1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to coiled tubing used in earth borehole operations such as oil and gas well drilling and servicing. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for transporting and using coiled tubing.
2. Description of Prior Art
The widespread and expanding use of coiled tubing in earth wellbore operations such as in the drilling and/or servicing of oil and gas wells is well known. The use of coiled tubing minimizes the time and expense typically involved in using jointed pipe or jointed tubing. Additionally, coiled tubing can be used with a variety of downhole equipment such as stabilizers, drill motors, bits, well servicing tools, etc.
A typical coiled tubing rig comprises a reel of coiled tubing mounted on a platform or vehicle, an injector to run the tubing into and out of the well, a gooseneck or guide affixed to the injector for guiding the coiled tubing between the reel and the injector, a lifting device to support the injector and gooseneck, a hydraulic power pack to provide power to the reel and the injector and to other hydraulic equipment, and surface equipment such as strippers and blowout preventers to seal around the coiled tubing as it is run into and out of the well. The carrier used to transport the reel is typically a trailer or skid. The reel may be of various sizes, depending upon the size of the coiled tubing to be reeled thereupon, and the length of coiled tubing to be carried.
In the early applications of coiled tubing use, the coiled tubing was of a relatively small diameter, typically approximately 1″ OD. The use of such small diameter tubing provided the maximum amount of tubing which could possibly be mounted on a reel to be transported to and from the well site. This is important, because the size of the reel which can be transported to the well site is limited by regulations governing the roads over which the reel is to be transported, i.e., the height and width dimensions of a load transversing such roads is controlled. Thus, there is an inherent limitation on the length of coiled tubing that can be transported over such government regulated roads, etc. Further, the use of such small diameter coiled tubing limits the flow of fluids there through, limits the amount of compressive force that can be transmitted through the string of tubing to the well, limits the amount of tension that can be placed on the string of tubing, limits the amount of torque that the tubing can withstand and limits the type and weight of tools that can be used and, increasingly important, limits the length of tubing that may be used.
To overcome some of the difficulties noted above, larger sizes of coiled tubing have come into use, in diameters ranging up to 4½ inches, or even greater. However, the use of such large diameter coiled tubing with small reels designed for the smaller diameter tubing creates problems. As noted above, the size (height and width) of the reel on which the coiled tubing is shipped is limited primarily by government regulation of roads over which the tubing is to be shipped. Accordingly, under current regulations even large diameter tubing must be shipped on relatively small diameter reels. This severely limits the length of such large diameter tubing that can be moved to a site. Additionally, it is common that the tubing used at the well site is on the same reel on which it was shipped. This can involve repeated reeling and unreeling of large diameter coiled tubing on a small reel, increasing the fatigue from bending stresses.
Whether it be small diameter, e.g., 1″, or large diameter, e.g., 4½ inch or greater, coiled tubing, under current government regulation of roads on which the tubing is to be shipped, the amount of coiled tubing on a reel is limited for a reel with a given size vis-a-vis core diameter and winding space on the reel. Thus, more smaller diameter tubing can be reeled and shipped than larger diameter tubing. Stated differently, the smaller the diameter of the tubing, the larger the length of tubing that can be shipped on a given reel. There is an increasing desire to use coiled tubing, regardless of its size, in deeper and deeper wells. However, with the present system, regardless of the diameter, a single reel of coiled tubing typically does not contain a long enough length of tubing to achieve the desired depth of some deeper wells, necessitating that some sort of field splicing be employed to achieve the desired longer length. It is well known that splicing is time consuming and potentially dangerous since the integrity of the splice is typically considerably less than the integrity of the coiled tubing itself.
In one preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a coiled tubing transfer system comprising a first carrier having a first bed, the bed having a width and a length, the length of the bed being longer than the width of the bed. There is a reel removably supported on the first bed, the reel comprising first and second spaced supports, a spool being rotatably journaled in the first and second supports. The spool has a core with a diameter and a long axis extending between the first and second supports, the long axis having a length greater than the width of the first bed. The reel is positionable on the first bed in a first position with the long axis of the core extending lengthwise of the first bed, the longest dimension of the reel that is transverse to the long axis being approximate to or less than the width of the first bed. A length of coiled tubing, useable in earth borehole operations, is wound around the core, the coiled tubing having an outside diameter of from 1″ to 9″, the ratio of the diameter of the coiled tubing to the diameter of the core being from 1:20 to 1:70.
In another preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a method of transporting and using a reel of coiled tubing. The method comprises providing a carrier having a first bed, the first bed having a width and a length, the length being longer than the width. The method further comprises positioning a reel of coiled tubing on the bed, the reel comprising first and second spaced supports, a spool being rotatably journaled in the first and second supports, the spool having a core with a diameter and a long axis extending between the first and second supports. The long axis has a length that is greater than the width of the bed and the reel is positionable on the first bed in a position with the long axis of the core extending lengthwise of the bed, the longest dimension of the reel that is transverse to the long axis being approximate to or less than the width of the bed. The method further includes providing a length of coiled tubing wound around the core, the coiled tubing being of a type used in earth borehole operations, the coiled tubing having an outside diameter of from 1″ to 9″, the ratio of the diameter of the coiled tubing to the diameter of the core being from 1:20 to 1:70. The method additionally comprises transporting the carrier and the reel carrying the length of coiled tubing to a desired site, connecting coiled tubing from the reel to a coiled tubing injector, and utilizing the coiled tubing in an earth borehole operation.
The coiled tubing which is the subject of the present invention is of the type used in earth borehole operations, particularly in the drilling and/or servicing of oil and gas wells. However, it is understood that the coiled tubing can be used in other earth borehole operations, e.g., mining, water wells, injection wells, etc. While coiled tubing of the type under consideration is generally made of steel, coiled tubing made from composites such as fiberglass, carbon fibers, and other synthetic materials can also be employed. Indeed, since composites generally have greater elasticity, coiled tubing made of composites can be more tightly wound, e.g., on a smaller diameter spool, without undergoing permanent deformation.
Referring then to
As can be seen, bed 12 has a length indicated by arrow A and a width indicated by arrow B, the length A being greater than the width B. The core 24 of the spool has a long or rotation axis shown in dotted lines as 25, extending between supports 20 and 22, long axis 25 having a length between supports 20 and 22 greater than the width B of bed 12. Additionally, the longest dimension of the reel 16 that is transverse to the long axis 25 of the core 24 is approximate to or less than the width B of the bed 12, wherein “approximate to” includes “equal to”. This relative dimensioning between the bed 12 and the reel 16 is important since, in the preferred case, carrier 10 is designed to be transported or movable on government regulated roads, highways and the like. Accordingly, by making the longest dimension of the reel 16 which is transverse to the long axis 25 of the core 24 approximate to or less than the width B of the bed 12, and assuming the height is appropriate, wheeled carrier 10 with reel 16 can move freely along such regulated roads, highways, etc. It should be noted that restrictions on the length of a trailer or the like, moving on regulated roads, highways, etc., are more liberal than height or width restrictions. It is common, for example, to use tractor-trailer rigs wherein the trailer has a length of 40′ or more. Thus, the present invention allows for a much longer length of coiled tubing to be transported than is afforded by the prior art. In this regard, prior art transport systems for coiled tubing utilize a system wherein the axis of the core of the spool between the spool supports is transverse to the length A of the bed on which the reel is supported or rests. This necessarily restricts the length of the core of the spool between the rims and accordingly restricts the length of coiled tubing that can be transported.
There is a second wheeled carrier 40, wheeled carrier 40 comprising a trailer or platform on which is mounted a coiled tubing system including a gooseneck or guide 42 which is operatively connected to a mast shown schematically as 44 whereby coiled tubing may be injected into and removed from a wellbore over which mast 44 is centered by means of a coiled tubing injector 45. As is well understood in the art, in addition to mast 44, coiled tubing injector 45 and gooseneck 42, typically carrier 40 would also carry a lifting device to support the injector and gooseneck and a hydraulic power pack to provide power to the reel and the injector and to other hydraulic equipment, none of which are shown for simplicity. As will be seen hereafter, wheeled carrier 40 can have the same dimension, relative to width and length, as described above with respect to wheeled carrier 10. However, it will be understood that carrier 40 need not have the same dimensional characteristics as carrier 10 albeit that it will typically have a length extending from a first end 46 to a second end 48 which is longer than a width extending from a first side 51 to a second side 53. Wheeled carrier 40 has a central bed 50 disposed between raised end beds 52 and 54, bed 50 being provided with conveyor tracks 56 and 58, conveyor tracks 56 and 58 having their long axes generally perpendicular to the sides 51, 53 of wheeled carrier 40.
Turning to
Referring to
The word “carrier” as used herein is intended to include any platform, trailer, skid or other support which is preferably movable. In the case where the carrier is traveling on roads, highways, etc., subject to government regulation as to height, width, etc., the carrier and coiled tubing reel will usually have the relative dimensions described above with respect to the embodiments shown in
As can be seen from the above, the present invention provides a system wherein a reel of coiled tubing can be transported on one carrier to a site where another carrier is located and the reel of coiled tubing moved from the carrier on which it was transported to the carrier located at the site. Additionally, the present invention provides a carrier which can comprise a typical coiled tubing injection trailer in the sense that it has a mast mounted thereon along with peripheral equipment described above used in coiled tubing injection operations and which can also be moved along roads, highways, etc., subject to government regulation. In the latter case, and as seen with respect to
While the coiled tubing transport system of the present invention is ideally suited for coiled tubing having an OD of from about 1″ to about 4″, it is to be understood that it can be utilized with coiled tubing or other continuous tubular products having an OD of up to 9″.
As is well known, in the case of reels of coiled tubing, particularly of the type used in oil and gas well drilling and servicing operations, the diameter of the core of the spool of the coiled tubing reel, is sized to accommodate the OD of the coiled tubing wound thereon. Thus, with coiled tubing having an OD ranging from 1″ to 9″, the diameter of the core of the spool will be such that the ratio of the OD of the coiled tubing to the diameter of the spool will range from about 1:20 to about 1:70. Generally speaking, the industry standard is a core diameter of 40 times the OD of the coiled tubing. However, in larger size coiled tubing this ratio typically is not achievable and the following table shows suggested minimum recommended core diameters for coiled tubing having different ODs.
As noted above, while most coiled tubing is made of steel, the present invention contemplates the use of coiled tubing made of composites as described above. The use of composites which, as recognized, generally have more elasticity than steel generally permits the use of smaller core diameters for a given OD of the coiled tubing than can be achieved using coiled tubing made of steel.
In most cases, the carrier on which the mast is mounted will be dimensioned such that it can travel on roads, highways, etc., subject to government regulation. Thus, with the mast pivoted to a generally horizontal position, such a carrier can freely travel on such roads, highways, etc. However, it needs to be recognized that the mast and other equipment used in coiled tubing operations could be mounted on a platform which, albeit movable by some means, because of its dimensions could not travel or be moved along such regulated roads, highways, etc.
The term “carousel” as used herein is intended to include any apparatus which can effect rotation of the reel of coiled tubing or skid on which it is mounted. Thus, a rotatable axle, spindle or the like connected to a suitable support (skid) or the base of the reel of coiled tubing and which can be rotated, either mechanically or manually, to turn the skid or base, qualifies as a carousel.
The foregoing description and examples illustrate selected embodiments of the present invention. In light thereof, variations and modifications will be suggested to one skilled in the art, all of which are in the spirit and purview of this invention.
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