The present invention relates to a downhole wireline machining tool string for increasing an inner diameter of a well tubular metal structure in a well, the downhole wireline machining tool string having a longitudinal axis and comprising a rotatable tool part comprising a machining tool having a first end part, a second end part, a diameter and a circumference, and a stationary tool part.
A casing or a liner in a well often has restrictions such as nipples, no-goes or patches, or restrictions caused by scale or cement on the inner surface, and in order to optimise production e.g. by intervening the well by a tool, this restriction needs to be removed or at least decreased in order to increase the inner diameter of the casing. Another possible restriction may be a stuck valve, such as a ball valve or a flapper valve, at least partly closing the well.
Such restrictions may be removed by means of a wireline tool which is quickly run into the well, but the power available downhole to perform the operation is very limited, which reduces the operation methods available for removing or at least reducing the restriction.
It is an object of the present invention to wholly or partly overcome the above disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art. More specifically, it is an object to provide an improved downhole wireline tool string which is able to remove a metal nipple in a well receiving less power than 8,000 watt.
The above objects, together with numerous other objects, advantages and features, which will become evident from the below description, are accomplished by a solution in accordance with the present invention by a downhole wireline machining tool string for increasing an inner diameter of a well tubular metal structure in a well, the downhole wireline machining tool string having a longitudinal axis and comprising:
The well tubular metal structure to be machined may be partly or fully restricted, meaning that the inner diameter of the well tubular metal structure may be zero at the restriction. By increasing the inner diameter of the well tubular metal structure, at least part of the restriction is removed.
The restriction may be made of metal, ceramics, rubber, scale, cement or other materials in a well.
The inserts may be fastened directly to the outer face.
Also, the machining tool may be an abrasive machining tool.
Further, the inserts may be abrasive inserts.
Moreover, the inserts may be fastened directly to the outer face without any support/backing, such as a steel support.
The inserts may be embedded particles of tungsten carbide, cubic boron nitride (CBN) and/or diamonds, which particles are embedded in a binder material. In this manner, the inserts may be worn while still being able to machine as new particles will appear, which particles are configured to proceed with the machining.
Furthermore, the particles may have a grain size of 0.1-1.0 mm.
Additionally, the particles may be distributed in the binder material throughout the length, the width and the height of the inserts.
Also, the machining tool may have a bore arranged coincident with a centre axis of the machining tool around which the rotatable tool part rotates.
Further, the bore may be arranged in the body.
Moreover, the inserts may be plate-shaped and project radially from the body.
Furthermore, the body may have longitudinal grooves in which parts of the inserts extend.
In addition, the inserts may be made of tungsten carbide, cubic boron nitride (CBN) or diamonds embedded in a binder material.
Further, the tungsten carbide, cubic boron nitride (CBN) or diamonds may be in the form of particles having a particle size of 0.01-4.00 mm.
Also, the inserts may extend along the longitudinal axis.
Moreover, the inserts may be soldered, glued or welded to the outer face of the body.
In addition, each insert may have a width smaller than a length of the insert.
Additionally, each insert may have a width which is less than 40% of the length.
Further, the inserts may be distributed along the circumference with a mutual distance being at least the width of one insert.
By having a distance between the inserts, the shavings or cuttings from the machining process of increasing the inner diameter are able to pass the outer face of the insert abutting the restriction and leave the machining area. When the inserts comprise embedded particles which are made of tungsten carbide, cubic boron nitride (CBN) or diamonds, the particles released during the machining process are also able to leave the machining area. By machining area is meant the area of the insert having contact with the restriction.
Moreover, magnets may be arranged on the outer face of the body, closer to the first end part than to the second end part.
Also, the inserts may incline towards at least one of the first and second end parts.
Furthermore, the second end part may have a decreasing outer diameter, and at least part of the inserts may extend at least partly along part of the second end part having the decreasing outer diameter.
Moreover, the second end part having a decreasing diameter causes the second end part to be round, inclining or tapering.
The inserts may be arranged in succession along the longitudinal axis.
Also, the machining tool may have a bore extending into the second end part.
Moreover, the bore may be arranged coincident with a centre axis of the machining tool.
The downhole wireline machining tool string may further comprise an anchor section for anchoring the string in the well, or a self-propelling section, such as a downhole tractor, for propelling the string forward in the well.
Furthermore, the inserts may be arranged in at least a first row and a second row extending along the circumference, and the first row and the second row of inserts may be arranged in succession along the longitudinal axis.
The first row of inserts arranged closest to the second end part may have a smaller outer diameter than the second row of inserts arranged closer to the first end part.
Hereby, the inner diameter of the well tubular metal structure can be increased from a first inner diameter to a second inner diameter by the first row of inserts and from the second inner diameter to a third inner diameter by the second row of inserts. By increasing the inner diameter by means of at least two rows of inserts, the resulting torque is substantially reduced, as the removal of the material is performed in at least two steps instead of one.
Furthermore, an outer diameter of the body may be larger opposite the inserts than closer to the first end part.
In addition, the rotatable tool part may rotate less than 300 revolutions per minute (RPM).
Also, the rotatable tool part may rotate less than 200 revolutions per minute (RPM).
Also, the driving unit may be powered by less than 7,000 watt.
Moreover, the rotatable tool part may rotate at a low torque.
Finally, the machining tool may increase the inner diameter by milling away part of a nipple, scale, a sliding sleeve, a whip stock or a valve.
The machining tool may further comprise a fastening element for fastening a machined piece.
Moreover, the body with inserts may be rotatable in relation to the fastening element.
Furthermore, the fastening element may be circumferenting part of the body, the body being rotatable within the fastening element.
Also, the fastening element may comprise a base part and a projecting part, the projecting part being more flexible than the base part.
In addition, the machining tool may further comprise a core drill having a circumferential wall having inserts, said circumferential wall circumferenting the body and being part of the rotatable tool part.
The present invention also relates to a downhole wireline machining tool string for increasing an inner diameter of a well tubular metal structure in a well or cutting out a piece, e.g. in a downhole valve, the downhole wireline machining tool string having a longitudinal axis and comprising:
Moreover, the body may be rotatable within or around the fastening element.
Additionally, the fastening element may be arranged in a recess within the body. In this way, the fastening element projects from the inner face of the body into the bore.
Further, the fastening element may comprise a base part and a projecting part, the projecting part being more flexible than the base part.
Also, the machining tool may further comprise a core drill having a circumferential wall with inserts, said circumferential wall circumferenting the body and being part of the rotatable tool part.
The present invention also relates to a machining tool for increasing an inner diameter of a well tubular metal structure in a well or cutting out a piece, e.g. in a downhole valve, comprising:
Moreover, the fastening element may be arranged within an internal recess in the circumferential wall.
Furthermore, the body may be rotatable within the fastening element.
Additionally, the fastening element may comprise a base part and a projecting part, the projecting part being more flexible than the base part.
The invention and its many advantages will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, which for the purpose of illustration show some non-limiting embodiments and in which
All the figures are highly schematic and not necessarily to scale, and they show only those parts which are necessary in order to elucidate the invention, other parts being omitted or merely suggested.
The stationary tool part 6 of
The inserts 15 are distributed around the circumference CT with a mutual distance 16 between them, as shown in
By machining area is meant the area of the insert having contact with the restriction, and along the longitudinal axis 4. The machining area or contact area is less than 60% of the total area of the restriction and preferably less than 50% of the total area of the restriction. In other words, if the tool had contact with the restriction along the whole circumference of the restriction when seen in a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, contact with the whole circumference is 100%.
As shown in
In
In
As shown in
In
In
The inserts 15 of
When seen from the side of the machining tool as shown in
The inserts 15 may be made of tungsten carbide, cubic boron nitride (CBN) or diamonds embedded in a binder material, and the tungsten carbide, cubic boron nitride (CBN) or diamonds may be in the form of particles having a particle size of 0.01-2.00 mm. The particles are thus embedded in the binder material. By having smaller bits or particles of tungsten carbide, cubic boron nitride (CBN) or diamonds embedded in a binder material, new bits or particles of tungsten carbide, cubic boron nitride (CBN) or diamonds are always ready to take over when the first part of the insert is worn down, and then, new bits of tungsten carbide, cubic boron nitride (CBN) or diamonds will appear to continue the machining process. Thus, the inserts can be used over a longer period of time, as the inserts function over their entire extension, and machining tools having these inserts are therefore better able to decrease the thickness of the casing from one inner diameter to a second larger inner diameter than known tools. Each insert may thus have particles which are distributed in the binder material throughout the length, the width and the height of the insert. The inserts are abrasive meaning they are able to abrade material off a restriction and thus grind part of the restriction.
As can be seen in
In
In
In another embodiment, the inserts may be plate-shaped, have a varying thickness and be cone-shaped. The inserts may have a varying thickness in the radial direction so that the thickness of the inserts is greater closer to the centre of the machining tool or the thickness may vary along the longitudinal extension.
As can be seen in
The fastening element 41 comprises a base part 42 and projecting parts 43, and the projecting parts are more flexible than the base part so that when the drill bit 47 of the machining tool 7 has drilled through the machined piece 48, the fastening element 41 is able to be squeezed into the drilled hole in the piece 48, and thus the piece is fastened to the machining tool without the fastening element 41 rotating along with the rotating part 5. The body 12 of the machining tool 7 rotates within the fastening element 41 during the machining process, and the fastening element 41, when contacting the piece, does not rotate in relation to the piece and is thus not worn. If the fastening element was to rotate along with the rotating part of the machining tool, the projecting parts 43 would be worn down, and this would cause the outer diameter of the fastening element to be slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the hole in the piece, and the fastening element would thus not be able to fasten the piece within the machining tool 7 and bring the piece to surface along with the machining tool.
As shown in
The projecting parts 43 are flexible and hence able to bend when being forced into the hole just drilled by the drill bit. The projecting parts 43 may have any shape suitable for fastening the piece being cut. The fastening element 41 may also be cone-shaped, as shown in
The drill bit may be constituted by inserts 15 as shown in
In
The rotatable tool part rotates at a low torque and rotates less 300 revolutions per minute (RPM). The driving unit receives less than 1,000 Volts or 7,000 watt due to a loss of power in the long wireline when performing an operation several kilometres down the well.
A stroking tool may be used to provide weight on a bit, i.e. weight on the machining tool. The stroking tool is a tool providing an axial force along the longitudinal extension. The stroking tool comprises an electrical motor for driving a pump. The pump pumps fluid into a piston housing in order to move a piston acting therein. The piston is arranged on a stroker shaft. The pump may pump fluid into the piston housing on one side and simultaneously suck fluid out on the other side of the piston.
By fluid or well fluid is meant any kind of fluid that may be present in oil or gas wells downhole, such as natural gas, oil, oil mud, crude oil, water, etc. By gas is meant any kind of gas composition present in a well, completion, or open hole, and by oil is meant any kind of oil composition, such as crude oil, an oil-containing fluid, etc. Gas, oil, and water fluids may thus all comprise other elements or substances than gas, oil, and/or water, respectively.
If the well is filled with gas, the downhole wireline machining tool string may comprise a fluid delivery unit for delivering fluid to the machining area.
By a casing or well tubular metal structure 2 is meant any kind of pipe, tubing, tubular, liner, string etc. used downhole in relation to oil or natural gas production.
In the event that the tool is not submergible all the way into the well tubular metal structure, a downhole tractor can be used to push the tool all the way into position in the well. The downhole tractor may have projectable arms having wheels, wherein the wheels contact the inner surface of the well tubular metal structure for propelling the tractor and the tool forward in the well tubular metal structure. A downhole tractor is any kind of driving tool capable of pushing or pulling tools in a well downhole, such as a Well Tractor®.
Although the invention has been described in the above in connection with preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be evident for a person skilled in the art that several modifications are conceivable without departing from the invention as defined by the following claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
15198341.8 | Dec 2015 | EP | regional |
16178500.1 | Jul 2016 | EP | regional |
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/371,656, filed Dec. 7, 2016, which claims the benefit of priority to EP Application No. 15198341.8 filed on Dec. 8, 2015 and EP Application No. 16178500.1 filed on Jul. 7, 2016, the entire contents of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 15371656 | Dec 2016 | US |
Child | 17076997 | US |