Toe initiator having an associated object catching seat

Abstract

A technique includes installing a tubing string having a toe initiator valve in a wellbore; and opening the toe initiator valve to establish fluid communication between an interior of the string and a region outside of the string. The technique includes using the fluid communication established by the open toe initiator valve to communicate a degradable object downhole to land in a seat of the string; and performing a downhole operation using a fluid barrier resulting from the landed object.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 installing a tubing string having a toe initiator valve in a wellbore;   opening the toe initiator valve to establish fluid communication between an interior of the string and a region outside of the string;   using the fluid communication established by the open toe initiator valve to communicate a degradable object downhole to land in a seat of the string; and   performing a downhole operation using a fluid barrier resulting from the landed object.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein performing the downhole operation comprises pressure testing the string and using the fluid barrier to isolate the toe initiator valve from a remainder of the tubing string uphole of the fluid barrier. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein opening the toe initiator valve comprises pressuring the tubing string to a pressure activation threshold of the toe initiator valve less than a maximum pressure used in the pressure testing. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein performing the downhole operation comprises performing a stimulation operation and using the fluid barrier to divert fluid as part of the stimulation operation. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein using the fluid communication established by the open toe initiator valve comprises providing a flow through a radial port of the toe initiator valve and pumping the degradable object downhole using the flow. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 waiting for the object to degrade; and   reestablishing fluid communication through the open toe initiator valve after the waiting.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising using the reestablished fluid communication through the open toe initiator valve to pump a tool downhole into the tubing string. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising using the reestablished fluid communication through the open toe initiator valve to communicate another degradable object downhole into the tubing string to land in the seat of the string to form another fluid barrier. 
     
     
         9 . A method usable with a well, comprising:
 opening a toe initiator valve of a tubing string;   pumping a degradable object downhole to land in a seat associated with the toe initiator valve; and   performing pressure testing of the string using a fluid barrier created due to the landing of the degradable object in the seat.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising performing a first stage well stimulation operation in the well using a flow through the open toe initiator valve. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 running a perforating gun assembly downhole inside the tubing string;   perforating the tubing string;   retrieving the perforating gun assembly; and   pumping another degradable object down to land in the seat associated with the toe initiator valve.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising performing a well stimulation operation using a fluid barrier formed from the landing of the other degradable object in the seat. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus usable with a well, comprising:
 a string associated with a plurality of stages, wherein the string has a toe end and a first stage of the plurality of stages is closest to the toe end of the string;   a toe initiator valve disposed in the string near the toe end of the string, the toe initiator valve comprise a radial port to communicate fluid with a region outside of the string; and   a seat disposed in the string between the toe end of the string and the first stage to receive an object to form a fluid barrier between the port of the toe initiator valve and the first stage.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the toe initiator valve is adapted to open fluid communication through the port in response to a pressure of the string exceeding 10,000 pounds per square inch (psi). 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the string comprises a well casing. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising a degradable object to be communicated through a passageway of the string to land in the seat to form a temporary fluid barrier. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus comprising:
 a toe initiator valve to open in response to a pressure of a tubing string in which the valve is installed exceeding a pressure threshold, the toe initiator valve comprising:
 a coupler to connect the toe initiator valve to a string; 
 at least one radial port to communicate fluid in response to the toe initiator valve being open; and 
 a seat disposed between the coupler and the port to receive an untethered object communicated through the string. 
   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the seat is adapted to form a fluid barrier in the string in response to the untethered object landing in the seat. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the seat comprises a restriction in a central passageway of the toe initiator valve. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the coupler comprises a threaded connector to connect the toe initiator valve to the string.