined pressure differential between the first and second ends of the tamping tool. In some embodiments, the actuation assembly includes a valve body including a first channel configured to receive fluid pressure acting on a first end of the jam tool, the jam tool further including a fluid damper positioned upstream of the first channel of the valve body in a channel formed in the core, and wherein the fluid damper is configured to provide a flow restriction in the channel of the core.

An embodiment of a flow delivering tight plug tool for actuating a valve in a wellbore includes: a housing including a first engagement member including an unlocked position and a locked position, and a second engagement member including an unlocked position and a locked position; a core slidably disposed in the housing and configured to actuate the first engagement member from a locked position to an unlocked position in response to displacing the core in the housing from a first position to a second position; and an actuation assembly disposed in the housing and including a first valve assembly configured to allow displacement of the core from the first position to the second position in response to sensing a first pressure differential between the first and second ends of the jam tool, wherein the core is configured to actuate the second engagement member from the locked position to the unlocked position in response to displacing the core from the second position to the third position in the housing, wherein the actuation assembly includes a first valve assembly configured to allow displacement of the core from the first position to the second position in response to sensing a second pressure differential between the first and second ends of the jam tool. In some embodiments, the second pressure differential is less than the first pressure differential. In some embodiments, the tamping tool further comprises: a floating piston slidably disposed between the core and the housing, wherein the floating piston forms a first chamber in the housing in fluid communication with an ambient environment and a second chamber in the housing sealed from the ambient environment, wherein the floating piston is configured to equalize fluid pressure between the first chamber and the second chamber. In some embodiments, the tamping tool further comprises: a filter coupled to the housing and configured to allow fluid communication between the housing and an ambient environment, wherein the filter comprises a plurality of stacked gaskets, wherein the first end of each gasket comprises a notch that provides an axially extending gap between each gasket, wherein the notch of each gasket is configured to allow particles of a predetermined size to enter the housing from the ambient environment. In certain embodiments, both the first valve assembly and the second valve assembly of the actuation assembly comprise: a housing; a piston slidably received in the housing; and a check valve assembly housed in the valve body of the actuation assembly, wherein the valve body of the actuation assembly includes a first channel configured to receive fluid pressure acting on the first end of the tamping tool and a second channel configured to receive fluid pressure acting on the second end of the tamping tool.

Drawings

For a more detailed description of embodiments of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of a well system according to principles disclosed herein;

FIG. 2A is an uppermost cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a sliding sleeve valve according to the principles disclosed herein;

FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the lowermost end of the sliding sleeve valve shown in FIG. 2A;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the segment of the sliding sleeve valve shown in FIG. 2A taken along line 3-3;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the segment of the sliding sleeve valve shown in FIG. 2A taken along line 4-4;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the segment of the sliding sleeve valve shown in FIG. 2B taken along line 5-5;

FIG. 6A is an uppermost cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a flow delivery tamping tool for actuating the sliding sleeve valve shown in FIGS. 2A-5, according to principles disclosed herein;

FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view of a mid-section of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 6A;

FIG. 6C is a cross-sectional view of another mid-section of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 6A;

FIG. 6D is a cross-sectional view of the lowermost end of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 6A;

FIG. 7A is another cross-sectional view of the uppermost end of the tamping tool shown in FIGS. 6A-6D;

FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view of a mid-section of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 7A;

FIG. 7C is a cross-sectional view of another mid-section of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 7A;

FIG. 7D is a cross-sectional view of the lowermost end of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 7A;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 6A, taken along line 8-8;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 6B, taken along line 9-9;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 6B, taken along line 10-10;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 6B, taken along line 11-11;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 6C, taken along line 12-12;

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 6C, taken along line 13-13;

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 6C, taken along line 14-14;

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 6C, taken along line 15-15;

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 6C, taken along line 16-16;

FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 6C, taken along line 17-17;

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 6D, taken along line 18-18;

FIG. 19 is a top view of an embodiment of an actuation assembly (shown deployed for clarity) of the jam tool of FIGS. 6A-6D, according to principles disclosed herein;

FIGS. 20 and 21 are top views of an embodiment of an indexer (shown deployed for clarity) of the tamping tool of FIGS. 6A-6D, according to principles disclosed herein;

FIG. 22A is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a valve assembly of the actuation assembly of FIG. 19, according to principles disclosed herein;

FIG. 22B is a cross-sectional view of another valve assembly embodiment of the actuation assembly of FIG. 19, according to principles disclosed herein;

FIG. 23 is an uppermost cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a flow delivering tamping tool for actuating the sliding sleeve valve shown in FIGS. 2A-5, according to principles disclosed herein;

FIG. 24 is another cross-sectional view of the uppermost end of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 23;

FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 23, taken along line 25-25;

FIG. 26 is a front view of an embodiment of a washer of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 23, according to principles disclosed herein;

FIG. 27 is a cross-sectional view of the gasket shown in FIG. 26 taken along line 27-27;

FIG. 28 is an enlarged view of the washer shown in FIG. 27;

FIG. 29 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a compound key of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 23, according to principles disclosed herein;

fig. 30A is an uppermost cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a flow delivering tamping tool for actuating the sliding sleeve valve shown in fig. 2A-5, according to principles disclosed herein;

FIG. 30B is another cross-sectional view of the uppermost end of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 30A;

FIG. 31 is an uppermost cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a sliding sleeve valve according to the principles disclosed herein;

FIG. 32A is a cross-sectional view of the uppermost end of the tamping tool of FIG. 6A shown in a first position;

FIG. 32B is another cross-sectional view of the uppermost end of the tamping tool of FIG. 6A shown in the first position;

FIG. 33A is a cross-sectional view of the uppermost end of the tamping tool of FIG. 6A shown in a second position;

FIG. 33B is another cross-sectional view of the uppermost end of the tamping tool of FIG. 6A shown in a second position;

FIG. 34A is a cross-sectional view of the uppermost end of the tamping tool of FIG. 6A shown in a third position;

FIG. 34B is another cross-sectional view of the uppermost end of the tamping tool of FIG. 6A shown in a third position;

FIG. 35 is a top view of the actuation assembly of the jam tool shown in FIGS. 34A and 34B;

FIG. 36 is a top view of the indexer of the tamping tool shown in FIGS. 34A and 34B;

FIG. 37 is a top view of the indexer of the tamping tool of FIG. 6A shown in a fourth position;

FIG. 38 is a top view of the actuation assembly of the jam tool of FIG. 6A shown in a fifth position;

FIG. 39 is a top view of the indexer of the tamping tool of FIG. 6A shown in a fifth position;

FIG. 40A is a cross-sectional view of the uppermost end of the tamping tool of FIG. 6A shown in a sixth position;

FIG. 40B is another cross-sectional view of the uppermost end of the tamping tool of FIG. 6A shown in a sixth position;

FIG. 41 is a top view of the actuation assembly of the jam tool of FIG. 6A shown in a sixth position;

FIG. 42 is a top view of the indexer of the tamping tool of FIG. 6A shown in a sixth position;

FIG. 43 is a top view of the actuation assembly of the jam tool of FIG. 6A shown in a seventh position;

FIG. 44 is a top view of the indexer of the tamping tool of FIG. 6A shown in a seventh position;

FIG. 45 is a cross-sectional view of the uppermost end of the tamping tool of FIG. 6A, shown in a seventh position;

FIG. 46 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a sliding sleeve valve according to the principles disclosed herein;

FIG. 47 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a sliding sleeve valve according to the principles disclosed herein;

FIG. 48 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a ratchet portion of the sliding sleeve valve of FIG. 47;

FIG. 49 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a sliding sleeve valve according to the principles disclosed herein;

FIG. 50 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a ratchet portion of the sliding sleeve valve of FIG. 49;

FIG. 51A is an uppermost cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a sliding sleeve valve according to the principles disclosed herein;

FIG. 51B is a cross-sectional view of the lowermost end of the sliding sleeve valve shown in FIG. 51A;

FIG. 52A is a cross-sectional view of an uppermost end of an embodiment of a flow delivery tamping tool for actuating a sliding sleeve valve, taken along line 52-52 of FIG. 63, according to the principles disclosed herein;

FIG. 52B is a cross-sectional view of the mid-section of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 52A, taken along line 52-52 of FIG. 63;

FIG. 52C is a cross-sectional view of another mid-section of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 52A, taken along line 52-52 of FIG. 63;

FIG. 52D is a cross-sectional view of another mid-section of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 52A, taken along line 52-52 of FIG. 63;

FIG. 52E is a cross-sectional view of the lowermost end of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 52A, taken along line 52-52 of FIG. 63;

FIG. 53A is a cross-sectional view of an uppermost end of the embodiment of the activation assembly of the jam tool of FIGS. 52A-52E, taken along line 53-53 of FIG. 63, according to principles disclosed herein;

FIG. 53B is a cross-sectional view of the lowermost end of the actuation assembly of FIG. 53A taken along line 53-53 of FIG. 63;

FIG. 54 is a cross-sectional view of the actuation assembly of FIGS. 53A, 53B taken along line 54-54 of FIG. 63;

FIG. 55 is a top view of the actuation assembly of FIGS. 53A, 53B (shown expanded for clarity);

FIG. 56 is a cross-sectional view of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 52B, taken along line 56-56;

FIG. 57 is a cross-sectional view of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 52B, taken along line 57-57;

FIG. 58 is a cross-sectional view of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 52C, taken along line 58-58;

FIG. 59 is a cross-sectional view of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 52C, taken along line 59-59;

FIG. 60 is a cross-sectional view of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 52C, taken along line 60-60;

FIG. 61 is a cross-sectional view of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 52C, taken along line 61-61;

FIG. 62 is a cross-sectional view of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 52C, taken along line 62-62; and

FIG. 63 is a cross-sectional view of the tamping tool shown in FIG. 52C, taken along line 63-63.

Detailed Description

The following description demonstrates embodiments of the present disclosure. These examples should not be interpreted, or otherwise used, as limiting the scope of the disclosure, including the claims. Those skilled in the art will understand that the following description has broad application, and the discussion of any embodiment is meant only to be exemplary of that embodiment, and not intended to intimate that the scope of the disclosure, including the claims, is limited in any way to that embodiment. The figures are not necessarily to scale. Certain features and components disclosed herein may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form and some details of conventional elements may not be shown in the interest of clarity and conciseness. In some drawings, one or more components or one or more aspects of a component may not be shown, or the component or aspect may not have a reference number for a feature or component that has been identified elsewhere, in order to make the drawings clear and concise.

The term "comprising" is used in an open-ended fashion herein (including in the claims) and, thus, should be interpreted to mean "including, but not limited to". Also, the term "coupled" is intended to mean either an indirect or direct connection. Thus, if a first component couples to a second component, that connection between the components may be through a direct engagement of the two components, or through an indirect connection via other intermediate components, devices, and/or connections. If the connection transfers power or signals, the coupling may be through a wire or through one or more modes of wireless electromagnetic transmission, such as a radio mode, a microwave mode, an optical mode, or another mode. Further, as used herein, the terms "axial" and "axially" generally mean along or parallel to a given axis (e.g., the central axis of a body or port), while the terms "radial" and "radially" generally mean perpendicular to that axis. For example, axial distance refers to a distance measured along or parallel to an axis, while radial distance refers to a distance measured perpendicular to the axis.

Referring to fig. 1, an embodiment of a well system 1 is schematically illustrated. The well system 1 generally comprises a wellbore 3 extending through a subterranean formation 6, wherein the wellbore 3 comprises a generally cylindrical inner surface 5, a vertical section (not shown) extending from the surface, and a deviated section 3D extending horizontally through the formation 6. The deviated section 3D of the borehole 3 extends from a heel (not shown) provided at the lower end of the vertical section and a toe (not shown) provided at the terminal end of the borehole 3. In an embodiment of the well system 1, the wellbore 3 is an open-hole wellbore, and thus the inner surface 5 of the wellbore 3 is not lined with a cement casing or liner, allowing fluid communication between the formation 6 and the wellbore 3.

The well system 1 further comprises a well string 4 arranged in the borehole 3, the well string 4 having a bore 4B extending therethrough, thereby forming an annulus 3A in the borehole 3 between an inner surface 5 of the borehole 3 and an outer surface of the well string 4. The well string 4 includes a plurality of isolation packers 7 and sliding sleeve valves 10. In particular, each sliding sleeve 10 of the well string 4 is disposed between a pair of isolation packers 7. Each isolation packer 7 is configured to seal against the inner surface 5 of the wellbore 3, thereby forming discrete production zones 3E and 3F in the wellbore 3, wherein fluid communication between the production zones 3E and 3F is restricted. Although not shown in figure 1, the well string 4 comprises additional isolation packers 7 extending to the toe end of the deviated section 3D of the wellbore 3, sliding sleeve valves 10 and discrete production zones. As will be described further herein, the sliding sleeve valve 10 is configured to provide selectable fluid communication to the wellbore 3 via a plurality of circumferentially spaced ports 38 in response to actuation from an actuation or jam tool.

As will be discussed further herein, in the embodiment of fig. 1, each sliding sleeve valve 10 includes an upper closed position, an open position, and a lower closed position. The well system 1 includes a wiper tool 200, the wiper tool 200 configured to actuate each sliding sleeve valve 10 between an upper closed position, an open position, and a lower closed position. Although in the embodiment of fig. 1, the sliding sleeve valve 10 comprises three positions, in other embodiments, the valve 10 of the well system 1 may comprise a two-position valve. In the embodiment of fig. 1, each sliding sleeve valve 10 is disposed in the upper closed position prior to insertion of the tamping tool 200 into the bore 4B of the well string 4. FIG. 1 illustrates the well system 1 after a fracture 6F has been created in the formation 6 at the production zone 3E via the wiper tool 200. Fig. 1 also illustrates the sliding sleeve valve 10 of the production zone 3E actuated into the lower closed position by the jam tool 200, wherein the jam tool 200 is displaced from the sliding sleeve valve 10 of the production zone 3E towards the sliding sleeve valve 10 of the production zone 3F (which is disposed in the upper closed position). In this way, the formation 6 at the production zone 3F may be hydraulically fractured, and each production zone traveling toward the toe end of the wellbore 3 may be fractured in succession. Once the formation at each production zone (e.g., production zones 3E, 3F, etc.) has been hydraulically fractured using the wiper tool 200, the wiper tool 200 is disposed proximate the toe end of the wellbore 3, where the wiper tool 200 may be fished and removed from the well string 4 at the toe end of the wellbore 3.

Referring to fig. 2A through 5, an embodiment of a sliding sleeve valve 10 is illustrated. The lockable sliding sleeve valve 10 is generally configured to provide selectable fluid communication to a desired portion of a wellbore. For example, in a hydraulic fracturing operation, a plurality of sliding sleeve valves 10 may be incorporated into a completion string disposed in an open hole wellbore, with one or more sliding sleeve valves 10 isolated via a plurality of set packers in a series of discrete production zones. In this arrangement, the sliding sleeve valve 10 is configured to provide selective fluid communication with a selected production zone of the wellbore, thereby allowing the selected production zone to be hydraulically fractured or created separately.

In the embodiment of fig. 2A-5, the sliding sleeve valve 10 has a central or longitudinal axis 15 and includes a housing 12, a sliding sleeve or carrier member 50, and a seal assembly 80. The tubular housing 12 includes: a first or upper tank end 14; a second or lower pin end 16; a central bore or passage 18 extending between the first and second ends 14, 16 and defined by a generally cylindrical inner surface 20; and a generally cylindrical outer surface 22 extending between ends 14 and 16. In the embodiment of fig. 2A-5, the housing 12 is constructed from a series of segments including a first or upper segment 12A and a second or lower segment 12B releasably coupled to the upper segment 12A via a threaded coupling or joint 24. In the embodiment of fig. 2A-5, the coupler 24 includes special threads that restrict fluid communication thereacross; however, in other embodiments, the housing 12 may include an annular seal disposed between the upper and lower segments 12A, 12B to seal the connection formed between the upper and lower segments 12A, 12B.

In the embodiment of fig. 2A-5, the inner surface 20 of the housing 12 includes an annular first or upper shoulder 26 and a reduced diameter section or seal bore 28. The seal bore 28 forms an annular second or intermediate shoulder 30 at its upper end and an annular third or lower shoulder 32 at its lower end. The inner surface 20 of the housing 12 additionally includes: an annular groove 33 formed in inner surface 20 and positioned directly axially adjacent upper shoulder 26; and a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart receiving seats 34 extending axially from a first or upper end 36 of the inner surface 20 into the lower section 12B of the housing 12. In the embodiment shown in fig. 2A-5, the housing 12 includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced ports 38, wherein each port 38 extends radially between the inner surface 20 and the outer surface 22. Each port 38 is defined by a generally cylindrical inner surface 40, wherein the generally cylindrical inner surface 40 includes an annular shoulder 42 formed therein.

In the embodiment of fig. 2A to 5, the carrier 50 of the sliding sleeve valve 10 has: a first or upper end 50A; a second or lower end 50B; a central bore or passage 52 defined by a generally cylindrical inner surface 54; and a generally cylindrical outer surface 56. Carrier 50 includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced ports 58, with each port 58 extending radially between inner surface 54 and outer surface 56. In the embodiment of fig. 2A-5, the carrier 50 includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced annular seals 60 disposed in the outer surface 56. Specifically, each seal 60 is disposed about or surrounds a corresponding port 58 of the carrier 50; however, in other embodiments, the carrier 50 may not include the seal 60. In the embodiment of fig. 2A-5, the inner surface 54 of the carrier 50 includes an annular first or upper shoulder 62 and an annular second or lower shoulder 64 disposed directly adjacent the upper shoulder 62. Further, the outer surface 56 of the carrier 50 includes: an annular groove 66 formed in the outer surface 56, located proximate the upper end 50A; and a plurality of circumferentially spaced elongated slots 68. As best shown in fig. 4, each elongated slot 68 includes a flat or planar surface.

The outer surface 56 of the carrier 50 also includes an annular shoulder 70 and a plurality of circumferentially spaced elongated damping members 72. In the embodiment of fig. 2A to 5, each damping member 72 has: a first or upper end that physically engages the shoulder 70 of the carrier 50 or is disposed directly adjacent the shoulder 70; and a second or lower end, which is received in a corresponding receiving seat 34. While the outer surface of each damping member 72 does not sealingly engage the inner surface of the corresponding receptacle 34, a fluid restraining device is formed between the surfaces such that the damping members 72 are configured to provide a resistive or damping force to the carrier 50 (via engagement with the shoulder 70 of the carrier 50) in response to relative axial movement between the carrier 50 and the housing 12. In particular, the relative axial movement of carrier 50 toward lower end 16 of casing 12 forces fluid trapped in receptacle 34 to be forced out of receptacle 34 via an interface formed between an outer surface of each damping member 72 and an inner surface of each corresponding receptacle 34. In the embodiment of fig. 2A-5, the outer surface 56 of the carrier 50 additionally includes an annular seal 74, the annular seal 74 being disposed in the outer surface 56, positioned proximate the lower end 50B of the carrier 50.

The seal assembly 80 is configured to provide selective fluid communication between the bore 18 of the housing 12 and the wellbore 3 depending on the relative axial positions of the carrier 50 and the housing 12. Each seal assembly 80 generally includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced first seal members or buttons 82 and a plurality of circumferentially spaced second seal or planar members 100. Each button 82 is generally cylindrical and has a central or longitudinal axis disposed orthogonal to the central axis 15. Each button 82 has a central bore or passage 84 extending between a first or outer end and a second or inner end 86, wherein the inner end 86 includes a first sealing surface 86. In addition, each button 82 includes an outer surface that includes an annular shoulder 88, wherein the annular shoulder 88 receives a biasing member 90 therein. In some embodiments, the biasing member 90 of the button 82 comprises a wave spring. In addition, the outer surface of each button 82 includes an annular seal 92, e.g., a T-seal, disposed therein and positioned proximate the outer end of the button 82. The seal 92 of each button 82 sealingly engages the inner surface 40 of the corresponding port 38 of the housing 12 in which the button 82 is received. Although the embodiment of the button 82 of fig. 2A-5 includes the seal 92, in other embodiments, the button 82 may not include the seal 92.

In the embodiment of fig. 2A-5, the planar members 100 each extend axially relative to the central axis 15 and include an outer or second sealing surface 102 and a central port or passage 104 extending radially therethrough, wherein the port 104 of each planar member 100 is axially and angularly aligned with the corresponding port 58 of the carrier 50, thereby providing fluid communication therebetween. Each planar member 100 is received in a corresponding slot 68 of the carrier 50. In the embodiment of fig. 2A-5, the axial length of each flat member 100 is less than the axial length of the corresponding slot 68 of the carrier 50, thereby providing a limited amount of relative axial movement between the flat member 100 and the carrier 50; however, in other embodiments, relative axial movement between the planar member 100 and the carrier 50 may be limited.

In the embodiment of fig. 2A-5, a metal-to-metal seal is formed between the first sealing surface 86 of each button 82 and the second sealing surface 102 of the corresponding planar member 100. In some embodiments, the button 82 and the planar member 100 of the seal assembly 80 are formed of or include a hardened material, such as beryllium copper; however, in other embodiments, the button 82 and the planar member 100 may be formed from a variety of materials. In the configuration shown in fig. 2A-5, a biasing member 90 acts on the outer shoulder 42 of each port 38 to bias the button 82 into sealing engagement with the planar member 100. Thus, in the event that the button 82 or the planar member 100 is exposed to a pressure differential or other force acting on the contact formed between the first and second sealing surfaces 86 and 102, a seal may be engaged between the sealing surfaces 86 and 102. In some embodiments, an annular seal may be disposed in the inner end 86 about the central bore 84 of each button 82 to sealingly engage the sealing surface 102 of the corresponding planar member 100.

In the embodiment of fig. 2A-5, the sliding sleeve valve 10 additionally includes an annular retaining ring 110 disposed in the groove 33 of the housing 12. The retaining ring 110 includes radially inwardly extending shearable members or shear pins 112 that are received in the grooves 66 of the carrier 50. In the embodiment of fig. 2A-5, the retaining ring 110 includes a biased retaining ring 110 biased inward toward the central axis 15. As best shown in fig. 3, in the embodiment of fig. 2A through 5, the retaining ring 110 comprises a C-shaped ring. Although the sliding sleeve valve 10 is shown in fig. 2A-5 as including the retaining ring 110, in some embodiments, the sliding sleeve valve 10 may not include the retaining ring 110. For example, in some embodiments, the sliding sleeve valve 10 may rely on other mechanisms as will be further described herein to retain the sliding sleeve valve 10 in its various positions.

In the embodiment of fig. 2A-5, the sliding sleeve valve 10 comprises a three-position valve, as described above with reference to fig. 1. In fig. 2A-5, the sliding sleeve valve 10 is shown in an upper closed position with the button 82 in sealing engagement with the planar member 100 to thereby restrict fluid communication between the bore 18 of the housing 12 and the surrounding environment (i.e., the annulus 3A of the wellbore 3 shown in fig. 1). Via engagement between the shear pins 112 and the surfaces defining the groove 66 of the carrier 50, the retaining ring 110 is configured to retain the sliding sleeve 10 in the upper closed position until a threshold axially downwardly directed force (i.e., in the direction of the lower end 16 of the housing 12) is applied to the carrier 50 sufficient to shear the shear pins 112 and overcome the frictional forces between the sealing surfaces 86 and 102 of the buttons 82, respectively, and the planar member 100. In the open position of the sliding sleeve valve 10, the port 58 of the carrier 50 is axially aligned with the bore 84 of the button 82 to allow fluid communication therebetween, and in turn, between the bore 18 of the housing 12 and the ambient environment. In the lower closed position of the sliding sleeve valve 10, the lower end 50B of the carrier 50 is disposed directly adjacent or physically engages the intermediate shoulder 30 of the housing 12, thereby positioning the port 58 of the carrier 50 in sufficient axial misalignment with the bore 84 of the button 82 to limit fluid communication between the port 58 and the bore 84 via sealing engagement between the sealing surfaces 86 and 102.

Referring to fig. 6A-22B, an embodiment of a non-limiting flow-delivering tight-packing tool 200 of the well system 1 is shown, wherein the tight-packing tool 200 is configured to actuate the sliding sleeve valve 10 shown in fig. 2A-5 between an upper closed position, an open position, and a lower closed position. For clarity, fig. 6A to 6D show a first side cross-sectional view of the jam tool 200, while fig. 7A to 7D show a second side cross-sectional view of the jam tool 200 rotated 90 ° from the view shown in fig. 6A to 6D. A plugging tool 200 may be disposed in the bore 4B of the well string 4 at the surface of the wellbore 3 and pumped down through the wellbore 3 towards the heel of the wellbore 3, wherein the plugging tool 200 may selectively actuate one or more sliding sleeve valves 10 to move from the heel of the wellbore 3 to the toe of the wellbore 3. In the embodiment shown in fig. 6A, the tamping tool 200 has a central or longitudinal axis and generally comprises: a generally tubular housing 202; a core or cam 300 disposed in the housing 202; and an actuation assembly 400 configured to control actuation of the cartridge 300 within the housing 202.

The housing 202 of the jam tool 200 includes: a first or upper end 204; a second or lower end 206; a central bore or passage 208 extending between ends 204 and 206, defined by a generally cylindrical inner surface 210; and a generally cylindrical outer surface 212 extending between ends 204 and 206. The housing 202 is made up of a series of segments including a first or upper segment 202A, intermediate segments 202B and 202C, and a lower segment 202D, wherein the segments 202A to 202D are releasably coupled together via a releasable connection or threaded coupling 214.

In the embodiment of fig. 6A-22B, the upper section 202A of the housing 202 includes an annular wiper 216 at the upper end 204 and an annular first screen (or upper screen) or filter 218 disposed in the outer surface 212 proximate the upper end 204. The wiper 216 is configured to wipe or clean an outer cylindrical surface 306 of the cartridge 300 in response to relative axial movement between the cartridge 300 and the housing 202, wherein the cartridge 300 is slidably disposed in the bore 208 of the housing 202. The upper filter 218 is configured to filter particles of a predetermined size from entering the bore 208 of the housing 202 from the surrounding environment (e.g., from the bore 4B of the well string 4), while allowing fluid communication between the bore 208 and the surrounding environment via a port 220 formed in the housing 202. In the embodiment of fig. 6A-22B, the upper filter 218 comprises a wire-wrapped screen; however, in other embodiments, the upper filter 218 may include other mechanisms for filtering particulate matter.

The housing 202 includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced first or upper slots 222, a plurality of circumferentially spaced second or intermediate slots 224, a plurality of circumferentially spaced third or intermediate slots 226, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced fourth or lower slots 228. The upper slots 222 of the housings 202 each receive a corresponding composite key or engagement member 230 therein, wherein each composite key 230 is radially translatable within its respective upper slot 222 between a radially retracted position and a radially expanded position (shown in fig. 6A) of the respective housing 202. The composite key 230 includes: an arcuate upper shoulder 232; and a retractable pin or lower shoulder 234 disposed within a slot extending through the compound key 230. In particular, the lower shoulder 234 extends axially at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the tamping tool 200 and is radially translatable within its respective slot between a radially retracted position and a radially expanded position (shown in fig. 6A) of the respective compound key 230. The lower shoulder 234 of each compound key 230 is biased into the radially expanded position by a biasing member 236 received within a corresponding slot of the compound key 230. Further, each composite key 230 includes: an annular seal 238 that sealingly engages the inner surface of the corresponding upper groove 222; and a pair of retainers 240 (shown in fig. 8) that couple the compound key 230 with the housing 202. Similarly, the lower shoulder 234 further includes: a retainer 234R (shown in fig. 8) to couple the lower shoulder 234 with the upper shoulder 232; and an annular seal 242 sealingly engaging an inner surface formed in the groove of the compound key 230.

In the embodiment of fig. 6A-22B, each intermediate slot 224 of the housing 202 receives an intermediate radially translatable member or key 244, each intermediate slot 226 receives a radially translatable aperture sensor 250, and each lower slot 228 receives a lower radially translatable member or key 254. Each intermediate key 244 includes: an annular seal 246 that sealingly engages the inner surface of the corresponding intermediate groove 224; and a retainer 248 that couples the middle key 244 with the housing 202. Further, each hole sensor 250 includes: an annular seal 252 that sealingly engages the inner surface of the corresponding intermediate groove 226; and a flanged lower end to prevent the orifice sensor 250 from falling out of the housing 202. Further, each lower key 254 includes: an annular seal 256 that sealingly engages the inner surface of the corresponding lower groove 228; and a retainer 258 coupling the lower key 254 with the housing 202.

The segment 202B of the housing 202 of the jam tool 200 includes a plurality of stacked piston rings 260, the plurality of stacked piston rings 260 configured to sealingly engage a seal bore (e.g., the seal bore 28 of the sliding sleeve valve 10) by forming an intermetallic seal between the piston rings 260 and the seal bore. In some embodiments, piston ring 260 comprises brass, beryllium copper, alloy steel, plastic, elastomer, or the like; however, in other embodiments, the piston ring 260 may include various materials. Section 202B of housing 202 additionally includes an annular second screen (or lower screen) or filter 262 disposed in outer surface 212. The lower filter 262 is configured to filter particles of a predetermined size from entering the bore 208 of the housing 202 from the surrounding environment (e.g., from the bore 4B of the well string 4), while allowing fluid communication between the bore 208 and the surrounding environment via a port 264 formed in the housing 202. In the embodiment of fig. 6A-22B, the lower filter 262 comprises a wire-wrapped screen; however, in other embodiments, the lower filter 262 may include other mechanisms for filtering particulate matter.

In the embodiment of fig. 6A-22B, the lower end of the section 202B of the shell 202 includes a pair of circumferentially spaced first or long fingers 264 and a pair of circumferentially spaced second or short fingers 266 (shown in fig. 20), wherein the long and short fingers 264, 266 each extend axially toward the lower end 206 of the shell 202. The long fingers 264 extend a greater axial distance than the short fingers 266, and in the embodiment of fig. 6A-22B, the long fingers 264 are spaced apart by about 180 ° while the short fingers 266 are spaced apart by less than 180 °, although in other embodiments the circumferential spacing of the fingers 264 and 266 may vary. In other embodiments, the number of fingers 264 and 266 may also vary. Further, each long finger 264 includes an arcuately extending shoulder 264S, wherein the shoulders 264S are substantially axially aligned with the terminal ends of the short fingers 266. Further, each long finger 264 includes an indexer pin 268 extending radially inward therefrom, wherein the indexer pin 268 is disposed proximate to the outer end of the long finger 264. As will be discussed further herein, the indexer pins 268 are configured to interface with a rotatable indexer 360 of the core 300. Further, an annular seal 270 (e.g., a T-seal) is positioned radially between the interfaces of the segments 202B and 202C of the casing 202 to seal between the segments 202B and 202C. Section 202D of the housing 202 of the jam tool 200 includes a removable plug 272 at the lower end 206 of the housing 202. Further, the segment 202D includes an annular seal 274, e.g., a T-seal, disposed in the inner surface 210 of the segment 202D proximate the upper end thereof, wherein the seal 274 sealingly engages the outer surface 212 of the segment 202C.

The core 300 of the tamping tool 200 is disposed coaxially with the longitudinal axis of the housing 202 and comprises: an upper end 302 formed with a fishing neck for retrieving the jam tool 200 when the jam tool 200 is disposed in the wellbore; and a lower end 304. In this embodiment, the core 300 includes: a generally cylindrical outer surface 306 extending between ends 302 and 304; and a bore or channel 308 extending between a port 310 proximate the upper end 302 and the lower end 304. In the embodiment shown in fig. 6A-22B, the core 300 includes a first or upper segment 300A and a second or lower segment 300B, wherein the segments 300A and 300B are releasably connected at a shearable link 312. Shearable links 312 include: an annular seal 314 to seal the bore 308; and a shear member or ring 316 to releasably couple the upper segment 300A with the lower segment 300B. In this configuration, relative axial movement between the segments 300A and 300B is limited until the shear ring 316 shears in response to an upward force exerted on the upper end 302 of the core 300, thereby allowing limited relative axial movement between the upper segment 300A of the core 300 and the housing 202.

The outer surface 306 of the upper section 300A of the core 300 includes an annular first or upper groove 318, an annular first or upper shoulder 320, an annular second or middle shoulder 322, an annular second or middle groove 324, an annular third or middle shoulder 326, an annular third or middle groove 328, an annular fourth or lower groove 330, an annular fourth or middle shoulder 332, and an annular fifth or lower shoulder 334. In addition, the core 300 of the tamping tool 200 includes a radially outwardly biased C-ring 336 that is receivable in the intermediate recess 328. In particular, C-ring 336 is configured to physically engage a radially inner end of bore sensor 250 to thereby bias bore sensor 250 toward a first or radially outward position shown in fig. 6B. The core 300 also includes an annular seal 338, e.g., a T-seal, disposed in the outer surface 306 and axially between the intermediate and lower grooves 328, 330. Further, the cartridge 300 includes a releasable connector or coupling 340 for connecting the lower end 304 of the cartridge 300 with the actuating assembly 400.

In the embodiment of fig. 6A-22B, the tamping tool 200 includes a floating piston 342 disposed about the core 300, wherein the floating piston 342 includes: a generally cylindrical inner surface having an annular inner seal 344 disposed therein; and a generally cylindrical outer surface having an annular outer seal 346 formed therein. In some embodiments, inner seal 344 and outer seal 346 may comprise T-seals. In this configuration, the inner seal 344 of the floating piston 342 sealingly engages the outer surface 306 of the core 300, while the outer seal 346 sealingly engages the inner surface 210 of the housing 202. The sealing engagement provided by seals 344 and 346 of floating piston 342 forms an annular first or upper fluid chamber 348 and an annular second or lower fluid chamber 350. In this configuration, the lower fluid chamber 350 is fluidly sealed from the ambient environment (i.e., at least a portion of the bore 4B of the well string 4), while pressure from the ambient environment is communicated from the upper chamber 348 to the lower chamber 350 via the floating piston 342. In some embodiments, lower chamber 350 is filled with hydraulic fluid for facilitating operation of actuation assembly 400.

In the embodiment of fig. 6A-22B, the jam tool 200 includes an annular indexer 360 for assisting the actuation assembly 400 in actuating the jam tool 200, as will be discussed further herein. The indexer 360 is coupled to the outer surface 306 of the core 300 such that relative axial and rotational movement between the indexer 360 and the core 300 is limited. As shown clearly in fig. 21, the indexer 360 generally comprises: a first or upper end 360A; a second or lower end 360B; and a generally cylindrical outer surface 362 extending between ends 360A and 360B. In the embodiment of fig. 6A-22B, the outer surface 362 of the indexer 360 includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart ridges 364 extending radially outward therefrom, with each ridge 364 extending axially from the upper end 360A toward the lower end 360B. As will be discussed further herein, the ridges 364 radially overlap the long and short fingers 264 and 266 of the shell 202, and thus, when the ridges 364 are angularly aligned with the fingers 264 and/or 266, relative axial movement between the core 300 and the shell 202 may result in physical engagement between the upper axial end of each ridge 364 and the terminal end of each short finger 266 and/or the shoulder 264S of each long finger 264.

In the embodiment of fig. 6A-22B, the indexer 360 includes four circumferentially spaced ridges 364; however, in other embodiments, the core 360 may include a varying number of ridges 364. Further, the outer surface 362 of the indexer 360 includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart grooves 366 disposed therein. In this embodiment, the indexer 360 includes a pair of grooves 366 spaced about 180 ° apart; however, in other embodiments, the indexer 360 may include a varying number of grooves 366. Each groove 366 receives one of the indexer pins 268 of the housing 202 and includes a plurality of angularly extending shoulders 368. As will be discussed further herein, the physical engagement or contact between the indexer pin 268 and the shoulder 368 of the groove 366 of the indexer 360 is configured to control rotation of the core 300 relative to the housing 202 during operation of the jam tool 200.

In the embodiment of fig. 6A-22B, the actuation assembly 400 generally includes a cylindrical valve block or body 402, a first pair of valve assemblies 440A and 440B, and a second pair of valve assemblies 510A and 510B. The valve body 402 includes: a first or upper end 404; a second or lower end 406; and a generally cylindrical outer surface 408 extending between ends 404 and 406. The outer surface 408 of the valve body 402 includes an annular seal 410, e.g., a T-seal, disposed therein that sealingly engages the inner surface 210 of the housing 202. The sealing engagement provided by the seal 410 of the valve body 402 divides the lower chamber 350 into: a first or upper actuation chamber 352A extending between seals 344 and 346 of floating piston 342 and seal 410 of valve body 402; and a second or lower actuation chamber 352B extending axially between the seal 410 of the valve body 402 and the lower terminal end of the central bore 208 of the housing 202. As will be discussed further herein, actuation assembly 400 is configured to selectively restrict fluid communication between upper actuation chamber 352A and lower actuation chamber 352B.

In the embodiment of fig. 6A-22B, the valve body 402 of the actuation assembly 400 includes a first valve bore or passage 412, a second valve bore or passage 414, a third valve bore or passage 420, and a fourth valve bore or passage 424, wherein the valve bores 412, 414, 420, and 424 each extend axially into the valve body 402 from the lower end 406. In this configuration, the first valve bore 412 receives at least a portion of the valve assembly 440A, the second valve bore 414 receives at least a portion of the valve assembly 440B, the third valve bore 420 receives at least a portion of the valve assembly 510A, and the fourth valve bore 424 receives at least a portion of the valve assembly 510B. A first radial port or passage 416 extends radially through the valve body 402 between the outer surface 408 and the first valve bore 412, with the first radial passage 416 intersecting the first valve bore 412 proximate an inner terminal end of the first valve bore 412. Similarly, a second radial port or channel 418 extends radially through the valve body 402 between the outer surface 408 and the second valve bore 414, with the second radial channel 418 intersecting the second valve bore 414 proximate an inner terminal end of the second valve bore 414. Radial passages 416 and 418 are each axially positioned in the valve body 402 between the seal 410 and the upper end 404. In this arrangement, when fluid communication is permitted between the first valve bore 412 and the first radial passage 416 and/or between the second valve bore 414 and the second radial passage 418, fluid communication is thereby provided between the upper actuation chamber 352A and the lower actuation chamber 352B.

The third valve bore 420 of the actuation assembly 400 includes a frustoconical sealing surface 420S and is in selective fluid communication with the first valve bore 412 via a third radial port or passage 422, the third radial port or passage 422 extending between the first valve bore 412 and an inner terminal end of the third valve bore 420. The fourth valve bore 424 similarly includes a frustoconical sealing surface 424S and is in selective fluid communication with an upper chamber bore or passage 428 via a fourth radial port or passage 426, the fourth radial port or passage 426 extending between the third valve bore 424 and the upper chamber passage 428. An upper chamber passage 428 extends axially into the valve body 402 from the upper end 404 and is also in fluid communication with both the first and second valve bores 412, 414 via a fifth radial port or passage 430, which fifth radial port or passage 430 extends between both the first and second valve bores 412, 414 and the upper chamber passage 428.

In the embodiment of fig. 6A-22B, the valve body 402 additionally includes an inlet or core bore or passage 432 extending axially into the valve body 402 from the upper end 404. Further, the valve main body 402 includes: a neck 434 configured to releasably couple with the connector 340 of the cartridge 300; and an annular seal 436 configured to sealingly engage the inner surface of the bore 308 of the cartridge 300. In this arrangement, fluid communication is provided between the cartridge passage 432 of the valve body 402 and the bore 308 of the cartridge 300, while direct fluid communication is restricted (via the seal 436) between the cartridge passage 432 and the lower chamber 350. In the embodiment of fig. 6A-22B, the core channel 432 of the valve body 402 is in fluid communication with both the first and second valve bores 412, 414 via a sixth radial port or channel 438, wherein the sixth radial port or channel 438 extends between the core channel 432 and both the first and second valve bores 412, 414. In addition, the valve body 402 includes a bypass bore or passage 437 extending axially between the upper end 404 and the lower end 406 of the valve body 402. The bypass passage 437 includes a check valve 439, the check valve 439 being biased into sealing engagement with the bypass passage 437 via a biasing member 441. In this arrangement, the check valve 439 permits fluid flow from the upper actuation chamber 352A to the lower actuation chamber 352B via a bypass passage 437, but restricts fluid flow from the lower actuation chamber 352B to the upper actuation chamber 352A via the bypass passage 437. The bypass passage 437 is in fluid communication with the second valve bore 414 via a sixth radial port or passage 443, wherein the sixth radial port or passage 443 extends between the bypass passage 437 and the second valve bore 414.

As best shown in fig. 22A and 22B, in the embodiment of fig. 6A-22B, valve assemblies 440A and 440B each generally include a housing 442, a piston assembly 460, and a check valve assembly 490. The housing 442 of the valve assembly 440A is coupled to the inner surface of the first valve bore 412 proximate the lower end 406 of the valve body 402, while the housing 442 of the valve assembly 440B is coupled to the inner surface of the second valve bore 414 proximate the second end 406 of the valve body 402. The housing 442 of each valve assembly 440A and 440B includes a first or upper chamber 444 and a second or lower chamber 446. The housing 442 of each valve assembly 440A and 440B additionally includes an annular seal 448A and 448B, and in some embodiments, the annular seals 448A and 448B can include T-seals. In addition, piston assembly 460 of each valve assembly 440A and 440B includes a piston 462 slidably disposed in its corresponding housing 442, piston 462 including an annular seal 464 (e.g., a T-seal) disposed in an outer surface thereof. Further, each piston assembly 460 includes a piston retainer 466 coupled to the lower terminal end of the housing 442, wherein the piston retainer 466 includes: an annular first or outer seal 468A that sealingly engages the inner surface of the housing 442; and an annular second or inner seal 468B that sealingly engages the outer surface of the piston 462. In some embodiments, the housing 442 and the piston retainer 466 may comprise a single, integral component. Seal 448A of housing 442 of valve assembly 440A sealingly engages an inner surface of first valve bore 412 of valve body 402, while seal 448B sealingly engages an outer surface of piston 462, and seal 464 of piston 462 sealingly engages an inner surface of housing 442. Similarly, seal 448A of housing 442 of valve assembly 440B sealingly engages an inner surface of second valve bore 412 of valve body 402, while seal 448B sealingly engages an outer surface of piston 462, and seal 464 of piston 462 sealingly engages an inner surface of housing 442.

In this arrangement, fluid communication is provided between the upper chamber 444 and the sixth radial passage 438 (and in turn, the core passage 432) of each valve assembly 440A and 440B via a plurality of circumferentially spaced first or upper housing ports 450, while fluid communication is provided between the lower chamber 446 and the fifth radial passage 430 (and in turn, the upper actuation chamber 352A) of each valve assembly 440A and 440B via a plurality of circumferentially spaced second or lower housing ports 452. Instead, fluid communication is restricted between the upper chamber 444 of valve assemblies 440A and 440B and fifth radial passage 430, and fluid communication is restricted between the lower chamber 446 of valve assemblies 440A and 440B and sixth radial port 438. The housing 442 of each valve assembly 440A and 440B includes a biasing member 454, the biasing member 454 being received within the upper chamber 444 to provide a biasing force to the corresponding piston assembly 460 in the direction of the upper end 404 of the valve body 402. In certain embodiments, the biasing member 454 of the first valve assembly 440A provides a greater biasing force than the biasing member 454 of the second valve assembly 440B.

In the embodiment of fig. 6A-22B, the piston assembly 460 of each valve assembly 440A and 440B generally includes: a piston 462; and a flapper assembly 480 coupled to an upper end of the piston 462. The piston 462 of each valve assembly 440A and 440B includes an annular shoulder 470 disposed in the upper chamber 444 of the corresponding housing 442. In this arrangement, the annular shoulder 470 of the piston 462 receives fluid pressure from the bore 308 of the cartridge 300 via the cartridge passage 432 of the valve body 402. As described above, the bore 308 of the core 300 is in fluid communication with the ambient environment disposed above the piston ring 260 (i.e., the bore 4B of the well string 4), and thus fluid pressure from axially above the wiper tool 200 in the string or borehole in which the wiper tool 200 is deployed may be communicated to the shoulder 470 of the piston 462. In this arrangement, pressure applied to the shoulder 470 of the piston 462 by fluid pressure in the upper chamber 444 resists the biasing force applied to the piston 462 from the biasing member 454. Accordingly, a sufficient or threshold pressure (provided via a sufficient or threshold fluid pressure in the upper chamber 444) applied to the shoulder 470 of the piston 462 may axially displace the piston 462 within the housing 442, thereby compressing the biasing member 454.

In the embodiment of fig. 6A-22B, the baffle assembly 480 of each valve assembly 440A and 440B comprises: a housing or carrier 482 coupled to the upper terminal end of the piston 462; and a flap 484 pivotably coupled to the carrier 482 via a biased hinge 486, wherein the flap 484 includes a radially extending engagement shoulder 488. The biased hinge 486 includes a biasing member configured to bias the flapper 484 into engagement with the inner surface of the carrier 482 or, in other words, bias the flapper 484 out of alignment with the center or longitudinal axis of the piston assembly 460. The check valve assembly 490 of the first valve assembly 440A is slidably disposed in the first valve bore 412 of the valve body 402, and the check valve assembly 490 of the second valve assembly 440B is slidably disposed in the second valve bore 414.

In the embodiment of fig. 6A-22B, the check valve assembly 490 of each valve assembly 440A and 440B includes: a check valve housing 492 including a valve stem 494 extending axially upward toward the flapper assembly 480; and a ball or obturator member 496 disposed in the check valve housing 492. In addition, the check valve assembly 490 of each valve assembly 440A and 440B includes a biasing member 498 for applying a biasing force to the check valve housing 492 in the direction of the lower end 406 of the valve body 402. Further, each valve assembly 440A and 440B includes an annular plug 500, the annular plug 500 being coupled to the valve body 402 and axially disposed between the flapper assembly 480 and the check valve assembly 490. The lower end of each plug 500 includes a generally frustoconical surface 502 for engaging the terminal end of the corresponding baffle 484. In this arrangement, the biasing member 498 of the check valve assembly 490 of the first valve assembly 440A biases the check valve housing 492 into a lower position in which the ball 496 limits fluid communication between the first valve bore 412 and the first radial passage 416. Similarly, the biasing member 498 of the check valve assembly 490 of the second valve assembly 440B biases the check valve housing 492 into a lower position in which the balls 496 limit fluid communication between the second valve bore 414 and the second radial passage 418. In other words, valve assemblies 440A and 440B are each biased toward a closed position.

In the embodiment of fig. 6A-22B, each valve assembly 510A and 510B of the actuation assembly 400 generally includes: an elongate sealing member or plug 512; and an extension rod 514 pivotally coupled to the plug 512 via a rotatable joint or ball joint 516 formed between a lower end of the plug 512 and an upper end of the extension rod 514. Plug 512 of each valve assembly 510A and 510B includes an annular seal 518 disposed in a frustoconical outer surface of plug 512. The plug 512 of the valve assembly 510A is slidably disposed in the third valve bore 420 of the valve body 402, and the seal 518 of the valve assembly 510A is configured to sealingly engage the sealing surface 420S of the third valve bore 420 when the valve assembly 510A is in the closed position to restrict fluid communication between the third valve bore 420 and the third radial passage 422. The plug 512 of the valve assembly 510B is slidably disposed in the fourth valve bore 424 of the valve body 402, and the seal 518 of the valve assembly 510B is configured to sealingly engage the sealing surface 424S of the fourth valve bore 424 when the valve assembly 510B is in the closed position to restrict fluid communication between the fourth valve bore 424 and the fourth radial channel 426.

The extension rod 514 of each valve assembly 510A and 510B includes a telescopic axial length adjuster 520, the telescopic axial length adjuster 520 configured to adjust the axial length of the extension rod 514 via relative rotation between the upper and lower ends of the extension rod 514. Further, a biasing member 522 is disposed about the outer surface of the extension rod 514 and is axially located at the lower end of the extension rod 514 that includes a ball connector 524. As best shown in fig. 7D, the lower end of the extension rod 514 of each valve assembly 510A and 510B is slidably received in one of a plurality of channels 532, the plurality of channels 532 extending axially through a generally cylindrical first spring retainer 530 disposed in the lower actuation chamber 352B. In particular, the channel 532 extends axially into the first spring retainer 530 from a first or upper end thereof, with a second or lower end of the first spring retainer 530 directly abutting a lower terminal end of the bore 208 of the housing 202. In the embodiment of fig. 6A-22B, a biasing member 534 is disposed within each channel 532 of the first spring retainer 530. In particular, the first biasing member 534 of the first spring retainer 530 physically engages the ball connector 524 of the extension rod 514 of the valve assembly 510A, thereby biasing the plug 512 of the valve assembly 510A toward the sealing surface 420S of the third valve bore 420. Similarly, the second biasing member 534 of the first spring retainer 530 physically engages the ball connector 524 of the extension rod 514 of the valve assembly 510B, thereby biasing the plug 512 of the valve assembly 510B toward the sealing surface 424S of the fourth valve bore 424.

The biasing member 522 of each valve assembly 510A and 510B is also received in a corresponding channel 532 of the first spring retainer 530, wherein the biasing member 522 is configured to cushion the impact of the plug 512 of the valve assembly 510A and 510B when the plug 512 contacts the sealing surfaces 420S and 424S, respectively, when the valve assembly 510A and 510B are each actuated into its closed position. In the embodiment of fig. 6A-22B, the actuation assembly 400 of the jam tool 200 additionally includes: a second spring retainer 540 housed in the lower actuation chamber 532B; and a biasing member 542, retained by the second spring retainer 540, configured to apply a biasing force to the valve body 402 (and, in turn, to the core 300) in an axial direction of the upper end 204 of the housing 202 of the tamping tool 200.

Referring to fig. 23-29, another embodiment of a non-restrictive flow delivery tamping tool 600 of the well system 1 is shown in fig. 23-29, wherein the tamping tool 600 is configured to actuate the sliding sleeve valve 10 shown in fig. 2A-5 between an upper closed position, an open position, and a lower closed position. For clarity, fig. 23 shows a first side cross-sectional view of the jam tool 600, while fig. 24 shows a second side cross-sectional view of the jam tool 600 rotated 90 ° from the view shown in fig. 23. The plugging tool 600 may be disposed in the bore 4B of the well string 4 at the surface of the wellbore 3 and pumped down through the wellbore 3 towards the heel of the wellbore 3, wherein the plugging tool 600 may selectively actuate one or more sliding sleeve valves 10 to move from the heel of the wellbore 3 to the toe of the wellbore 3. The jam tool 600 includes the same features as the jam tool 200 shown in fig. 6A-22B, and shared features are similarly labeled.

In the embodiment of fig. 23 to 29, the jam tool 600 includes: a cylindrical housing 602 similar to the housing 202 of the tamping tool 200 discussed above; and a core 300 slidably disposed in the cylindrical housing 602. Similar to the configuration of the housing 202 of the jam tool 200, the housing 602 includes a plurality of releasably coupled segments, including a first or upper segment 602A and a second or middle segment 602B coupled to the first or upper segment 602A. The housing 602 has: a first or upper end 604; and a central bore or passage 606 defined by a generally cylindrical inner surface 608. The housing 602 of the jam tool 600 includes: a filter 610; and a radial port 612 configured to allow fluid communication between the bore 606 of the housing 602 and the ambient environment. Unlike the upper filter 218 of the tamping tool 200 discussed above, the filter 610 of the tamping tool 600 includes a plurality of annular, axially stacked washers 614. As best shown in fig. 26-28, each gasket 614 of the filter 610 has a first end 616 and a second end 618, wherein the first end 616 includes a radially outer annular sealing surface 620 and a radially inner annular recessed surface 622. In the stacked arrangement shown in fig. 23 and 24, the sealing surface 620 of each gasket 614 of the filter 610 sealingly engages the second end 618 of the adjacently disposed gasket 614.

In the embodiment of fig. 23-29, the first end 616 of each washer 614 includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced notches 624 formed therein. The notches 624 are configured to provide an axially extending gap between each notch 624 and the second end 618 of an adjacently disposed washer 614 when the washers 614 are disposed in the stacked arrangement shown in fig. 23 and 24. In this configuration, the axial gap formed by the notch 624 of the gasket 614 facilitates fluid communication across the filter 610. Further, the axial gap formed between each pair of adjacently disposed gaskets 614 via notches 624 may be sized to allow a predetermined size of particles to pass through filter 610. In some embodiments, a chamfer may be formed in the radially inner end of the recessed surface 622 of each gasket 614 to further facilitate fluid flow through the filter 610.

The housing 602 of the jam tool 600 includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots 630, the slots 630 being similar in configuration to the upper slots 222 of the housing 202 of the jam tool 200. The slots 630 of the housing 602 each receive a corresponding composite key or engagement member 640 therein. The compound keys 640 each include an arcuate upper shoulder 642 and a retractable pin or lower shoulder 644. The compound key 640 is similar in configuration to the compound key 230 of the jam tool 200. However, unlike the compound keys 230 described above, each compound key 640 includes an arcuate slot 646 extending into a lower end thereof. The groove 646 of each compound key 640 is configured to receive an axially extending lip 632, the lip 632 forming an upper end of the middle section 602B of the housing 602. With the lip 632 of the mid-section 602B received in the groove 646 of each composite key 640, the keys 640 are allowed to radially translate between a radially inner position and an outer position while remaining constrained or coupled with the housing 602. Thus, the interaction of the lip 632 and the groove 646 function to retain the compound key 640 with the housing 602 without using the retainer 240 of the jam tool 200.

Referring to fig. 30A and 30B, another embodiment of a non-limiting flow delivering wiper tool 700 of the well system 1 is shown in fig. 30A and 30B, wherein the wiper tool 700 is configured to actuate the sliding sleeve valve 10 shown in fig. 2A-5 between an upper closed position, an open position, and a lower closed position. For clarity, fig. 30A shows a first side cross-sectional view of the jam tool 700, while fig. 30B shows a second side cross-sectional view of the jam tool 700 rotated 90 ° from the view shown in fig. 30A. The plugging tool 700 may be disposed in the bore 4B of the well string 4 at the surface of the wellbore 3 and pumped down through the wellbore 3 toward the heel of the wellbore 3, wherein the plugging tool 700 may selectively actuate one or more sliding sleeve valves 10 to move from the heel of the wellbore 3 to the toe of the wellbore 3. The jam tool 700 includes the same features as the jam tool 200 shown in fig. 6A-22B, and shared features are similarly labeled.

In the embodiment of fig. 30A and 30B, the tamping tool 700 includes a housing 202 and a core 702, the core 702 being similar in configuration to the core 300 of the tamping tool 200 described above. However, unlike the core 300 of the tamping tool 200, the core 702 includes a floating piston 706 slidably disposed in a central bore or channel 704 of the core 702. The piston 706 includes an annular seal 708 in sealing engagement with the inner surface of the bore 704, dividing the bore 704 into: a first or upper chamber 710A extending between an upper end of the bore 704 and the piston 706; and a second or lower chamber 710B extending between the piston 708 and the core passage 432 of the valve body 402 of the actuation assembly 400. In this configuration, lower chamber 710B is fluidly sealed from upper chamber 710A, while fluid pressure may be communicated between chambers 710A and 710B via floating piston 706. Thus, the piston 706 allows fluid pressure to be transferred from the fluid disposed above the tamping tool 700 to the core passage 432 of the valve body 402, while protecting components of the actuation assembly 400 in fluid communication with the core passage 432 from particles contained in the fluid disposed in the upper chamber 710A.

In the embodiment of fig. 30A and 30B, the core 702 additionally includes a fluid damper 712 coupled to an inner surface of the lower chamber 710B, wherein the fluid damper 712 includes a central port or passage 714 extending therethrough. The passage 714 of the fluid damper 712 has a relatively small diameter and is configured to provide a restriction to fluid flow through the lower chamber 710B, for example, in the event of axial displacement of the piston 706 through the bore 704 of the core 702. In some embodiments, the fluid damper 712 comprises a set screw; however, in other embodiments, the fluid damper 712 may include other damping mechanisms known in the art. In the configuration shown in fig. 30A and 30B, the fluid restriction provided by the passage 714 of the fluid damper 712 acts to dampen pressure pulsations (e.g., water hammer action, etc.) passing through the lower chamber 710B formed in the core 702.

Referring to fig. 31, another embodiment of a sliding sleeve valve 750 for use with the well system 1 of fig. 1 is shown in fig. 31. The sliding sleeve valve 750 includes the same features as the sliding sleeve valve 10 shown in fig. 2A-5, and shared features are similarly labeled. Like the sliding sleeve valve 10 described above, the sliding sleeve valve 750 includes a first or upper closed position, a second or open position, and a third or lower closed position, and is actuatable between the upper closed position, the open position, and the lower closed position via a tamping tool (e.g., the tamping tools 200, 600, 700 described above). Sliding sleeve valve 750 generally includes a housing 752 and a carrier member 50, wherein the housing 752 has a central bore or passage 754 defined by a generally cylindrical inner surface 756.

Unlike sliding sleeve valve 10, sliding sleeve valve 750 shown in fig. 31 includes an annular groove 758, which annular groove 758 is formed in an inner surface 756 of housing 752, receiving radially inwardly biased friction ring 760 therein. Friction ring 760 is configured to provide a resistance or friction force against outer surface 56 of carrier member 50. The frictional force applied to carrier member 50 from friction ring 760 is configured to prevent carrier member 50 from being unintentionally displaced in aperture 754 of housing 752. In other words, the friction ring 760 is configured to prevent the sliding sleeve valve 750 from being inadvertently actuated between the upper closed position, the open position, and the lower closed position by applying a frictional force that resists relative movement between the carrier member 50 and the housing 752. In some embodiments, friction ring 760 comprises a seizure resistant material, such as beryllium copper.

In the embodiment of fig. 31, friction ring 760 may be configured to provide a predetermined frictional force to carrier member 50 to resist movement of carrier member 50 within aperture 754 of housing 752. In this arrangement, friction ring 760 may be designed such that a predetermined axial force must be applied to carrier member 50 in order to displace carrier member 50 and thereby actuate sliding sleeve valve 750 between the upper closed position, the open position, and the lower closed position. In some embodiments, the amount of friction force applied to carrier member 50 by friction ring 760 may be controlled via the material properties of friction ring 760 and the degree to which friction ring 760 is biased radially inward toward outer surface 56 of carrier member 50.

Having described the structural features of embodiments of the sliding sleeve valve 10 and 750 and the jam tool 200, 600 and 700, with reference to fig. 1 through 22B, the operation of the embodiments will now be described herein. In particular, the operation of the sliding sleeve valve 10 shown in fig. 2-5 and the jam tool 200 shown in fig. 6A-22B is described herein; however, the operation of the sliding sleeve valve 750 and the jam tools 600 and 700 is similar to the operation of the sliding sleeve valve 10 and the jam tool 200 described below.

Fig. 6A-22B illustrate the jam tool 200 in the run-in position as the jam tool 200 is pumped through the wellbore 3 shown in fig. 1. In this position, the compound key 230, the middle key 244, and the aperture sensor 250 are each in a radially outward position, while the lower keys 254 are each in a radially retracted position. Further, as best shown in fig. 19, when the jam tool 200 is in the run-in position, both the pair of first valve assemblies 440A and 440B of the actuation assembly 400 are in the closed position, while both the pair of second valve assemblies 510A and 510B are in the open position. In this arrangement, fluid communication between upper actuation chamber 352A and lower actuation chamber 352B is permitted via fourth valve bore 424 and upper chamber passage 428.

As the wiper tool 200 is pumped through the bore 4B of the well string 4, the wiper tool 200 will enter the bore 18 of the uppermost sliding sleeve valve 10 of the well system 1. Referring to fig. 32A and 32B, as the tamping tool 200 enters the bore 18 of the uppermost sliding sleeve valve 10 of the well system 1, the upper shoulder 232 of each compound key 230 engages the upper shoulder 62 of the carrier member 50 of the sliding sleeve valve, while the lower shoulder 234 is allowed to pass through the upper shoulder 62 by retracting within its associated slot, and after passing through the upper shoulder 62, subsequently engages the lower shoulder 64 to lock the carrier member 50 with the housing 202 of the tamping tool 200. In the position shown in fig. 32A and 32B, the bore sensor 250 and the C-ring 336 are each in a radially outward position, limiting axial movement between the core 300 and the housing 202 via engagement between the C-ring 336 and a shoulder 229 (shown in fig. 32B) formed in the inner surface 210 of the housing 202.

Referring to fig. 33A and 33B, as the housing 202 of the jam tool 200 is axially locked to the carrier member 50 of the sliding sleeve valve 10, the jam tool 200 continues to axially travel through the bore 18 of the housing 12 of the sliding sleeve valve 10, thereby forcibly axially displacing or drawing the carrier member 50 through the bore 18. In particular, the pressure of pumping the wiper tool 200 through the bore 4B of the well string 4 acts to overcome the resistance provided between the lower end 86 of each button 82 and the corresponding sealing surface 102 of the planar member 100 to forcibly axially displace the carrier member 50 relative to the housing 12 of the sliding sleeve valve 10. Further, the force applied to the carrier member 50 from the housing 202 of the jam tool 200 is sufficient to shear the shear pins 112 of the retaining ring 110, thereby allowing relative axial movement between the carrier member 50 and the retaining ring 110.

The carrier member 50 and the jam tool 200 are moved axially through the bore 18 of the housing 12 of the sliding sleeve valve 10 until the intermediate key 244 physically engages the intermediate shoulder 30 of the housing 12, thereby halting downward axial movement of both the jam tool 200 and the carrier member 50 through the bore 18. In this position, the sliding sleeve valve has been actuated from the upper closed position shown in fig. 2A to 5 to the open position shown in fig. 33A and 33B, wherein fluid communication is established between the aperture 52 of the carrier member 50 and the aperture 84 of the button 82. Thus, the engagement between the intermediate key 244 and the intermediate shoulder 30 acts to axially position the carrier member 50 within the bore 18 of the housing 12 such that the sliding sleeve valve 10 is disposed in the open position. Further, in the position shown in fig. 33A and 33B, the piston ring 260 of the housing 202 sealingly engages the seal bore 28 of the housing 12, thereby restricting fluid communication between the portion of the bore 18 at the upper end 14 of the housing 12 and the portion of the bore 18 at the lower end 16 of the housing 12. In other words, fluid flow from the upper end 14 of the housing 12 into the bore 18 must exit the sliding sleeve valve 10 to the surrounding environment (i.e., the annulus 3A of the wellbore 3) via the bore 84 of the button 82. Further, in the position shown in fig. 33A and 33B, the bore sensor 250 has also entered the seal bore 28 and has been actuated into a radially inward position via contact with the seal bore 28, forcing the C-ring 336 into a radially inward position.

With the C-ring 336 disposed in a radially inward position, the core 300 of the jam tool 200 is axially unlocked from the housing 202 and is thus allowed to move axially relative to the housing 202. Further, in the position shown in fig. 33A and 33B, with the carrier member 50 axially displaced from its position in fig. 32A and 32B, the retaining ring 110 is permitted to be radially displaced into a radially inward position in the bore 18 of the housing 12. In the radially inward position, the retaining ring 110 prevents the carrier member 50 from returning to its original position shown in fig. 32A and 32B, and thus, the retaining ring 110 restricts the sliding sleeve valve 10 from returning to the upper closed position once the sliding sleeve valve 10 has been actuated to the open position shown in fig. 33A and 33B.

Referring to fig. 34A-36, after the sliding sleeve valve 10 is actuated to the open position, the housing 202 of the tamping tool 200 may be axially locked to the housing 12 of the sliding sleeve valve 10. In particular, hydraulic pressure in the bore 4B of the well string 4 above the tamping tool 200 can be increased to thereby axially displace the core 300 through the bore 208 of the housing 202 against the biasing force provided to the core 300 by the biasing member 542. As shown clearly in fig. 34B, axial displacement of the core 300 actuates the lower keys 254 into a radially outward position via contact between the lower keys 254 and the lower shoulder 334 of the core 300. In this position, the lower key 254 is disposed directly adjacent the lower shoulder 32 of the housing 12, thereby restricting the housing 202 of the tamping tool 200 from traveling radially upward through the bore 18 of the housing 12 toward the upper end 14. Thus, with the middle key 244 and the lower key 254 each in a radially outward position, the housing 202 of the jam tool 200 is axially locked with the housing 12 of the sliding sleeve valve 10.

Once the housing 202 of the tamping tool 200 is axially locked with the sliding sleeve valve 10, hydraulic pressure in the portion of the bore 4B of the well string 4 located above the tamping tool 200 may be increased to hydraulically fracture a region of the subterranean formation 6 (shown in fig. 1) adjacent to the sliding sleeve valve 10. The increased hydraulic pressure in the bore 4B of the well string 4 acts on the upper end 302 of the cartridge 300, thereby displacing the cartridge 300 further downward through the bore 208 of the housing 202 of the jam tool 200. In response to relative axial movement between the core 300 and the housing 202, the indexer pins 268 are displaced through the grooves 366 formed in the indexer 360 until they occupy the position shown in fig. 36. Further, as the indexer pin 268 moves through the groove 366, the pin 268 engages the shoulder 368 of the groove 366, thereby forcing the core 300 to rotate relative to the housing 202.

The cartridge 300 continues to travel axially through the bore 208 of the housing 202 until the plug 512 of the valve assembly 510B seals against the sealing surface 424S of the fourth valve bore 424, thereby placing the valve assembly 510B in the closed position. With valve assembly 510B disposed in the closed position, fluid flow from lower actuation chamber 352B to upper actuation chamber 352A is restricted, thereby forming a hydraulic lock in lower actuation chamber 352B that prevents further downward travel of core 300 through bore 208 of housing 202. With the core 300 locked from further downward movement through the bore 208 of the housing 202, the fluid pressure within the bore 4B of the well string 4 may be increased to fracturing pressure, and the portion of the formation 6 abutting the sliding sleeve valve 10 may be hydraulically fractured.

Referring to fig. 34A-37, hydraulic fracturing pressure may be inadvertently lost during a hydraulic fracturing operation that occurs when the sliding sleeve valve 10 and the wiper tool 200 are in the position shown in fig. 34A-36. For example, a surface pump of the well system 1 that provides fluid pressure to the inlet of the bore 4B of the well string 4 may malfunction or otherwise lose pressure. In this case, the tamping tool 200 is configured to prevent jamming, plugging, or otherwise losing work capacity. Specifically, the loss of fluid pressure acting on the upper end 302 of the core 300 allows the biasing member 542 of the jam tool 200 to axially displace the core 300 upward through the bore 208 of the housing 202. However, substantially upward axial movement of the core 300 within the bore 208 of the housing 202 is limited via physical engagement or contact between the short and long fingers 266, 264S of the housing 202 and the ridges 364 of the indexer 360 coupled to the core 300. As best shown in fig. 37, the ridges 364 are angularly aligned with the short fingers 266 and shoulders 264S, and thus, upward movement of the core 300 relative to the housing 202 brings the ridges 364 into contact with the short fingers 266 and shoulders 264S, thereby limiting any further upward movement of the core 300. After the interruption of the hydraulic fracture, fracture pressure may again be applied to the bore 4B of the well string 4, which restores the jam tool 200 to the position shown in fig. 34A-36.

Referring to fig. 38 and 39, once the portion of the subterranean formation 6 adjacent the sliding sleeve valve 10 is sufficiently fractured, the wiper tool 200 may be operated to actuate the sliding sleeve valve 10 from the open position shown in fig. 34A through 36 to the lower closed position. In particular, the fluid pressure in the portion of the bore 4B of the well string 4 above the wiper tool 200 may be reduced. The reduction in fluid pressure within the bore 4B of the well string 4 is communicated to the upper chamber 444 of each valve assembly 440A and 440B via the core passage 432 and the sixth radial passage 438 formed in the valve body 402. The reduction in fluid pressure in the upper chamber 444, in turn, reduces the pressure acting on the shoulder 470 of the piston 462 of each valve assembly 440A and 440B, thereby causing the biasing member 454 of each valve assembly 440A and 440B to axially displace each piston 462 toward its respective check valve assembly 490. In the embodiment of fig. 38 and 39, the axial length of the valve stem 494 of the valve assembly 440A is greater than the axial length of the valve stem 494 of the valve assembly 440B, and thus, the flapper 484 of the valve assembly 440A contacts its corresponding valve stem 494 before the flapper 484 of the valve assembly 440B contacts its corresponding valve stem 494. In this configuration, a reduction in fluid pressure in the upper chamber 444 of the valve assembly 440A causes the flapper 484 to engage the valve stem 494 and axially displace the obturating member 496 out of sealing contact with the first radial passage 416. In the position shown in fig. 38 and 39, with the obturating member 496 of the valve assembly 440A out of sealing contact with the first radial passage 416, fluid previously trapped in the lower actuation chamber 352B is allowed to flow into the upper actuation chamber 352A via the third valve orifice 420, the third radial passage 422, the first valve bore 412 and the first radial passage 416.

With reference to fig. 40A-42, in the event fluid communication is reestablished between actuation chambers 352A and 352B as valve assembly 440A opens, cartridge 300 is again allowed to travel axially downward through bore 208 of housing 202. In particular, while the hydraulic pressure in the bore 4B of the well string 4 above the wiper tool 200 has decreased, the pressure differential across the piston ring 260 remains, causing the core 300 to travel axially downward through the bore 208 of the housing 202 in response to fluid pressure applied to the upper end 302. The cartridge 300 continues to travel down through the bore 208 of the housing 202 until the plug 512 of the valve assembly 510A seals against the sealing surface 420S of the third valve bore 420, thereby restricting fluid flow between the actuation chambers 352A and 352B and reestablishing the hydraulic lock in the lower actuation chamber 352B. As shown clearly in fig. 42, relative axial movement between the core 300 and the housing 202 results in relative rotation therebetween, guided by the indexer 360.

In this position, as shown in fig. 40A and 40B, the middle key 244 is allowed to actuate into a radially inward position to be received in the middle groove 324 of the core 300, thereby unlocking the jam tool 200 from the housing 12 of the sliding sleeve valve 10. With the jam tool 200 unlocked from the housing 12, the pressure differential maintained across the piston ring 260 acts to displace the jam tool 200 and carrier member 50 (locked to the tool 200 via the compound key 230) downwardly into the bore 18 of the housing 12 until the lower end 50B of the carrier member 50 engages the intermediate shoulder 30 of the housing 12, thereby setting the sliding sleeve valve 10 in the lower closed position. In the lower closed position shown in fig. 40A and 40B, the sealing surface 102 of each planar member 100 sealingly engages the lower end 86 of each corresponding button 82, thereby restricting fluid communication between the aperture 84 of the button 82 and the aperture 52 of the carrier member 50.

With reference to fig. 40A-45, with the sliding sleeve valve 10 disposed in the lower closed position, the tamping tool 200 may be released from the valve 10 such that the tamping tool 200 may be transported through the bore 4B of the well string 4 from the valve 10 flow shown in fig. 40A and 40B to the next sliding sleeve valve 10 positioned downhole. Specifically, to release the jam tool 200 from the carrier member 50 of the sliding sleeve valve 10, the core 300 must be further axially displaced downward into the bore 208 of the housing 202. In the embodiment of fig. 40A through 44, the cartridge 300 is allowed to travel further axially downward into the bore 208 by further reducing the hydraulic pressure acting on the upper end 302 of the cartridge 300.

As clearly shown in fig. 43 and 44, further reduction of hydraulic pressure is communicated to the upper chamber 444 of the valve assembly 440A, which allows the biasing member 454 of the valve assembly 440B to displace the piston 462 axially upward such that the flapper 484 engages the valve stem 494 and displaces the obturating member 496 out of sealing engagement with the second radial passage 418. With the valve assembly 440B now in the open position, fluid previously trapped in the lower actuation chamber 352B may be communicated to the upper actuation chamber 352A via the bypass passage 437, the sixth radial passage 443, the second valve bore 414, and the second radial passage 418. As best shown in fig. 45, after opening of the valve assembly 440B, the cartridge 300 is allowed to travel axially downward through the bore 208 of the housing 202 until the compound key 230 is allowed to actuate into a radially inward position to be received in the upper groove 318 of the cartridge 300. In this position, the compound key 230 may pass through the sealing bore 28 of the housing 12 of the sliding sleeve valve 10, thereby allowing the tamping tool 200 to pass completely through the bore 18 of the housing 12 as the tamping tool 200 flows toward the next sliding sleeve valve 10 of the well string 4. Once the jam tool 200 is released from the sliding sleeve valve 10, fluid disposed in the upper actuation chamber 352A is allowed to return to the lower actuation chamber 352B via the bypass passage 437 as the core 300 returns to its original position shown in fig. 6A-22B.

Referring to fig. 46, another embodiment of a sliding sleeve valve 800 for use with the well system 1 of fig. 1 is shown in fig. 46. The sliding sleeve valve 800 includes the same features as the sliding sleeve valve 750 shown in fig. 31, and shared features are similarly labeled. Like the sliding sleeve valve 750 described above, the sliding sleeve valve 800 includes a first or upper closed position, a second or open position, and a third or lower closed position, and is actuatable between the upper closed position, the open position, and the lower closed position via a tamping tool (e.g., the tamping tools 200, 600, 700 described above). Although the retaining ring 110 is shown in the embodiment of fig. 46, in other embodiments, the sliding sleeve valve 800 may not include the retaining ring 110. In this embodiment, the sliding sleeve valve 800 generally includes a housing 802 and a carrier member 820, wherein the housing 802 has a central bore or passage 804 defined by a generally cylindrical inner surface 806. The inner surface 806 of the housing 802 includes: a first or upper shoulder 808 defining a lower end of the groove 33; a second or lower annular shoulder 810; and an annular groove 812 located axially between shoulders 808 and 810.

The carrier member 820 of the sliding sleeve valve 800 has: a first or upper end 820A; a second or lower end; a central bore or channel 822 extending between an upper end 820A and a lower end, defined by a generally cylindrical inner surface 824; and a generally cylindrical outer surface extending between the upper end 820A and the lower end. In this embodiment, the outer surface 826 of the carrier member 820 includes an annular groove 828 formed thereon, the annular groove 828 being disposed proximate the upper end 820A. The groove 828 receives the retaining ring 830 therein, wherein the retaining ring 830 includes a radially outwardly extending annular shoulder or ratchet 832. In the upper closed position of the sliding sleeve valve 800 shown in fig. 46, the ratchet portion 832 of the retaining ring 830 engages the inner surface of the retaining ring 110. In this embodiment, the positioning ring 830 comprises a C-shaped ring having opposite ends arranged to directly abut or abut against each other when the positioning ring 830 is arranged in a relaxed position, in which the positioning ring 830 is not elastically deformed by an external force. In some embodiments, the retaining ring 830 comprises a seizure resistant material, such as beryllium copper.

In this embodiment, when the sliding sleeve valve 800 is actuated from the upper closed position shown in fig. 46 to an open position (not shown), the ratchet portion 832 of the retaining ring 830 contacts the inner surface 806 of the housing 802, thereby elastically deforming the retaining ring 830 to allow the ratchet portion 832 to pass under the upper shoulder 808 as the carrier member 820 axially travels through the bore 804 of the housing 802. The carrier member 820 continues to travel through the aperture 804 until the ratchet portion 832 is axially aligned and received in the groove 812 of the housing 802, at which point the sliding sleeve valve 800 has been brought into an open position. In the open position of the sliding sleeve valve 800, the ratchets 832 are allowed to expand radially outward into the grooves 812, thereby allowing the positioning ring 830 to return to its relaxed position prior to elastic deformation of the sliding sleeve valve 800 during transition between the upper closed and open positions. Further, in this embodiment, when the sliding sleeve valve 800 is actuated from the open position shown therein to the lower closed position, contact between the ratchet portion 832 and the inner surface 806 of the housing 802 again elastically deforms the retaining ring 830 to allow the ratchet portion 832 to exit the groove 812 as the carrier member 820 axially travels through the bore 804 of the housing 802. The carrier member 820 continues to travel through the aperture 804 until the ratchet 832 at least partially clears the lower shoulder 810 of the housing 802, at which point the sliding sleeve valve 800 has entered the lower closed position. In the lower closed position, the ratchets 832 are allowed to expand radially outward against the lower shoulder 810, thereby allowing the positioning ring 830 to return to its relaxed position.

Thus, like the friction ring 760 of the sliding sleeve valve 750 shown in fig. 31, the retaining ring 830 provides a force that resists relative axial movement between the carrier member 820 and the housing 802 to thereby prevent the carrier member 820 from being inadvertently displaced through the bore 804 of the housing 802. However, given that the ends of the retaining ring 830 abut when the retaining ring 830 is in the relaxed position, in addition to overcoming the frictional force between the ratchets 832 and the inner surface 806 of the housing 802, the retaining ring 830 must also elastically deform to allow the carrier member 820 to axially travel relative to the housing 802. In some embodiments, the material properties, physical dimensions, and/or geometry of the retaining ring 830 and the ratchet 832 may be tailored to provide a predetermined resistance against relative axial movement between the carrier member 820 and the housing 802. In this manner, the positioning ring 830 and ratchet 832 may be designed such that a predetermined axial force must be applied to the carrier member 820 in order to actuate the sliding sleeve valve 800 between the upper closed position, the open position, and the lower closed position.

Referring to fig. 47 and 48, another embodiment of a sliding sleeve valve 850 for use with the well system 1 of fig. 1 is shown in fig. 47 and 48. The sliding sleeve valve 850 includes the same features as the sliding sleeve valve 800 shown in fig. 46, and shared features are similarly labeled. Like the sliding sleeve valve 800 described above, the sliding sleeve valve 850 includes a first or upper closed position, a second or open position, and a third or lower closed position, and is actuatable between the upper closed position, the open position, and the lower closed position via a jam tool (e.g., the jam tools 200, 600, 700 described above). Although the retaining ring 110 is shown in the embodiment of fig. 47 and 48, in other embodiments, the sliding sleeve valve 850 may not include the retaining ring 110. In this embodiment, the sliding sleeve valve 850 generally includes a housing 852 and a carrier member 870, wherein the housing 852 has a central bore or channel 854 defined by a generally cylindrical inner surface 856. The inner surface 856 of the housing 852 includes: an upper shoulder 808; and a lower shoulder 858 axially spaced from the upper shoulder 808.

In this embodiment, retaining assembly 860 (including, for example, a snap ring) retains retaining ring 862 against lower shoulder 858. The positioning ring 862 includes an annular shoulder or ratchet portion 864 that extends radially inward. Unlike the retaining ring 832 (which comprises a C-ring) of the embodiment of the sliding sleeve valve 800 shown in fig. 46, the retaining ring 862 comprises a continuous ring or annular member. In other words, the retaining ring 862 extends continuously 360 degrees around the circumference of the carrier member 870. Thus, in order to displace the ratchets 864 outwardly from a radially contracted position (corresponding to a relaxed position of the positioning ring 862) into a radially expanded position, the positioning ring 862 must be elastically deformed by tension via a radially outwardly directed force applied to the positioning ring 862.

The carrier member 870 of the sliding sleeve valve 850 has: a longitudinal or central axis 875; a first or upper end 870A; a second or lower end; a central bore or channel 872 extending between the upper end 870A and the lower end, defined by a generally cylindrical inner surface 874; and a generally cylindrical outer surface extending between the upper end 870A and the lower end. In this embodiment, the outer surface 876 of the carrier member 870 includes a plurality of annular, radially outwardly extending and axially spaced locators 878, 880, 882 and 884. As best shown in fig. 48, the retainer 878 includes a lower retainer 878 and is axially positioned proximate the ratchet 864 when the sliding sleeve valve 850 is disposed in the upper closed position. Locators 880 and 882 include intermediate locators 880 and 882 and are axially positioned between lower locator 878 and locator 884, and locator 884 includes upper locator 884. Upper retainer 884 is positioned directly adjacent groove 66 of carrier member 870, and intermediate retainer 882 is positioned axially between upper retainer 884 and intermediate retainer 880. In this embodiment, each locator 878 to 882 is defined by a pair of corresponding annular, inclined or frustoconical shoulders: these shoulders are, respectively, an upper shoulder 878A and a lower shoulder 878B for a lower retainer 878; upper and lower shoulders 880A, 880B for the middle locator 880; upper and lower shoulders 882A and 882B for intermediate locator 882; and an upper shoulder 884A and a lower shoulder 884B for the upper retainer 884.

In this embodiment, when the sliding sleeve valve 850 is actuated from the upper closed position shown in fig. 47 and 48 to an open position (not shown), the ratchet portion 864 of the positioning ring 862 contacts the lower shoulder 878B of the lower retainer 878, thereby elastically deforming the positioning ring 862 to allow the ratchet portion 864 to expand to a radially expanded position and pass over the lower retainer 878 as the carrier member 870 travels axially through the bore 854 of the housing 852. As the carrier member 870 continues to travel axially through the aperture 854, the ratchets 864 are allowed to return to the radially contracted position as they drop from the upper shoulders 878A of the lower retainer 878, allowing the retaining ring 862 to relax back into its relaxed position. Further, as the carrier member 850 approaches the axial position in the bore 854 corresponding to the open position of the sliding sleeve valve 850, the ratchets 864 contact the lower shoulders 880B of the intermediate retainer 880, forcing the ratchets 864 into the radially expanded position, again elastically deforming the retaining ring 862. As the pawl 864 drops from the upper shoulder 880A of the intermediate retainer 880, the pawl 864 is again permitted to return to the radially retracted position, thereby releasing the retaining ring 862 and placing the sliding sleeve valve 850 in the open position with the pawl 864 axially between the intermediate retainers 880 and 882.

In this embodiment, when sliding sleeve valve 850 is actuated from the open position shown to the lower closed position, ratchets 864 contact lower shoulders 882B of intermediate retainer 882, thereby elastically deforming retaining ring 862 to allow ratchets 864 to expand to a radially expanded position and over lower retainer 878 as carrier member 870 is further axially advanced through bore 854 of housing 852. As carrier member 870 continues to travel axially through aperture 854, ratchet portion 864 is allowed to return to a radially contracted position as ratchet portion 864 drops from upper shoulder 882A of intermediate retainer 882, thereby loosening retaining ring 862. In addition, as the carrier member 850 approaches an axial position in the bore 854 corresponding to the lower closed position of the sliding sleeve valve 850, the ratchets 864 contact the lower shoulders 884B of the upper retainer 884, thereby forcing the ratchets 864 into a radially expanded position, elastically deforming the retaining ring 862. As the ratchet portion 864 drops off the upper shoulder 884A of the upper retainer 884, the ratchet portion 864 is allowed to return to a radially contracted position, thereby loosening the retaining ring 862 and placing the sliding sleeve valve 850 in the lower closed position, with the ratchet portion 864 received in the groove 66 of the carrier member 850.

Thus, like the retaining ring 830 and ratchet portion 832 of the sliding sleeve valve 800 shown in fig. 46, the retaining ring 862 provides resistance against relative axial movement between the carrier member 870 and the housing 802 and thereby prevents the carrier member 870 from being inadvertently displaced through the hole 854 of the housing 852. Unlike sliding sleeve valve 800, however, positioning ring 862 does not continuously apply resistance to a majority of the axial length of carrier member 870 traveling through bore 854 of housing 852 as sliding sleeve valve 850 is actuated between the upper closed position, the open position, and the lower closed position. For example, when the sliding sleeve valve 850 is actuated between the upper closed position and the open position, the positioning ring 862 provides resistance only when the ratchet 864 travels over the lower 878 and intermediate 880 detents. In other words, when the ratchets 864 travel through the axial space formed between the upper shoulder 878A of the lower retainer 878 and the lower shoulder 880B of the intermediate retainer 880, no resistance is exerted by the positioning ring 862 (due to elastic deformation of the positioning ring 862). Similarly, when sliding sleeve valve 850 is actuated between the open and lower closed positions, the retaining ring 862 provides resistance only when the ratchets 864 travel over the middle detent 882 and the upper detent 884. Thus, when the ratcheted portion 864 is advanced through the axial space formed between the upper shoulder 882A of intermediate retainer 882 and the lower shoulder 884B of upper retainer 884, no resistance is exerted by the positioning ring 862 (due to the elastic deformation of the positioning ring 862).

In some embodiments, it may be advantageous to apply resistance to only a portion or fraction of the axial length of the carrier member 870 traveling through the housing 852 as the sliding sleeve valve 850 is actuated between the upper closed position, the open position, and the lower closed position. For example, in some applications, this configuration may achieve the following benefits: inadvertent actuation of the sliding sleeve valve 850 between the upper closed position, the open position, and the lower closed position is prevented while reducing wear applied to components of the sliding sleeve valve 850 and/or the amount of work or energy that must be expended in actuating the sliding sleeve valve 850. However, in other applications, it may be beneficial to continuously apply resistance to the entire axial length or at least a majority of the axial length that the carrier member or sliding sleeve of the sliding sleeve valve (e.g., the carrier members 820 and 870 of the sliding sleeve valves 800 and 850, respectively) travels during actuation of the sliding sleeve valve between its open and closed positions.

In this embodiment, the upper and lower frustoconical shoulders defining the locators 878-884 are disposed or extend at varying angles relative to the central axis 875 of the carrier member 870. Specifically, the following steps are carried out: lower shoulder 878B of lower locator 878 is disposed at an angle relative to central axis 875 that is greater than the angle of upper shoulder 878A relative to central axis 875 (e.g., the surface defining upper shoulder 878A is disposed more parallel to central axis 875 than the surface defining lower shoulder 878B), upper shoulder 880A of intermediate locator 880 is disposed at an angle relative to central axis 875 that is greater than the angle of lower shoulder 880B relative to central axis 875, lower shoulder 882B of intermediate locator 882 is disposed at an angle relative to central axis 875 that is greater than the angle of upper shoulder 882A relative to central axis 875, and upper shoulder 884A of upper locator 884 is disposed at an angle relative to central axis 875 that is greater than the angle of lower shoulder 884B relative to central axis 875. In some embodiments, shoulders 878B, 880A, 882B, and 884A are disposed at a first angle relative to central axis 875, and shoulders 878A, 880B, 882A, and 884B are disposed at a second angle relative to central axis 875 that is less than the first angle. In other embodiments, the first angle may be the same as or similar to the second angle.

In some applications, the different angles at which the shoulders of retainers 878-882 are disposed relative to central axis 875 reduce the amount of wear on sliding sleeve valve 850 during operation by allowing retaining ring 862 to gradually return to its relaxed position. For example, at a given rate of relative axial movement between carrier member 870 and housing 802, the inner diameter of the barbed portion 864 must change more rapidly as the barbed portion 864 passes over the upper shoulder 878A (allowing the diameter of the barbed portion 864 to contract, loosening the positioning ring 862), than when the barbed portion 864 passes over the lower shoulder 878B of the lower positioner 878 (forcing the diameter of the barbed portion 864 to expand and elastically deform the positioning ring 862). The smaller angle of upper shoulder 878A relative to lower shoulder 878B relative to central axis 875 achieves a more gradual reduction than if upper shoulder 878A were disposed at the same angle as lower shoulder 878B in that: the change in diameter of the ratcheted portion 864, the elastic deformation in the positioning ring 862, and the degree of resistance exerted by the positioning ring 862. The gradual reduction in elastic deformation of the positioning ring 862 may reduce the likelihood of damage to the positioning ring 862 during operation and reduce any impact to the sliding sleeve valve 850 (or the tool used to actuate the sliding sleeve valve 850) due to the reduction in resistance exerted by the positioning ring 862. Similarly, the reduced angle at which the lower shoulder 880B of the intermediate locator 880 is disposed relative to the central axis 875 reduces the impact caused by the increase in resistance exerted by the locator ring 862 as the spine 864 travels over the lower shoulder 880B. In addition, the relatively large angle of upper shoulder 880A of intermediate retainer 880 assists in maintaining sliding sleeve valve 850 in the open position by assisting in trapping ratchet portion 864 of retaining ring 862 (along with lower shoulder 882B of intermediate retainer 882) between intermediate retainers 880 and 882.

Referring to fig. 49 and 50, another embodiment of a sliding sleeve valve 900 for use with the well system 1 of fig. 1 is shown in fig. 49 and 50. The sliding sleeve valve 900 includes the same features as the sliding sleeve valve 850 shown in fig. 47 and 48, and shared features are similarly labeled. Like the sliding sleeve valve 850 described above, the sliding sleeve valve 900 includes a first or upper closed position, a second or open position, and a third or lower closed position, and is actuatable between the upper closed position, the open position, and the lower closed position via a jam tool (e.g., the jam tools 200, 600, 700 described above). Although the retaining ring 110 is shown in the embodiment of fig. 49 and 50, in other embodiments, the sliding sleeve valve 900 may not include the retaining ring 110. In this embodiment, sliding sleeve valve 900 generally includes a housing 902 and a carrier member 920, wherein housing 902 has a central or longitudinal axis 905 and a central bore or channel 904 defined by a generally cylindrical inner surface 906. The carrier member 920 of the sliding sleeve valve 900 has: a first or upper end 920A; a second or lower end; a central bore or channel 922 extending between the upper end 920A and the lower end, defined by a generally cylindrical inner surface 924; and a generally cylindrical outer surface extending between the upper end 920A and the lower end.

The sliding sleeve valve 900 is similar in configuration to the sliding sleeve valve 850, except that in this embodiment the inner surface 906 of the housing 902 includes a plurality of annular, radially inwardly extending and axially spaced detents 908, 910, 912 and 914, while the carrier member 920 includes an annular groove 928, the annular groove 928 receiving a retaining ring 930, the retaining ring 930 having an annular shoulder or ratchet 932 extending radially outwardly therefrom. In this embodiment, the positioning ring 930 comprises a continuous ring that extends 360 degrees around the carrier member 920. As shown explicitly in fig. 50: locator 908 includes lower locator 908 and lower locator 908 is positioned directly adjacent lower shoulder 858, locators 910 and 912 include intermediate locators 910 and 912, and intermediate locators 910 and 912 are positioned axially between lower locator 908 and locator 914, wherein locator 914 includes upper locator 914 positioned directly adjacent upper shoulder 808. Furthermore, each locator 908 to 914 is defined by a pair of corresponding annular, inclined or frustoconical shoulders: these shoulders are, respectively, an upper shoulder 908A and a lower shoulder 908B for the lower retainer 908; an upper shoulder 910A and a lower shoulder 910B for the middle locator 910; upper and lower shoulders 912A, 912B for the middle retainer 912; and an upper shoulder 914A and a lower shoulder 914B for the upper retainer 914. Further, in this embodiment, shoulders 908B, 910A, 912B, and 914A are disposed at a first angle relative to central axis 905 of housing 902, and shoulders 908A, 910B, 912A, and 914B are disposed at a second angle, less than the first angle, relative to central axis 905. In other embodiments, the first angle may be the same as or similar to the second angle.

Referring to fig. 51A and 51B, another embodiment of a sliding sleeve valve 950 for use with the well system 1 of fig. 1 is shown in fig. 51A and 51B. The sliding sleeve valve 950 includes the same features as the corresponding sliding sleeve valves 850 and 900 shown in fig. 47, 48 and 49, 50, and shared features are similarly labeled. Like the sliding sleeve valves 850 and 900 described above, the sliding sleeve valve 950 includes a first or upper closed position, a second or open position, and a third or lower closed position, and is actuatable between the upper closed position, the open position, and the lower closed position via a tamping tool (e.g., the tamping tools 200, 600, 700 described above). Sliding sleeve valve 950 has a central or longitudinal axis and includes a housing 952, a sliding sleeve or carrier member 980 and a seal assembly 80. The tubular housing 952 includes: a first or upper case end 954; a second or lower pin end 956; a central bore or channel 958 extending between the first end 954 and the second end 956, defined by a generally cylindrical inner surface 960; and a generally cylindrical outer surface 962 extending between ends 954 and 956.

In this embodiment, the housing 952 is comprised of a series of segments including a first or upper segment 952A, a second or intermediate segment 952B, and a third or lower segment 952C that is releasably coupled to the upper segment 952A. Segments 952A through 952C of housing 952 are releasably coupled via a plurality of releasable or threaded connectors 953. The connection between segments 952A to 952C of housing 952 is sealed via an annular seal 955 disposed therebetween. Further, in this embodiment, relative rotation between the upper and middle segments 952A and 952B is limited via radially extending members or pins 957 positioned therebetween; however, in other embodiments, housing 952 may not include pin 957. In this embodiment, the inner surface 960 of the upper section 952A of the housing 952 comprises a releasable connector or threaded connector 953, while the inner surface 960 of the middle section 952B comprises a releasable connector or threaded connector 955. The threaded connectors 953 and 955 are configured to couple the sliding sleeve valve 950 with the well string 4.

Inner surface 960 of housing 952 includes an annular first or upper shoulder 964 and an annular second or lower shoulder 966. Further, inner surface 960 includes a sealing bore 968 and an annular landing profile or "no-go" shoulder 969, wherein sealing bore 968 extends axially between landing profile 969 and lower end 956 of housing 952. In this embodiment, the annular seal 970 is positioned in an annular groove formed in the inner surface 960 and positioned contiguously upward from the upper shoulder 964. In this embodiment, detent ring 972 is positioned radially between housing 952 and carrier 980, abutting lower shoulder 966. The detent ring 972 is axially locked with the housing 952 via a retaining ring 974, wherein the retaining ring 974 is pinned between an upper end of a lower segment 952B and an annular shoulder 976 of an upper segment 952A of the housing 952. The detent ring 972 comprises a solid continuous ring extending 360 degrees around the carrier 980. In this embodiment, the detent ring 972 comprises beryllium copper; however, in other embodiments, the detent ring 972 can comprise various materials.

The carrier 980 of the sliding sleeve valve 950 has: a first or upper end 981; a second or lower end 982; a central bore or passage 983 defined by a generally cylindrical inner surface 984 extending between ends 981 and 982; and a generally cylindrical outer surface 985 extending between ends 981 and 982. In this embodiment, the outer surface 985 of the carrier 980 includes an annular radially outwardly extending shoulder 986 and a radially outwardly extending flange 987. A flange 987 of an outer surface 985 of carrier 980 includes an annular outer groove that receives an annular first or upper seal 988 that sealingly engages inner surface 960 of housing 952. The flange 987 additionally includes at least one axial port 989 extending therethrough. In this embodiment, the outer surface 985 of the carrier 980 further comprises: a plurality of axially spaced annular grooves 990A, 990B, 990C, respectively, located between the flange 987 and the lower end 982 of the carrier 980; and an annular second or lower seal 991 positioned proximate the lower end 982.

The seal 970 of the housing 952 sealingly engages the outer surface 985 of the carrier 980, while the lower seal 991 of the carrier 980 sealingly engages the inner surface 960 of the housing 952. In this configuration, a first or upper annular chamber 978 is formed in the housing 952 between the inner surface 960 and the outer surface 985 of the carrier 980, with the upper chamber 978 extending between the seal 970 of the housing 952 and the upper seal 988 of the carrier 980. Additionally, a second or lower annular chamber 979 is formed in housing 952 between inner surface 960 and outer surface 985 of carrier 980, with lower chamber 979 extending between upper seal 988 and lower seal 991 of carrier 980. Fluid communication between chambers 978 and 979 is permitted only via axial passage 988, axial passage 988 acting as a fluid restriction or flow restrictor for damping relative axial movement between carrier 980 and housing 952. In other words, as the carrier 980 travels axially relative to the housing 952, fluid is forced through the flow restriction provided by the axial passage 988, thereby damping or resisting relative movement between the carrier 980 and the housing 952.

Similar to the sliding sleeve valve 10 shown in fig. 2, the sliding sleeve valve 950 includes a three-position sliding sleeve valve having an upper closed position (shown in fig. 51A, 51B), an open position, and a lower closed position. In the upper closed position of the sliding sleeve valve 950, the shoulder 986 of the carrier 980 is disposed directly adjacent the upper shoulder 964 of the housing 952 or engages the upper shoulder 964, and the detent ring 972 is disposed in a radially inner position and is at least partially received in the lower groove 990C of the carrier 980. In the open position, the detent ring 972 is disposed in a radially inner position received in the intermediate groove 990B of the carrier 980, and each end 981, 982 of the carrier 980 is axially spaced from a shoulder 964, 966, respectively, of the housing 952. In the lower closed position, detent ring 972 is disposed in a radially inner position to be received in upper groove 990A of carrier 980, while the annular lower surface of flange 987 is disposed directly adjacent to or in contact with lower shoulder 966 of housing 952. When sliding sleeve valve 950 is actuated between an upper closed position, an open position, and a lower closed position (e.g., via cable displacement tools 200, 600, etc.), detent ring 972 is forced to elastically deform into a radially expanded position spaced apart from grooves 990A, 990B, and 990C to allow relative axial movement between carrier 980 and housing 952. In this manner, the detent ring 972 acts to secure the sliding sleeve valve 950 into one of its upper, open, and lower closed positions without the need for a locking mechanism or a shear member.

Referring to fig. 52A-63, another embodiment of a non-restrictive flow delivery wiper tool 1000 of the well system 1 is shown in fig. 52A-63, wherein the wiper tool 1000 is configured to actuate one or more of the sliding sleeve valves described herein (e.g., sliding sleeve valves 10, 750, 800, 850, 900, and 950) between their respective upper, open, and lower closed positions. The plugging tool 1000 may be disposed in the bore 4B of the well string 4 at the surface of the wellbore 3 and pumped down through the wellbore 3 toward the heel of the wellbore 3, wherein the plugging tool 1000 may selectively actuate one or more sliding sleeve valves 10 to move from the heel of the wellbore 3 to the toe of the wellbore 3. Further, the jam tool 1000 includes the same features as the jam tools 200, 600, and 700 shown in fig. 6A through 30B, and shared features are similarly labeled.

In the embodiment of fig. 52A-63, the tamping tool 1000 generally comprises: a cylindrical housing 1002; a cam or core 1100 slidably disposed in housing 1002; and an actuation assembly 1200 configured to control actuation or displacement of core 1100 within housing 1002. The housing 1002 has: a first or upper end 1004; a second or lower end 1006; a central bore or channel 1008 defined by a generally cylindrical inner surface 1010 extending between ends 1004 and 1006; and a generally cylindrical outer surface 1012 extending between ends 1004 and 1006. In this embodiment, the housing 1002 includes a plurality of sections including an upper section 1002A, middle sections 1002B-1002H, and a lower section 1002I that are releasably coupled together via the threaded coupling 214. The connection formed between each section 1002A to 1002I of housing 1002 is sealed via one or more annular seals comprising: an annular seal 1013 positioned between the midsections 1002B and 1002C of the housing 1002; an annular seal 1014 positioned between the midsections 1002C and 1002D; an annular seal 1050 positioned between the middle sections 1002G and 1002H; and an annular seal 1052 positioned between the middle section 1002H and the lower section 1002I.

In this embodiment, the housing 1002 includes a first plurality of circumferentially spaced apart slots 1016 and a second plurality of circumferentially spaced apart slots 1024, with the intermediate slots 1016 being axially positioned between the slots 630 and 1024. The slots 1016 are disposed axially proximate to the slots 1024, but circumferentially spaced from the slots 1024, with each slot 1016 receiving a radially translatable member or key 1020. The keys 1020 are similar to the middle key 244 of the tamping tool 200, except that each key 1020 includes an arcuate slot 1022 extending into a lower end thereof. In this embodiment, similar to the slots 630, the slots 1016 each include a cylindrical bore, wherein the seal 246 of the key 1020 is sealingly engageable against the cylindrical bore. The slots 1024 of the housing 1002 each receive a radially translatable member or bore sensor 1026. In this embodiment, the slots 1024 each include a cylindrical bore against which the seal 252 of the bore sensor 1026 may be sealingly engaged. As will be further described herein, the radius of the radially outer end of each key 1020 relative to the central axis of the tamping tool 1000 is less than the radius of the radially outer end of each composite key 640 relative to the central axis of the tamping tool 1000. In particular, in this embodiment, the length extending between the radially inner and outer ends of each key 1020 is less than the length extending between the radially inner and outer ends of the composite key 640.

Bore sensors 1026 are similar to bore sensors 250 of jam tool 200, except that each bore sensor 1026 includes a slot 1028 extending into a lower end thereof. In this embodiment, the annular extension 1030 is positioned adjacent an upper end 1025 of the mid-section 1002E of the housing 1002, wherein the upper end of the extension 1030 forms an axially extending first or upper lip 1032 that extends into the slot 1022 of each key 1020 to retain the key 1020 to the housing 1002 while also allowing relative radial movement between the key 1020 and the housing 1002. In this embodiment, the extension 1030 is not threaded to the housing 1002, but instead is trapped between the upper end 1025 of the middle section 1002E of the housing 1002 and the slot 1022 of the key 1020. The extension 1030 additionally includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart slots 1034 extending axially into the extension 1030 from an upper end thereof, wherein each slot 1034 receives a bore sensor 1026. An upper end 1025 of the middle section 1002E of the housing 1002 extends into the slot 1034 of the extension 1030 and is received in the slot 1028 of each aperture sensor 1026, thereby retaining the aperture sensors 1026 to the housing 1002 while also allowing relative radial movement between the aperture sensors 1026 and the housing 1002. In addition, the extension 1030 includes a radially inwardly extending shoulder 1035, wherein the shoulder 1035 and a shoulder 1037 formed proximate an upper end of the middle section 1002E of the housing 1002 are configured to engage the C-ring 336 when the bore sensor 1026 is in its radially outward position to limit relative axial movement between the cartridge 1100 and the housing 1002.

The mid-section 1002E of the housing 1002 includes a radially outwardly extending flange 1036 positioned axially between the mid-sections 1002D and 1002F. A first annular seal 1038 is positioned between the mid-sections 1002D and 1002E to seal the connection formed therebetween, while a second annular seal 1038 is positioned between the mid-sections 1002E and 1002F to seal the connection formed therebetween. In this embodiment, the outer surface 1012 of the housing 1002 includes: a first or upper annular groove 1040A positioned between the mid-section 1002D and the flange 1036 of the mid-section 1002E; and a second or lower annular groove 1040B positioned between the flange 1036 and the middle section 1002F. Each groove 1040A and 1040B houses an annular seal assembly comprising an annular elastomeric seal 1042 and an annular metallic piston ring 1044. Each elastomeric seal 1042 has an L-shaped cross-sectional profile and sealingly engages its corresponding piston ring 1044. The seal assembly including the seals 1042 and 1044 are configured to sealingly engage seal bores of sliding sleeve valves, for example, the seal bores 28 of the sliding sleeve valves 10, 750, 800, 850, 900, and 950. While in this embodiment, the housing 1002 of the jam tool 1000 is shown as including a seal assembly including seals 1042 and 1044, in other embodiments, the housing 1002 may include other members for sealing against a seal bore of a sliding sleeve valve in which the housing 1002 is disposed. In this embodiment, a cylindrical sleeve 1046 is positioned around the outer surface 1012 of the middle section 1002G of the housing 1002, wherein the sleeve 1046 is configured to apply an axial force to the lower filter 262 to thereby compress the lower filter 262.

In this embodiment, an axially extending valve stem 1054 is coupled to the lower section 1002I of the housing 1002 at the lower end 1006. The valve stem 1054 includes a pair of annular fins 1056 extending radially outward therefrom to assist in transporting the jam tool 1000 through the wellbore 3. In particular, fins 1056 each comprise a flexible material (e.g., an elastomeric material) and have an outer diameter that is greater than the maximum outer diameter of housing 1002. As the wiper tool 1000 is pumped down through the wellbore 3, the fins 1056 contact or sealingly engage the inner surface of the well string 4, thereby inhibiting fluid flow around the wiper tool 1000. In this manner, the amount of fluid required to pump the jam tool 1000 through the wellbore 3 is inhibited by eliminating or reducing the amount of fluid that flows through the jam tool 1000 as the jam tool 1000 is conveyed through the wellbore 3.

The core 1100 of the jam tool 1000 is disposed coaxially with the longitudinal axis of the housing 1002 and includes: a first or upper end 1102; a second or lower end 1104; and a generally cylindrical outer surface 1106 extending between ends 1102 and 1104. In this embodiment, the core 1100 includes a first or upper segment 1100A and a second or lower segment 1100B, wherein the segments 1100A and 1100B are releasably connected at the shearable links 312. Each segment 1100A and 1100B of the core 1100 may comprise a plurality of segmented or unitary members that are releasably coupled together. In this embodiment, a plurality of circumferentially spaced ports 1108 extend radially into the core 1100 proximate the lower end of the upper segment 1100A. In addition, the lower section 1100B includes a central bore or channel 1110 extending between an upper end of the lower section 1100B and a lower end 1104 of the core 1100, wherein the channel 1110 is in fluid communication with the port 1108.

The lower end of the upper segment 1100A includes: an annular first or upper shoulder 1112; an annular second or lower shoulder 1114; and an annular seal 1116 axially positioned between shoulders 1112 and 1114 sealingly engaging an inner surface 1010F of the middle section 1002F of the housing 1002. Further, a cylindrical pulsation damper 1118 is positioned in the passage 1110 proximate the lower end of the core 1100, wherein the pulsation damper 1118 is configured to provide a fluid restriction in the passage 1110 to mitigate or prevent hydraulic shock or vibration. In some embodiments, the pulsation damper 1118 may comprise a Visco Jet flow restrictor manufactured by Lee corporation of wilsbuckick, connecticut.

In this embodiment, the tamping tool 1000 additionally includes a first or upper floating piston 1130 and a second or lower floating piston 1140, wherein the floating pistons 1130 and 1140 are each slidably disposed within the bore 1008 of the housing 1002 about the outer surface 1106 of the core 1100. The upper floating piston 1130 is generally cylindrical and includes: an annular radially inner seal 1132 sealingly engaging the outer surface 1106A of the upper segment 1100A of the core 1100; and an annular outer radial seal 1134 sealingly engaging an inner surface 1010B of the middle section 1002B of the housing 1002. The upper floating piston 1130 is permitted to move axially relative to the housing 1002 and the core 1100, and is generally positioned in the housing 1002 such that the inner seal 1132 of the upper floating piston 1130 seals against the portion of the outer surface 1106A extending between the upper end 1102 of the core 1100 and the upper end of the upper groove 318. In this embodiment, the inner surface 1010B of the middle section 1002B of the housing 1002 includes a pair of axially spaced annular shoulders or grooves 1011. The inner diameter of the grooves 1011 is greater than the inner diameter of the portion of the inner surface 1010B extending therebetween, allowing fluid to pass around the outer seal 1134 in the event that the upper floating piston 1130 is overtravel or under-stroked relative to the housing 1002 and thereby becomes disposed in an axial position in alignment with one of the annular grooves 1011. The lower floating piston 1140 is also generally cylindrical and includes: an annular radially inner seal 1142 that sealingly engages the outer surface 1106B of the lower segment 1100B of the core 1100; and an annular radially outer seal 1144 that sealingly engages an inner surface 1010G of the middle section 1002G of the housing 1002. Lower floating piston 1140 is allowed to move axially relative to housing 1002 and core 1100 and is positioned generally in middle section 1002G of housing 1002 proximate to actuating assembly 1200, but axially above actuating assembly 1200.

In this embodiment, the bore 1008 of the housing 1002 is divided into a plurality of individual annular chambers 1060, 1062, 1064, 1066, and 1068 that are fluidly isolated from each other or sealed from each other. In particular, chamber 1060 includes an upper chamber 1060 in fluid communication with ambient via port 220 of housing 1002 and sealed from chamber 1062 via seals 1132 and 1134 of upper floating piston 1130. The chamber 1062 extends between the seals 1132 and 1134 of the upper floating piston 1130 and the seal 1116 of the core 1100, with the seal 1116 isolating the chamber 1062 from the chamber 1064. The chamber 1064 is in fluid communication with the ambient environment via the port 264 of the housing 1002 and extends between the seal 1116 and the seals 1142 and 1144 of the lower floating piston 1140, with the seals 1142 and 1144 sealing the chamber 1064 from the chamber 1066. The chamber 1066 comprises a first or upper actuation chamber 1066 of the actuation assembly 1200 and extends between the seals 1042 and 1044 of the lower floating piston 1140 and the seal 410 of the actuation assembly 1200, wherein the seal 410 seals against the inner surface 1010H of the middle section 1002H of the housing 1002 to thereby seal the upper actuation chamber 1066 from the chamber 1068. The chamber 1068 includes a second or lower actuation chamber 1068 of the actuation assembly 1200 and extends between the seal 410 and the lower end of the bore 1008.

Upper chamber 1060 and chamber 1064 are each in fluid communication with the ambient environment, while chambers 1062, 1066, and 1068 are each sealed from the ambient environment. In particular, when the plugging tool 1000 is received within the seal bore 28 of a sliding sleeve valve (e.g., sliding sleeve valves 10, 750, 800, 850, 900 and 950) of a well string 4, the upper chamber 1060 is in fluid communication with the portion of the bore 4B of the well string 4 disposed above the seals 1042 and 1044 of the housing 1002, while the chamber 1064 is in fluid communication with the portion of the bore 4B disposed below the seals 1042 and 1044. Thus, when the bore 4B of the well string 4 is pressurized to hydraulically fracture the formation 6, the upper chamber 1060 is exposed to the fracturing pressure applied to the well string 4, while the ambient environment in fluid communication with the chamber 1064 is isolated from the fracturing pressure via the seals 1042 and 1044 of the housing 1002. Additionally, while the upper chamber 1060 is sealed from the chamber 1062, the upper floating piston 1130 communicates or communicates the pressure within the upper chamber 1060 to the chamber 1062. The passage 1110 of the wick 1100 is in fluid communication with the chamber 1062, and therefore, the pressure communicated from the upper chamber 1060 to the chamber 1062 is also communicated to the passage 1110. Additionally, pressure may also be transferred or communicated between the chambers 1064 and 1066 via the lower floating piston 1140.

The actuation assembly 1200 controls actuation or displacement of the core 1100 of the tamping tool 1000. In this embodiment, the actuating assembly 1200 generally includes a cylindrical valve lock or body 1202, a first pair of valve assemblies 440A and 440B, and a valve assembly 510A. Thus, unlike the actuation assembly 400 of the tamping tool 200, the actuation assembly 1200 does not include the valve assembly 510B. In addition, unlike the tamping tool 200, which includes a rotatable indexer 360, the tamping tool 1000 does not include an indexer. The valve body 1202 of the actuation assembly 1200 includes: a first or upper end 1204; a second or lower end 1206; and a generally cylindrical outer surface 1208 extending between ends 1204 and 1206 and having seal 410 disposed therein.

The actuation assembly 1200 also includes a cylindrical first spring retainer 1250, the cylindrical first spring retainer 1250 including a passage 1252 that receives the extension rod 514 of the valve assembly 510A. The passage 1252 of the first spring retainer 1250 receives the biasing member 1254, the biasing member 1254 engaging the ball connector 524 of the extension rod 514 of the valve assembly 510A to bias the plug 512 of the valve assembly 510A toward the sealing surface 420S of the third valve bore 420 formed in the valve body 1202. The biasing member 522 of the valve assembly 510A is also received in the passage 1252 of the first spring retainer 1250 so as to extend between the upper end of the passage 1252 and the ball connector 524. In this arrangement, the biasing member 522 may cushion the impact of the plug 512 during actuation of the valve assembly 510A. In this embodiment, the actuation assembly 1200 also includes a second spring retainer 1260 that houses the biasing member 542.

Having described the structural features of an embodiment of the jam tool 1000 with reference to fig. 1, 47, 48, 52A through 63, the operation of the jam tool 1000 will now be described herein. In particular, the operation of the sliding sleeve valve 850 shown in fig. 47, 48 and the jam tool 1000 shown in fig. 52A-63 is described herein; however, the operation of the sliding sleeve valves 800, 900 and 950 is similar to the operation of the sliding sleeve valve 850 described below. Fig. 52A-63 illustrate the jam tool 1000 in the run-in position as the jam tool 1000 is pumped through the wellbore 3 shown in fig. 1. In the run-in position, the compound key 230, the middle key 244, and the bore sensor 250 are each in a radially outer position. Further, the pair of first valve assemblies 440A and 440B of the actuation assembly 1200 are both in the closed position, while the second valve assembly 510A is in the open position. In this arrangement, fluid flow is permitted from the upper actuation chamber 1066 to the lower actuation chamber 1068 via the bypass passage 437, while fluid flow is restricted from the lower actuation chamber 1068 to the upper actuation chamber 1066 by the check valve 439. Thus, when the jam tool 1000 is in the run-in position, the hydraulic lock within the lower actuation chamber 1068 prevents the cartridge 1100 from traveling down through the bore 1008 of the housing 1002 in addition to interfering with contact between the shoulder 1035 and the C-ring 336.

As the wiper tool 1000 is pumped through the bore 4B of the well string 4, the wiper tool 1000 will enter the bore 854 of the uppermost sliding sleeve valve 850 of the well system 1. As the jam tool 1000 enters the aperture 854, the keys 1020 (disposed in the radially outer or locked position) are allowed to pass through the upper shoulder 62 of the carrier member 870, while the upper shoulder 642 of each compound key 640 (disposed in the radially outer or locked position) then engages the upper shoulder 62 of the carrier member 870, while the lower shoulder 644 is allowed to pass through the upper shoulder 62 via retraction within its associated slot so as to engage the lower shoulder 64 of the carrier member 870 and thereby lock the carrier member 870 with the housing 1002 of the jam tool 1000.

With the housing 1002 of the jam tool 1000 axially locked to the carrier member 870, the jam tool 1000 continues to axially travel through the aperture 854 of the sliding sleeve valve 850, thereby forcibly axially displacing or drawing the carrier member 870 through the aperture 854. In particular, the pressure of pumping the wiper tool 1000 through the bore 4B of the well string 4 elastically deforms the retaining ring 862 into a radially expanded position, thereby allowing the carrier member 870 to move axially relative to the housing 852 of the sliding sleeve valve 850. The carrier member 870 and the jam tool 1000 are then axially advanced through the bore 854 of the sliding sleeve valve 850 until the key 1020 physically engages the intermediate shoulder 30 of the housing 852, thereby stopping the downward axial movement of both the jam tool 1000 and the carrier member 870 through the bore 854. Once the key 1020 (disposed in the radially outer or locked position) has contacted the intermediate shoulder 30, the downward travel of the carrier member 870 and the jam tool 1000 is halted, and the sliding sleeve valve 850 is fully actuated from the upper closed position to the open position. In this position, the seals 1042 and 1044 of the tamping tool 1000 sealingly engage the seal bore 28 of the housing 852, thereby preventing fluid flow between the upper and lower ends of the housing 852 through the bore 854. Further, in this position, the bore sensor 1026 has also entered the seal bore 28, forcing the bore sensor 1026 and the C-ring 336 into their respective radially inward positions.

In this embodiment, after the sliding sleeve valve 850 is actuated to the open position, hydraulic pressure in the portion of the bore 4B of the well string 4 located above the tamping tool 1000 may be increased to hydraulically fracture the region of the subterranean formation 6 abutting the sliding sleeve valve 850. A hydraulic lock formed in lower actuation chamber 1068 limits the downward travel of core 1100 through bore 1008 of housing 1002. Accordingly, the jam tool 1000 is configured to actuate the sliding sleeve valve 850 from an upper closed position to an open position, wherein the core 1100 is disposed in the housing 1002 in a first or initial position. Further, the increased pressure in the bore 4B during hydraulic fracturing is communicated to the core passage 432 and the upper chamber 444 of each valve assembly 440A and 440B via the sixth radial passage 438 formed in the valve body 1202. The increased pressure in each upper chamber 444 displaces the piston 462 of each valve assembly 440A and 440B downward, thereby axially spacing the flapper 484 of each valve assembly 440A and 440B from its corresponding valve stem 494. In some embodiments, the increased pressure used to displace the piston 462 of each valve assembly 440A and 440B downward may be generated by controlling the flow rate of fluid into the bore 4B of the well string 4. For example, the channel 104 of the planar member 100 of the sliding sleeve valve 850 may be sized to create a fluid flow restriction therethrough that results in increased pressure in the portion of the bore 4B of the well string 4 that extends above the tamping tool 1000. Thus, actuation of the tamping tool 1000 may be controlled by controlling the fluid pressure or fluid flow rate in the bore 4B of the well string 4.

Once the portion of the subterranean formation 6 adjacent to the sliding sleeve valve 850 is sufficiently fractured, the wiper tool 1000 may be operated to actuate the sliding sleeve valve 850 from the open position to the lower closed position. In particular, the fluid pressure in the portion of the bore 4B of the well string 4 above the tamping tool 1000 may be reduced, wherein the reduction in fluid pressure is communicated to the upper chamber 444 of each valve assembly 440A and 440B via the core passage 432 and the sixth radial passage 438 formed in the valve body 1202. The reduction in fluid pressure in the upper chamber 444, in turn, reduces the pressure acting on the shoulder 470 of the piston 462 of each valve assembly 440A and 440B, thereby causing the biasing member 454 of each valve assembly 440A and 440B to axially displace each piston 462 toward its respective check valve assembly 490. In this embodiment, the axial length of the valve stem 494 of the valve assembly 440A is greater than the axial length of the valve stem 494 of the valve assembly 440B, and thus, the flapper 484 of the valve assembly 440A contacts its corresponding valve stem 494 before the flapper 484 of the valve assembly 440B contacts its corresponding valve stem 494. In this configuration, a reduction in fluid pressure in the upper chamber 444 of the valve assembly 440A causes the flapper 484 to engage the valve stem 494 and axially displace the obturating member 496 out of sealing contact with the first radial passage 416. With the obturator member 496 of valve assembly 440A out of sealing contact with first radial passage 416, fluid previously trapped in lower actuation chamber 1068 is allowed to flow into upper actuation chamber 1066. Accordingly, the valve assembly 440A actuates in response to the actuation assembly 1200 sensing a predetermined first pressure differential between the upper and lower ends of the jam tool 1000.

With fluid communication reestablished between the actuation chambers 1066 and 1068, the cartridge 1100 is allowed to travel axially downward through the bore 1008 of the housing 1002 until the plug 512 of the valve assembly 510A seals against the sealing surface 420S of the third valve bore 420, thereby restricting fluid flow from the lower actuation chamber 1068 to the upper actuation chamber 1066 and reestablishing the hydraulic lock in the lower actuation chamber 1068. In particular, pressure applied to the upper end 1102 of the cartridge 1100 generates an axially downwardly directed force on the cartridge 1100, wherein the amount of force applied to the cartridge 1100 is determined by the amount of pressure applied to the upper end 1102 and the diameter of the annular seal 1114. In this embodiment, the diameter of the annular seal 1114 is greater than the diameter of the annular seal 338 of the cartridge 300 of the tamping tool 200, and thus, the seal 1114 is configured to cause a greater amount of axial force to be applied to the cartridge 1100 than to the cartridge 300 of the tamping tool 200 when the upper end 1102 of the cartridge 1100 is exposed to the same pressure as the upper end 302 of the cartridge 300. Additional axial force applied to core 1100 may assist in overcoming frictional resistance caused by moving core 1100 axially through housing 1002, e.g., frictional forces between compound key 640 and slot 630, key 1020 and slot 1016, and bore sensor 1026 and slot 1024.

After displacing the core 1100 downward through the bore 1008 of the housing 1002, the key 1020 is allowed to actuate into a radially inward position or unlocked position to be received in the intermediate recess 324 of the core 1100, thereby unlocking the jam tool 1000 from the housing 852 of the sliding sleeve valve 850. With the jam tool 1000 unlocked from the housing 852, the remaining pressure differential across the seals 1042 and 1044 of the housing 1002 displaces the jam tool 1000 and the carrier member 870 (locked to the housing 1002 by the compound key 640) downward through the bore 854 of the housing 852 until the lower end of the carrier member 870 engages the intermediate shoulder 30 of the housing 852, thereby setting the sliding sleeve valve 850 in the lower closed position. Accordingly, the jam tool 1000 is configured to actuate the sliding sleeve valve 850 from the open position to the lower closed position in response to the core 1100 being disposed in the first axial direction from a first position in the housing 1002 to a second position in the housing 1002 axially spaced from the first position.

Once the sliding sleeve valve 850 is disposed in the lower closed position, the tamping tool 1000 may be released from the sliding sleeve valve 850 such that the tamping tool 1000 may be transported downhole through the bore 4B of the well string 4 to the next sliding sleeve valve 850 of the well string 4. In this embodiment, to release the jam tool 1000 from the carrier member 870 of the sliding sleeve valve 850, the hydraulic pressure acting on the upper end 1102 of the core 1100 is further reduced to transport the core 1100 axially downward farther through the bore 1008 of the housing 1002. Specifically, the additional reduction in hydraulic pressure is communicated to the upper chamber 444 of the valve assembly 440B, thereby allowing the biasing member 454 of the valve assembly 440B to displace the piston 462 axially upward such that the flapper 484 engages the valve stem 494 and displaces the obturator member 496 out of sealing engagement with the second radial passage 418. Accordingly, the valve assembly 440B actuates in response to the actuation assembly 1200 sensing a predetermined second pressure differential between the upper and lower ends of the tamping tool 1000, wherein the second pressure differential is less than the first pressure differential that triggers actuation of the valve assembly 440A.

With the valve assembly 440B now in the open position, fluid previously trapped in the lower actuation chamber 1068 may be communicated to the upper actuation chamber 1066 via the bypass passage 437, the sixth radial passage 443, the second valve bore 414, and the second radial passage 418 formed in the valve body 1202. After opening of valve assembly 440B, cartridge 1100 is allowed to travel axially downward through bore 1008 of housing 1002 until compound key 640 is allowed to actuate into a radially inward position or unlocked position, housed in upper recess 318 of cartridge 1100. In this position, the compound key 640 may pass through the seal bore 28 of the housing 852 of the sliding sleeve valve 850, thereby allowing the tamping tool 1000 to pass completely through the bore 854 of the housing 852 as the tamping tool 1000 flows toward the next sliding sleeve valve 850 of the well string 4. Once the jam tool 1000 is released from the sliding sleeve valve 850, fluid disposed in the upper actuation chamber 1066 is allowed to return to the lower actuation chamber 1068 via the bypass passage 437 as the core 1100 returns to its original position shown in fig. 52A-63.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present disclosure has been provided by way of example only, and that numerous variations, modifications and changes are possible even though specific examples have been depicted and described, without limiting the scope, intent or spirit of the claims appended hereto.

The claims (modification according to treaty clause 19)

1. A valve for use in a wellbore, comprising:

a housing including a housing port;

a slidable closure member disposed in the aperture of the housing and including a closure member port;

a seal disposed in the housing; and

a ratchet portion disposed radially between the closure member and the housing;

wherein the closure member includes a first position in the housing in which fluid communication between the closure member port and the housing port is provided, and a second position axially spaced from the first position in which fluid communication between the closure member port and the housing port is restricted;

wherein, in response to actuating the closure member from the first position to the second position, the closure member is configured to elastically deform the ratchet portion.

2. The valve of claim 1, wherein the ratchet includes a shoulder of a retaining ring disposed radially between the closure member and the housing.

3. The valve of claim 2, wherein:

the outer surface of the closure member includes an annular locator defined by a pair of frustoconical shoulders; and is

In response to actuating the closure member from the first position to the second position, the retaining ring is forced to expand radially and over one of the frustoconical shoulders of the closure member.

4. The valve of claim 2, wherein:

the inner surface of the housing includes an annular locator defined by a pair of frustoconical shoulders; and is

In response to actuating the closure member between the first and second positions, the retaining ring is forced to contract radially and over one of the frustoconical shoulders of the closure member.

5. The valve of claim 2, wherein the retaining ring extends completely around the closure member.

6. The valve of claim 1, wherein:

the closure member including a third position axially spaced from the first and second positions in which fluid communication between the closure member port and the housing port is restricted; and is

The valve further includes a retaining ring that allows the closure member to enter the third position when the retaining ring is in the first position and restricts the closure member from entering the third position when the retaining ring is in the second position.

7. A valve for use in a wellbore, comprising:

a housing including a housing port;

a slidable closure member disposed in the aperture of the housing and including a closure member port;

a seal disposed in the housing;

a retaining ring disposed in the housing; and is

Wherein the closure member includes a first position in the housing in which fluid communication between the closure member port and the housing port is restricted, a second position axially spaced from the first position in which fluid communication between the closure member port and the housing port is permitted, and a third position axially spaced from the first position and the second position in which fluid communication between the closure member port and the housing port is restricted;

wherein the retaining ring comprises a first position that allows the closure member to enter the first position and a second position that allows the closure member to enter the third position but restricts the closure member from entering the first position.

8. The valve of claim 7, wherein the first position of the retaining ring comprises a radially outer position and the second position of the retaining ring comprises a radially inner position.

9. The valve of claim 7, wherein the retaining ring includes a shear pin that is received in a groove formed in the closure member when the closure member is disposed in the first position.

10. The valve of claim 7, further comprising a fluid damper disposed in the housing, wherein the fluid damper includes a flow restriction through which fluid is forced in response to the closure member being displaced between the second and third positions.

11. The valve according to claim 10, wherein said fluid damper comprises a cylindrical damping member slidably disposed in a receiving seat formed in said housing.

12. The valve of claim 10, wherein the fluid damper includes a port extending through the annular flange of the closure member.

13. The valve of claim 7, further comprising:

a ratchet portion disposed radially between the closure member and the housing;

wherein, in response to actuating the closure member from the second position to the third position, the closure member is configured to elastically deform the ratchet portion;

wherein the ratchet portion comprises a shoulder of a positioning ring disposed radially between the closure member and the housing, and wherein the positioning ring extends completely around the closure member.

14. A flow delivery tamping tool for actuating a valve in a wellbore, comprising:

a housing comprising a radially translatable engagement assembly; and

a core slidably disposed in the housing;

wherein the engagement assembly is configured to: when the core is in a first position relative to the housing, the engagement assembly displaces the valve from a first closed position to an open position;

wherein the engagement assembly is configured to: the engagement assembly displaces the valve from the open position to a second closed position in response to the cartridge being displaced unidirectionally in a first axial direction from the first position to a second position.

15. The jam tool of claim 14, wherein the engagement assembly comprises: a first engagement member including an unlocked position and a locked position; and a second engagement member axially spaced from the first engagement member and including an unlocked position and a locked position.

16. The jam tool of claim 15, wherein:

the first engagement member is disposed in a receptacle formed in the housing and includes an arcuate slot that receives a lip of the housing to prevent the first engagement member from disengaging the receptacle; and is

The engagement between the lip of the housing and the arcuate slot of the first engagement member prevents the first engagement member from rotating in the receptacle of the housing.

17. The jam tool of claim 15, wherein the first engagement member comprises a compound key including a first shoulder and a second shoulder radially translatable relative to the first shoulder.

18. The jam tool of claim 14, further comprising:

an actuation assembly disposed in the housing and configured to allow displacement of the core from the first position to the second position in response to sensing a predetermined pressure differential between a first end and a second end of the jam tool; and

a floating piston slidably disposed between the core and the housing;

wherein the floating piston forms a first chamber in the housing in fluid communication with an ambient environment and a second chamber in the housing sealed from the ambient environment, and wherein the actuation assembly is disposed in the second chamber;

wherein the floating piston is configured to balance fluid pressure between the first chamber and the second chamber.

19. The jam tool of claim 14, further comprising:

a filter coupled to the housing and configured to allow fluid communication between the housing and the ambient environment;

wherein the filter comprises a plurality of stacked gaskets, wherein the first end of each gasket comprises a notch providing an axially extending gap between each gasket.

20. A flow delivery tamping tool for actuating a valve in a wellbore, comprising:

a housing including a first engagement member including an unlocked position and a locked position, and a second engagement member axially spaced from the first engagement member and including an unlocked position and a locked position; and

a core slidably disposed in the housing;

wherein when the first engagement member is in the locked position, the first engagement member is configured to displace the valve from an open position to a closed position;

wherein when the second engagement member is in the locked position, the second engagement member is configured to land against a landing shoulder of the valve to prevent the jam tool from passing through the valve;

wherein the core is configured to: actuating the second engagement member from the locked position to the unlocked position in response to a unidirectional displacement of the core relative to the housing in a first axial direction between a first position and a second position;

wherein the core is configured to: actuating the first engagement member from the locked position to the unlocked position in response to a unidirectional displacement of the core relative to the housing along the first axial direction between the second position and a third position.

21. The jam tool of claim 20, wherein:

the first engaging member is slidably accommodated in an accommodating seat formed in the housing; and is

The first engagement member includes an annular seal disposed on an outer surface of the first engagement member, and wherein the annular seal sealingly engages an inner surface of the receptacle to restrict fluid flow through the receptacle.

22. The jam tool of claim 20, wherein:

the first engagement member comprises a compound key comprising a first shoulder and a second shoulder radially translatable relative to the first shoulder; and is

The compound key further includes a biasing member that biases the second shoulder to a radially outer position.

23. The caulking tool of claim 20, further comprising an annular seal assembly disposed in a groove formed in the housing, wherein the seal assembly comprises a metal piston ring and an annular elastomeric seal having an L-shaped cross-sectional profile.

24. The jam tool of claim 20, further comprising an actuation assembly disposed in the housing and configured to: allowing the wick to be displaced from the first position to the second position in response to sensing a predetermined pressure differential between the first and second ends of the jam tool.

25. The jam tool of claim 24, wherein:

the actuation assembly includes a valve body including a first channel configured to receive fluid pressure acting on the first end of the jam tool; and is

The jam tool also includes a fluid damper located upstream of the first passage of the valve body in a passage formed in the core, and wherein the fluid damper is configured to provide a flow restriction in the passage of the core.

26. A flow delivery tamping tool for actuating a valve in a wellbore, comprising:

a housing including a first engagement member including an unlocked position and a locked position and a second engagement member including an unlocked position and a locked position;

a core slidably disposed in the housing and configured to: actuating the first engagement member from the locked position to the unlocked position in response to one-way displacement of the core from a first position to a second position in the housing; and

an actuation assembly disposed in the housing and including a first valve assembly configured to: in response to sensing a first pressure differential between a first end and a second end of the jam tool, thereby allowing the core to be displaced from the first position to the second position;

wherein the core is configured to: actuating the second engagement member from the locked position to the unlocked position in response to one-way displacement of the core from the second position to a third position in the housing;

wherein the actuation assembly comprises a second valve assembly, the first valve assembly configured to: in response to sensing a second difference between the first and second ends of the jam tool, thereby allowing the core to be displaced from the second position to the third position.

27. The jam tool of claim 26, wherein the second pressure differential is less than the first pressure differential.

28. The jam tool of claim 26, further comprising:

a floating piston slidably disposed between the core and the housing;

wherein the floating piston forms a first chamber in the housing in fluid communication with an ambient environment and a second chamber in the housing sealed from the ambient environment;

wherein the floating piston is configured to balance fluid pressure between the first chamber and the second chamber.

29. The jam tool of claim 26, further comprising:

a filter coupled to the housing and configured to allow fluid communication between the housing and the ambient environment;

wherein the filter comprises a plurality of stacked gaskets, wherein the first end of each gasket comprises a notch providing an axially extending gap between each gasket;

wherein the recess of each gasket is configured to allow particles of a predetermined size to enter the housing from the ambient environment.

30. The compaction tool of claim 26, wherein the first and second valve assemblies of the actuation assembly each comprise:

a housing;

a piston slidably received in the housing; and

a check valve assembly housed in a valve body of the actuation assembly;

wherein the valve body of the actuation assembly includes a first channel configured to receive fluid pressure acting on the first end of the jam tool and a second channel configured to receive fluid pressure acting on the second end of the jam tool.