In the resource recovery industry, it is often necessary to anchor tools and tubing strings in a borehole in a subsurface formation to enable the tool to perform its intended function or to locate and support a tubing string, for example. To this end, many tools are manufactured with anchors as a part of the tool. Most of these are set using fluid pressure. Fluid pressure setting regimes requires seals and sometimes fluid conveyances such as capillary lines and the like. These can increase expense for an operation and in some situations due to volume of hydraulic fluid for various particular tools, take up valuable surface space.
The art would well receive a more adaptable anchoring system that avoids drawbacks of the prior art.
An adaptable anchor including a frame; an arm articulated to the frame; a pad connected to the arm at a distance from the articulation with the frame; a wedge movably mounted to the frame and in wedging contact with the arm; a biasing member disposed to selectively apply a biasing energy between the frame and the wedge; and a degradable retainer preventing application of the biasing energy until degraded.
A borehole system including a borehole in a subsurface formation; a tubular member disposed in the borehole; and an adaptable anchor including a frame; an arm articulated to the frame; a pad connected to the arm at a distance from the articulation with the frame; a wedge movably mounted to the frame and in wedging contact with the arm; a biasing member disposed to selectively apply a biasing energy between the frame and the wedge; and a degradable retainer preventing application of the biasing energy until degraded in operable contact with the tubular member.
An embodiment of a method for anchoring a tool in a borehole including running the adaptable anchor including a frame; an arm articulated to the frame; a pad connected to the arm at a distance from the articulation with the frame; a wedge movably mounted to the frame and in wedging contact with the arm; a biasing member disposed to selectively apply a biasing energy between the frame and the wedge; and a degradable retainer preventing application of the biasing energy until degraded; degrading the degradable retainer; urging the wedge into contact with the arm with the biasing member; and displacing the pad.
The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike:
A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures.
Referring to
Referring to
Because the actuation of the adaptable anchor is by degradation of retainer 26, hydraulic methods so commonly used in the industry for actuating anchors, with all of the attendant issues surrounding the use of fluid pressure for the actuation, are avoided. This makes for a simpler construction and simpler actuation thereby saving time and money.
Referring to
In embodiments, the nose 36 and/or the cam face 38 may be provided with teeth 42 and 44 respectively (see
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Set forth below are some embodiments of the foregoing disclosure:
Embodiment 1: An adaptable anchor including a frame; an arm articulated to the frame; a pad connected to the arm at a distance from the articulation with the frame; a wedge movably mounted to the frame and in wedging contact with the arm; a biasing member disposed to selectively apply a biasing energy between the frame and the wedge; and a degradable retainer preventing application of the biasing energy until degraded.
Embodiment 2: The adaptable anchor as in any prior embodiment wherein the arm is articulated to the frame at one end of the arm and the wedge is disposed at an opposite end of the arm.
Embodiment 3: The adaptable anchor as in any prior embodiment wherein the pad is articulated to the arm.
Embodiment 4: The adaptable anchor as in any prior embodiment wherein the pad further includes a surface configured to enhance gripping force.
Embodiment 5: The adaptable anchor as in any prior embodiment wherein the surface includes wickers.
Embodiment 6: The adaptable anchor as in any prior embodiment wherein the wedge includes teeth thereon interactive with the arm.
Embodiment 7: The adaptable anchor as in any prior embodiment wherein the arm includes teeth interactive with the wedge.
Embodiment 8: The adaptable anchor as in any prior embodiment wherein the wedge further includes guide.
Embodiment 9: The adaptable anchor as in any prior embodiment wherein the guide is a pin interactive with a slot in the frame.
Embodiment 10: The adaptable anchor as in any prior embodiment wherein the biasing member is a spring.
Embodiment 11: The adaptable anchor as in any prior embodiment further including an interengagement feature configured to interengage the adaptable anchor with another tool.
Embodiment 12: The adaptable anchor as in any prior embodiment further including a biasing member cap configured to contact the wedge.
Embodiment 13: The adaptable anchor as in any prior embodiment wherein the degradable retainer is degradable in the presence of downhole fluids.
Embodiment 14: The adaptable anchor as in any prior embodiment wherein the degradable retainer is a degrade on demand retainer.
Embodiment 15: A borehole system including a borehole in a subsurface formation; a tubular member disposed in the borehole; and an adaptable anchor as in any prior embodiment in operable contact with the tubular member.
Embodiment 16: The borehole system as in any prior embodiment wherein the adaptable anchor is run in the hole by the tubular member.
Embodiment 17: The borehole system as in any prior embodiment wherein the adaptable anchor is run inside the tubular member and is configured to anchor therein.
Embodiment 18: A method for anchoring a tool in a borehole including running the adaptable anchor as in any prior embodiment; degrading the degradable retainer; urging the wedge into contact with the arm with the biasing member; and displacing the pad.
Embodiment 19: The method as in any prior embodiment wherein the displacing is driving the pad into contact with another structure to anchor the adaptable anchor to that structure.
Embodiment 20: The method as in any prior embodiment wherein the degrading is by allowing time or by taking an action that will degrade the retainer.
The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. Further, it should be noted that the terms “first,” “second,” and the like herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another. The modifier “about” used in connection with a quantity is inclusive of the stated value and has the meaning dictated by the context (e.g., it includes the degree of error associated with measurement of the particular quantity).
The teachings of the present disclosure may be used in a variety of well operations. These operations may involve using one or more treatment agents to treat a formation, the fluids resident in a formation, a wellbore, and/or equipment in the wellbore, such as production tubing. The treatment agents may be in the form of liquids, gases, solids, semi-solids, and mixtures thereof. Illustrative treatment agents include, but are not limited to, fracturing fluids, acids, steam, water, brine, anti-corrosion agents, cement, permeability modifiers, drilling muds, emulsifiers, demulsifiers, tracers, flow improvers etc. Illustrative well operations include, but are not limited to, hydraulic fracturing, stimulation, tracer injection, cleaning, acidizing, steam injection, water flooding, cementing, etc.
While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. Also, in the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited.
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Entry |
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Notification of Transmittal of the International Search Report and the Written Opinion of the International Searching Authority, or the Declaration; PCT/US2020/055655; dated Jan. 29, 2021; 11 pages. |