The presently disclosed subject matter is directed to well drilling alignment devices for assisting the assembly of equipment retrieval tools.
During gas or oil well drilling an all-too-frequent occurrence is that drilling equipment becomes lost in the well. Because of the cost of new equipment, the time required to procure that new equipment and to set it in place, and the need to clear a well so that drilling can continue it is often advantageous to retrieve such lost equipment. The process of doing so is commonly known in the drilling industry as “fishing”.
A “fishing” expedition is performed by lowering one (1) or more equipment retrieval tools into the well. Equipment retrieval tools are designed to grasp or otherwise interact with the lost drilling equipment such that the equipment can be removed to enable continued drilling operations. A fishing expedition typically involves trying to couple one (1) or more retrieval tools to the lost drilling equipment, hopefully to enable both the retrieval tools and the lost drilling equipment to be removed from the well. Fishing operations should be understood as including the application of tools, equipment and techniques for the removal of junk, debris, tools and anything else left in a well bore.
One (1) common fishing tool is the overshot. An overshot is a well-drilling fishing tool that attaches to well tubing or pipe. An overshot is dropped down the well such that the overshot encompasses the outside walls of the drilling tube or pipe. Once the overshot is in place a basket grapple “grabs” the well tubing and allows the application of tensile forces and jarring actions such that the tubing can be pulled from the well. If the “fish” cannot be removed, a release system within the overshot allows the overshot to be disengaged and retrieved. As used herein “overshot” should be understood as having its customary meaning known to those skilled in drilling operations.
The assembly of fish equipment retrieval tooling is usually performed on the surface. Because of the nature of oil and gas well drilling it can be critical to perfectly align the equipment retrieval tooling to enable it to be dropped down a well to the lost equipment. Perfect alignment is easily said, but in practice it is far more difficult to accomplish in field conditions.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a system by which equipment retrieval tooling can be stabilized and carefully aligned. Preferably such alignment involves accurate vertical alignment such that a first section of the equipment retrieval tooling is vertically aligned with the second section, and then the third and subsequent sections. In addition, such as system should support proper rigging of fishing equipment as required for the well bore and equipment in issue. Such a system ideally should support safe, rapid assembly of the equipment retrieval tooling. Beneficially such a system should help reduce the chances of damage to the well, to the equipment retrieval tooling itself, and to the drilling equipment being recovered.
The principles of the present invention provide for an overshot holding device suitable for on-site stabilizing and vertically aligning equipment retrieval tooling. That overshot holding device enables accurate vertical alignment and proper rigging of fishing equipment as required for the well bore and equipment in issue. The overshot holding device supports safe, rapid assembly of the equipment retrieval tooling while helping reduce the chances of damage to the well, to the equipment retrieval tooling itself, and to the drilling equipment being recovered.
A well drilling fishing equipment alignment device that is in accord with the present invention includes a base and an inner support that is connected to and that extends from the base. The inner support is configured to receive, hold, and vertically align an equipment retrieval device. Also included is an outer cover that is configured to cover and protect at least a portion of an equipment retrieval device that is connected to the inner support.
That base can include a base member having a top and a bottom base plate under the base member to provide a flat bottom. The base might further include a handling feature. In practice the inner support includes a vertical support member that is connected at its lower end to the base member. That vertical support member is preferably hollow and includes a lower end guide support that is configured to mate with a feature of an equipment retrieval device. Beneficially the guide support includes a perimeter lip that engages a bottom edge of an equipment retrieval device guide to form a joint. The upper perimeter lip may include a vertically orientated straight edge and a helical edge.
An overshot alignment structure that is in accord with the present invention includes an overshot and an overshot alignment device. The overshot alignment device includes a base and an inner support that is connected to and that vertically extends upward from the base. Also included is an outer cover. The inner support is connected to and vertically aligns the overshot while the outer cover protects at least a portion of the overshot.
That base can include a base member having a top and a bottom base plate under the base member to provide a flat bottom. The base might further include a handling feature. In practice the inner support includes a vertical support member that is connected at its lower end to the base member. That vertical support member is preferably hollow and includes a lower end guide support that mates with the overshot. Beneficially the guide support includes a perimeter lip that engages a bottom edge of a guide in the overshot to form a joint. The upper perimeter lip may include a vertically orientated straight edge and a helical edge.
The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which:
Preferred embodiments of the present invention are depicted in
The terms “a” and “an” as used herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one (1) of the referenced items.
The present invention describes a well fishing equipment alignment device in the form of an overshot holding device 10. The overshot holding device 10 is configured to support, hold and protect a vertically orientated overshot 100 which is to be dropped down a well bore to fish for lost drilling equipment. As an example, the overshot holding device 10 may be designed to hold a Bowen™ Series 150 overshot 100. Of course, the overshot holding devices 10 may be used with other types or styles of overshots 100 or with another well fishing tool.
A key to well fishing operations is understanding the dimensions and nature of the fish that is to be removed, the wellbore conditions, the various tools and applicable techniques that can be employed and the process by which the recovered fish will be handled on surface. However, proper alignment of the fishing tools (overshot 100) is a critical parameter if fishing is to be successful. Usually an accurate vertical alignment is required.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring primarily to
Referring to
The lip 40 matches the shape or configuration of the bottom edge 112 of the overshot 100 that is being used. As an example, the bottom edge 112 includes a vertical straight edge 114 and a helical edge 116.
Referring now to
The overshot holding device 10 provides various benefits and advantages including support of the overshot 100 in the upright (e.g., vertical) position, which allows more efficient assembly of fishing equipment while reducing the possibility of injury to a laborer or damage to the overshot 100. The overshot holding device 10 also provides a safe and secure means to store the overshot 100 in the upright position during non-use.
The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
The present invention was first described in and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/431,177 filed Dec. 7, 2016, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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62431177 | Dec 2016 | US |