Patent Application
20250020053
During the process of preparing a well for drilling operations, completion tubing is installed in the well to form a barrier between a subterranean formation and the wellbore. The completion tubing is typically formed of materials such as steel, and creates a conduit from the bottom of the wellbore, where production fluids may be found, to the surface of the Earth for further processing. A common part of well completion tubing is the nipple. A nipple is a completion component fabricated as a short section of thick tubular with a machined internal surface that provides a seal area and a locking profile for attaching various devices thereto. There are many types of nipples utilized in well completions based upon their required functionality, including No-Go Nipples, Selective-Landing Nipples, and Ported Safety Valve Nipples, for example.
In well intervention operations and in order to install flow-control devices, such as plugs, chokes, or sub-service safety valves, the type of nipples must be identified prior to the job. In many cases, particularly for wells with outdated completion tubing, the type of nipple may not be accurately reflected in the drilling records. Furthermore, if a flow-control device with an incorrect seating profile is installed, the flow-control device will become stuck, resulting in a loss of well production and potentially the entire well intervention string.
A tubing nipple impression device for use within downhole tubing includes a driver body, a stopping disk, first and second impression arms, and upper and lower radial springs. The driver body extends in an axial direction along a vertical axis of the downhole tubing. The driver body further includes a nose portion, and first and second driver arms that abut against the stopping disk. The shear pin attaches the driver body to the stopping disk. The first and second impression arms are fixed to the stopping disk, and are further connected to each other with upper and lower radial springs. The first and second impression arms are actuated by the nose portion to form first and second impressions complimentary to first and second portions of a tubing nipple, respectively, when the first and second impression arms abut against the tubing nipple.
A method for creating an impression of a tubing nipple includes attaching a driver body to a stopping disk with a shear pin. The driver body extends in an axial direction along a vertical axis of downhole tubing and includes a nose portion, a first driver arm, and a second driver arm. The stopping disk abuts against the first driver arm and the second driver arm. The method further includes fixing a first impression arm and a second impression arm to the stopping disk. The first impression arm is connected to the second impression arm with an upper radial spring and a lower radial spring. The first impression arm and the second impression arm are then actuated towards the tubing nipple with the nose portion of the driver body, causing the first impression arm and the second impression arm to abut against the tubing nipple. In this way, the method further includes forming a first impression complimentary to a first portion of the tubing nipple, and forming a second impression complimentary to a second portion of the tubing nipple while the impression arms abut against the tubing nipple.
Specific embodiments of the disclosed technology will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying figures. Like elements in the various figures are denoted by like reference numerals for consistency. The sizes and relative positions of elements in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the shapes of various elements and angles are not necessarily drawn to scale, and some of these elements may be arbitrarily enlarged and positioned to improve drawing legibility.
Specific embodiments of the disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying figures. In the following detailed description of embodiments of the disclosure, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the disclosure. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well known features have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily complicating the description.
Throughout the application, ordinal numbers (e.g., first, second, third, etc.) may be used as an adjective for an element (i.e., any noun in the application). The use of ordinal numbers is not intended to imply or create any particular ordering of the elements nor to limit any element to being only a single element unless expressly disclosed, such as using the terms “before”, “after”, “single”, and other such terminology. Rather, the use of ordinal numbers is to distinguish between the elements. By way of an example, a first element is distinct from a second element, and the first element may encompass more than one element and succeed (or precede) the second element in an ordering of elements.
In addition, throughout the application, the terms “upper” and “lower” may be used to describe the position of an element in a wellbore as described herein. In this respect, the term “upper” denotes an element disposed closer to the surface of the Earth than a corresponding “lower” element when the tubing nipple impression device is in the wellbore, while the term “lower” conversely describes an element disposed further from the surface of the Earth than a corresponding “upper” element. Likewise, the term “axial” refers to an orientation substantially parallel to an extension direction of a completion tubular and wellbore, while the term “radial” denotes a direction orthogonal to an axial direction. Similarly, the terms “vertical” and “vertically” refer to an axial direction (i.e., the primary extension direction of the wellbore) while the terms “lateral” and “laterally” refer to the radial direction orthogonal to a vertical direction.
In general, one or more embodiments of the disclosure are directed towards a device for creating an impression of an unknown nipple of completion tubing in a wellbore. The device includes a first impression arm and a second impression arm that abut against the nipple portion of the completion to create a partial impression of the nipple. More specifically, the first impression arm and the second impression arm each include a lead (or equivalent soft material) body that molds to the shape of the nipple. In this way, the first impression arm and the second impression arm replicate the unknown structure of the completion tubing nipple, which is analyzed at the surface by an engineer or operator to determine the type of nipple present.
A drilling operation at the well site 11 is initiated by drilling a wellbore 13, or borehole, into a subterranean formation 15. Once the wellbore 13 has been drilled, completion tubing 25 is cemented against the subterranean formation 15 to form a conduit for fluid transmission. The completion tubing 25 includes a tubing nipple 27, which provides a sealing surface and locking profile for attaching downhole components thereto. Both the completion tubing 25 and the tubing nipple 27 may be formed of one or more varieties of steel (such as martensitic steel, duplex steel, or a steel alloy), and the tubing nipple 27 has a thickened wall to enhance its durability. Once the completion tubing 25 is installed, downhole operations may commence to acquire oil and gas from reserves in the wellbore 13.
However, and as noted above, a profile of a tubing nipple 27 may not be known. For example, if the schematics or logs of the wellbore 13 are incomplete, the tubing nipple 27 may not be properly marked. Alternatively, if the tubing nipple 27 becomes damaged from a well operation, the profile of the tubing nipple 27 will change. To address this, the slickline 19 is attached to a fishing neck (e.g.,
Turning to
The driver body 33 serves to actuate the first impression arm 55 and the second impression arm 61 of the tubing nipple impression device 23. Specifically, the driver body 33 extends along a vertical axis 29 of the wellbore 13, and includes a fishing neck 31, a first driver arm 43, a second driver arm 45, and a nose portion 67. The fishing neck 31 is a threaded connector that allows the driver body 33 to be fixed to a fishing tool (not shown) of a slickline 19. The first driver arm 43 and the second driver arm 45 are angled protrusions that extend in a radial (or lateral) direction from the driver body 33, and the nose portion 67 is a sloped surface that abuts against the first impression arm 55 and the second impression arm 61 to enlarge a radial distance therebetween as the driver body 33 is actuated. During operation, and as discussed below, the nose portion 67 is actuated in a downwards direction, and the abutment of the nose portion 67 to the first impression arm 55 and the second impression arm 61 causes the first impression arm 55 and the second impression arm 61 to expand in the wellbore 13 to contact the tubing nipple 27.
The first impression arm 55 and the second impression arm 61 are each formed with a head portion and a lead body that are rigidly fixed to each other. Specifically, the first impression arm 55 includes a first head portion 57 and a first lead body 59, while the second impression arm 61 includes a second head portion 63 and a second lead body 65. The first head portion 57 and the second head portion 63 are formed of a rigid metal, such as steel or iron, for example, while the first impression arm 55 and the second impression arm 61 are formed of a malleable metal such as lead or tin, for example.
The first head portion 57 is fixed to the first lead body 59 and the second head portion 63 is fixed to the second lead body 65, respectively, with a welding or brazing procedure, or using a mechanical fastener such as a bolt or screw, for example. This allows the first head portion 57 and the second head portion 63 to be actuated by the nose portion 67 of the driver body 33, while the first lead body 59 and the second lead body 65 are actuated by the first head portion 57 and the second head portion 63, respectively. That is, the driver body 33 abuts against the first head portion 57 and the second head portion 63 to actuate the first impression arm 55 and the second impression arm 61, such that the first lead body 59 and the second lead body 65 do not need to be in contact with the driver body 33 to actuate. By actuating the first lead body 59 and the second lead body 65 with the first head portion 57 and the second head portion 63 rather than the driver body 33 itself, the first lead body 59 and the second lead body 65 retain their shape until they abut against the tubing nipple 27. In this way, the first lead body 59 and the second lead body 65 remain undeformed from the motion of the driver body 33 while being actuated by the first head portion 57 and the second head portion 63.
To further aid in forming an impression of the tubing nipple 27, the first lead body 59 and the second lead body 65 extend radially beyond the first head portion 57 and the second head portion 63, respectively. This ensures that the first lead body 59 and the second lead body 65 contact the tubing nipple 27 without interference from the first head portion 57 or the second head portion 63. Similarly, the first head portion 57 and the second head portion 63 are fixed to the first lead body 59 and the second lead body 65 such that an air gap is present between the lead bodies and the driver body 33 while the driver body 33 abuts against the first head portion 57 and the second head portion 63. This ensures that the driver body 33 is unable to deform the first lead body 59 or second lead body 65 during its actuation, as the driver body 33 is in contact with the first head portion 57 and the second head portion 63 instead. In addition, the second head portion 63 and the second lead body 65 are formed with a sloped internal profile that matches the profile of the first head portion 57 and the first lead body 59 to guide the motion of the driver body 33. Such is depicted in
To maintain the abutment of the first head portion 57 and the second head portion 63 to the nose portion 67 of the driver body 33, the tubing nipple impression device 23 further includes a plurality of radial springs that interconnect the first impression arm 55 to the second impression arm 61. Specifically, an upper radial spring 51 connects the first head portion 57 to the second head portion 63, while a lower radial spring 69 interconnects the first lead body 59 to the second lead body 65. The upper radial spring 51 and the lower radial spring 69 deliver a compressive force to the first impression arm 55 and the second impression arm 61 that retains the arms to the driver body 33 while the driver body 33 is actuated downwards. In addition, the upper radial spring 51 and the lower radial spring 69 may surround the entirety of the tubing nipple impression device 23 such that the driver body 33 extends through the upper radial spring 51 and the lower radial spring 69. Alternatively, the upper radial spring 51 and lower radial spring 69 may only extend partially around the circumference of the tubing nipple impression device 23, or may be formed of multiple pieces to ease the assembly process of the tubing nipple impression device 23.
The first impression arm 55 and the second impression arm 61 are also indirectly connected to the driver body 33 prior to actuation. In particular, and as shown in
Keeping with
To actuate the driver body 33, the driver body 33 includes a fishing neck 31 formed as a threaded connection as described above. The fishing neck 31 is connected to a fishing tool (not shown) of a slickline 19 as depicted in
Turning to
After the initial jarring force is applied to the driver body 33, a continued force is applied to the driver body 33 to maintain contact between the first lead body 59 and the tubing nipple 27 and the second lead body 65 and the tubing nipple 27. During this period of time, the first lead body 59 and the second lead body 65 form to the shape of a portion of the tubing nipple 27, thereby creating a partial profile of the tubing nipple 27. Because the tubing nipple 27 is a symmetrical and uniform cutout of the completion tubing 25, the partial profiles captured by the first lead body 59 and the second lead body 65 are sufficient to identify the geometry of the tubing nipple 27 as a whole. Once the first lead body 59 and the second lead body 65 have conformed to the shape of the tubing nipple 27, an upward force is applied to the driver body 33 via the slickline 19, which causes the first impression arm 55 and the second impression arm 61 to withdraw from the tubing nipple 27. That is, once the driver body 33 has an upward force applied thereto, the upper radial spring 51 and the lower radial spring 69 apply a compressive force to the first impression arm 55 and the second impression arm 61 causing their withdrawal from the tubing nipple 27. With the first lead body 59 and the second lead body 65 dislodged from the tubing nipple 27, the driver body 33 may be freely lifted through the completion tubing 25 to the surface, where the first lead body 59 and the second lead body 65 are analyzed to determine the profile of the tubing nipple 27.
The method of
In step 420, a first impression arm 55 and a second impression arm 61 are interconnected by an upper radial spring 51 and a lower radial spring 69, and are attached to the stopping disk 35. It is noted that step 410 and step 420 may be performed in any order, or as part of a single step, as steps 410 and 420 are directed towards the assembly of a tubing nipple impression device 23 overall. During step 420, the first impression arm 55 and the second impression arm 61 are connected by brazing or welding (or equivalent procedure) an upper radial spring 51 to a first head portion 57 and a second head portion 63 of the first impression arm 55 and the second impression arm 61, respectively. Similarly, a lower radial spring 69 is fixed to the lowermost portions of the first lead body 59 and the second lead body 65. The upper radial spring 51 and the lower radial spring 69 collectively serve to withdraw the first impression arm 55 and the second impression arm 61 from the tubing nipple 27 after an impression is formed with the first lead body 59 and the second lead body 65, as described above.
The first impression arm 55 and the second impression arm 61 are attached to the stopping disk 35 by way of a first pivot arm 47 and a second pivot arm 49. Specifically, the first pivot arm 47 is attached to the first impression arm 55 by way of a first pivot pin 53, and is further attached to the stopping disk 35 by way of a third pivot pin 39. Similarly, the second pivot arm 49 is connected to the second impression arm 61 by way of a second pivot pin 71, and is further connected to the stopping disk 35 by way of a fourth pivot pin 41. Each of the first pivot pin 53, the second pivot pin 71, the third pivot pin 39 and the fourth pivot pin 41 may be embodied as a pin and hole joint that allow the first impression arm 55 and the second impression arm 61 to be connected to the stopping disk 35 in a hinged fashion. In turn, this allows the first impression arm 55 and the second impression arm 61 to maintain a fixed distance from the stopping disk 35, and ensures that a uniform impression of the tubing nipple 27 is created. Once the first impression arm 55 and the second impression arm 61 are fixed to the stopping disk 35, the method proceeds to step 430.
In step 430, the first impression arm 55 and the second impression arm 61 are actuated towards the tubing nipple 27. In this step, the driver body 33 is forced downwards by a quick, jarring motion of the slickline 19. This causes the shear pin 37 to shear and release the driver body 33 from the stopping disk 35. The driver body 33 is wedged between the first impression arm 55 and the second impression arm 61, which causes the first impression arm 55 and the second impression arm 61 to actuate in a radial direction towards the completion tubing 25 and the tubing nipple 27. At this point, the method proceeds to step 440.
In step 440, the first impression arm 55 is abutted against the tubing nipple 27 to form the first lead body 59 into a first shape complimentary to a first portion of the tubing nipple 27. Specifically, during this step the driver body 33 continues to press on the first head portion 57 of the first impression arm 55, and the first lead body 59 that is fixed to the first head portion 57 is pressed into the tubing nipple 27 as a consequence. As noted above, the first lead body 59 is attached to the first head portion 57 with a brazing or welding process, or an adhering mechanism such as rivets, screws, or bolts. In addition, the first lead body 59 is positioned such that the first lead body 59 extends further towards the tubing nipple 27 than the first head portion 57 in an axial direction, which allows the first lead body 59 to abut against the tubing nipple 27 prior to the first head portion 57 abutting against the completion tubing 25. Due to the first lead body 59 being formed of a malleable material such as lead, tin, or silver, for example, the first lead body 59 molds to the shape of the tubing nipple 27 while abutted. This creates an impression of a portion of the tubing nipple 27, which is representative of the entirety of the tubing nipple 27 due to the symmetrical nature thereof.
In step 450, the second impression arm 61 is also abutted against the tubing nipple 27 to create a second shape complimentary to a second portion of the tubing nipple 27. It is noted that steps 440 and 450 may be performed by a single actuation of the driver body 33, and may occur simultaneously as a result. During step 450, and similar to step 440, the driver body 33 is actuated downwards and abuts against the second head portion 63 of the second impression arm 61, which causes the second impression arm 61 to move in a radial direction to abut the second lead body 65 against the tubing nipple 27. As the second lead body 65 is pressed into the tubing nipple 27, the second lead body 65 molds to the shape of the tubing nipple 27 to form a second impression complimentary to a second portion of the tubing nipple 27. The first impression and the second impression may be compared to determine if the tubing nipple 27 is damaged or uniform, and the redundancy of creating a second impression avoids the need for a second downhole trip if the first impression is not properly formed or becomes damaged. Once the first and the second impression have been created by the first lead body 59 and the second lead body 65, the driver body 33 is lifted by the slickline 19, which causes the first impression arm 55 and the second impression arm 61 to withdraw towards the vertical axis 29 by way of the upper radial spring 51 and the lower radial spring 69. The tubing nipple impression device 23 is then lifted to the surface of the Earth for further analysis of the first impression arm 55 and the second impression arm 61, which completes the tubing nipple 27 impression creation process.
Accordingly, the aforementioned embodiments of the invention as disclosed relate to devices and methods useful to create an impression of a tubing nipple of a wellbore. In addition, embodiments of the invention are capable of simultaneously creating multiple impressions of different portions of a tubing nipple, which allows the uniformity of the tubing nipple as a whole to be determined by comparing differences in the impressions. Furthermore, embodiments of the invention receive the benefits of a compact design, as the upper and lower radial springs ensure that the impression arms remain withdrawn while the tubing nipple impression device is raised and lowered within the wellbore.
Although only a few embodiments of the invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the example embodiments without materially departing from this invention. For example, the first and the second impression arms may be operated with a motor rather than requiring the driver body to be actuated. In addition, the driver body may be formed with a curved or rounded nose portion to change the actuation path of the impression arms. Furthermore, the internal and external profile of the first impression arm and the second impression arm may vary as described herein, and the first impression arm may be symmetrical to the second impression arm or vary in design. Finally, the tubing nipple impression device may be lowered into the wellbore with a drill string rather than a slickline. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure as defined in the following claims.
