1. Field of Invention
The invention is directed to a downhole clean-up tool or junk basket for use in oil and gas wells, and in particular, to a downhole clean-up tool that is capable of creating a pressure differential to transport debris from within the wellbore annulus through a screen where it can be collected by the tool.
2. Description of Art
Downhole tools for clean-up of debris in a wellbore are generally known and are referred to as “junk baskets.” In general, the junk baskets have a screen or other structure that catches debris as debris-laden fluid flows through the screen of the tool. Generally, this occurs because at a point in the flow path, the speed of the fluid carrying the debris decreases such that the junk or debris falls out of the flow path and into a basket or screen.
Broadly, downhole tools for clean-up of debris within a well comprise a screen member having a cavity disposed around the outer wall surface of the screen member. A fluid pumped downward through the tool travels through the bore of the screen member and out of the bottom of the tool. In so doing, a low pressure zone is created within the bore of screen member causing wellbore fluid to flow from the wellbore annulus and through the screen where it is circulated back down through the bore of the screen member and out the bottom of the tool. In so doing, debris carried in the wellbore fluid is trapped by the screen and collected in the cavity. Further, when the lower end of the tool is placed near the bottom of the wellbore, or near a collection of debris within the wellbore, the fluid exiting the bottom of the tool stirs up the debris so that it can be carried upward and into the cavity.
In certain embodiments, a single tool is disposed in a work string. In other embodiments, two or more tools are disposed in a work string, either adjacent each other or spaced apart, so that additional debris can be collected during a single trip into the wellbore.
While the invention will be described in connection with the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to that embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Referring now to
Incoming fluid flow accelerator 30 facilitates increasing the velocity of an incoming fluid (not shown) flowing down tool string bore 16 in the direction of arrow 11 before entering screen member 40. As illustrated in
In the specific embodiment of
Screen member 40 comprises upper end 41, lower end 42, outer wall surface 43, inner wall surface 44 defining screen bore 45, upper inner diameter 46, and lower inner diameter 47. In the embodiment of
Shroud 60 comprises upper end 61, lower end 62, outer wall surface 63, and inner wall surface 64 defining shroud bore 65. Upper end 61 includes one or more openings 66. Upper end 61 may be completely opened, i.e., having a single opening 66 not having any portion of upper end 61 being attached to outer wall surface 43 of screen member 40. Alternatively, one or more portions of upper end 61 may be connected to outer wall surface 43 of screen member 40 to provide an increase in tensile and torque strength of tool 20. In such embodiments, one or more openings 66 may be disposed within upper end 61. For example, as illustrated in
Outer and inner wall surfaces 63, 64 of shroud 60 do not include holes or apertures and lower end 62 is secured to outer wall surface 43 of screen member 40. Accordingly, cavity 68 is defined by outer wall surface 43 of screen and inner wall surface 63 of shroud 60. In the embodiment of
In operation, downhole tool 20 is placed in tool string 14 and lowered to the desired location within wellbore 10. An incoming fluid is then transported down bore 16 of tool string 14 and, thus, into bore 35 of incoming fluid flow accelerator 30. The velocity of the incoming fluid is increased as it exits lower end 32 of incoming fluid flow accelerator 30 in the direction of arrow 11 and enters screen bore 45 of screen member 40. Due to the velocity of the incoming fluid flowing through screen bore 45, a pressure differential is created across one or more of apertures 48 between the screen bore and wellbore annulus portion 19. As a result, fluid within wellbore annulus portion 19 is drawn toward screen member 45, and thus, into cavity 68 and through apertures 48.
The incoming fluid continues to flow downward through screen bore 45 until it exits lower end 42 of screen member 40 as indicated by arrow 13. Due to the increase in size of lower inner diameter 47, the incoming fluid velocity decreases before exiting lower end 42.
Upon exiting lower end 42, the incoming fluid mixes with wellbore fluid contained within wellbore 10. The wellbore fluid includes one or more pieces of debris. The mixture of the incoming fluid and the wellbore fluid is referred to herein as the “combination fluid.” The combination fluid is carried upward within wellbore 10 in the direction of arrows 15. As a result, debris that is desired to be captured by tool 20 is carried upward. Upon reaching upper end 61 of shroud 60, the pressure differential between screen bore 45 and wellbore annulus portion 19 causes the combination fluid to be drawn toward screen bore 45 and, thus, into cavity 68 as indicated by arrows 17 and through apertures 48. In so doing, debris within the combination fluid is prevented from flowing through apertures 48 and is captured within cavity 68. The portion of combination fluid that can pass through apertures 48 mixes with the incoming fluid flowing into screen bore 45 from incoming fluid flow accelerator bore 35.
It is to be understood that even though some of the combination fluid mixes with the incoming fluid after the combination fluid passes through apertures 48 of screen member 40, and some of this combination fluid may still contain small debris within it, for simplicity, the resulting mixture of the fluid that has passed through apertures 48 of screen member 40 and fluid that is flowing from tool string bore 16, through bore 35 of fluid flow accelerator 30 continues to be referred to herein as the “incoming fluid.” Thus, the term “incoming fluid” means any fluid flowing downward through bore 35 of fluid flow accelerator 30 or bore 45 of screen member 40 and out of lower end 42 of screen member 40 and “combination fluid” means the mixture of the fluid exiting lower end 42 of screen member 40 with the wellbore fluid.
In the particular embodiment of
Circulation of the combination fluid upward can be facilitated by placing tool 20 above a restriction or blockage within wellbore 12. For example, tool 20 can be placed near a bridge plug, packer, or other isolation device. Alternatively, tool 20 can be placed toward the bottom of wellbore 12.
Downhole tool 20 can remain within wellbore 12 until cavity 68 is filled with debris or until all debris within wellbore 12 is captured within cavity 68. Thereafter, downhole tool 20 is removed from wellbore 12 and, in so doing, the debris captured within cavity 68 is also removed.
Referring now to
Moreover, although shown as being connected directly to each other within tool string 14, it is to be understood that the two downhole tools 20 shown in
Placing two downhole tools 20 within tool string 14 permits additional debris to be captured from the wellbore fluid during each downhole run of tool string 14. As shown in
Upon entering wellbore 12, the incoming fluid mixes with the wellbore fluid, which includes one or more pieces of debris and is carried upward as indicated by arrows 115. As the now combined mixture of incoming fluid and wellbore fluid containing debris (the combination fluid) is transported upward within the wellbore annulus, a first portion of the combination fluid is pulled toward screen bore 45 of screen member 40 of the lower downhole tool 20 as indicated by arrows 116. As a result, the debris within this first portion of combination fluid is blocked from entering screen bore 45 of the lower downhole tool 20 and, thus, is captured within cavity 68 of the shroud 60 of the lower downhole tool 20.
A second portion of the combination fluid continues to flow upward within the wellbore annulus as indicated by arrows 117. This second portion of combination fluid is pulled toward screen bore 45 of screen member 40 of the upper downhole tool 20 as indicated by arrows 118. As a result, the debris within this second portion of combination fluid is blocked from entering screen bore 45 of the upper downhole tool 20 and, thus, is captured within cavity 68 of the shroud 60 of the upper downhole tool 20. As with the embodiments of
Referring now to
As shown in
In operation of the specific embodiment of
Referring now to
In addition to these ports, incoming fluid flow accelerator 230 of the embodiment of
Although the embodiment of
In the embodiment of
Downhole tool 220, when placed in a work string, facilitates debris disposed within the wellbore (not shown) to be picked up and flowed upward within the wellbore annulus (not shown) until the combination fluid containing debris flows through debris inlet ports 269. In one particular embodiment, an incoming fluid is flowed downward through the work string and into incoming fluid flow accelerator bore 235. The incoming fluid then exits incoming fluid flow accelerator 230 through screen member port 234 and flows into screen member bore 245. The incoming fluid continues to flow downward until it flows through lower sub bore 275 and into the wellbore, such as through a mill disposed below lower sub 270. The incoming fluid then mixes with the wellbore fluid, which contains debris, to form the combination fluid which flows upward within the wellbore annulus. The combination fluid then enters debris inlet ports 269. The downward flow of the incoming fluid through screen member bore 245 draws the combination fluid toward the screen where the debris is prevented from passing through the screen so that it falls into shroud cavity 268 in a similar manner as discussed above with respect to the embodiments of
When present, the one or more shroud ports 236 facilitate directing the combination fluid flowing through debris inlet ports 269 toward screen member 240 by, for example, pushing the combination fluid toward apertures 248 after the combination fluid has flowed through debris inlet ports 269.
When present, the one or more wellbore annulus ports 238 facilitate directing the combination fluid flowing through debris inlet ports 269 toward screen member 240 by, for example, creating a hydraulic barrier within the wellbore annulus to prevent the combination fluid to flow upward past debris inlet ports 269.
It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction, operation, exact materials, or embodiments shown and described, as modifications and equivalents will be apparent to one skilled in the art. For example, the bore of the incoming fluid flow accelerator can have any shape desired or necessary to increase the velocity of the incoming fluid as it passes through the incoming fluid flow accelerator bore. Alternatively, the incoming fluid flow accelerator can use another structure or device, instead of the shape or size of the incoming fluid flow accelerator bore, to increase the velocity of the incoming fluid as it flows through the incoming fluid flow accelerator. Moreover, the incoming fluid flow accelerator is not required to be attached directly to the screen member. Instead, one or more additional components of the work string can be dispose between the incoming fluid flow accelerator and the screen member. Further, the lower portion of the screen bore is not required to have a larger inner diameter compared to an inner diameter of an upper portion of the screen bore. Instead, the upper portion inner diameter can be larger than or equal to the lower portion inner diameter as desired or necessary to facilitate movement of the incoming fluid downward through screen bore and/or to facilitate mixing the incoming fluid with the wellbore fluid and/or lifting the combination fluid upward through the wellbore annulus. Additionally, the apertures in the screen member are not required to be absent above the top of the shroud as shown in
Further, it is to be understood that the term “wellbore” as used herein includes open-hole, cased, or any other type of wellbores. In addition, the use of the term “well” is to be understood to have the same meaning as “wellbore.” Moreover, in all of the embodiments discussed herein, upward, toward the surface of the well (not shown), is toward the top of Figures, and downward or downhole (the direction going away from the surface of the well) is toward the bottom of the Figures. However, it is to be understood that the tools may have their positions rotated in either direction any number of degrees. Accordingly, the tools can be used in any number of orientations easily determinable and adaptable to persons of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, the invention is therefore to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.