Multi-acting Anti-swabbing Fluid Loss Control Valve

Abstract

The multi-acting valve design features an outer collet around a mandrel with the collet spring biased to a first position where one set of flow ports on one side of a seat with a captive ball can be closed so that the valve acts to prevent fluid loss. When the collet engages a profile and the mandrel is set down the ports above and below the seated ball allow a bypass path around the central path of the mandrel where the ball is seated on a seat. The ports above and below the seated ball communicate into an annular space provided by a sleeve around the mandrel that is supported by the collet assembly that finds temporary support on a profile in a surrounding tubular. The mandrel has an exterior detent to selectively hold the bypass open when the collet assembly is landed on another support to advance it above the mandrel detent.

1 . A valve for subterranean use in a well, comprising:
 a mandrel having a passage therethrough and an upper end and a lower end for connection to a tubular string;   a valve member in said passage;   an outer assembly mounted to said mandrel for relative movement therebetween and defining a bypass flow path around said valve member located outside said passage and extending from ports in said passage;   said relative movement selectively opening and closing said bypass passage.   
     
     
         2 . The valve of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said relative movement is caused by engaging said outer assembly on a support in the well.   
     
     
         3 . The valve of  claim 2 , wherein:
 said bypass flow path is open until said outer assembly is landed on the support.   
     
     
         4 . The valve of  claim 2 , wherein:
 said valve member comprising a seat in said passage and an object that obstructs said passage when landed on said seat.   
     
     
         5 . The valve of  claim 4 , wherein:
 said object is retained by a retainer in said passage when separated from said seat responsive to flow from the lower end toward the upper end of said passage.   
     
     
         6 . The valve of  claim 5 , wherein:
 said object is a ball or a flapper.   
     
     
         7 . The valve of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said outer assembly further comprising spaced seals in contact with said mandrel and straddling at least one of said ports located on one side of said valve member when said bypass flow path is closed.   
     
     
         8 . The valve of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said mandrel comprises a travel stop for said outer assembly;   said outer assembly movable to open and close said bypass flow path without engaging said travel stop, whereupon relative movement exceeding a predetermined value said travel stop retains said bypass flow path open.   
     
     
         9 . The valve of  claim 8 , wherein:
 said relative movement is caused by engaging said outer assembly on a support in the well;   said bypass flow path remaining open after relative movement that exceeds a predetermined value despite subsequent engagement of said outer assembly on the support.   
     
     
         10 . The valve of  claim 9 , wherein:
 said bypass flow path remaining closed until said outer assembly is landed on the support.   
     
     
         11 . The valve of  claim 10 , wherein:
 said valve member comprising a seat in said passage and an object that obstructs said passage when landed on said seat.   
     
     
         12 . The valve of  claim 11 , wherein:
 said object is retained by a retainer in said passage when separated from said seat responsive to flow from the lower end toward the upper end of said passage.   
     
     
         13 . The valve of  claim 12 , wherein:
 said object is a ball or a flapper.   
     
     
         14 . The valve of  claim 9 , wherein:
 said outer assembly further comprising spaced seals in contact with said mandrel and straddling at least one of said ports located on one side of said valve member when said bypass flow path is closed.   
     
     
         15 . The valve of  claim 14 , wherein:
 one of said passage ports is closed by said seals on said outer assembly when said outer assembly is not landed on the support.   
     
     
         16 . The valve of  claim 15 , wherein:
 said outer assembly is biased off said mandrel to a position where one of said passage ports is closed by said seals on said outer assembly.   
     
     
         17 . The valve of  claim 16 , wherein:
 said outer assembly comprises at least one collet and a sleeve having a recess with end seals facing said mandrel to define an annular passage at least as long as the spacing between passage ports on opposed sides of said valve member.   
     
     
         18 . The valve of  claim 17 , wherein:
 said at least one collet comprises a plurality of collets that are circumferentially spaced between end rings with one of said end rings comprising spaced end ring seals that selectively straddle one of said passage ports.   
     
     
         19 . The valve of  claim 2 , wherein:
 said bypass flow path remaining closed until said outer assembly is landed on the support.