Pressure Actuated Piston Type Casing Fill-up Valve and Methods of Use Thereof

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a method and apparatus for filling casing and/or a casing string and provides for the flow back of such fluids in a wellbore during casing running operations. The tool comprises a piston valve which is automatically pressure actuated. Thus, the valve will open and close without manual and/or outside mechanical intervention. Further, the design and construction of the piston valve helps to substantially reduce erosive wear to the piston valve and its components.

1 . A pressure actuated piston type fill-up and circulation valve for moving fluid into a tubular or tubular string and/or into a wellbore comprising:
 a valve body having an outer surface, an inner surface defining a bore therein, and a lower end, said lower end defining at least one aperture therein;   a piston movably insertable in said bore;   said piston having an outside surface and further defining a flow bore therethrough; and   a blocking member, said blocking member configured to seal said piston flow bore, wherein said piston flow bore is sealed when said piston is substantially in contact with said blocking member.   
   
   
       2 . The pressure actuated piston type fill-up and circulation valve of  claim 1 , further comprising a spring, said spring biasing said piston in a direction away from said lower end and toward said blocking member. 
   
   
       3 . The pressure actuated piston type fill-up and circulation valve of  claim 2 , wherein said spring is mounted adjacent to said outside surface of said piston. 
   
   
       4 . The pressure actuated piston type fill-up and circulation valve of  claim 1 , wherein said blocking member comprises a material for erosion resistance. 
   
   
       5 . The pressure actuated piston type fill-up and circulation valve of  claim 4 , wherein said blocking member is constructed of tungsten carbide. 
   
   
       6 . The pressure actuated piston type fill-up and circulation valve of  claim 1 , wherein said lower end defines two apertures therein. 
   
   
       7 . The pressure actuated piston type fill-up and circulation valve of  claim 1 , further comprising an upper body configured to matingly connect to said valve body. 
   
   
       8 . The pressure actuated piston type fill-up and circulation valve of  claim 7 , wherein the connection of said upper body and said valve body substantially retains said blocking member. 
   
   
       9 . The pressure actuated piston type fill-up and circulation valve of  claim 1 , further comprising a seal mounted on said piston. 
   
   
       10 . A method for moving fluid into a tubular or tubular string and/or into a wellbore through a pressure actuated piston type fill-up and circulation valve comprising the steps of:
 providing a pressure actuated piston type fill-up valve having an inlet port, a piston therein, and at least one outlet port, mounted adjacent to said bottom end of the valve, wherein said piston defines a flow bore therethrough;   mounting a blocking member between said inlet port and said piston;   biasing said piston in a direction away from the bottom end of said body and toward said blocking member;   blocking flow through said piston when said piston is biased against said blocking member and substantially in contact with said blocking member;   moving fluid to apply pressure to a top surface of said piston;   moving said piston away from said blocking member, in a direction towards said bottom end of said body, wherein moving comprises increasing pressure of fluid until said pressure overcomes said biasing of said piston;   moving fluid into said tubular or tubular string and/or into said wellbore; and   stopping fluid flow, wherein said stopping removes pressure on piston surface and allows piston to return to biased position.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said biasing is with a spring mounted adjacent to said piston. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the blocking member is configured so as to allow fluid contact with the top surface of the piston. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the steps of:
 providing an upper body of the valve and a lower body of the valve; and   retaining the blocking member between said upper body and said lower body.   
   
   
       14 . A fill-up and circulating tool for inserting into the upper end of a tubular or tubular string to move fluid into and to circulate fluid from inside the tubular or tubular string into a wellbore for use on drilling and/or workover rigs, the fill-up and circulating tool comprising:
 a body having a top end, a bottom end, an inlet, an outlet, an outer surface, and a central axial bore defining a flow path therethrough;   said body further having a connection adjacent to said top end, said connection adapted to connecting to a rig and/or rig drive;   said body further being configured to adapt to a push plate;   at least one sealing element, said sealing element disposed about said body for sealing engagement with the tubular or tubular string, wherein said sealing engagement being against an internal diameter of said tubular or tubular string; and   a pressure actuated piston type fill-up valve, having at least one outlet port, mounted adjacent to said bottom end of said body, wherein said pressure actuated piston type fill-up valve allows for said fluid to be moved into said tubular or tubular string and/or into said wellbore, and wherein fluid flow automatically moves a piston in a direction away from said body.   
   
   
       15 . The fill-up and circulating tool of  claim 14 , wherein said pressure actuated piston type fill-up valve further comprises:
 a valve body having an outer surface, an inner surface defining a bore therein, and a lower end, said lower end defining at least one aperture therein;   a piston insertable in said bore;   said piston further defining a flow bore therethrough;   a spring, said spring biasing said piston in a direction away from said lower end; and   a blocking element, said blocking element configured to seal said piston flow bore, wherein said seal is accomplished when said piston is in contact with said blocking element.   
   
   
       16 . A pressure actuated piston type casing fill-up and circulation valve comprising:
 a lower valve body having an outer surface, an inner surface defining a bore therein, and a lower end, said lower end defining at least one aperture therein;   an upper valve body having an inlet port;   a piston insertable in said bore;   said piston having an outside surface and further defining a flow bore therethrough;   a biasing member, said biasing member biasing said piston in a direction away from said lower end; and   a blocking member, said blocking member configured to seal said piston flow bore, wherein said seal is accomplished when said piston is in contact with said sealing device, and wherein said blocking member is retained between the lower valve body and the upper valve body.   
   
   
       17 . The pressure actuated piston type casing fill-up and circulation valve of  claim 16 , wherein said biasing member is a spring, and wherein said spring is mounted adjacent to said outside surface of said piston. 
   
   
       18 . The pressure actuated piston type casing fill-up and circulation valve of  claim 16 , wherein said lower end defines two apertures therein. 
   
   
       19 . The pressure actuated piston type casing fill-up and circulation valve of  claim 16 , wherein the connection of said upper body and said valve body further comprise a sealing member between said upper body and said valve body. 
   
   
       20 . The pressure actuated piston type casing fill-up and circulation valve of  claim 16 , further comprising a seal mounted on said piston.