Liner-top packer setting arrangement, method, and system

Abstract

A liner-top packer setting arrangement includes a mandrel attached to a liner-top packer with a valve to close or open a port through the mandrel. A housing is disposed on the mandrel and defines a volume between the housing and the mandrel. The volume is pressure communicable with the port. A piston is disposed in the volume and connected to the packer. A method for setting a liner-top packer including remotely opening a valve that, when open permits hydrostatic tubing pressure to reach a piston that is underbalanced. Driving the piston with the hydrostatic pressure and setting the liner-top packer with the piston. A wellbore system includes a borehole in a subsurface formation, a string in the borehole, a liner-top packer setting arrangement disposed on the string.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A liner-top packer setting arrangement comprising:
 a mandrel attached to a liner-top packer;   a valve positioned and configured to close or open a port through the mandrel;   a housing disposed on the mandrel;   a volume defined between the housing and the mandrel, the volume being pressure communicable with the port when the valve is in an open position; and   a piston disposed in the volume, the piston exposed to port pressure on one side thereof and to a lower pressure on an opposite side thereof, the piston connected to the packer.   
     
     
         2 . The arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the valve is remotely actuable. 
     
     
         3 . The arrangement as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the valve is actuable by one of acoustically, electrically, optically, or hydraulically. 
     
     
         4 . The arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the opposite side of the piston is exposed to atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         5 . The arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the piston bifurcates the volume into a portion where pressure is dictated by the valve position and a portion that defines an atmospheric chamber. 
     
     
         6 . A method for setting a liner-top packer comprising:
 remotely opening a valve that, when open permits hydrostatic tubing pressure to reach a piston that is underbalanced;   driving the piston with the hydrostatic pressure;   setting the liner-top packer with the piston.   
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the piston is underbalanced with atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the opening is wirelessly. 
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the opening is acoustically. 
     
     
         10 . A wellbore system comprising:
 a borehole in a subsurface formation;   a string in the borehole;   a liner-top packer setting arrangement as claimed in  claim 1  disposed on the string.