This disclosure relates in general to oil and gas tools, and in particular, to systems and methods for retrieval devices.
In exploration and production of formation minerals, such as oil and gas, wellbores may be drilled into an underground formation. The wellbores may include various drilling, completion, or exploration components, such as hangers or sealing systems that may be arranged in a downhole portion or at a surface location. Often, these components may be hand installed at a surface location by operators and then lowered into the wellbore. Removal of these devices while within the wellbore may be challenging.
Applicant recognized the problems noted above herein and conceived and developed embodiments of systems and methods, according to the present disclosure, for wellbore operations.
In an embodiment, a wellbore system, includes a slip hanger arranged within a wellbore component, the slip hanger having a mechanical receptacle formed in a face of the slip hanger. The wellbore system also includes an adapter configured to couple to the slip hanger, the adapter having one or more engagement members arranged to engage the mechanical receptacle, wherein the one or more engagement members extend into the mechanical receptacle to secure the slip hanger to the adapter to aid in retrieval of the slip hanger.
In an embodiment, a wellbore system includes a running tool and an adapter adapted to connect to the running tool, the adapter having a bore to receive at least a portion of the running tool and a slot to receive one or more coupling devices associated with the running tool. The wellbore system also includes a slip hanger arranged within a wellbore, the slip hanger supporting at least a portion of a tubular, the slip hanger having slips and a slip bowl, wherein the slip bowl includes one or more grooves configured to couple to one or more engagement members of the adapter. The running tool is configured to couple to the adapter, move the adapter toward the slip hanger, facilitate coupling of the adapter to the slip hanger, and to disengage from the adapter.
In an embodiment, a method for removing a downhole component includes coupling an adapter to a slip hanger arranged within a wellbore component. The method also includes releasing the adapter from a running tool. The method further includes cutting a portion of a casing string suspended from the slip hanger. The method also includes engaging a lower surface of the slip hanger with one or more of a collar or coupling of the casing string, the one or more of the collar or the coupling being moved in an upward direction after the cutting to remove the casing string from the wellbore.
The present technology will be better understood on reading the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments thereof, and on examining the accompanying drawings, in which:
The foregoing aspects, features and advantages of the present technology will be further appreciated when considered with reference to the following description of preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent like elements. In describing the preferred embodiments of the technology illustrated in the appended drawings, specific terminology will be used for the sake of clarity. The present technology, however, is not intended to be limited to the specific terms used, and it is to be understood that each specific term includes equivalents that operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.
When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present disclosure, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Any examples of operating parameters and/or environmental conditions are not exclusive of other parameters/conditions of the disclosed embodiments. Additionally, it should be understood that references to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “certain embodiments,” or “other embodiments” of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. Furthermore, reference to terms such as “above,” “below,” “upper”, “lower”, “side”, “front,” “back,” or other terms regarding orientation are made with reference to the illustrated embodiments and are not intended to be limiting or exclude other orientations.
Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed toward systems and methods for retrieval tools, which may include systems and methods for removal of an emergency casing/tubing slip hanger. In various embodiments, removal may be performed through a workover/drilling package such as a blowout preventer. In at least one embodiment, systems and methods enable removal of the downhole component through the workover package immediately or without significant delay after the removal of the annulus packoff, without removing the equipment above. Accordingly, systems and methods reduce rig time as no equipment will be changed out between the workover package and the wellhead during operations.
In various embodiments, systems and methods of the present disclosure may be directed toward retrieval of a slip hanger. The system may lock both slip hanger halves together and serve as a centralizer and guide to enable removal of the slip hanger through the workover package following a casing cutting and spearing operation. In embodiments, a retrieval tool may be run on drill pipe through the workover package. The retrieval tool may then engage the slip hanger for the recovery of the slip hanger. The cut casing may then be pulled through the slip hanger until a casing coupling, which has an outer diameter extending out past the casing diameter, tagged on the lower face of the slip bowl. The lower face of the slip bowl is defined with an internal diameter that is larger than the casing outer diameter, but smaller than the casing coupling outer diameter. The entire assembly may then be retrieved through the workover package. In various embodiments, the retrieval tool may help guide the slip hanger through equipment above without snagging in obstructions or discontinuities, such as a blowout preventer ram cavity.
Various embodiments of the present disclosure enable the slip hanger to be held together for the retrieval operation, which would typically be done by hand. That is, components may be tripped to the surface for removal by operators. In at least one embodiment, the slip hanger may be engaged and pulled at the same time as the casing, using a casing coupling as the mechanism for lifting the slip bowl out of the wellhead. The slip hanger retrieval adapter rigidly holds the slip halves together and serves as a guide. This enhances the connection between the slip bowl halves, to ensure that the slip bowl does not separate during retrieval operations.
In at least one embodiment, a retrieval assembly 114 is shown extending through a wellbore tubular 116, which may be a portion of a workover package or a blow out preventer (BOP), among various options. It should be appreciated that the term wellbore tubular is used for convenience and in various embodiments systems and methods may be used for surface components such that the wellbore tubular 116 does not fully extend into a wellbore. The retrieval assembly 114 of this embodiment includes a running tool 118 and an adapter 120. As will be described below, the adapter 120 may include one or more gripping components that engage the slip hanger 108 (e.g., at least one component of the slip hanger 108, such as the slip bowl 110) to keep portions of the slip hanger 108 together and also to guide the slip hanger 108 out of the wellbore through uphole equipment, such as a BOP. It should be appreciated that existing techniques may scar or otherwise damage components when attempting to remove the slip hanger 108 because of twisting and/or misalignment during removal, and as a result, existing methods remove the upstream components prior to removal of the slip hanger. Embodiments of the present disclosure overcome these problems using the adapter 120 to both grip the slip hanger 108 and to guide the slip hanger 108 out of the wellbore.
As will be described various, various components that may be associated with an operational wellbore have been removed prior to utilization of the retrieval assembly 114. By way of example, one or more sealing systems may be positioned within the tubing spool 102, and may, in various embodiments, be secured in place using one or more seal fasteners, shown in
The fingers 202 are aligned with a groove 206 (e.g., mechanical receptacle) formed in the slip bowl 110. It should be appreciated that the groove is shown for illustrative purposes and that other embodiments may include various types of mechanical receptacles. For example, the groove may be replaced by individual apertures or fittings that receive a mating component associated with the adapter 120. The groove 206 may be particularly selected and sized to accommodate the fingers 202. That is, the groove 206 may have dimensions slightly larger than the fingers 202 to facilitate installation of the fingers 202 into the groove 206. It should be appreciated that the groove 206 may be shaped based at least in part on the fingers 202. As a result, the illustrated groove 206 may not be a continuous groove, but rather, a j-groove that, upon rotation of the adapter 120, may transmit a force to the slip bowl 110 at a mating edge. By way of example, the j-groove may not have a constant diameter along a length of depth of the j-groove such that the groove 206 corresponds to the finger 202. In this example, an upper region of the groove 206 has a smaller opening annulus area than a lower region of the groove 206. As such, the j-shape of the fingers 202 are accommodated. It should be appreciated that such a configuration is for example purposes and other examples may include different groove configurations. Furthermore, as noted above, the groove 206 may include one or more bends or other areas that facilitate receiving deployable parts. Additionally, in one or more embodiments, the groove 206 may be formed or otherwise enlarged by the fingers 202, such as in embodiments where the fingers 202 cut into the bowl 110.
In at least one embodiment, the groove 206 is arranged along an upstream surface 208 of the slip bowl 110. As noted above, it should be appreciated that grooves 206 may also, or alternatively, be formed in one or more additional components of the slip hanger 108. By way of example only, the slips 112 may also include one or more grooves 206 that may receive portions of the fingers 202.
In this example, the adapter 120 includes the slots 300 to facilitate coupling to the running tool 118. For example, the running tool 118 is shown extending into the adapter 120 to align receptacles 302 with the slots 300 to enable the coupling devices 304 to secure the running tool 118 to the adapter 120. Further illustrated is a shelf 306 that receives and supports the running tool 118. The shelf 306 may be positioned such that the receptacles 210 align with the slots 300, thereby facilitating installation. It should be appreciated that the illustrated configuration is for example purposes only and that, in other embodiments, the adapter 120 may be arranged, at least partially, within a circumferential extent of the running tool 118.
In various embodiments, the coupling devices 304 are positioned within the slots 300 via one or more rotational and/or axial movements of the running tool 118 with respect to the adapter 120. For example, the slots 300 may form a portion of a j-slot or other configuration that permits axial movement of the running tool 118 to a certain point and then locks or otherwise blocks reverse movement after rotation of the running tool 118 with respect to the adapter 120. However, it should be appreciated that various embodiments of the present disclosure the slots 300, which may be associated with a j-slot, allow the adapter 120 to be coupled circumferentially and axially for the purposes of installation. However, coupling is only circumferential during retrieval.
By way of example, the adapter 120 is axially coupled to the tool 118 because the coupling device 304 is in the horizontal portion of the j-slot during running. Once the clockwise rotation starts, the running tool 118 and coupling device 304 rotates with respect to the adapter 120 and slot 300 until the coupling device 304 contacts the vertical wall on the opposing end of the j-slot horizontal slot. At this point the coupling device 304 is still in the j-slot so can still transmit rotational force, but because it is no longer in the horizontal section it is no longer axially coupled. That is, the adapter 120 and tool 118 rotated together but can move vertically with respect to each other.
In at least one embodiment, insertion of the fingers 202 into the grooves 206 may not be a fully axial and/or accomplished in a single movement. By way of example, there the fingers 202 are threaded, rotation of the adapter 120 may incrementally move the fingers 202 into the grooves 206. In another example, one or more slots may be included, such as J-slots, so that axial movement be permitted to an extent before rotation is required prior to further axial movement. Such configurations may then provide additional loading faces to apply forces against when the slip hanger 108 is lifted or pulled from its location.
As shown in
In at least one embodiment, the connections between the adapter 120 and the slip bowl 110 are substantially opposite the connections between the adapter 120 and the running tool 118 such that by coupling the adapter 120 to the slip bowl 110, the adapter 120 is disconnected from the running tool 118. It should be appreciated that one or more additional steps or movements may also be utilized to form and/or break connections between components. By way of example, additional rotation may be used to decouple the adapter 120 from the running tool 118, among other options.
It should be appreciated that systems and methods of the present disclosure may utilize one or more additional or alternative features to engage the slip hanger 108. As an example, the slip hanger 108 may include a groove that receives dogs or a spring loaded component formed in the adapter 120. Additionally, in embodiments, the adapter may be threaded into the slip hanger 108. Accordingly, it should be appreciated that alternative coupling arrangements may be used.
Various embodiments also include the slots 300 for receiving the coupling device 304 associated with the running tool 118. In this example, the slots 300 also include a “j” or “L” configuration in that axial movement is permitted, to an extent, but upon rotation by a predetermined amount, continued axial movement is then blocked. In this example, axial movement is blocked by the position of the coupling device 304 after rotation. It should be appreciated that while two slots 300 are shown in this example, various embodiments may include more or fewer slots 300.
Although the technology herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present technology. It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present technology as defined by the appended claims.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/552,962, filed Dec. 16, 2021, entitled “CASING SLIP HANGER RETRIEVAL TOOL SYSTEM AND METHOD,” which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/127,273, filed Dec. 18, 2020, entitled “EMERGENCY CASING SLIP HANGER RETRIEVAL TOOL SYSTEM AND METHOD,” the full disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein in their entireties for all purposes.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
63127273 | Dec 2020 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 17552962 | Dec 2021 | US |
Child | 18591940 | US |