Ball Activated, Selective Flow Port Downhole Apparatus

Abstract

In one aspect there is provided a selective flow port downhole apparatus comprising a tubular housing with at least one housing port and an interior volume. An actuation mechanism actuates the apparatus between a running position and a ports open position. When in the running position, the housing port is sealed to prevent fluid communication from the apparatus' interior volume through said at least one housing port. When the apparatus is actuated to the ports open position, fluid communication is then established between the inside volume and the outside of the tubular housing, through the housing port. The apparatus may be actuated by one or more balls.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is being claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . A selective flow port downhole apparatus comprising:
 a tubular housing having a downhole end, at least one housing port and an interior volume with a sleeve receiving region;   a sliding sleeve located within the sleeve receiving region and actuatable to move between a running position, a ports open position, and a ports closed position;   a check valve at a downhole end of the apparatus;   wherein, when the sliding sleeve is in the running position during wellbore operations, the at least one housing port is sealed to prevent fluid communication from the interior volume through said at least one housing port;   wherein, when the sliding sleeve is in the running position during wellbore operations and hydraulic pressure inside the interior volume reaches a threshold sufficient to open the check valve, fluid from the interior volume can be pumped out of the downhole end;   wherein, when the sliding sleeve is in the ports open position, fluid communication is possible between the interior volume and the outside of the tubular housing through said at least one housing port; and   wherein, when the sliding sleeve is in the ports closed position, any fluid communication that may have been possible through said housing port is stopped.   
     
     
         2 . The selective flow port downhole apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the sliding sleeve is actuatable by means of at least one ball. 
     
     
         3 . A selective flow port downhole apparatus comprising:
 a tubular housing having at least one housing port and an interior volume;   an actuation mechanism to actuate the selective flow port downhole apparatus between a running position and a ports open position;   wherein, when the selective flow port downhole apparatus is in the running position, the at least one housing port is sealed to prevent fluid communication from the interior volume through said at least one housing port; and   wherein, when the selective flow port downhole apparatus is actuated to the ports open position, fluid communication is established between the inside volume and the outside of the tubular housing through said at least one housing port.   
     
     
         4 . The selective flow port downhole apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the actuation mechanism comprises a sliding sleeve located within a sleeve receiving region in the interior volume, said sliding sleeve actuatable to move within the sleeve receiving region between said running position and said ports open position. 
     
     
         5 . The selective flow port downhole apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the sliding sleeve is actuatable by means of at least one ball.