The field relates to an anchoring device for anchoring a body and housing of a downhole tool to an inside of a tubing string. The tubing string can be a casing string.
The features and advantages of certain embodiments will be more readily appreciated when considered in conjunction with the accompanying figures. The figures are not to be construed as limiting any of the preferred embodiments.
Oil and gas hydrocarbons are naturally occurring in some subterranean formations. In the oil and gas industry, a subterranean formation containing oil and/or gas is referred to as a reservoir. A reservoir can be located under land or off shore. Reservoirs are typically located in the range of a few hundred feet (shallow reservoirs) to a few tens of thousands of feet (ultra-deep reservoirs). In order to produce oil or gas, a wellbore is drilled into a reservoir or adjacent to a reservoir. The oil, gas, or water produced from a reservoir is called a reservoir fluid.
As used herein, a “fluid” is a substance having a continuous phase that tends to flow and to conform to the outline of its container when the substance is tested at a temperature of 71° F. (22° C.) and a pressure of one atmosphere “atm” (0.1 megapascals “MPa”). A fluid can be a liquid or gas.
A well can include, without limitation, an oil, gas, or water production well, or an injection well. As used herein, a “well” includes at least one wellbore. A wellbore can include vertical, inclined, and horizontal portions, and it can be straight, curved, or branched. As used herein, the term “wellbore” includes any cased, and any uncased, open-hole portion of the wellbore. A near-wellbore region is the subterranean material and rock of the subterranean formation surrounding the wellbore. As used herein, a “well” also includes the near-wellbore region. The near-wellbore region is generally considered to be the region within approximately 100 feet radially of the wellbore. As used herein, “into a well” means and includes into any portion of the well, including into the wellbore or into the near-wellbore region via the wellbore.
A portion of a wellbore can be an open hole or cased hole. In an open-hole wellbore portion, a tubing string can be placed into the wellbore. The tubing string allows fluids to be introduced into or flowed from a remote portion of the wellbore. In a cased-hole wellbore portion, a casing is placed into the wellbore that can also contain a tubing string. A wellbore can contain an annulus. Examples of an annulus include, but are not limited to: the space between the wall of the wellbore and the outside of a tubing string in an open-hole wellbore; the space between the wall of the wellbore and the outside of a casing in a cased-hole wellbore; and the space between the inside of a casing and the outside of a tubing string in a cased-hole wellbore.
There are a variety of wellbore operations that can be performed on a well. A wellbore is formed using a tool called a drill bit. A tubing string, called a drill string for drilling operations, can be used to aid the drill bit in drilling through a subterranean formation to form the wellbore. The drill string can include a drilling pipe. During drilling operations, a drilling fluid, sometimes referred to as a drilling mud, is circulated downwardly through the drilling pipe, and back up the annulus between the wall of the wellbore and the outside of the drilling pipe. The drilling fluid performs various functions, such as cooling the drill bit, maintaining the desired pressure in the well, and carrying drill cuttings upwardly through the annulus between the wellbore and the drilling pipe.
During well completion and after the wellbore is formed, it is common to introduce a cement composition into an annulus in a wellbore. For example, in a cased-hole wellbore, a cement composition can be placed into and allowed to set in the annulus between the wellbore and the casing in order to stabilize and secure the casing in the wellbore. By cementing the casing in the wellbore, fluids are prevented from flowing into the annulus. Consequently, oil or gas can be produced in a controlled manner by directing the flow of oil or gas through the casing and into the wellhead. Cement compositions can also be used in primary or secondary cementing operations, well-plugging, or squeeze cementing.
In order to perform a cementing operation during well completion, a casing is generally run into the wellbore. The casing can include downhole tool components at various locations in the casing string. Downhole tool components that are typically located near the bottom of the casing string (i.e., farthest away from the wellhead) include valves, landing seats, plugs, and shut-off collars. Some components are run-in with the casing string, while other components can be installed after the casing string has been run into the wellbore.
Components such as a casing collar or shoes are generally secured to the casing string and contain threads for securing a housing of a downhole tool to the casing or casing collar. Depending on the specifics of a particular wellbore, the threads must be specially manufactured. Having such threads specially manufactured can increase costs in addition to time waiting for the threads to be made.
Therefore, there is a need for improved ways to anchor a housing and body for downhole tool components to the inside of a tubing string, while overcoming the challenges currently faced in the industry.
It has been discovered that an anchoring assembly can be used to anchor a housing of a downhole tool component to the inside of a tubing string. One of the advantages to the anchoring assembly is the assembly can be used to secure a variety of downhole tool components to a multitude of different tubing strings without requiring traditional threads. By eliminating threads as a necessary component, money and time are saved.
A system for anchoring a housing to an inner diameter of a tubing string can include: a wellbore tool component; and an anchoring assembly positioned at an end of the tubing string, the anchoring assembly comprising; a body; the housing, wherein the housing is positioned around an outer circumference of at least a portion of the body; an installation sleeve; a rotating sleeve in threaded connection with the housing and the installation sleeve; and a plurality of anchoring buttons located within a plurality of cutouts on the housing, wherein the plurality of anchoring buttons circumvolve around a pin, and wherein an edge on the plurality of anchoring buttons lockingly engages with the inner diameter of the tubing string.
Methods of anchoring a housing to an inner diameter of the tubing string can include: installing the anchoring assembly to an end of the tubing string; causing movement of the body along a longitudinal axis of the tubing string toward the end of the tubing string, wherein the movement causes the plurality of anchoring buttons to circumvolve around a pin, and wherein an edge on the plurality of anchoring buttons lockingly engages with the inner diameter of the tubing string after circumvolving; releasing both of the installation sleeve and the rotating sleeve from engagement with the tubing string, the body, and the housing; and removing the installation sleeve and the rotating sleeve from the anchoring assembly.
Any discussion of the embodiments regarding the anchoring assembly or any component related to the anchoring assembly is intended to apply to all of the apparatus, system, and method embodiments.
Turning to the Figures,
The body 111 is releasably attached to the rotating sleeve 140 by a first frangible device 141. The first frangible device 141 can be any device that is capable of withstanding a predetermined amount of force and capable of releasing at a force above the predetermined amount of force. The first frangible device 141 can be, for example, a shear pin, a shear screw, a shear ring, a load ring, a lock ring, a pin, or a lug. There can also be more than one first frangible device 141 that connects the body 111 to the rotating sleeve 140. The first frangible device 141 or multiple frangible devices can be selected based on the force rating of the device, the total number of devices used, and the predetermined amount of force needed to release the device. For example, if the total force required to break or shear the frangible devices is 15,000 pounds force (lbf) and each frangible device has a rating of 5,000 lbf, then a total of three frangible devices may be used.
The rotating sleeve 140 is in threaded connection to the housing 130 and the installation sleeve 150. As shown in
The installation sleeve 150 is located at an end of the tubing string 100. The installation sleeve 150 can wrap around the end of the tubing string 100 such that a portion of the installation sleeve 150 is adjacent to the inner diameter (ID) 101 and a portion of the installation sleeve is adjacent to the outer diameter (OD) 102 of the tubing string 100. The installation sleeve 150 is removably attached to the tubing string 100 via a fastener 151. The fastener 151 can be, for example, a screw or set screw. The fastener 151 can penetrate through the portion of the installation sleeve 150 adjacent to the OD 102 of the tubing string 100 and into the outside of the tubing string 100. In this manner, the installation sleeve 150 is secured to the tubing string 100. A second frangible device 142, which can be the same type or different from the first frangible device 141, can be located at the bottom of the installation sleeve 150 and penetrate into the rotating sleeve 140 to provide a stop for the installation sleeve from moving in direction D1.
The anchoring assembly includes a plurality of anchoring buttons 120. The anchoring buttons 120 can be arranged around the outer circumference of the body 111. As shown in
The anchoring buttons 120 fit within the cutouts 133. Although shown in the drawings with three anchoring buttons 120 located in one cutout 133, it is to be understood that less than three or more than three anchoring buttons 120 can be located in each of the cutouts 133. The number of the anchoring buttons 120 located in each of the cutouts 133 can be selected based on the total number of cutouts 133, the outer diameter (OD) of the body 111, and predicted force that may be applied to the anchored housing. The total number of anchoring buttons 120 can be selected based on the shear strength of each button and the total force that may be applied to the anchored housing. Preferably, the total number of anchoring buttons 120 is selected such that the housing 130 remains anchored to the ID 101 of the tubing string 100 during the applied force. The anchoring buttons 120 can be spaced within the cutouts 133 such that there is sufficient clearance between the outer perimeter of the anchoring buttons 120 and the walls of the cutouts 133 to allow room for the anchoring buttons 120 to circumvolve around a pin.
The anchoring buttons 120 can have a length in the range of 0.5 to 2 inch, a width in the range of 0.75 to 2 inch, and a height in the range of 0.5 to 2.5 inch.
The anchoring buttons 120 also include a hole 124 that runs through an area in the middle or near the middle of the button. As can be seen in
The OD of the pin 121 may also be selected based on the material used for the pin 121. For example, a softer material on a hardness scale may need a larger OD in order to prevent deformation of the pin 121; whereas a harder material could have a smaller OD while still preventing deformation. The pin 121 can be made from a material having a Mohs scale of hardness value of at least 3.5. Examples of materials for the pin 121 can include, but are not limited to, steel, iron, titanium, hardened steel, tungsten, tungsten carbide, and a thermoset plastic. The material of the pin 121 can also be selected such that chemical degradation is prevent or substantially inhibited, such as corrosion, when used in a wellbore operation. Alternatively, the run-in fluid can include a corrosion inhibitor or other additives to prevent degradation of the pin 121.
Still referring to
Turning now to
The rounded portion 122 of the anchoring buttons 120 can be positioned within the grooves 112. The grooves 112 have a width and a depth. The width and depth of the grooves 112 can be selected such that the rounded portion 122 of the anchoring buttons 120 can fit within the grooves 112 and provide rotational movement of the anchoring buttons 120 to circumvolve around the pins 121. By way of example, the width of the grooves 112 can be in the range of 0.25 to 0.375 inch, and the depth of the grooves 112 can be in the range of 0.125 to 0.18 inch.
With reference to
The material of the anchoring buttons 120 can be selected such that the edge 123 is capable of cutting into the ID 101 of the tubing string 100. In order to cut into the ID, the material of the anchoring buttons 120 should have a Mohs scale of hardness greater than the Mohs scale of hardness of the tubing string 100. For example, a casing string can be made of steel, which has a hardness value of 4-4.5. Accordingly, the anchoring buttons 120 could be made of a material with a hardness value greater than or equal to 5. The greater the increase of the hardness value of the anchoring buttons 120 over the tubing string 100, the easier it will be for the edge 123 of the buttons to cut into the ID. The material of the anchoring buttons 120 can have a hardness value at least 1 more than the hardness value of the tubing string 100. In this manner, the edge 123 of the anchoring buttons 120 can cut into and penetrate a desired depth into the ID of the tubing string 100 and anchor the housing 130 to the tubing string 100. Examples of materials for the anchoring buttons 120 include, but are not limited to, ceramics, hardened steel, titanium, tungsten, diamond, and carbides of any of the foregoing metals (e.g., tungsten carbide). The material of the anchoring buttons 120 can also be selected based on whether the downhole tool component is a permanent device or retrievable device. Retrievable devices can be drilled out of the wellbore. Accordingly, the material to be used for permanent devices may have a higher hardness value, for example, a carbide material. The material to be used for a retrievable device can have a lower hardness value or be more brittle, for example, ceramics in order to aid in retrieval of the downhole tool component.
A method of anchoring the housing 130 to an ID 101 of the tubing string 100 can include causing movement of the body 111 along a longitudinal axis of the tubing string 100 (in the direction D1 for example), wherein the movement causes the plurality of anchoring buttons to circumvolve around a pin. The movement can be caused by rotating the rotating sleeve 140 clockwise or counter-clockwise relative to a longitudinal axis of the tubing string 100. As can be seen in
The rotating sleeve 140 is caused to continue to rotate clockwise or counter-clockwise until the first frangible device 141 shears. The rotating sleeve 140 is then released from engagement with the body 111, housing 130, and installation sleeve 150. After the rotating sleeve 140 is released, the installation sleeve 150 can be released by unthreading the fastener 151 from the tubing string 100 and installation sleeve 150. As shown in
As discussed above, the downhole tool component can be included in the anchoring assembly prior to anchoring the housing to the ID of the tubing string. Alternatively, the downhole tool component can be installed after the housing 130 has been anchored to the ID 101 of the tubing string 100. After the housing has been anchored and the installation sleeve and rotating sleeve have been removed from the assembly above ground, the methods can further include the step of introducing the tubing string into a wellbore. The tubing string 100 can be run into the wellbore using any technique and equipment known to those skilled in the art.
It should be noted that the anchoring assembly illustrated in the drawings and as described herein is merely one example of a wide variety of embodiments and applications in which the principles of this disclosure can be utilized. It should be clearly understood that the principles of this disclosure are not limited to any of the details of the anchoring assembly, or components thereof, depicted in the drawings or described herein. Furthermore, a well system and the anchoring assembly can include other components not depicted in the drawing.
An embodiment of the present disclosure is a system for anchoring a housing to an inner diameter of a tubing string, the system comprising: a wellbore tool component; and an anchoring assembly positioned at an end of the tubing string, the anchoring assembly comprising; a body; the housing, wherein the housing is positioned around an outer circumference of at least a portion of the body; an installation sleeve; a rotating sleeve in threaded connection with the housing and the installation sleeve; and a plurality of anchoring buttons located within a plurality of cutouts on the housing, wherein the plurality of anchoring buttons circumvolve around a pin, and wherein an edge on the plurality of anchoring buttons lockingly engages with the inner diameter of the tubing string. Optionally, the system further comprises wherein the body is releasably attached to the rotating sleeve by a first frangible device. Optionally, the system further comprises wherein the first frangible device is selected from a shear pin, a shear screw, a shear ring, a load ring, a lock ring, a pin, or a lug. Optionally, the system further comprises wherein the installation sleeve is removably attached to the end of the tubing string via a fastener. Optionally, the system further comprises wherein a second frangible device is located below the installation sleeve and penetrates into the rotating sleeve. Optionally, the system further comprises wherein the plurality of anchoring buttons comprise a rounded portion, a hole for receiving the pin, and two faces that define the edge. Optionally, the system further comprises wherein the edge has an angle in the range of 80° to 110°. Optionally, the system further comprises wherein each of the plurality of anchoring buttons are secured to the housing within the plurality of cutouts by the pin. Optionally, the system further comprises wherein the housing comprises a first and second pin end receiver, wherein a first end of the pin is contained within the first pin end receiver, and wherein a second end of the pin is contained within the second pin end receiver. Optionally, the system further comprises wherein the body comprises one or more grooves, wherein the rounded portion of the anchoring buttons is positioned within the grooves, and wherein the rounded portion allows the anchoring buttons to circumvolve around the pin within the grooves. Optionally, the system further comprises wherein the anchoring buttons are made from a material selected from ceramics, hardened steel, titanium, tungsten, diamond, and carbides of any of the foregoing metals.
Another embodiment of the present disclosure is a method of anchoring a housing to an inner diameter of a tubing string comprising: installing an anchoring assembly at an end of the tubing string, wherein the anchoring assembly comprises: a body; the housing, wherein the housing is positioned around an outer circumference of at least a portion of the body; an installation sleeve; a rotating sleeve in threaded connection with the housing and the installation sleeve; and a plurality of anchoring buttons located within a plurality of cutouts on the housing; causing movement of the body along a longitudinal axis of the tubing string towards the end of the tubing string, wherein the movement causes the plurality of anchoring buttons to circumvolve around a pin, and wherein an edge on the plurality of anchoring buttons lockingly engages with the inner diameter of the tubing string after circumvolving; releasing both of the installation sleeve and the rotating sleeve from engagement with the tubing string, the body, and the housing; and removing the installation sleeve and the rotating sleeve from the anchoring assembly. Optionally, the method further comprises wherein the body is releasably attached to the rotating sleeve by a first frangible device. Optionally, the method further comprises wherein the first frangible device is selected from a shear pin, a shear screw, a shear ring, a load ring, a lock ring, a pin, or a lug. Optionally, the method further comprises wherein the installation sleeve is removably attached to the end of the tubing string via a fastener. Optionally, the method further comprises wherein a second frangible device is located below the installation sleeve and penetrates into the rotating sleeve. Optionally, the method further comprises wherein the plurality of anchoring buttons comprise a rounded portion, a hole for receiving the pin, and two faces that define the edge. Optionally, the method further comprises wherein the edge has an angle in the range of 80° to 110°. Optionally, the method further comprises wherein each of the plurality of anchoring buttons are secured to the housing within the plurality of cutouts by the pin. Optionally, the method further comprises wherein the housing comprises a first and second pin end receiver, wherein a first end of the pin is contained within the first pin end receiver, and wherein a second end of the pin is contained within the second pin end receiver. Optionally, the method further comprises wherein the body comprises one or more grooves, wherein the rounded portion of the anchoring buttons is positioned within the grooves, and wherein the rounded portion allows the anchoring buttons to circumvolve around the pin within the grooves. Optionally, the method further comprises wherein the anchoring buttons are made from a material selected from ceramics, hardened steel, titanium, tungsten, diamond, and carbides of any of the foregoing metals. Optionally, the method further comprises wherein the movement of the body is caused by rotating the rotating sleeve clockwise or counter-clockwise relative to a longitudinal axis of the tubing string. Optionally, the method further comprises wherein the installation sleeve and the housing are inter-connected by castellated protrusions on the installation sleeve and castellated indentations on the housing, and wherein the castellated inter-connection prevents the housing from rotating during rotation of the rotating sleeve. Optionally, the method further comprises wherein the body is releasably attached to the rotating sleeve by a first frangible device, and wherein rotation of the rotating sleeve causes the first frangible device to shear when a force above the shear rating of the first frangible device is reached. Optionally, the method further comprises releasing the installation sleeve from the anchoring assembly after the first frangible device shears. Optionally, the method further comprises introducing the tubing string into a wellbore after removing the installation sleeve and the rotating sleeve from the anchoring assembly.
Therefore, the apparatus, methods, and systems of the present disclosure are well adapted to attain the ends and advantages mentioned as well as those that are inherent therein. The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative only, as the present disclosure may be modified and practiced in different but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings herein. Furthermore, no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown, other than as described in the claims below. It is, therefore, evident that the particular illustrative embodiments disclosed above may be altered or modified and all such variations are considered within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.
As used herein, the words “comprise,” “have,” “include,” and all grammatical variations thereof are each intended to have an open, non-limiting meaning that does not exclude additional elements or steps. While compositions, systems, and methods are described in terms of “comprising,” “containing,” or “including” various components or steps, the compositions, systems, and methods also can “consist essentially of” or “consist of” the various components and steps. It should also be understood that, as used herein, “first,” “second,” and “third,” are assigned arbitrarily and are merely intended to differentiate between two or more anchoring frangible devices, pin ends, etc., as the case may be, and does not indicate any sequence. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the mere use of the word “first” does not require that there be any “second,” and the mere use of the word “second” does not require that there be any “third,” etc.
Whenever a numerical range with a lower limit and an upper limit is disclosed, any number and any included range falling within the range is specifically disclosed. In particular, every range of values (of the form, “from about a to about b,” or, equivalently, “from approximately a to b,” or, equivalently, “from approximately a-b”) disclosed herein is to be understood to set forth every number and range encompassed within the broader range of values. Also, the terms in the claims have their plain, ordinary meaning unless otherwise explicitly and clearly defined by the patentee. Moreover, the indefinite articles “a” or “an,” as used in the claims, are defined herein to mean one or more than one of the element that it introduces. If there is any conflict in the usages of a word or term in this specification and one or more patent(s) or other documents that may be incorporated herein by reference, the definitions that are consistent with this specification should be adopted.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20220065059 A1 | Mar 2022 | US |